By: Dudley E. Dawson
Arkansas Sticks coach Chase Brewster has become one of the most influential baseball figures in the state. Chase is the son of Dave Brewster (aka Smokin Dave) of Gentry Chevrolet and Ed 88.
The top-ranked college baseball team in the country has been getting a lot of talent from one of the nation’s best summer baseball programs.
They just happen to be in the same state.
In six years there have been 40 members of the Arkansas Sticks Academy who have played or are pledged to the Razorbacks' baseball team.
That includes 16 members who will be playing this summer for the Sticks’ various teams.
“At one time last year, the whole entire starting (pitching) rotation were Sticks guys with (Connor) Noland, (Patrick) Wicklander and (Blake Adams)," said Chase Brewster, owner and coach of the Sticks.
“There’s been a lot of other good players — Matt Goodheart, Peyton Pallette and Cason Tollett — that have played for us, and even Christian Franklin, who played with us a weekend or two.”
Brewster is happy the organization has been able to act as an unofficial feeder program for the Razorbacks.
“It’s just been a really fortunate situation that we have been proud to be a part of,” Brewster said. “Like this summer we are going to be wearing the replica Razorback jerseys.
“The one thing that I do know is that the state of Arkansas loves the Razorbacks. Everybody is trying to play catch up with them and we are just trying to put together a team and have a product that the state is proud of just like the Razorbacks.
“We are glad to turn the TV on every Friday and be able to watch some Sticks alumni play on the SEC Network.”
Arkansas’ 2021 recruiting class is ranked third nationally by Perfect Game and includes former Sticks standouts Austin Ledbetter (Bryant), Braylon Bishop (Texarkana), Brandon Arledge (Sheridan), Max Soliz (Madison, Ala.), and Landrey Wilson (Van Buren/Crowder College).
https://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2021/may/27/sticks-provide-strong-recruiting-base-razorbacks/
