Mason Cox received the best baseball advice from his father, Aaron.
“You keep playing until someone tells you that you can’t play anymore.”
Cox, a senior, has followed that advice throughout his young baseball career, which will take him to Baker University next season.
Cox’s love for baseball started with recreational T-ball when he was 4 years old. Cox also participated in wrestling during the winter sports season as a kid but always looked forward to baseball in the spring and summer.
“Baseball was kind of just that sport to get away from wrestling, and I enjoyed that a lot,” Cox said. “It wasn’t as much hard work as wrestling was.”
Cox played with several traveling teams as he grew up. He recalls one tournament in Omaha where his team attended a game at the NCAA College World Series.
“That was always fun watching Division 1 players play at a very high level and compete against each other,” Cox said.
Cox played his first year of high school baseball at Staley when his family lived in Gladstone, Missouri, before moving in September 2020 to Eudora when his father got relocated for his job as the director of operations with U.S. Engineering Metalworks.
He has played the last three seasons with Eudora on the varsity team.
He has also competed with the Cavalier Baseball Club in Johnson County for two years, his sixth travel team overall.
Cox popped up on Baker’s scouting radar toward the end of last season when he reached out to Tanner Kilmer, an assistant coach at Baker and son of former Eudora baseball head coach Wilson Kilmer.
“I texted Coach Kilmer, and I was like, ‘Hey, I’m interested in playing college baseball. I know your son coaches at Baker. Is there a way that I could get his number?’ And the process just kind of started there,” Cox said.
Baker head coach Ryan Goodwin said the university has always had good recruiting connections with Eudora and the Cavalier team. He is excited about what Cox has to offer to a pitcher-heavy recruiting class.
“We see nice upside potential with Mason on the mound as he has room to grow into his frame and is already capable of pitching in the mid-80s,” Goodwin said.
Cox received interest from different NAIA schools. He signed his letter of intent to Baker last month.
“It was a very, very joyful day,” Cox said. “Getting a scholarship to help my parents not have to pay for all the college. It was really exciting for me.”
When Cox is not on the mound, he is behind the dish playing catcher. Baker will allow him to play both ways his freshman year.
“They told me I could two-way my first year, and then my sophomore have to decide whether I want to pitch or catch,” Cox said. “I think they will help me with that decision depending on how I do my freshman year.
Eudora head coach Sean Jarvis said he has enjoyed watching Cox grow as a selfless player and leader to his younger teammates.
“Mason has been fantastic in helping push our positive culture here in Eudora,” Jarvis said. “I have seen him transform from a good baseball player to a true-to-form leader on and off the field. Taking younger kids under his wing and helping them feel comfortable.”
Cox will bring that same selfless mindset with him to Baker.
“I’m just looking to do whatever I can do to help the team win,” Cox said. “So whether that be on the mound, behind the plate, it doesn’t matter. Whatever will help us win games.”
Cox will pursue sports administration and construction management degrees.
Reach reporter Dylan Funk at [email protected].
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