DC Grays

The DC Grays look to bounce back in 2025 after narrowly missing the playoffs in 2024. Photo by Brandon Lauchnor. 

By Erin Hughes

Head Coach: Jack Besser

2024: 14-22 (4th in South Division)

First Game: Wednesday, June 4 at Big Train

The D.C. Grays have welcomed a new head coach, Jack Besser. A former pitcher at Washington University in St. Louis, Besser worked with the Grays last year, and is excited to take over the manager role this year. 

“My general goal with any season is…to win a championship, but I’m really committed to the development process,” said about the 2025 season. “My main goal and what I’m trying to establish as a head coach is a commitment to day in/day out really, really good work and process, so we can develop our talent and hopefully be playing our best baseball towards the end of July.” 

The Grays roster makes that goal a distinct reality.

Besser knows that he has a number of young quality arms on his roster, but he expects some veterans to log quality innings on the mound. Left-handed pitcher Kimani Davis (Xavier Louisiana) made 11 starts in 17 appearances for the Gold, punching out 50 hitters through 66.1 innings. From Lafayette College, righty Owen Basso notched an impressive 26 strikeouts in 28.2 innings during his sophomore season for the Leopards. 

In addition to Davis and Basso, Besser foresees right-handed pitcher Brady Myers (Lock Haven) cementing a spot in the pitching rotation. Myers made 11 appearances for the Bald Eagles, including four starts, tacking a 4.66 ERA in 29.0 innings. Myers’ Lock Haven teammate, right-hander Jace Szaflarkski proved to be a quality closer in his sophomore season and could carry that into the Grays’ bullpen. Szaflarski finished the season ranked sixth in his conference with six saves, striking out more than 1 hitter per inning with 16 Ks and a 1.17 ERA in 15.1 innings. 

Besser’s offense should be fun to watch. He said that “people can expect the Grays to be an aggressive team on the base paths” because the team has “a lot of really quick, versatile players.” Infielder Noel Rivera put up big numbers in his freshman season for Marist, He swiped 20 bags and was fifth in his conference with three triples to go along with 48 hits and five home runs. 

Outfielder Andy Rivera hit at a .354 clip with a 1.052 OPS through 41 games at Holy Family. He also has the aggressive approach that Besser wants. For the Tigers, Rivera stole 23 bags, hit 12 doubles, three triples, and five home runs. Ryan Soong (WashU) also brings experience to the plate and the basepaths with a .327 batting average, 34 hits, 24 runs, and 11 stolen bases in 34 games of his freshman year. 

The Grays have a few players on the roster that Besser believes could surprise some people - some D2 and D3 standouts, as well as guys from lesser-known D1 schools. Besser mentioned catcher Isaac Ahkovi and infielder Carter Jenkins, both from Nicholls State, as well as left-handed pitcher Dean Qira from Stevens Tech. Jenkins had a strong sophomore season with a .326 batting average through 41 games, and Ahkovi and Qira look to make their mark with more playing time this summer for the Grays.

The season should be an exciting one for the Grays. “At the end of the year, if we do our job developing guys as best we can, we’ll be in a good spot when it comes to the postseason,” Besser said. With a solid group of arms, speed on the basepaths, and quality players throughout the roster, Besser has every reason to be optimistic. 

The Grays will head to the Bethesda Big Train for their first game of 2025 on Wednesday, June 4. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. at Shirley Povich Field.