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Ogden High coach Kyle Bubak instructs from the third-base line during a nonregion baseball game versus Corner Canyon on Friday, April 4, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Ogden High's Kash Thompson slides into Corner Canyon second baseman Levi Hines during a nonregion baseball game versus Corner Canyon on Friday, April 4, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Ogden High's Easton Green rips the bat during a nonregion baseball game versus Corner Canyon on Friday, April 4, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Ogden High's Kash Thompson readies his delivery during a nonregion baseball game versus Corner Canyon on Friday, April 4, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

BRIAN WOLFER, Standard-Examiner

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Ogden High coach Kyle Bubak meets with an umpire during a nonregion baseball game versus Corner Canyon on Friday, April 4, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Ogden High's Dominic Piper fields a ground ball during a nonregion baseball game versus Corner Canyon on Friday, April 4, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Ogden High's Rodrigo Torres sends the ball in during a nonregion baseball game versus Corner Canyon on Friday, April 4, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Ogden High's Lucas Bushell fields the ball during a nonregion baseball game versus Corner Canyon on Friday, April 4, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

BRIAN WOLFER, Standard-Examiner

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OGDEN — Kyle Bubak didn’t take over Ogden High’s baseball program because it’d be easy.

A former shortstop at Nebraska – and once a high school hopeful himself growing up in Davis County – Bubak’s revising a roster shortage and lack of resources afflicting the already downtrodden Tigers. Hired last May, Bubak quickly jumped to work on Year 1.

With just 16 total players, Ogden enters April 0-12, still searching for the season’s first win. Seniors Kash Thompson and Dominic Piper are new additions; Joel Gomez is the sole four-year returner to an otherwise inexperienced varsity roster.

Growing up a fan of the Ogden Raptors and Los Angeles Dodgers, Gomez went out for baseball four years ago at the direction of his father, Jamie. Encouraged by a fresh start, Gomez, set to graduate in May, returned to the team this spring in hopes of making a difference for the guys coming up.

“I really love baseball and I heard (Bubak) was good,” Gomez said. “And he’s a great coach, I respect him a lot for taking on a new team. It’s something that I was looking forward to. So far it’s been bumpy but we’re improving as the season moves along.”

Bubak, founder of the Utah-based baseball academy The Lab, went as far as organizing online Canvas courses and regular-season dates at Lindquist Field downtown, including this weekend’s contests with Corner Canyon (April 4), Sky View (April 5) and Ridgeline (April 6).

The first-year Ogden coach also coordinated with the Ogden School District for an overhaul of the team’s home infield so it closely resembles the playing surface used by the Ogden Raptors downtown.

“Putting in that type of stuff – a quality field and facilities – that’s going to help players,” Bubak said. “We demand a lot as a staff, and if we don’t have the resources for them to match that demand that’s going to be challenging. But the (district)’s put in a lot of work as far as helping us with our facilities in order to be ready.”

Leading Green Canyon to a 15-13 finish in 2023, Bubak and his current coaching staff said installing his curriculum at Ogden will be a serious undertaking. The ultimate goal in his first season is providing each OHS player with the tools to participate and learn where – and how – they fit into the game.

“The biggest key here is getting the number of participants up,” Bubak said. “Most teams are carrying 35 (players) so that’s something we’re prioritizing. I was aware going into this it’s going to be a rebuild. There’s a lot of work, but Ogden’s a historic baseball place to do it.

“… We’re doing all the right things as far as having the right facilities that’ll attract the players, we’ve got a really good coaching staff (and) it’s just a matter of getting more people out so we can teach them baseball.”

Ogden’s seniors – Gomez, Thompson, Piper and RBI-leader Owen Halverson – are at the core of Bubak’s blueprint this season. The Tigers are leaning on their Tigers throughout an unconventional, and often times experimental, first campaign under their new head coach.

This spring, Ogden’s seniors are playing for more than the number on their back.

“You gotta stay confident in everything you do,” Gomez said. “Even if you do something bad, you just gotta stay confident – that’s all I’ve been telling them. So far there’s like three kids that’ve picked it up and it’s slowly gathering to the rest of the team, for which I’m happy.”

Connect with sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.