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Lowndes Academy junior Ashton Yelder has secured his place on the Loyola Marymount baseball team by signing a commitment to the Division 1 school. 

Yelder had many offers but decided on Loyola because of its coaches’ commitment to recruiting him and his comfort with the school. He made the decision during his junior year so that his senior year he can rest and enjoy high school before assuming his college responsibilities. 

Shane Moye, Lowndes Academy baseball coach, said that he is excited for Yelder and expects him to make a mark on his future team. 

“Ashton has a lot of talent and ability for sure,” Moye said. “He’s a very coachable player and he trusts his teammates and coaches. He’s always listening. He tends to be the first one in and the last one to leave. 

“I don’t know if I have coached a baseball player in my entire 12 years here that works as hard as he does. Whether it’s constant playing, working out, or concentrating on his mechanics he puts it all in and he will get everything he deserves.”

Yelder expressed his excitement for the opportunity and said that there are a lot of things he looks forward to during his time at Loyola.

“I’m really excited and I will continue trusting that God will help me out during this journey because without him none of this would be possible,” Yelder said. “ I look forward to new experiences and with this opportunity, I will be able to spend time away from home and play division 1 baseball which is something that I’ve dreamed about since I was a little kid. I can’t wait to be able to compete as a freshman and live in California on one of the prettiest campuses I have ever seen.” 

According to Moye, it has been an absolute pleasure to watch Yelder grow over the years and his future team will be lucky to have him.

“You could always see that the talent was there but his maturity has grown tremendously,” Moye said. “I’ve been there to see him learn how to deal with failure, how to do the things he needs to do on a daily basis to prepare, and how to believe in himself more. He has more trust in himself now and he deals with failure so much better which is a big deal in this game. He’s really tough even with all the pressure on his shoulders since everyone is looking at him because of his talent and ability but he always perseveres.”

Yelder gave a special thanks to those that have helped him along the way and said that his work ethic has played a big role in who he is today. 

“I have to say that my work ethic has shaped me a lot, especially with never being satisfied and always thinking there is room for improvement,” Yelder said. “I want to give a special thanks to my parents, grandparents, coaches and friends for trusting in me and pushing me to be the best baseball/teammate I can be. I am beyond excited for this new journey.”