Plant’s four-year standout Strayer eyes third run at Ft Myers
Plant’s Cash Strayer saved his best for last, poised to set new personal season bests in every offensive category in his senior season (photo by Chuck Frye).
By Chuck Frye, Senior Staff Writer
TAMPA – Wade Boggs. Pete Alonso. Kyle Tucker. Cash Strayer?
If head coach Dennis Braun’s words carry any weight at all, the four-year starter – currently experiencing a transcendent senior season – will culminate his career by seeing his name and number join those standouts adorning Plant High’s outfield fence.
“Don’t be surprised if we put another number out there,” Braun said after his Panthers rode the offensive firepower of Strayer and others to a dominating victory over Steinbrenner and back-to-back district titles for the first time since 2009. “Cash does the things that people don’t see. He’s in the weight room every morning, getting stronger like a lot of the guys with their numbers on the fence. He’s got all the tools to do it.”
Right from his first day with the program as a freshman, Strayer was raking at the plate. But this season, he has added power to his resume.
Strayer has scored 35 runs and counting for Plant this season (file photo by Mike Camunas).
He has reached double digits in extra base hits (12 to date) this season for the first time in his career and driven out six home runs after hitting just one his prior three seasons. In fact, a discovery preparing for the game – and the two round-trippers that resulted – could bode well for Strayer in the upcoming regional playoffs, ironically against this same Warriors squad – a best-of-three series beginning Wednesday from Wade Boggs Field at 7 pm.
“I feel like I finally found something and it’s working so I’m going to stick with it,” said Strayer, who cited Braun for helping out with his approach at the plate. “I just felt something in batting practice … with my swing direction, staying through the middle of the field. I was hitting balls hard foul and just missing them, and that just kept me on the ball.”
From his freshman season in 2022, when Strayer batted .325, with 18 runs and 11 RBI.
Strayer runs down a fly ball in the state semifinal game during his sophomore season.
With a career batting average of .343 and 104 hits, Strayer already has a well-developed habit of putting the ball in play, but one big change may have helped flip his power switch.
“I think putting him in centerfield has helped him,” Braun said. “He played shortstop last year and center’s his true position. He’s been really good for us out there. He’s run down a lot of balls and played great defense. Our outfield (with Strayer between junior Desan DeCamp in left and senior Jackson Cucchi in right) has been really good. It might be the best outfield we’ve had since I’ve been here.”
Panthers head coach Dennis Braun feels that Strayer has “all the tools” to join Wade Boggs with a banner on the outfield fence (file photo by Mike Camunas).
Strayer has certainly played his part, shattering his career high with 35 runs scored while tying his career bests for hits in a season (28) as well as runs batted in (19) with at least two games left to play, an impressive run production for a leadoff batter.
“I think we’ve got something special,” Strayer said about this year’s roster. “If we just stay within ourselves and do what we do right, I think we can make a run for sure.”
The senior should know, having been a member of state final four teams in 2022 and 2023.
The lowest batting average in the lineup is .281, while the pitching rotation features the likes of junior Nick Townley (7-0, team-high 52 1/3 innings pitched, earned run average under two) and sophomore Truman Mayer (3-0, 1.33 ERA).
“I’m very proud (of my growth in the program),” concluded Strayer, who will be heading to the University of Florida to continue his career after committing there prior to his junior campaign. “I’m getting better every year, especially from my sophomore and junior years. It definitely feels good to start hitting some homers this year, bringing it in the game.”
Strayer (right) has joined leftfielder Desan DeCamp (left) and rightfielder Jackson Cucchi to form what, according to head coach Dennis Braun, “might be the best outfield we’ve had since I’ve been here” (photo by Chuck Frye).
