​Baker returns from injury for first time in nine months, helps Eagles rout Raytown

by Michael Smith


Right before the football season of his senior year, disaster struck for Brody Baker.

In August of 2023, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament completely in half. He also suffered a partially torn posterior cruciate ligament and meniscus.

“It was a pretty crazy injury, it’s one you see very often,” Baker said.

He ended up having surgery and started rehab for three days a week right after. His initial timeline was 9-12 months before he could play sports again. Well, he came back at the earliest part of that projection as he played in his first baseball game in nine months Monday at home against Raytown on Senior Night.

It was an emotional moment for the senior as all the Grain Valley fans in the stands were on their feet cheering him on during his first at bat and he didn’t miss a beat. He was 2-for-2 at the plate with three RBIs as he helped the Eagles cruise to a 12-0 mercy rule victory in five innings.

“I haven’t seen a live arm since last fall,” said Baker, who will play for Crowder College in the fall.

“When I got into the box, I was a little nervous for how I was going to see. I was able to see it well today.”

During his rehab process, he started out just moving his leg on his own as he lifted it and bent it some. He eventually progressed to doing lunges and squats. He worked on getting the mobility and strength back in his hamstring. After that, he started running.

Baker was restricted to being a designated hitter and when he reached base, head coach Brian Driskell had a pinch runner replace him. He said he still has some issues running but he can still hit, which he proved on Monday.

According to Baker and Driskell, it’s up in the air if he will be available to play in the team’s remaining two regular season games and the postseason. But even if he can’t, he still got to have a special Senior Night moment.

“This is my first time on the new field, and I had a lot people out here to watch me,” Baker said. “I am embraced it all that’s for sure.

“It’s going to be up to my (physical therapist) if I can play again this season. I will see if I can do what I did today. I think it’s just the base running that’s holding me back from being able to do something aside from being the DH.”

When asked what it meant to him to have Baker return to the team with just three regular season game left, it was hard for Driskell to come up with the words to describe it.

“To give him the opportunity to get out there and celebrate (his recovery), it’s indescribable,” Baker said. “He’s worked so hard just to get a chance to do some things. He’s got a way to go before he’s cleared for the fall. He’s an awesome human being. That’s why his teammates love him.

“It’s a possibility he plays again this season.  We must take it one day at a time and see how he’s doing tomorrow.”

Driskell said he was impressed by Baker’s performance in his first game back. Baker had a sacrifice fly in the first inning, had a leadoff double in the third and had a two-run single in the fourth.

“It surprises but at the same time, it really doesn’t” Driskell said. “He prepares himself or better than anybody. The kid (Raytown) had on the mound had a good arm. That makes it even more impressive what (Baker) did.”

There were some other special moments for other seniors, including Luke Andorfer, who hit his first home run of the season on a line drive over the left-field wall for two runs.

“It felt pretty good, especially to do that on Senior Night,” Andorfer said. “It was great to get to do this with my fellow seniors and go out and have some fun today.”

Senior Shane Barnett also got some loud cheers from his teammate when he took the mound in the fifth inning. He accomplished a rare feat as he had an immaculate inning, which is when a pitcher strikes out the side in just nine pitches. What made his accomplishment even more eye-opening is that appearance was his first ever at the high school level.

“I think he surprised himself,” Driskell said. “We might let him pitch again later this week. We’ll see.”

​Senior Landon Jaynes was the winning pitcher as he allowed just one hit and struck out six in four shutout innings. Senior Brek Sloan was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI and senior Ian Kamstra was 1-for-4 with a run and two RBIs.

Grain Valley senior Brody Baker played in his first game since tearing his ACL and MCL last August and went 2-for-2 with three RBIs to help the Grain Valley baseball team thump Raytown 12-0 Monday at home on Senior Night. Photo credit: Michael Smith