Lamar sports information

BEAUMONT — Two former Lamar Cardinal baseball players and current Big Red staff members have received promotions.

Current director of player personnel and former catcher Justin Eckols will assume the duties of volunteer assistant coach, and current graduate manager and former infielder Jake Nash will be promoted to the director of operations role.

“I am really happy for Justin and Jake,” said head coach Will Davis. “I think they are both very bright and really understand what we are trying to do here. It’s also great to hire former Lamar players because there is that extra little bit of pride in one’s alma mater and I think they will work hard to make sure we succeed.”

Eckols, of Houston Dobie High School, played his junior college career at Paris Junior College. The former catcher played in 82 games during his two-year stint with LU in 2014 and 2015. He hit for a career .270 batting average and boasted a .984 fielding percentage from behind the plate.

Upon graduation from Lamar he joined the coaching staff as a graduate manager for 2016 and 2017 before being promoted to the director of player personnel position for the 2018 season. He was given the opportunity to throw batting practice on a national stage when he was asked by slugger Reid Russell to be his pitcher at the TD Ameritrade Home Run Derby in Omaha after the 2016 season.

Nash, from Palestine, Texas, played junior college ball at Vernon College before transferring to Lamar in 2015 for his junior season. Nash hit .314 for his two-year career in 102 games. He had 22 doubles, three triples, and four homers, driving in 60 RBIs and drawing 29 career walks. He also stole 13 bases and was named to the 2016 preseason All-Southland second team and a 2015 All-Southland honorable mention. Nash was a graduate manager in the 2018 season.

The 2019 campaign will begin in early February.