Former standout McPeak holds Asheboro ZooKeepers coaching role

Tyler McPeak (Photo courtesy of Asheboro ZooKeepers)

Ex-teammates view Tyler McPeak in a different capacity

ASHEBORO – Tyler McPeak found so much to appreciate about the Asheboro ZooKeepers that he came back for another season.

But he’s a coach now instead of one of the best players.

McPeak is making the transition during the Coastal Plain League season after finishing his final collegiate season in the spring for Lenoir-Rhyne.

“I was fortunate to play for Coach (Korey) Dunbar last summer,” McPeak said. “I figured I’d give coaching a shot.”

McPeak was second-team All-South Atlantic Conference first baseman for Lenoir-Ryne this year. He regularly dealt with injuries during his time in college, which began at Campbell. He had converted from a catcher to an infield spot.

He just felt it was the right time to change his baseball focus.

“It was difficult,” he said. “Obviously giving up a dream I had as long as I can remember. I gave it everything I had. I probably could have found some sort of Indy ball team.”

Dunbar said McPeak’s maturity and baseball knowledge made him a logical fit for a staff position.

“He wanted to be still involved with the team,” Dunbar said. “This will get his feet wet in coaching.”

McPeak, has played with a few returning ZooKeepers plus Lenoir-Rhyne has Zach Evans, Owen Blackledge, Caleb Cockerham and Spencer Floyd on the Asheboro team.

“Crazy. I love it. He was kind of a player-coach for me at L-R,” Blackledge said. “He kind of mentored me a little bit. So it has kind of rolled right into ‘now, I’m going to be your coach this summer.’ It was a little odd for like the first week. So I need to coach him ‘Coach?’ I’ve been calling him ‘Bro’ and ‘McPeak’ ‘Peak’ all of these for however long. … He was a teammate everywhere. A teammate here, a teammate at L-R. It’s hilarious.”

Evans, a shortstop who played two Lenoir-Ryne seasons with McPeak, was selected by the San Diego Padres in this month’s amateur draft. Before departing, he noted the unique nature of McPeak’s new role.

“I was playing with him and now I’m looking at him down the third-base coaching box,” Evans said. “He was coaching me when I was still playing with him (at Lenoir-Ryne).”

McPeak said as he was arranging for a different type of role in Asheboro, he didn’t tell Lenoir-Rhyne players who were considering ZooKeepers for their summer plans because he didn’t want to influence them either way.

“I wanted until guys already decided before I told them,” he said. “I have great relationships with those guys.”

Blackledge offered an endorsement.

“He’s doing what he loves to do with coaching, so who am I to stay in the way?” he said.

McPeak homered 12 times in his last season for Lenoir-Rhyne after belting a single-season school-record 23 long balls in 2023. This year, he batted a team-best .388.

“I think I was a little more complete of a hitter,” he said.

McPeak, 23, is seeking a coaching position on the college level. Ideally that would involve hitting instruction and assisting with catchers.

“Just kind of trusting what God has in store for me,” he said.

About the games …

The ZooKeepers posted a 3-1 record last week.

The stretch began with a 9-4 road victory against the High Point-Thomasville HiToms as Sal Laimo had three hits and Yariel Diaz homered and Owen Simmons pitched 8 2/3 innings.

RJ Jimerson homered among his three hits and Alex LaCoste and Laimo also each provided three hits in a 12-1 road ripping of the Macon Bacon, while Peter Mullen and Ryan Nielson combined on a four-hitter in what became a seven-inning game.

The ZooKeepers failed to protect a seven-run lead in a 13-8 road loss to the Boone Bigfoots.

Jimerson knocked in five runs in Saturday night’s 17-9 triumph against the visiting Forest City Owls. Jimerson and Jackson Hugus each scored three runs. Nielson was the winning pitcher with 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief.

Asheboro infielder Hunter Atkins had two-hit outings in the final three games of the week.

The ZooKeepers and visiting Martinsville Mustangs were postponed in a game last week and that’s reset as part of a doubleheader Friday night at McCrary Park in the final games on Asheboro’s home schedule.