Like many other kids his age, Lake Forest sophomore second baseman Owen Koehnemann has prepared to play baseball at a high level for as long as he can remember, training year-round.
But Koehnemann also learned from his grandfather Ryne Sandberg, a Chicago Cubs legend and 2005 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee who died in Lake Bluff on July 28, 2025. Koehnemann carries those lessons with him.
“He always told me that he wasn’t the loudest player but that baseball can always be played the right way,” Koehnemann said. “Home runs are great, but he always cared more about things like hitting a double into the gap and then having a teammate drive you in. That was how he thought baseball should be played.”
Koehnemann’s emphasis on fundamentals was honed as Sandberg hit ground balls to him in the driveway.
“Making routine plays was something he stressed — and not overshadowing how important it is to make them and not turning them into harder plays,” Koehnemann said. “It seems strange to say, but routine plays can be harder than hard plays.”
The Scouts (3-2) already know they can count on Koehnemann to make plays in the infield. His fielding percentage is 1.000 through the first five games of his first varsity season.
“We can completely trust his glove,” Lake Forest coach Mike Nilles said. “He’s a cork in the middle of the diamond. He’s very fundamentally sound and always has his glove close to the ground.
“He’s equally good on slow choppers or on plays up the middle or in the hole. We’ve been very pleased with how he’s played.”
One defensive play in particular, which clinched a win during the Scouts’ trip to Kentucky last week, has stuck with Koehnemann.
“We turned a 6-4-3 double play, and with me making the pivot and throwing over to end the game was a rewarding feeling,” he said. “To me, a defensive play like that is the most important moment.”
Lake Forest’s Owen Koehnemann, right, talks with teammates during a practice at the school’s west campus on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Abra Richardson / News-Sun)
The art of hitting has also been instilled in the 5-foot-7, 150-pound Koehnemann, who may not be driving the ball over the fence yet but does have a walk-off hit already. He’s batting .267 and hasn’t struck out in 15 at-bats.
“I knew I had to hit it hard somewhere and that the ball just needed to get to the outfield,” Koehnemann said of his two-hopper through the hole on the left side that ended the Scouts’ 10-9 win over Fern Creek, Kentucky. “It felt really good to help my team out in that situation.”
Hitting the game-winner earned Koehnemann the team’s chain of champions, which is passed from player to player for making a positive impact on a win or a practice. That was his third varsity game.
“I was nervous before our first game, but it helped that we won 8-0,” Koehnemann said. “At the start, I struggled a little because it takes some getting used to. But I definitely don’t feel overwhelmed, and by now I’ve gotten much more confident.”
Koehnemann’s arrival represents a milestone for his family. His father, B.R. Koehnemann, who is Sandberg’s stepson, played at St. Mary’s, and his younger brother Nathan Koehnemann is a freshman second baseman on Lake Forest’s junior varsity team.
Lake Forest’s Owen Koehnemann throws the ball during a practice at the school’s west campus on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Abra Richardson / News-Sun)
For B.R. Koehnemann, seeing the two oldest of his three sons take on the mantle has been gratifying.
“We never pushed them into baseball and always wanted them to do what they’re passionate about and to play other sports too,” B.R. Koehnemann said. “But we’re obviously a baseball family, and with them being only 18 months apart, they’re pretty competitive with each other and push each other, to be honest.
“Now that they’re getting older, we’re really excited for what’s ahead.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.