AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – The Amarillo College Badgers are gearing up for their 2026 baseball season
The team has 20 home contests scheduled at HODGETOWN for the upcoming season.
Four players from the NewsChannel 10 coverage area are on AC’s roster, including former Randall High School pitcher Duncan Bowles, who was instrumental in the Raiders’ run to the 4A state semifinals in 2023.
Bowles returns from injury
Bowles, an Amarillo native, is set to take the mound again after missing the 2025 season due to a shoulder injury that ended his campaign before it began.
In 2024 as a freshman, Bowles matched the program’s single-season wins record with eight victories and recorded the second-best WHIP in team history at 1.55.
“I’m super pumped,” Bowles said. “It’s great to be back with a great group of guys. So extremely excited to get this rolling this year. We’ve dealt with some tough stuff this fall… but it’s definitely brought us together in the end, so I definitely feel like we’ve grown tighter as a team and we’re all bought into the same philosophy.”
Bowles emphasized the benefits of competing in the Texas Panhandle at HODGETOWN.
“It’s really cool. It’s a great venue,” he said. “I’d say the best venue in junior college baseball, compared to some people who have regular dirt fields.”
“It’s a huge privilege to play here. It’s great having my family nearby. It’s a big thing to me, so that was one of the big things I picked when I chose to stay here in Amarillo, was thinking about family.”
Local freshmen join roster
The other area players include Randall outfielder Dylan Ray, Hereford infielder Tell Bryant, and Canyon pitcher Colt Cruth.
Bryant earned all-state recognition in both baseball and football at the Class 4A level.
Ray accumulated more than 3,000 rushing yards during his career at Randall while earning all-district honors three times, and he also received all-district recognition as an outfielder for the Raiders.
Ray expressed enthusiasm about becoming part of the program.
“I’m really excited,” Ray said. “It’s just a blessing by God just to come out here and play with this great group of guys. I’ve learned a lot from them, we have a lot of good team chemistry and we’re really excited to get to it.”
The former Randall player credited older teammates with helping him transition to college baseball.
“There’s a lot of guys that are older than me, so they know how to show me the way,” he said. “They know how to guide me when times get rough. That’s just the game of baseball, it’s a game of failure, but with this group I’m just really excited because they’re really good at picking one another up.”
Ray described the significance of competing at HODGETOWN as a local player.
“It’s a huge blessing,” he said. “I’m from here, a lot of my family’s from here. I grew up playing here a couple of times, and it’s going to be a really good blessing to come out here and play in front of a home crowd.”
Ray outlined his approach to contributing to the team.
“One personal goal is just to find a role that fits me and to do it the best that I can for the team to help us succeed in any way, shape, or form,” he said. “So just finding a role, whether it be running, whether it be playing in the outfield.”
Bryant discussed the team’s preparation during the fall season.
“I’m very excited,” Bryant said. “We’ve worked really hard all fall, and it’s just been fun working every day with the guys and seeing the team come along. I really enjoyed getting in the weight room with everybody, just everybody pushing each other working towards one goal.”
“I’m just excited for the season, I love this group of guys. We all gel together really well and just seeing all these guys come together from different places and just get along so well.”
The former Hereford player highlighted the advantages of playing at HODGETOWN.
“I think it’s so cool that we get the opportunity playing college baseball in a minor league field like this in such a great venue like this,” he said. “My parents and everybody [are] going to enjoy it being right down the road, easy drive to come watch.”
Bryant shared his development objectives for the season.
“I’d like to see myself just get better, just keep working in the weight room, and just see everything improve in the weight room, especially,” he said. “Better approach at the plate, adjusting to college pitching.”
Cruth is positioned as one of the top freshman pitching prospects for the Badgers. During fall scrimmages in 2025, he posted the second-lowest ERA with a 0.764 mark across 18 1/3 innings of work.
The former Canyon player conveyed the team’s anticipation for the season.
“Man, I’m excited,” Cruth said. “We got a taste of it in the fall, and it’s spring. Spring is what counts, what matters, and so I think everyone’s biting at the bit to get started.”
Cruth discussed the importance of developing team relationships.
“First year here, a lot of freshmen,” he said. “No one really knows each other, maybe through competition, but just getting bonds with the teammates and growing closer, trying to become a family. It’s been great.”
The freshman pitcher praised HODGETOWN’S atmosphere.
“Best [Junior College] stadium in the nation,” he said. “I’ve worked here at concession stands, and so I got to see the games and it’s just a crazy environment. I can’t wait, it’s going to be a blast.”
Cruth noted the advantages of remaining close to home.
“It’s definitely an advantage,” he said. “I still live at my house so I get those home-cooked meals, sleep in my own bed, it’s super nice. We kind of adapted to the weather, the West Texas wind and whatnot. I’m excited to stay here and see what AC has to offer for the spring.”
The pitcher outlined his development plans.
“I’m trying to mature and grow as a player,” Cruth said. “Definitely want to up my velocity and throw harder. We have guys that have been here for three years and they definitely know a thing or two, so try to learn from them.”
Amarillo College baseball prepares for 2026 season with local talent.(KFDA)Season opens at Globe Life Field
Before their HODEGTOWN home opener, the Badgers will begin the season at Globe Life Field, the home stadium of the Texas Rangers.
Following their return to Amarillo for the Johnson County series, the team will travel to face Blinn College.
“Being able to play at a Major League Baseball stadium and plus one of the best minor league stadiums in the country, our kids love it and our opponents come and they come ready to play too,” Badgers head coach Brandon Rains said.
Rains emphasized the program’s consistent objectives.
“Our goal never changes at Amarillo College,” he said. “We’re here to win a conference championship every year and we want to leave this program better than we all found it, from a coaching standpoint and from a player standpoint. We want all our players to come in and be better than they were when they got here and go on to the Division I level.”
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