By Tyler Maheu, Staff Sportswriter
Welcome to The Boys of Summer, a series of articles about the Vermont Lake Monsters baseball organization. Over the coming weeks, the Vermont Standard will give readers a chance to get to know some of the players and staff during their journey through The Futures League.
This week, we talked with three ballplayers we will be following throughout the second half of their season: Elias Huber, Thomas Moss, and Reed Stygles.
Elias Huber, infielder
Baseball may be America’s pastime, but the game has steadily grown around the globe, even to Germany. Vermont Lake Monsters infielder Elias Huber has taken a long journey to get to the Green Mountain State. The 20-year-old hails from Gauting, Bavaria, Germany, a country known for almost every sport except baseball.
“It’s not popular at all,” he laughed, before explaining how he ended up with the 108-stitched ball in his hand. “It was my dad. He founded the baseball club back in Germany with his friends 30 years ago. I obviously played soccer, loved tennis, but I decided to play baseball, which wasn’t the obvious choice, but I’m glad I stuck to it.”
Huber first got to the States last August, moving to Arizona to play at Arizona Western College. “When I stepped off the plane in August, it was like 105 degrees,” he recalled. In 53 games this past year for the Matadors, Huber batted .284 and hit seven home runs with 48 runs batted in.
Infielder Elias Huber is all smiles while greeting fans. Courtesy of Matt Irish
Going from Arizona to Vermont required a connection back home. “It happened through Morgan Brown (Lake Monsters Director of Baseball Operations),” he said. “He played college baseball at Harvard with a guy who is coaching back in Germany who told him about me, and that’s how I got in contact.” Vermont’s climate suits him more. “Between Arizona and Vermont, Vermont feels like Germany,” he said. “It’s green, there are lakes, the weather is the same.”
For some athletes, moving to the United States and playing with others who do not speak their language, communication can be a hurdle. But according to Huber, he began learning English in the fifth grade, making this concern moot. “For me, I understand everything they say,” he said. “I don’t have all the vocabulary, but I am getting better so quick. I’m learning a new word every day. There have been no problems with the language barrier.”
Every player at the collegiate level and higher has a special skill that sets them apart. Huber believes this is his knowledge of the game. “I feel like even being from Germany, I have a decent baseball IQ,” he said. “I know what to do.”
Coming to the States for baseball was a culture shift for Huber, one he said he has been working to overcome. “I struggled with my mental this college season,” he reflected. “Teams aren’t as good in Germany, so coming to Vermont and facing good pitching every day helps me a lot. It’s helping me a lot; playing every day helps my consistency, having a routine, and it is huge for my mental.”
So far this season, Huber has played in 29 games. He is batting .311 with one home run, 16 RBI, and three stolen bases.
Playing in upstate Vermont, in front of a rabid fanbase, has been a revelation for Huber. “Fans here are insane. I’ve never been in front of crowds this involved,” he said. Since coming here for the summer, he has fallen in love with the area. “The community in Burlington is great; everybody knows the Lake Monsters. I love it here.”
Thomas Moss, utility-fielder
Thomas Moss comes to Burlington from Sugar Land, Texas, a city just outside of Houston. Moss found baseball at a young age, thanks to his siblings, and was hooked from the beginning. “I have two older brothers, both played baseball, so I kinda grew up with it,” he said. “I was always doing some type of sport with my brothers, played a lot in middle school, and then in high school I decided I wanted to play in college and started focusing on baseball.”
His love for the sport is pure. “Honestly, I just love it,” he said glowingly. “The feeling that you get when playing doesn’t compare to anything. You’re free, and you have time to show off your abilities.”
The 20-year-old, who plays his college ball at Trinity University, has taken to Vermont quickly. “Honestly, it hasn’t been that insane,” he said, referring to the potential culture shock between the southern US and upstate Vermont. “The people are super nice. I love it here. Everybody loves the Lake Monsters, and I’ve probably been treated better and nicer in Vermont than I would’ve been in Houston for the summer.”
Vermont native Reed Stygles readies to pitch for the Lake Monsters. Courtesy of Matt Irish
Moss is the team’s jack-of-all-trades, listed on the roster as a catcher, infielder and outfielder. He’s been exploring the diamond since high school. “Back in high school, I was a second baseman mostly and played outfield my freshman year,” he explained. “Then, my freshman year of college, I was a catcher. I really just try to do whatever I can to get playing time. If that means playing out of position, I don’t care; I’ll go for it.”
After 26 games, Moss is happy with his performance against tougher competition. “I’ve really had to step up to the people around me,” he said. “It’s cool to be able to play at a higher level with good players.” So far, Moss is batting .310, with nine RBI and four stolen bases.
Coming to Vermont for the summer has helped him grow as a ballplayer, specifically as a catcher and with his mental game. “We have a great coaching staff, and they provide great insight,” he said. “We have a specific catching coach. The amount of reps has helped. We play 60 games; we are playing every day, and it’s a grind. Moss added. “It has taught me to simplify the game; you can’t be doing too much.”
He continued. “This has helped me with my mental game. When you play every day, there are ups and downs, and you need to stay at a good mental level to maintain performance.”
Moss praised the Lake Monster faithful for their knowledge and commitment to the team. “What’s special about the Lake Monsters is that the fans show up,” he said. “It’s an insane amount of buy-in from the fans. If you steal a base, if you foul off a ball, there is encouragement. If you’re having a bad day, going 0-2, people are paying attention and cheering for you. It’s great to hear.”
Despite his baseball prowess, Moss has his sights set on a different dream after his playing career. “I plan on being a doctor,” he said. “I want to go to medical school, go into trauma surgery, and who knows what will happen after that.” His summer in Vermont has given him a chance to check out a prospective school, one he is awed by. “I’ve been looking around the University of Vermont, looking into the school. The buildings look like castles,” he said.
Reed Stygles, right-handed pitcher
The Lake Monsters don’t always field players from Vermont, but this year five made the cut. One of those five is pitcher Reed Stylges from Cambridge.
The 19-year-old attended BFA-Fairfax for high school and has now taken his talents to the University of South Carolina-Aiken for his collegiate career. Stygles credits his father for his early love affair with the game.
“Originally, as a kid, my father would always go out and play catch with me,” he said. “That was a big help.” Growing up, he was a three-sport athlete, competing in baseball, basketball, and football. But, according to him, he “fell in love with baseball over time.”
Stygles was proactive in his attempt to play for his home-state team, initially reaching out to the coaching staff himself. After not being on the roster to start the season, he soon got his chance. “They reached out early in the season and said they’d need another pitcher,” he said.
The six-foot-six-inch right-hander made his first two appearances out of the bullpen before recently earning a start. “As long as I continue to do well, I’m hoping I’ll be in the starting rotation.”
Vermont native Reed Stygles readies to pitch for the Lake Monsters. Courtesy of Matt Irish
Like both Huber and Moss, Stygles said the added reps will hopefully advance his ability. “The more live reps you get, they will obviously make you improve,” he said. “It’s going to make you a better player overall; just the environment will.”
Playing in his home state has been an exciting experience. “It feels great,” he said. “I love being home and playing in front of the home fans. It’s amazing; there’s really no feeling like it. It’s not every day that you get to play in front of 4,000-plus fans.” He commented that now that he plays in South Carolina for college, he doesn’t get to see many people from home, but this baseball season with the Lake Monsters has provided that for him.
Stygles has dreams of going pro one day, but in the meantime, he has two people to recognize. “My mom and dad, honestly,” he said when asked who had helped him get to this level. “Whether it’s driving me to baseball practice, training, or supporting me. They’ve been there for everything.”
