Woodruff Junior Nemo Cochran Occupies Many Different Positions on the Diamond
By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
To spot Nemo Cochran on the baseball diamond, you might have to look closely. If you are not familiar with the Woodruff High School baseball team, finding Nemo might be a bit of a challenge.
Cochran, a junior jack-of-all-trades, is the Wolverines’ super-utility man. Depending on the situation, you could locate him in many different positions on the diamond. Nemo’s versatility is one of the main reasons for Woodruff baseball’s marked improvement this season, and his Swiss Army Knife reputation started as a youngster in Woodruff’s WYRA baseball league.
“When I moved (to Woodruff) from Illinois when I was really little, like four (years old), baseball was one of the first sports I played when I got here,” recalled Cochran. “It was fun and all of my friends played baseball, so I played baseball.”
Cochran continued, “I used to play shortstop when I was a kid. I really played everywhere but first base.”
In sports terms, Cochran is what you would call an all-around athlete. His natural abilities have always allowed him to excel no matter what sport he is playing or what position he is asked to man. Woodruff baseball head coach Ryan Perkins knew he had a special player when he took over the program two years ago but was already familiar with Nemo’s abilities.
“I already had Nemo in football and I watched him play football, but when he got in the outfield it was pretty obvious that he could go and get any ball,” said Perkins. “(Nemo) has really opened up our lineup where we could put some other guys in other places. He is definitely a guy I can trust anywhere on the field, and when my back is turned, I know he is doing the right thing.”
And Cochran really can play almost every position.
At various times, Nemo has played shortstop, third base, second base, and can even catch if an emergency situation arises. As he got older, Cochran found a home in the outfield and today serves as the Wolverines’ primary center fielder and lead-off hitter when he also shines at the plate.
With a batting average of over .300, when he gets on base, finding Nemo there is not as easy as you might imagine, either.
“I know if I get on base I’m going to score every time I get on,” said Cochran. “Success at base stealing is a little bit of everything. It’s what coaches teach you. Look at (pitcher’s) eyes, look at looks, and if (the pitcher) gives me took looks when I’m on second, I’m taking third every time on that second look. It’s just getting a feel for it and learning from past mistakes.”
And when Nemo takes off, blink and you might miss him. He is the fasted player on the team. Opposing pitchers are always looking for him, but they never find Nemo where he started out on the base paths.
“Three years ago, I don’t know if he could hit a ball off a tee,” Perkins added. “And now Nemo is our lead-off guy, he leads our team in stolen bases, and he was our leading hitter last year. He’s learned how to bunt and how to handle the bat better. He has worked really hard at it. I even hate to hit and run with Nemo because I would just rather he steal the base instead of wasting a pitch.”
Just like the rest of the team, Cochran and his teammates endured growing pains in 2021. Woodruff finished just 1-21 but returned nearly the entire roster. Just as Cochran has improved, so has everyone else, and the Wolverines have played much better this season.
Perkins says that the team rallies around Cochran and looks to him for leadership. Nemo is happy to oblige.
“One of the biggest things I think, the kids, they trust Nemo as much as our coaches do,” said Perkins. “They do a good job of pulling for each other no matter what, and if Nemo has to go behind the plate, play center, or third base, the guys on the team trust him wherever he is and they want him on the field.”
Cochran added, “We don’t want to lose like we did last year. “Just coming back from that, wanting to win, it’s a better mindset this season.”
There is no doubt that Cochran is a catalyst for the Wolverines’ success this season. With off-the-charts versatility, he still prefers one position over the others, however. There still is nothing like playing centerfield Cochran says.
That is where you will find Nemo more often than not.
“I just like playing center,” he said. “It’s just fun tracking something down, a ball you think is going to get in the gap, and then you catch it. That is a fun feeling.”
If you are trying to find Nemo, there is one other place you can look, and it is the most important place of all.
You can find him with his teammates and friends, encouraging them to always play their best, and being a leader for the Wolverines.
So maybe, Nemo is not that hard to find at all.
Author: Tracy Sanders
