By Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
A Record-Breaking Season for Woodruff Baseball
Woodruff shortstop Kayden Barnaby is a regular Robin Hood.
Unassuming and quiet, when the uniform goes on, his gallant exploits of righteous thievery take the life out of opponents’ defenses and help give the Wolverines victories on the baseball diamond.
Woodruff’s All-Time Stolen Base Leader
Barnaby is Woodruff’s all-time leader in stolen bases, a record he broke earlier this season, but Kayden knew long before his senior season that he was fast. As for Woodruff’s foes, if they blink, they may miss his next swipe.
“When I was a young player, I would always hit inside-the-park home runs, and that’s when I realized I was really fast,” explained Barnaby.
“I found out that’s what I was good at. My freshman year, Coach Brown said put the ball in play, and you will make it on base. I hear other coaches talk about how fast I am and that fires me up a little bit.”
From Freshman Starter to Top 10 All-Time
Barnaby has started for the Wolverines since he was a freshman, making a name for himself as a slick fielding shortstop who vacuumed up ground balls at will. His penchant for absconding with bases quickly followed.
By the end of his sophomore season, Kayden was already in the top 10 in career stolen bases. By the end of the 2025 season, he was number three on the all-time list, just eight steals behind current Woodruff assistant coach Nemo Cochran.
The Mindset Behind Stealing Bases
The fear of getting caught stealing, says Kayden, should never be a thought in a player’s mind. Just watch and react.
“You just can’t be scared to steal a base,” Barnaby said.
“Watch the pitcher’s hips, and you can tell when he is going to throw over or go to the plate. You can’t be scared. Just react.”
The Record-Breaking Moment
Barnaby entered the Wolverines’ seventh game of the season, against Fox Creek, with 57 stolen bases. He singled to lead off the first inning and promptly stole second to tie the record.
Reaching base again in the seventh, he swiped second again on the very next pitch, breaking the record. For good measure, he ran again two pitches later and made off with third, much to the delight of the Woodruff faithful.
“I didn’t know I was close until this year because I don’t look at my stats, and that has always helped me as a player,” Barnaby stated.
“I didn’t even know I was one steal away from the record until the day before. Once I got the record, I thought, I can get at least one more out of this.”
“It was a great feeling,” he admitted.
Coach’s Perspective on a Special Player
Woodruff head coach Wesley Brown marvels watching Kayden play and says he knew from the very beginning that Barnaby would be a special player.
“I probably knew after one practice he was going to be really good,” said Brown.
“He’s different. He has a motor you don’t find in kids this day and time. He has worked extremely hard to be a different level of player.”
Defense and Base Running Go Hand in Hand
Perhaps overlooked, Kayden’s prowess robbing ground balls on defense helps him pilfer bases, too. He says there is a direct link between the two.
“You have to be confident, and you have to read players, how they are reacting, and watching them lets me know if I can go out there and steal two or three (bases),” said Kayden.
“Defense is the same way. Reading pitchers helps me know where a ball might be hit, and it’s the same for base running.”
A Game-Changer for the Wolverines
As for his teammates, it gives them reassurance every time they see Barnaby on bases because they know, often, they will have a runner in scoring position when they come to the plate.
“He definitely gives his teammates confidence,” added Brown.
“It took us a while this year to figure out our identity as a team, and it turns out we can really run. Kayden can read a pitcher and bait catchers into bad throws. He is very game savvy.”
Impact Beyond the Stats
And if the Wolverines are having a poor night at the plate, if Barnaby gets on base, he can help steal a few wins for Woodruff, too.
