*This article was originally published on Saskatchewan Dugout Stories on May 10. You can read it here.

May 21, 2024

By Joe McFarland

Saskatchewan Dugout Stories

What do you do when a former Major League Baseball player tells you to check out a young high school prospect?

Moose Jaw Miller Express coach Eric Marriott did what any sensible human would do: listen.

In this case, it was Marriott’s pitching coach and former Detroit Tigers hurler Dustin Molleken who was singing the praises of Nathan Houston.

The Melville teenager signed on with the Miller Express as an affiliate player in 2023, and Marriott says he fit right in.

“You wouldn’t have known he was an AP player,” the coach told the team’s Coffee with the Coach earlier this year. “He was phenomenal – learning from guys and what a better group to learn from up the middle as we pride ourselves on growing each other on and off the field.”

A year older and with a full season of award-winning college baseball under his belt, Houston is ready to make an impact for a Miller Express team looking to take another step towards a Western Canadian Baseball League title.

WE HAVE LIFT-OFF

A product of Martin Collegiate High School in Regina, Houston has excelled at every step of his baseball journey.

It all started to come together for him when he was chosen for the Baseball Saskatchewan team that took part in 2022 Canada Summer Games in Niagara Falls, Ont.

The team took on an underdog role, eventually beating B.C. 7-6 in a dramatic bronze medal game.

On a team that featured future college players like Carter Beck, Cory Wouters and Takao Cookson, Houston played a big part at the bottom of the batting order by going 2-for-3 with one run scored and one run batted in.

“That definitely opened my eyes to different talent and a higher level of baseball,” Houston said. “I enjoyed my time there, liked the coaches and the team was good, too.”

The middle infielder then spent the fall and winter months focusing on his schooling and the weight room in hopes of improving on his national stage performance.

AN IMPRESSIVE DEBUT

Just after graduating high school in June 2023, Houston was finally able to announce his commitment to Arizona Western College.

As has become a theme, he had no problem fitting in and making an impact right away despite being nearly 3,000 kilometres from where he and his brothers used to play wiffleball in the family’s backyard.

Houston went 1-for-5 with two RBIs in his first game against San Jacinto College-North and went onto collect hits in eight of his first 12 games as a Matador.

“At the start of the season, I didn’t know what to expect from myself,” he told Saskatchewan Dugout Stories. “I definitely felt a lot more comfortable once I started to truly trust my abilities and my preparation.”

Aside from a three-game hitless streak in mid-February, Houston was a consistent presence at the plate by not going back-to-back games without a hit for the rest of the season.

He finished the spring with a .385 batting average to go along with 12 doubles, a triple and 46 RBIs in 51 games while sporting a .903 fielding percentage at shortstop.

“The coaches definitely played the biggest role in making me who I am right now,” Houston continued.

“I think another major key was just trusting the fact that I can succeed and compete against the good competition here.”

He competed so well, in fact, that he was named a Second-Team All-Region and Second-Team All-Conference player for his efforts.

FINDING HIS WAY

As easy as it would be to talk about his personal successes, Houston is the ultimate team player.

He says earning any kind of award or recognition wasn’t on his radar at all as he was simply trying to fit in to the Arizona Western lineup and help them win.

After posting a 37-15 record during the regular season, the Matadors entered the Region I playoffs as the third seed.

Unfortunately, they went up against the No. 2 ranked Pima Community College and were swept in their best-of-three series.

While it didn’t end the way they had hoped, Houston is treating it as a learning experience to take into his sophomore campaign.

“The biggest takeaway from the season would probably be the mental grind throughout the season,” the 18-year-old freshman said. “Playing 50-60 games here helped me realize how important it is to have consistency throughout my routines every day and listen to how my body feels.”

He’s entering the college off-season looking to gain some weight and muscle, as he believes something in the area of 15 pounds would add a new dimension to his game for strength and power.

Houston also believes the team showed what it will be capable of heading into 2024-2025.

“As I think about the season, I’m just proud of the way the guys bonded as the year went on and the way we fought until the end,” he said. “As for next year, I’m excited to meet new people and chase the same goal.”

ALL ABOARD THE MILLER EXPRESS

The goal in the interim will be to chase a championship with the Miller Express, who will have several veterans returning to the infield in 2024, including Houston, Bobby Pokorney, Austin Gurney, Thomas Soto and Luke LaChance.

It’s a roster that has served the team well over the last couple of years with an appearance in the WCBL finals in 2022 and an East Division regular season title in 2023.

However, a WCBL title has continued to elude them.

Houston says he’s excited to keep learning from the veterans while also now being able to contribute on a more regular basis.

“I honestly can’t wait,” he said. “The coaches there treated me like family last year when I was just a high school kid trying to learn as much as possible before going to college.”

The experience of college, along with the bitter taste left in the team’s mouth from the past couple of seasons, has Houston believing they have what it takes to make a big run in 2024.

He’s also excited for the opportunity to come back home and be a role model for younger kids who gravitate to the local players for guidance on taking their game to the next level.

For Houston, his advice while signing autographs will be simple.

“The most important thing is to trust yourself and understand that the ups and downs are a part of the game and you will grow from it,” he said. “No one wants to struggle, but if you put in the hard work, trust the process and your preparation, you will definitely grow as a player.”

Saskatchewan baseball fans will be able to see Houston’s growth as a player when the WCBL season gets underway May 24.

After opening the season in Weyburn, the Miller Express will host the Medicine Hat Mavericks on May 25.