Bucklin to be guest instructor for KC Royals

LENEXA, Kan. — Ethan Westphal isn’t the only former area high school baseball star in a major league spring training camp next month.

Brian Bucklin, 1999 Creston High School graduate and former Univeristy of Iowa player, is a well-known baseball instructor in the Kansas City area. He coached back-to-back Kansas high school state championships at St. James Academy in 2011 and 2012. He is also main administrator for the Thunder Baseball Club, a developmental baseball program for young players in the Kansas City area.

Bucklin, son of Gary and Joanne Bucklin of Creston, will be spending his spring break from teaching at St. James Academy in Surprise, Arizona, home of the Kansas City Royals spring training complex.

Bucklin was recently invited by the Royals to be a guest instructor March 10-17 at their 2017 spring training, working with hitters and individual/team defense in the organization’s minor league camp.

Area connections

Bucklin was familiar with one of the Royals front office executives through past experiences, and met J.J. Picollo, Royals director of player development, at the Kansas Baseball Coaches Association convention a few weeks ago. Those connections led to the recent call from Kyle Vena, Royals director of baseball administration.

“One of my former players in the Kansas City Sluggers (local developmental league) is now one of the Royals directors of scouting and when they were discussing the idea of bringing in guest instructors, he mentioned my name,” Bucklin said. “So Kyle Vena called me and said, ‘I heard you know a little bit about baseball. Would you be interested in coming to spring training?’ I said sure, but I needed to clear it with my (St. James) assistant coaches. As it turns out, I’ll only miss three practices over spring break.”

Bucklin said he isn’t sure of his specific duties, but it seems he’ll be needed at practices for hitting and defensive work with minor league prospects.

“I’ll essentially be an extra guy hitting fungoes and throwing batting practice,” Bucklin said. “They have four fields all running the same practice. They said to just be a baseball guy. A lot of them are fresh out of high school or college, and if I see something I can help with in terms of younger guys learning the game, I’m supposed to jump in. They’re pros, but many are young in terms of their development.”

Childhood dream

To put on a major league uniform is, in essence, a dream come true for the former Panther star.

“I was talking to our football coach the other day about it,” Bucklin said. “It really feels like little league again. The enjoyment of being able to put that uniform on. Going to a professional facility and being on the field. It’s like renewed excitement about the game. We have a good team here at St. James and I enjoy coaching them, but this is something different and exciting. As a baseball guy, it will allow me to see things from a different perspective. Most of my time in 12 years of coaching has been spent in my own practices.”

Bucklin is not the only former area player employed by the Royals. Travis Bryant of Lenox is manager of ballpark services for the Royals’ major league club.