Fort Smith Marshals’ player and ex-Van Buren standout savors every moment

Tanner Callahan isn’t sure that baseball will be in his future beyond this summer. As a result, Callahan – the former Van Buren High School standout now playing with the Fort Smith Marshals – wants to just savor every moment he’s out there on the field.

“It’s a fun deal,” said Callahan, who primarily pitches. “I don’t know if I’m gonna go play next year anywhere, or what I’m gonna do next year. So, I’m just trying to soak it all in and glad to get to be here every day for sure.”

Callahan also is enjoying getting to play again at the Marshals’ home park, Crowder Field on the UAFS campus, where he has played the past three seasons after originally starting his college career at Connors State in Warner, Okla.

“I love this place; it’s a good place to pitch, for sure,” Callahan said. “The place is a graveyard (for power hitters), it’s huge. I hit in school here, and I’ve juiced a lot of balls with a metal bat to right center, and they’re getting caught at the wall. So, I know I love our confidence pitching here, for sure.”

Callahan definitely felt the confidence on July 12, pitching against one of the top hitting teams in the Mid-American League, the Sherman Shadowcats. He pitched four strong innings and allowed an unearned run on two hits as the Marshals rolled to a 9-3 win.

In the fourth inning, the first two Sherman batters reached base and advanced to second and third with one out. But Callahan beared down and retired the next two hitters to get out of the inning unscathed.

“I’m definitely most proud of that. … I get a big strikeout. Yep, that was big time and then get the next batter to ground out. So, yeah, that was a good one to scrap out of that one without a run.”

Callahan also turned in a stellar start on June 28, giving up one earned run on two hits in seven complete innings as the Marshals defeated Piney Woods, 8-2. Oddly enough, growing up, Callahan rarely pitched. In high school, he was mainly a catcher. He made the transition to become a full-time pitcher during his junior season at UAFS.

“Pitching is easier to me and it’s more fun because you’re in it with every pitch.” he said. “It’s a lot different than getting to hit four times in a game.

Callahan graduated from Van Buren in 2021. His junior season was cut short not just due to COVID-19, but Callahan also underwent two brain surgeries. Fully healthy when he returned to the diamond his senior season, Callahan was an integral part of the Pointers’ first-ever state championship squad.

“I had a pretty good senior year, so it was good to get back out there and it’s just a blessing to play every day,” he said. “It was a good time, and we won our state championship my senior year, so that was really fun.”

Callahan is hoping to experience a similar feeling with the Marshals, who are fighting for a playoff spot as the regular season draws to a close.

“We’re about fourth right now, so we’re barely on that playoff spot right there, so we need to kick it in gear,” he said. “We need to get a couple more wins.”

Callahan also wants to do his part from an individual standpoint to help the Marshals make the postseason. Not just on the pitching side but also wanting to get a few more appearances at the plate.

“I haven’t had many at-bats this summer,” he said. “I’d like to see myself get some more at-bats toward the end, but I’m hitting all right, right now. … But just keep filling up the zone (while pitching), keep getting outs and not walking people.”