Fort Smith Sportsman and ex-Alma player Logan English adjusts to different roles

There are a lot of places Logan English has played on the baseball diamond. Some, he has had to learn on the fly. Then there are other positions he’s previously played that English has had to relearn.

He’s been able to handle the adjustment to whatever he plays. Right now, English – who recently graduated from Alma High School – pitches and plays third base, shortstop and outfield for Fort Smith Sportsman’s AAA American Legion squad. Playing the outfield for Sportsman was something English had to get accustomed to once again.

“It’s real early (in the season); we’ve only been to one tournament, then we played another game,” English said. “So right now, we’re just rotating a lot, moving the lineup around. But, I’m getting the opportunity to play a lot of positions, which is really good, too.

“I enjoy going back and playing outfield; it’s been since before high school football that I’ve played outfield and getting back out there. I made a pretty good catch playing right field the first time I was back out, so it’s good to relearn the position more and having the opportunity of getting on the field if I can play as many spots as I can.”

In high school, English pitched and played shortstop. Those were two roles he had never played previously. And of the various roles he’s played on the field, English really likes pitching, which he admits he was unsure of when he initially took the mound.

“You get to control the game,” English said. “I enjoy pitching, just trying to figure out the tendencies of batters. It keeps me in the game, keeps me locked in.”

English utilizes a variety of pitches, but really likes to throw sliders and cut fastballs, known as cutters. In his first start for the Airedales his senior season, he went up against Russellville’s Trystan Newberry, a University of Arkansas signee. English was able to out-duel Newberry, as he went into the seventh inning in a game Alma eventually won.

Then in another key win, against conference rival Farmington, English recorded his fastest pitch, a fastball which moved 89 miles per hour.

“I started out and went two or three innings and then there’s a rain delay and I had to come back,” he said. “I was able to come back and it was almost like two different starts, but I just kept rolling and got a big win for us.”

Those wins English achieved helped eventually get Alma into the Class 5A state tournament for the second straight season. The Airedales played Valley View, a nationally ranked team. English took the ball for that game and pitched well, but the Airedales were outlasted, 1-0, as Valley View went on to win state.

But English looks back on his Alma career with a great deal of pride, helping turn around a program that was relatively down when he arrived.

“We really flipped the whole script on what Alma baseball is, which is something I’m really glad to be a part of,” English said.

Something else that English was grateful for about his senior year was just getting the chance to play. His junior year, English dislocated his shoulder while playing running back on the football team, which pretty much cost him the whole baseball season in both spring and summer. English, who bypassed football his senior year to focus on getting back to playing baseball, admitted he wasn’t sure he was ready to return at first.

“Oh yeah, for a couple weeks there I was nervous,” he said. “I mean, I figured I would be able to pitch, but I didn’t know about swinging or being able to dive. But now it’s at 100% now, so I’m glad about that.”

English is also using his time with the Sportsman to further enhance his stock with college programs. At the moment, he remains uncommitted, but is hoping to land somewhere this fall.

“We’re going to a big tournament in Tulsa that I’m gonna get a lot of looks at,” he said. “Just like I said, it (was bad) from being injured last year, so now it’s like kind of put it all on this summer. And so far, I’m doing really good; I just gotta keep it up.”