A new chapter is set to begin for Pahrump Valley High School baseball this spring, and it comes with a familiar face at the helm. Trojan alumnus Drew Middleton has returned to his roots as the program’s new head coach, bringing with him years of coaching experience, a fresh system, and a deep personal connection to the maroon and gold.
For Middleton, the opportunity to lead the program where his own baseball journey began is more than just another coaching job — it’s a full-circle moment.
“I played here from 2010 to 2014 and graduated in 2014,” Middleton said. “Being able to run the high school I graduated from means a lot. I always felt like if I never coached here, I would’ve had that itch forever. I’m proud to be back. I’m proud to be a Trojan, and I’m proud to lead this team.”
Middleton wasted little time stepping into coaching after his playing days ended. Immediately following graduation, he began working with local youth baseball, managing a Major division team before spending three years leading junior teams and coaching a Junior All-Star squad. One of those teams captured a District 4 championship and advanced to the state tournament — an experience Middleton still reflects on today.
“We should have won that,” he admitted with a laugh. “I still think about that a lot.”
His coaching career continued to grow when he joined the PVHS baseball staff under longtime coach Brian Hayes, serving three years as both the junior varsity coach and pitching coach. After Hayes stepped down, Middleton moved to Desert Oasis High School, where he spent the past four seasons learning under Head Coach Paul Buboltz and his accomplished coaching staff, widely regarded as one of the premier programs on the West Coast.
“The mentors I’ve had — Coach Hayes and Coach Paul Buboltz at Desert Oasis — really shaped how I want to run a program,” Middleton said. “The last four years I followed Coach Buboltz’s footsteps and learned everything I could.”
Now also an algebra teacher at PVHS, Middleton returns not only as a coach but as an educator invested in the school community. Adding to the pull back to Pahrump was the encouragement of the team itself.
“The senior group wanted me to come back pretty hard,” he said. “They were a huge reason why I’m here.”
Middleton emphasized that building the right coaching staff was a major priority as he stepped into the head coaching role, assembling a group with deep local ties and extensive baseball experience.
Varsity assistant coach Brandon Bietar brings a unique full-circle connection to the program, having coached Middleton during his own high school playing days. Bietar played locally before finishing his career at Faith Lutheran and later ran the summer Legion team, guiding them to the Legion Championship game in 2012. He will serve as the varsity assistant and catching coach this season.
Joining him on the varsity staff is Ray Montanez, a well-known figure throughout the Las Vegas (and Pahrump) baseball community. Montanez will serve as an assistant coach and oversee the infielders, adding another experienced voice to the program’s development.
At the junior varsity level, Richard Swingle will take over as head coach. Swingle has long been involved in local youth baseball, previously coaching Little League, serving as league president for several years, and helping start the community’s recreational league program. Supporting him will be Matt Smith, a firefighter and EMT whose son, Kasen Smith, is currently an eighth grader preparing to enter the high school ranks. Longtime Little League coach Sam Mendoza will also assist at the JV level; his son, Sammy Mendoza, is a junior on this year’s varsity roster.
The program has already begun emphasizing community involvement under Middleton’s leadership, recently hosting a youth baseball skills camp fundraiser designed to both support the team and give back locally. The camp welcomed boys and girls ages 8 to 14 for skill-specific training sessions focused on infield, outfield, pitching, and hitting instruction. Participants worked directly with PVHS coaches and players, giving younger athletes exposure to high school-level expectations while allowing Trojan players to serve as mentors and role models. Middleton said creating opportunities for his athletes to give back is an important part of building the program’s culture, helping players understand their responsibility to the next generation of local baseball athletes while also supporting the team financially.
The Trojans enter this season with approximately 28–29 players, giving Middleton a strong roster size without the need for cuts. Early participation and offseason work have already helped shape the team’s identity. During the fall, Middleton implemented a completely new system designed to modernize the program’s approach to the game. Rather than spending months only practicing fundamentals, players were given extensive live-game opportunities.
“We ran about 15 club games in the fall,” he explained. “Instead of coming into day one not knowing what we’re doing, they already understand how we operate — our signs, our pick game, everything. We’re game-ready, not just baseball-ready.”
That extended evaluation period also allowed unexpected players to emerge.
“There were a couple guys I didn’t think would be everyday players when I first took the job,” Middleton said. “Now I can’t take them out of the lineup because all they’ve done is hit.”
His philosophy is simple: players are always being evaluated, and real growth happens through competition.
“When you’re practicing nine months a year, you get better, but games show you who players really are,” he said.
As Middleton builds the culture of the program, leadership from within the roster will be key. He emphasized that successful teams are ultimately driven by players, not just coaches.
“Bad teams — no one leads. Good teams — coaches lead. Great, state-caliber teams are player-led,” Middleton said. “If we want to reach our potential, our seniors have to lead.”
Senior Kayne Horibe is expected to anchor that leadership group, alongside fellow senior Vinny Whitney, while several underclassmen are poised to make significant impacts. Among those Middleton highlighted were Tony Whitney, whom he described as “one of the best shortstops in the state, at least in 3A,” along with experienced varsity player Ben Cimperman. Additional contributors expected to play major roles include Cody Fried, Jake Sellback, and sophomore CJ Nelson, whom Middleton called “one of the best sophomores in the state.”
“With this group, we’ve got guys all over the field who can go,” he said.
The Trojans will open their season by hosting a brand-new event — the Rod Poteete Tournament — marking the first time PVHS has hosted its own opening-season baseball tournament. Named in honor of former coach Rod Poteete, whose name is memorialized at the field, the tournament reflects Middleton’s goal of building traditions that connect the program’s past with its future.
“When I interviewed for the job, I said this is something I really wanted to do,” Middleton explained. “We’ve never run a tournament here, and I wanted to create something meaningful.”
The tournament will feature a competitive field including a 5A program from northern Nevada, Dayton High School, and longtime regional rival Moapa Valley. Teams will compete in a round-robin format Thursday through Friday, followed by championship and consolation games Saturday based on seeding. Pahrump Valley opens tournament play at 8 a.m. on February 26, with additional games scheduled throughout the weekend.
“I’d love to see teachers bring classes down or students come support,” Middleton said. “It should be a really fun way to start the season.”
The Trojans’ schedule this year is intentionally demanding, featuring multiple matchups against larger 5A programs — a decision Middleton made strategically to prepare his team for postseason play.
“I made us a very hard schedule for a reason,” he said. “Playing bigger schools can do one of two things — it either brings teams together or pulls them apart when things get tough. My job is to keep them together through that.”
He believes the challenge will ultimately strengthen the team when playoff time arrives.
“If we stay connected and fight through adversity, it’s going to pay off when playoffs come around.”
Despite his years of coaching experience, Middleton admits there will be one moment that truly makes the job feel real.
“I think standing on that line for the national anthem on February 26 is when it’s going to hit me that I’m the head coach of this program,” he said. “I’ve been counting down this day for a long time.”
As the Trojans prepare to take the field, excitement surrounds a program blending returning leadership, emerging talent, and a coaching staff deeply rooted in the local baseball community. With a renewed vision and strong foundation already in place, the 2026 season marks not just the start of a new year, but the beginning of a new era for Trojan baseball.
