Kinston High Baseball Preview: A New Era Begins Under Head Coach Tyler Buie
Kinston High Baseball Preview: A New Era Begins Under Head Coach Tyler Buie
For the first time in over a decade, Kinston baseball enters a season with real momentum for a turnaround. With first-year head coach Tyler Buie taking over, the Vikings are aiming to change the culture and establish a new foundation built on competition, effort, and leadership.
Buie has been around the program for 12 years, working with the team in various roles since his time as a student at East Carolina University. Now, in his first season leading the program, he’s prioritizing a competitive mindset and maximum effort from his players.
“One of the keywords I keep throwing around is compete and effort,” Buie said. “I told them this is probably the most competitive group I’ve been around in terms of my kids. I just need them to take that competitive spirit and effort and translate it to the baseball field.”
A Program Looking for a Turnaround
The numbers tell the story of a program that has struggled in recent years. Kinston has not won more than one game in a season since 2015-16, and playing in the East Central Conference—which features perennial playoff teams like South Lenoir, North Lenoir, East Duplin, and Southwest Onslow—makes the challenge even tougher.
Still, Buie is focused on developing a winning mentality, even if it doesn’t immediately show up in the record book.
“I would be lying if I said the kids don’t talk about it at practice,” Buie said. “They want to turn the program around. They want to win baseball games because it’s not something we’ve experienced here in a long time. But I just want us to go out there and compete first. If that competitiveness and effort result in wins, that’s awesome.”
Tyler Jones: The Leader on the Field
Among Kinston’s top returning players is junior Tyler Jones, a transfer from D.H. Conley and the starting quarterback for Kinston football. Jones will play a key role on the mound and at third base, stepping into a leadership position early.
“I can see that his voice and leadership have started to ring through,” Buie said. “The kids look up to him. He’s played baseball his whole life, and they know where he’s coming from. If there’s any question to be asked, the kids direct those questions to him.”
His leadership on the football field has carried over into baseball, setting a high standard for his teammates.
“A lot of our kids played football this year, so they saw what kind of leader Tyler was,” Buie said. “That’s going to help us a lot this year, and I think it’s only going to continue to show as he moves into his senior year next season.”
The Lone Senior: De’teryon Moore
Senior De’teryon Moore is the only player in his class on the roster, making his leadership even more important. A four-year member of the program, Moore has steadily improved every year and is expected to play a major role at shortstop and center field.
“That’s a kid that has given four years to the program and has gotten better each year,” Buie said. “He’s bought in this year, knowing it’s his last season. I think he’s going to give his best effort every day. It’s good for him to have a group of younger guys around him who are hungry to improve, and I know he appreciates that.”
Key Returners and Players to Watch
Alongside Jones and Moore, Kinston will rely on a core group of players looking to make an impact this season.
Ex’Zavion Croom, a multi-sport athlete, is balancing football, track, and baseball, but Buie believes his talent and versatility will be valuable.
“He’s a guy I can put anywhere,” Buie said. “He’s going to catch for us tonight, but depending on how the rotation looks, he can move all over the infield and even the outfield if needed. His leadership has also come through, and I feel like I can rely on him.”
Mishaun Pollard returns as a first baseman and has made significant strides in the offseason.
“He’s gotten better with our preseason workouts,” Buie said. “I think he’s going to help us at the plate. He has a tendency to get hit a lot, so if he gets on base, great. But I hope his bat shows up more this year because he’s a solid piece in the lineup.”
Sophomore Emmanuel Sutton, the younger brother of Croom, will take on pitching and second base duties.
“He pitched last year and got a good sense of varsity baseball,” Buie said. “I think the game will slow down for him now that he has a year under his belt.”
Jamari Butler is expected to provide a reliable glove in the infield while also being a key contributor at the plate.
“He’s going to play some second and short for us,” Buie said. “He’s got a reliable glove, and I think he can be a good hitter for us.”
Limited Non-Conference Play and a Tough Road Schedule
With so much uncertainty about his roster heading into the year, Buie kept the non-conference schedule light, playing just three out-of-league games before diving into the conference schedule.
Kinston will play Jones Senior, Trask, and one other non-conference game before facing three conference doubleheaders. However, all of those doubleheaders—against Southwest Onslow, Wallace-Rose Hill, and East Duplin—are on the road, meaning the Vikings will play fewer home games than usual.
“Going into the season, I didn’t know what we were going to have returning,” Buie said. “I lost a couple of kids who decided not to play, so I didn’t want to schedule too many out-of-conference games without knowing how much pitching depth we would have.”
Even with the scheduling challenges, Buie is hoping for strong community support at the home games.
“We really encourage fans to come out and support the baseball program,” he said. “The kids will really appreciate that support from the community.”
Building a Foundation for the Future
Buie is currently the only coach on staff, handling all managerial and coaching duties on his own. However, other Kinston High coaches have stepped up, offering help with game-day operations.
“That’s one thing I appreciate about working here—we all work together really well,” Buie said. “I know Coach Perry Tyndall said he would come out and help when basketball ends, and Coach Fink will also come as well. But for now, I’m just doing what I need to do and coaching to the best of my ability.”
Despite the challenges, Buie remains optimistic about changing the culture of Kinston baseball.
