Baylor Denny is playing catch warming up as practice begins for final preparations on Thursday, February 20, at Casteel High School in Queen Creek, Arizona. (Dani Trujillo/Cronkite News)
QUEEN CREEK – On Casteel High’s sun-baked baseball diamond, a father-son dynamic is unfolding for the second season. Casteel coach Matt Denny guides the team from the dugout, while his son, Baylor Denny, now a sophomore, takes his place on the field.
The Dennys’ story is more than just a family affair. As one of The Grand Canyon State’s best baseball programs, the duo is proving that sometimes, keeping it in the family can be a winning strategy.
The Colts, who had never won a championship before their recent back-to-back titles, now seek to complete a historic three-peat while the two strike a balance between their personal and professional relationship.
“He has been huge whether it’s keeping my passion for the game and playing with that extra fire,” Baylor said. “He is the reason I come every day ready to work hard because I see how he puts all his time, effort, and energy out here with me and my teammates.”
Matt has waited for this moment. A baseball coach for 24 years, the Colts skipper introduced his son to the sport when Baylor was 3 through games on television. Baylor started playing the game in T-ball and Little League before joining club baseball as a 12-year-old, then moving on to playing in middle school at Casteel before joining the varsity team as a freshman.
But until Baylor reached Casteel, Matt never got to coach him.
“It’s incredible, there have been some ups and downs, and it’s hard for me to be ‘Coach Denny’ and ‘Dad Denny,’” Matt said. “I feel like I lean toward coach Denny more because it’s fair for the whole team, but it’s been surreal and something I have been looking forward to a very long time.”
Matt started coaching after playing four different sports growing up, including baseball at Ironwood High School, which helped develop a desire to share the lessons he learned after his last year of college at Grand Canyon University.
After a stint as the junior varsity coach at Sunnyslope, Matt led Greenway High School to a pair of state titles in 2014 and 2016. He then coached three seasons at Mountain Pointe High School before taking over at Casteel in 2019.
The Casteel coach entered this season with a 330-132 record, four state championships, 11 seasons of 20 or more wins and 16 postseason appearances. He also earned the NHSBCA 2023 Region 7 Coach of the Year and the Arizona Republic’s 2023 Coach of the Year award.
In the record books, Matt was part of the state record-setting 70-7 run over two years, including an Arizona high school record 29-game winning streak in 2013.
Matt Denny coaching up his team at practice as they prep for their first game of the season on Thursday, February 20, at Casteel High School in Queen Creek, Arizona. (Dani Trujillo/Cronkite News)
When the opportunity to coach the Colts came up, Matt boiled his decision down to the opportunity to create a culture around a new baseball program.
“I wanted to have traditions and put my stamp here,” Matt said. “Our Chandler Unified School District is absolutely amazing with education and athletics and they allow us to do some pretty cool things here.”
That freedom helped Casteel post a 27-6 record in 2023, which ended with their first state championship as the third-ranked team in Arizona. Last year, the team finished 25-6 and captured their second straight state championship while ending the season ranked fourth in Arizona.
Two games into the season, Casteel faces their toughest schedule over the past couple years. The Colts are 2-0 to start the season, with their next game Thursday.
“We know what we’re up against and we’re going to run towards it and not away from it because that’s what we do here,” Matt said.
The key to success has been the meticulous feedback and training from Matt’s coaching staff. Baylor believes the tone his coaches set trickles down to his teammates.
“A lot of the success comes from the whole coaching staff because of all the countless hours they put in and all their energy goes to this Casteel baseball program,” Baylor said. “We as players notice that and we come out here and give all their energy right back to them.”
Colts senior Dallas Hairston agrees.
“(Coach Denny) brings a lot of focus and attention and we always cover the little things like bunting and baserunning,” Hairston said. “Constantly practicing the little things is what I believe puts us over the edge.”
Hairston also noted Baylor’s significant impact on the team, showcasing leadership skills despite his sophomore status. Baylor excelled in his freshman season on varsity batting .319, 22 hits, 4 doubles, 17 RBI, and .825 OPS. He is a utility who can play the left side of the infield while also making three appearances on the bump last season.
“He brings a lot of leadership and for him being a sophomore, he is very motivating to play with and is loud on the field and always knows where to go when the ball comes his way,” Hairston said. “His glove and bat speak for itself on how he contributed his freshman year last year and will be around the top of the batting order this year.”
The Denny’s have found a home at Casteel – and they couldn’t be happier. Baylor has a strong work ethic and channels that from the most important message his father Matt has ever told him not only around the game of baseball, but in life.
So far, it’s a winning formula for both of them.
“How you do anything is how you do everything,” Baylor said. “So whether I’m doing the dishes, playing ball, or cleaning up my room, if I’m only giving 50 percent cleaning my room, then what’s going to stop me from giving 50 percent out here on the field?”
