Lexington Native Chaz Frank Returns To Finch Field
Finch Field – The High Point-Thomasville HiToms and Head Coach Brian Rountree announced today the hiring of two alumni as assistant coaches: Chaz Frank and Cody Penny.
Frank is in first season as a undergraduate assistant at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. As a member of the Tar Heels, Frank helped take UNC to the College World Series in 2011 and 2013. Frank collected 201 starts in four seasons with the Tar Heels while batting .288 for his career and ranking in the top ten in school history for at-bats, triples and walks.
After UNC, the Lexington, NC native was selected in the 20th round of the MLB draft by the Toronto Blue Jays and spent two seasons in the Blue Jays organization in Vancouver and Lansing at the Low A level.
In 2011, Frank played fourteen games for High Point-Thomasville before an injury ended his HiToms early but he is ready to return in a different role.
“It’s awesome, my home is located 15 minutes away from Finch Field,” Frank said. “I enjoyed my time playing for the HiToms and now I want to help the players get better. This is a great opportunity for me to start my career and I’m looking forward to it.”
On the pitching side, Cody Penny who is also a North Carolina alum can relate to the players. As a sophomore hurler, Penny joined Frank on the Tar Heel CWS qualifying team in 2011. In the summer of 2010, Penny appeared in 8 games with four starts for the HiToms posting a 2-2 record.
At the conclusion of his junior season, the Cleveland Indians drafted Penny in the 16th round. He spent two years in Low and High A affiliated ball with Mahoning Valley, Lake County and Carolina. Penny returned to his alma mater high school of South Caldwell in Hudson, NC as an assistant baseball coach leading the Spartans post a 21-4 record so far this season.
Penny will serve as the HPT pitching coach this summer.
“To play here and to have my roots here and to come back to a place that built my drive and aspirations as a player is unbelievable,” Penny said. “Now I’ll go back there to fulfill my aspirations as a coach. It’s really surreal to put that uniform on again.”
The HPT HiToms season opener is May 28 against the Kernersville Bulldogs.