Bio

Kole Kaler joined the South Mountain CC baseball team as an assistant coach in January 2023. A standout infielder at SMCC, Hawai'i, and Texas A&M, Kaler returns to the Cougars and will work with infielders and hitters and handle administrative duties.

Kaler spent 2022 at Texas A&M and helped the Aggies reach Omaha and the College World Series. Kaler started all 63 games and batted .239 with 54 runs, eight doubles, two triples, three home runs, 30 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He also sported a 938 fielding percentage in 258 defensive chances.

Kaler played for the University of Hawai'i in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He earned Third Team All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season after batting .407 with nine doubles, three triples and 17 RBIs in 17 games. In 2021, Kaler started all 50 games for the Rainbow Warriors and batted .314 with 39 runs, 13 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 22 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. He was a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, given to the nation's top shortstop, in 2021.

Kaler played two seasons at SMCC and earned Second Team All-ACCAC honors in 2019. In two seasons, Kaler batted .277 with 82 runs, 115 hits, 17 doubles, seven triples, eight home runs, 63 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases.

Kaler attended Queen Creek High School in Queen Creek, Ariz.