Cooper Trinkle was on his way to potentially having a big season at Indiana University last spring when it was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, the 2017 Columbus North graduate finds himself at a different college as he pursues his dream of playing professional baseball. Trinkle began classes Friday at St. Leo University in the Tampa suburb of St. Leo, Florida.
“It’s a situation I feel really good about,” Trinkle said. “It’s a good fit, as well as very highly competitive baseball. I can get a lot better and be seen by the right people, so I’m very happy with the decision I made.”
St. Leo is a Division II school that plays in the 11-member Sunshine State Conference. The Lions went 7-15, including 2-4 in the SSC, in an abbreviated 2020 season.
“It’s a program that I really feel comfortable with,” Trinkle said. “I like the coach. I have a couple buddies down there who like it there. The Sunshine State Conference is one of the top Division II conferences in the country. They play in a really competitive conference, and the weather is nice. It will be really good to get on a baseball field every day.”
Trinkle was the 2017 The Republic Baseball Player of the Year after leading the Bull Dogs to sectional and regional titles and a berth in the state’s final four. He began his college career at Evansville, and after one year there, he spent his sophomore year at John A. Logan College in Illinois, where his brother Grant currently is playing as a freshman.
Cooper committed to Indiana in November 2018, and after finishing up with John A. Logan in the spring of 2019, headed to Bloomington. He made his way into the starting lineup at second base and started eight of the team’s 14 games, batting .281 with two doubles, six RBIs and four runs scored before the season came to an end on March 12.
“I thought I had a decent season,” Trinkle said. “We got to play LSU, play Ole Miss. It got cut due to COVID, but it is what it is.”
Last summer, Trinkle played in the Grand Park College League in Westfield. He returned to IU for the fall semester and recently decided to head to St. Leo, where he will have two years of eligibility remaining.
“I feel good about that situation,” Trinkle said. “I feel good about our team. We’re going to have a pretty good team down there, and I feel good about what I can contribute.”
While home for Christmas break, Trinkle was able to work on his hitting at Powerhouse Baseball in Franklin. He left for St. Leo on Thursday, took his physical and began classes on Friday and joined the Lions’ camp on Saturday.
Trinkle, who has played a little shortstop and third base, but mostly second base, during his college career, is excited for the season to begin.
“I feel like I get to show a new group of people what I can do, and I’m just excited for the challenge,” Trinkle said. “My goal is still to play professional ball. I think that if I can come down here and do what I think I can do, I can set myself up for that opportunity. But I just have to focus on doing what I can do on the field.”
