A new collegiate summer team, the Ogden Gunners, is the project of Kyle Bubak, Ogden High’s head baseball coach and owner of The Lab, a Utah-based academy for the game. A member of the Northern Utah League, the Gunners will travel as far as Idaho, Nevada and California for their regular-season schedule.

The team derives its name, the “Gunners,” from the independent minor league club of several names, including the above mentioned Gunners, in Ogden from 1900 to 1928.

In addition to the college team, two American Legion squads for high schoolers — bringing Bubak’s outfit to 120-plus players — have the program lined up for more than 100 games scheduled between Serge Simmons Field, Lindquist Field and Ogden High School this summer.

Bubak enlisted business partners Spenser Triplett, a former Utah Valley right-hander and brother of Ogden Raptors pitcher Shawn Triplett, and Bubba Paulette, a former catcher at LSU and veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, from the Tigers’ coaching staff to raise a squad of local and out-of-state talent.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

Since Monday, the Gunners’ college team has contested 7:30 p.m. home games at Serge Simmons Field at Miles Goodyear Ballpark, across the 24th Street bridge. Ogden plans on playing upwards of 60 games through early August.

Better positioning Ogden for baseball is part of the company’s focus, Bubak said.

“That’s part of why I took the Ogden High job,” Bubak said. “They were a struggling program that needed rebuilt. … I told (AD Ross Arnold), ‘Hey look, I’m going to bring a lot of baseball to Ogden High and that high school itself has 106 games and practices this summer.’ Just that alone’s been great because people are coming to Ogden High, they’re coming to the fields at Ogden City.

“There’s just so much more now that even last year there wasn’t.”

With only so much manpower, Bubak connects several of its former prep stars with his prep-level traveling teams. Batting practice, pitching instruction, baserunning — all from guys who came up the same path with the same dream of taking their game up a notch.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

Isak Hearell (Roy) and Branson Paulette (Davis), spending their offseason from the College of the Siskiyous (California), are back playing ball close to home.

“How knowledgeable (they) were, that was a big attraction to me,” Hearell said. “I’ve always had that individual, one-on-one work with coaches that absolutely knew the game and something about that really attracts me. I love being around dudes who know the game.”

Hearell has adjusted from a pitching-only designation to the infield, and now the outfield, as the former Royal returns to hometown ballparks. Asked about the change, Hearell said his brief time back has already unraveled some nerves and produced a better headspace week to week.

“Honestly, there’s a little less stress out there, as far as not having to be engaged every pitch like with the infield — you take a pitch off, you’re getting smoked,” Hearell said. “Out there, you get to think about things, really just soak in the game and fly around like a dog when there’s a ball hit.”

This list of local names carries on.

Northridge alum Bodee Wright pitched in a Gunners game on Tuesday, and later signed with the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League that same evening.

Ashton Burnett (Weber), Thomas Summers (Bear River), Bodee Goins (Fremont), and Ellioth Saenz Romo (Ogden) are all former Northern Utah sluggers who are back in the Ogden-Davis area, taking advantage of Bubak’s blueprint.

In the case of Saenz, who arrived in Ogden just last week, it only took a couple of prep seasons at Ogden High to learn about Bubak from former Tigers coach Doyle Holt. This summer, Saenz plans on tailoring his arm for a second season pitching at Phoenix College in 2026.

“One of the greatest qualities about Kyle is how personable he is with his players,” Saenz said through an interpreter. “He also does (situational reps) with him, checking his arm, asking when do you want to pitch next. He’s always engaged, and it’s awesome to have someone interested in me and wants me to play.”

The Gunners don’t currently have a permanent home but the ultimate goal, Bubak said, is to make his operation a fixture within Ogden City Recreation. A working relationship with Edd Bridge, recreation director for Ogden City, has Bubak hopeful for the future as his new outfit continues to collaborate with regional teams and potential partner leagues.

The bulk of the Gunners’ home games are scheduled at Serge Simmons Field, currently rented by Bubak and his company.

“The successful teams have partnerships with the municipalities and it creates a bigger marketing platform, gives people more resources and there’s a lot that can benefit from a partnership like that,” Bubak said. “We just haven’t gotten to the point yet where we can sit down with (Bridge) and kind of give that pitch. We want to prove this is legitimate and we know what we’re doing.”

Team information is updated regularly through the program’s official Instagram @thelabbaseball.

Connect with sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.