Center fielder Cam Brumbaugh is easy to spot on the Edmond Santa Fe High School baseball field, not just for his range in the outfield but for the resolve that has defined his return from summer surgery.
“The position that I am playing right now is centerfield,” Brumbaugh said. “The most difficult thing about that position is running for deep balls in the gap and diving plays because I am still recovering from surgery.”
That recovery has shaped his outlook heading into the new season. Brumbaugh said his biggest growth has come away from the box scores and stat sheets. “My biggest improvement coming into this season is learning how to battle adversity,” he said. “I had surgery this summer and I’ve had to work really hard to recover and get back to where I need to be.”
Inside the Santa Fe clubhouse, Brumbaugh said the Wolves’ chemistry is what makes the grind of the season feel lighter. “The thing that I love the most about our team and teammates at Santa Fe is that they make everyone feel included and our team has a really good bond and overall good vibe in the locker room,” he said. He points to teammate Brady Morgenson as the group’s vocal heartbeat and believes Morgenson sets the tone as the team’s leader.
The Wolves keep things loose thanks to another teammate, outfielder and infielder Keaton Topinka. “The teammate that keeps everyone laughing is Keaton Topinka,” Brumbaugh said. That blend of leadership and humor carried Santa Fe through one of Brumbaugh’s favorite memories: a road trip to Hoover, Alabama, last season. “My favorite moment was last season in Hoover Alabama just being able to be with my teammates, having fun with them around the hotel and being able to take care of business on the field too,” he said.
At home, Brumbaugh’s baseball journey has been shaped by his father, whom he calls his biggest inspiration. “Someone that really has inspired me my whole life is my dad because he has been by my side this whole journey playing baseball and has been training me to become something that I want to be in the future and will do anything for me with no questions asked,” he said.
In the classroom, Brumbaugh gravitates toward numbers. His favorite subject is math, and he credits his math teacher, coach Kam Gipson, for making the subject stand out. Away from school and baseball, he said he likes to hang out with friends, go to the gym, play video games, support his brothers in their college baseball careers and spend time with family.[1]
Right now, though, his focus centers on the game. “Right now the only I belong to is baseball because that’s my life,” he said. Through that commitment, he said athletics has taught him how to work hard, be disciplined, lead, be a good teammate and maintain a strong mindset—traits he expects to carry with him long after high school.
