Austyn Peak didn't choose Morehead State for the facilities or the accolades. He chose it because it felt real.
"When I came on my visit, I met some of the guys and saw how they interacted with each other," Peak said. "It was definitely something I wanted to be a part of."
That culture—one built on trust, accountability, and a genuine bond—pulled him in. The winning tradition didn't hurt, either. "They've had great teams the last couple of years," he said. "Trips to the OVC championship, regular season champions. The culture on the field and in the locker room just came together."
Peak credits assistant coach
Tyler Jackson for sealing the deal. "He was the one that recruited me, and it felt genuine," Peak said. "It didn't feel like just another coach trying to recruit. It felt like he really wanted me as a player."
For Peak, that authenticity mattered. He wanted to be somewhere that felt like home—and he found it in Morehead State.
On the field, Peak's versatility has made him a staple in the Eagles' lineup. He's played both infield and outfield, and through those experiences, he's learned the importance of communication.
"I've seen how communication becomes a big role in the game," he said. "When I was a freshman, we had Colton Becker at short and Nick Gooden at second base—he was a gold glover. Those guys communicated at the highest level, and look where it took them."
Peak has made it a point to carry that standard forward, especially with new teammates. "I've brought it upon myself to help implement that into this team as a whole," he said. He points to teammate
Alex Kean as a vocal leader. "If you ever come to a Morehead game, you'll hear him every single play," Peak said. "He's a leader on this team for sure."
But leadership isn't just about volume—it's about trust. "The guys trust me because they see the work I put in when we're not in practice—late nights in the cage or early mornings," Peak said. "When the ball rolls to us, they know we're going to make the play."
That trust extends beyond the lines. "These guys will trust me for life," he said. "They come to me for advice, and being able to build that on and off the field is huge."
Peak's baseball roots run deep in Louisville, Kentucky. He played at DuPont Manual High School, competing against some of the best programs in the state.
"It was definitely an experience I wouldn't trade for anything," he said. "We had so many talented teams—St. X, Trinity, Lex Cath, Frederick Douglass. It taught you to play at a high level."
That competition prepared him for college, but only to a point. "The transition from high school to college is nothing like you'll ever know until you go into it," he said. "The level of IQ and knowledge the coaches have to give—it's huge."
He's leaned heavily on the coaching staff at Morehead State to help bridge that gap. "
Tyler Jackson does a great job with us hitters," Peak said. "He harps on confidence, and without that, you might as well hang it up."
He also credits Ty Crittenberger for helping him grow. "He's talked about the mental side of the game and base running," Peak said. "He's really pushed us to build a rapport with each other off the field. Those small things make a huge impact."
When it comes to influences, Peak doesn't hesitate.
"My father, Andy Peak, has been a great role model to me and my siblings," he said. "He played football at Louisville and always told me that if you don't love it, you're not going to be able to do it in college—because it's like a job."
That lesson stuck. "He pushed me, but he didn't live through me," Peak said. "He built that discipline in me early—so when you get to college, you don't have someone in your ear telling you to get up and work. You've got to want to do it on your own."
Peak plans to pass those values down one day. "A lot of things he's taught me, I'm going to teach my kids for years to come," he said.
On the professional side, Peak finds inspiration in Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell.
"He was always in Triple-A, going up and down, and people called him a 4A player," Peak said. "But he stayed true to himself and kept working—last year he spent the full year in the majors."
Peak carries that same mentality. "Last year, I didn't get as many opportunities at the beginning of the year as I wanted," he said. "But that didn't stop me from working and cheering my team on. When I did get my shot, I took it and ran with it."
Even when things didn't go as planned—like when a hamstring injury cut his season short—Peak kept perspective. "I did everything I wanted to do in the time I had," he said. "I did my best to help the team win."
If there's one thing Peak wants younger players to remember, it's to keep things in perspective.
"Take the small wins," he said. "In life, there's so many things that don't go your way, but there's so many great things—especially in baseball."
He believes that mindset makes all the difference. "The more you stay positive, the better you'll do," he said. "Celebrate the small things—because if you keep doing that, they'll become big things."
That positivity is part of who he is. "I try to be the person I want to be around," Peak said. "The person that, when you're having a bad day, can make you laugh—or just check in on you."
In the dugout and on the field, that attitude sets the tone. "Everybody needs that morale guy," he said. "And I definitely see myself as one of those people."
From Louisville to Morehead, from little league all-stars to Division I baseball,
Austyn Peak has learned that culture, trust, and perspective aren't just words—they're the foundation of everything he wants to build."
