Baseball: Two Former Highlanders Square Off in The NLDS

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Former Woodlands Highlanders turn into coaching competitors during the 2024 NLDS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

The Woodlands High School Baseball program has produced exceptional talent under the guidance of Head Coach Ron Eastman since his tenure began in 2001.

Of course, those of us who have been around The Woodlands since then most notably reflect on the 2006 National Championship team. However, the graduating class of 2004 had one of the most talented lineups that I can recall.

Two former players on that roster are now coaches with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

David Macias, a middle infielder in 2004, went on to play college baseball at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2009.

Following a few years in the minors, Macias returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt. He then had a brief stint at East Carolina University, before becoming the first base coach for the San Diego Padres.

Danny Lehmann, a catcher for the 2004 Highlanders, went on to play college baseball at Rice University. Lehmann was a member of the 2006 and 2007 Rice Baseball team that played in the NCAA Men's College World Series.

After the 2007 season, Lehmann was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 8th round. He played in the Twins organization until 2013 and finished his playing career in 2014 with the Sugarland Skeeters. In 2015, Lehmann was hired by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an advanced scout and in 2023 was named a bench coach.

The National League Division Series will begin on Saturday, October 5th with the first pitch scheduled for 7:38 pm CDT. You can catch all the action on FOX Sports 1.