Brum’s Bakersfield, California team won just one game in a pool with teams from Ohio, Minnesota, Alabama and Oregon.

This summer, Brum will have a shot at redemption as the 21-year-old will be managing the Pacific Southwest regional champions from his hometown.

He’ll have a familiar face at his side.

Eighteen-year-old Elijah Brum played his final high school season with an injured elbow this spring. Tommy John surgery has left him unable to play with many of his friends on this summer’s Babe Ruth World Series qualifier, but he’ll be coming to Jamestown as an assistant coach alongside Jacob — who happens to be his older brother.

Bakersfield won the Pacific Southwest regional championship. Submitted photo

“It’s definitely been a blast,” Jacob Brum said late Friday night about coaching with his brother. “I graduated in 2015 so I was a senior and he was a freshman. There was nothing better than playing a year with him. If I had one wish it would be to play more with him.”

Elijah, a catcher at Stockdale High School, will take the fall semester off while rehabbing his elbow before attending Palomar College in San Marcos, California in the spring.

“Sometimes we’ll butt heads, but if there’s anybody I’ll listen to and trust it’s that guy,” Jacob Brum said. “I think my family has enjoyed it.”

Like most teams that qualify for the World Series, Bakersfield looks to have a stacked lineup ready to take the field at Diethrick Park later this week.

The Brums are confident rolling out any one of five pitchers to start in the World Series, beginning with a pair of young, soon-to-be high school juniors at the top of the rotation in Matteo Valenzuela of Liberty High School and Brady Salyards of Stockdale High School. Behind them are Roman Angelo, a Cal State-Bakersfield commit, from Bakersfield Christian; Angelo’s high school teammate Kaidin Conrad; and Matt Miranda of Highland High School.

Bakersfield's Cory Blackburn, left, and Jalen Smith were the Pacific Southwest regional co-MVPs. Submitted photo

“We have five particular starters that we look to as leaders from our pitching staff,” Jacob Brum said. “Our biggest competition has been ourselves. In state competition, we were lucky to go 3-0 and get it done in the first game of the championship series. At regionals, we had a good game against Northern California in our first game, but we’ve yet to face a solid team all-around.”

Andres Garza, a second baseman/utility player, leads off for Bakersfield before Pacific Southwest regional co-Most Valuable Player Jalen Smith bats in the No. 2 hole while playing first base or in the outfield. Smith is a University of California-Davis commit. Cory Blackburn, the other co-MVP from the regional, bats No. 3 as the extra hitter and is another Cal State Bakersfield commit in Brum’s lineup. Shortstop Kobe Silva, who will join Blackburn and Angelo at Cal State Bakersfield, hits cleanup ahead of first baseman Austin Hubbell, a junior at Bakersfield High School. Left fielder Andru Marion bats sixth, second baseman Elijah Pascual is the No. 7 hitter, Valenzuela bats eighth and plays center field when he’s not pitching and catcher Robby Mendoza of Arvin High School bats in the No. 9 spot.

“These kids work hard for where they’re at,” Jacob Brum said. “Committed or not committed (to college), they put in 100 percent effort at practices and they act like they are on the big stage. It’s a blessing and an honor to be around these kids. They deserve a lot of recognition and acknowledgement.”

While Jacob Brum understands success in Jamestown doesn’t make up for his one-win showing three years ago in Oregon, it can help take the sting away just a little bit.

“When I was asked to coach for the summer league, I didn’t think truthfully that we’d make it this far and have this much fun,” he said. “You always think you are going to play for as long as you can, but the next step is to find a coaching job any way you can.”

Jacob Brum did follow up his high school career with one season at Cerro Coso Community College.

“I had fun learning some stuff about myself and becoming a more mature athlete on and off the field,” he said. “Then you give yourself some humble pie and be thankful for where you are and where you’ve come from.”

Bakersfield will open with Onondaga at 5 p.m. Saturday followed by at noon game against Columbia Basin, Washington on Sunday. California will be off Monday before finishing with Crown Point, Indiana at noon Tuesday and West End, Pennsylvania at noon Wednesday.

“A big part of it is to get these kids to experience something they never have before,” Jacob Brum said. “I want them to have fun … compete and win. … I hope I can just be a positive influence in any way I can.”