When Swampscott native Evan Katz, then 68 years old, told friends what he planned to do with his summer in 2025, some couldn’t believe what just came out of his mouth.

After not playing baseball in little league, high school or college, Katz made his professional baseball debut at age 61 in 2017 in the Pecos League, an independent league based in the western U.S. In 2025, he ventured out for another summer of long road trips, hot weather and dorm room beds, serving as an assistant coach for the North Platte 80s of the Pecos League, based in Nebraska.

On Thursday at the Jewish Community Center of the North Shore, Katz shared his experience as not only a coach, but “the least qualified coach in professional baseball,” which he has dubbed himself.

“It’s very very humbling when you’re out there for the first few weeks,” said Katz.

The Pecos League lacks the glamour of some other professional sports leagues. Players earn a salary of around $1,000 and use their own personal vehicles to travel to and from games. Many players live with host families over the course of the season.

While other players and coaches on the team had spent much of their lives continuously on and around a ball field, Katz spent his career working in public finance, including a stint as “the budget guy,” in his words, for Swampscott Public Schools.

There were many things Katz had to learn in his new role last summer. Some as simple as learning how to properly chew sunflower seeds, a snack routinely enjoyed in baseball dugouts.

Katz said he learned how to interact with the players, who understood he wasn’t a typical coach, while getting used to the daily rhythm of spending every day as a member of the team.

The most important lesson Katz learned was to always be reflective, or else you won’t be able to grow.

“You’re seeing how people are responding to you,” said Katz. “You’re seeing what works and what doesn’t work and you can refine what you’re doing.”

The audience listened along as Katz told a slew of stories from his summer spent in small rural towns in Colorado, New Mexico and Nebraska.

He had three main goals as a coach: recruit and scout players, help the team in any way, and be successful.

Katz made it a point to help out in any way that he could. One series, the team was without its stadium public address announcer. The next thing he knew, Katz was in the booth introducing players to the fans.

In his free time, Katz enjoys writing about the game as well, especially telling the stories of fringe Major Leaguers who struggled to reach the top levels of the sport.

“The story of trying to succeed in baseball is very complex,” said Katz. “I think mine is a story worth telling. It’s a good example where I was definitely underqualified, I knew I was underqualified. I wanted to share that story because I think it applies to more than just baseball.”