SIX ALUMS IN TOP 100....
Baseball America newspaper's ranking of the 2007 top 100 minor league professional prospects of major league baseball include six Baseball Northwest alumni -
#11 Tim Lincecum - RHP - San Francisco Giants
#33 Jacoby Ellsbury - OF - Boston Red Sox
#50 Travis Buck - OF - Oakland A's
#53 Travis Snider - OF - Toronto Blue Jays
#64 Trevor Crowe - OF - Cleveland Indians
#93 Brent Lillibridge - INF - Atlanta Braves
AUBURN HS RANKED #30.....
Auburn HS (WA) has been ranked by Baseball America newspaper at #30 in their Pre-season Top 50 national rankings of the top high school teams for 2007.
PEAVEY NAMED ALL-AMERICAN....
Baseball Northwest alum and Hudson Bay HS (WA) right-handed pitcher, Greg Peavey has been by Baseball America newspaper to its second team All-American Pre-Season Team. The No. 1 ranked 2007 prospect by Baseball Northwest has signed a letter of intent to attend Oregon State. Greg is BBNW's only two time Most Valuable Player for the Northwest Championship Tournament.
HUNDLEY NAMED PADRES #8......
Baseball Northwest alum, Nick Hundley, has been selected by Baseball America newspaper as the San Diego Padres #8 minor league prospect. The catcher from Lake Washington HS was the Padres 2nd round pick in 2005 after playing at the Univ. of Arizona. Nick was a catcher on the West Washington team in the 2002 Northwest Championship Tournament.
LINCECUM NAMED GIANTS #1 PROSPECT.....
Baseball Northwest alum, Tim Lincecum, has been named by Baseball America newspaper as the top minor league prospect for the San Francisco Giants. Tim was the Giant's 1st round pick a year ago (10th overall) after a setting career pitching records at the Univ. of Washington. The right-handed pitcher was also named last season's Golden Spikes Award winner as the nations top college player. Tim was a member of the West Washington team in the 2003 Northwest Championship Tournament.
GILLESPIE NAMED BREWERS #8
Baseball Northwest alum outfielder, Cole Gillespie, has been named by Baseball America as the Milwaukee Brewers #8 minor league prospect. Last year's Pac-10 Player-Of-The-Year while playing for the national champion Oregon State. Cole is a former Northwest Championship and Fall scout team member.
HUSKIES, BEAVERS TO PLAY AT SAFECO
The University of Washington athletic department and the Seattle Mariners have announced the regular season Pac-10 game with Oregon State on Friday May 4th will be played at Safeco Field in Seattle. It is the first ever college game at the home of the Mariners. Game time is 7:30
BBNW ALUMS IN SPARQ NATIONAL TOP 20......
Five Baseball Northwest participants are ranked in SPARQ Training's Top 20 National Ranking. All were tested at Baseball Northwest events. They include with ranking, school, hometown, grad' year, and score.
#3 Vernell Warren, Grant HS Portland, OR 2007 - 89.64
#4 Hilton Richardson, Lake Washington HS Kirkland, WA 2007 - 86.95
#9 Chris Sturdivant, Redmond HS Redmond, WA 2007 - 84.26
#16 Steve Ockerman, Juanita HS Redmond, WA 2007 - 80.02
#19 Alexander Barbee, Borah HS Boise, ID 2007 - 78.86
LINCECUM RECEIVES GOLDEN SPIKES.....
Baseball Northwest alumni Tim Lincecum was presented the Golden Spikes Trophy at half-time of the University of Washington basketball game January 27th. USA Baseball honored Tim as the top 2006 college baseball player. Lincecum, a right-handed pitcher, is from Liberty HS (WA) completely re-wrote the Husky record book last season by establishing marks in career wins, strikeouts, starts, and innings pitched. He was also named Pacific-10 Pitcher of the Year and an unanimous first-team All-American. He was the 10th overall pick in the major league draft by the San Francisco Giants and has been invited to spring training as a non-roster player. Tim pitched in the 2003 Northwest Championships.
FIVE BBNW ALUMS NAMED IN TOP 100...........
Baseball America's list of Top 100 College Prospects for the 2007 major league draft include five BBNW Alumni.
21. Eddie Kunz, RHP, Oregon State
37. Darwin Barney, SS, Oregon State
65. Luke Sommer, OF/LHP, Univ. of San Francisco
70. Duke Welker, RHP, Univ. of Arkansas
98. Darin Holcomb, 3B, Gonzaga Univ.
THREE NW PLAYERS ON 14-U NATIONAL TEAM.......
Three players from the northwest were members of the USA Baseball 14-U team that won the Gold Medal at the Pan-Am "A" regional qualifying event in Guatemala City. The USA defeated Nicaragua 13-2 in the final. Catcher Jacob Gober of Sammamish, WA, Outfielder Jake Dahlberg of Vancouver, WA, and Dylan Davis of Redmond, WA competed.
THUNNELL NAMED DIII All-American.......
Baseball Northwest alum Bo Thunell of George Fox Univ. has been named by Baseball America as a first team pre-season All-American. Bo will play shortstop for the Bruins and is from Grant Union HS (OR). He was a member of the Oregon team in the 2003 Northwest Championships.
BBNW KUNZ NAMED ALL-AMERICAN.............
Former Baseball Northwest pitcher Eddie Kunz of Oregon State was named to Baseball America newspaper as a 2nd team All-American. The righthanded pitcher from Parkrose HS (OR) played on the Oregon team in the 2004 Northwest Championships.
PEAVEY,SAMPSON, MATTAIR IN TOP 100....
Baseball Northwest alumni, Greg Peavy, (17) of Hudson Bay HS (WA); Julian Sampson, (36) of Skyline HS (WA), and Travis Mattair, (98) of Southridge HS (WA) have been named to Baseball America's Top 100 2007 High School Prospects.
ALUM CASTO named #4 PROSPECT......
Baseball America's ranking of each major league organization's top minor league prospect includes from the National League East Division the Washington National's, Kory Casto, at #4. This Baseball Northwest alum was a member of the Oregon team in the 1999 Northwest Championships Tournament. Kory played at North Marion HS (OR) and at the Univ. of Portland. The switch hitting outfielder / third-baseman hit .272 with 20 homeruns and 80 RBI's at AA and was named the organization's minor league 'player of the year.'
NORTHWEST COLLEGES RANKED......
Collegiate Baseball newspaper has listed four Northwest schools in their pre-season rankings.
Lewis-Clark State No. 1 in the NAIA poll; Western Oregon Univ. #26 in the NCAA Division II poll; George Fox Univ. #27 in the NCAA Division III poll, and Southern Idaho JC in the NJCAA D-I poll.
OSU RANKED 16TH.....
Baseball America's pre-season college baseball rankings has Oregon State at #16. The defending national champions begin their 2007 season January 25th in Hawaii. Other Pac-10 schools ranked in the top 50 include UCLA at #13, Arizona State at #20, USC at 29 and Stanford at #31. Rice is ranked #1.
ALUMNI NEWS.......
Catcher Brian Munhall formerly of the Giants has been selected by the Rangers in the recent major league Rule 5 draft of minor league players. Brian played at Gonzaga Prep (WA) and Gonzaga Univ. after being a member of BBNW eastside fall scout team....Righthanded pitcher Kevin Gregg of Corvallis HS (OR) has been to the Marlins from the Angels. Kevin is a past Oregon Prospect Game participant....Righthanded pitcher Mike Ekstrom of Barlow HS, Oregon State, and Point Loma Univ. was selected the San Diego Padres minor league pitcher of the year. The former Oregon fall scout team member finished this season at AA....Catcher Jon Otness from Univ. of Washington hit .313 in the Hawaii Winter Baseball League. The former Seattle Prep (WA) player was a member of the Washington Prospect Games and Northwest Championship Tournament.
KUNZ and CRIBBY have been named . . .
Former Baseball Northwest pitchers Eddie Kunz of Oregon State and Elliott Cribby of Univ. of Washington have been named to "watch list" for the 2007 Roger Clemens Award that is given annually to the nation's top college pitcher. Kunz who pitched at Parkrose HS (OR) and Cribby who pitched at Lake Washington HS (WA), and Columbian Basin CC were the only two Pac-10 pitchers nominated.
ELLSBURY, CROWE, CASTO NAMED....
Baseball Northwest alumni Jacob Ellsbury, Trevor Crowe, and Kory Casto were named to the Arizona Fall League's Top 20 Prospect List by Baseball America. The league is designed for the minor leagues top players who have not played yet in the major leagues. Ellsbury from Madras HS (OR) and Oregon State was ranked 4th; Crowe from Westview HS (OR) and Univ. of Arizona was ranked 5th; and Casto from North Marion HS and the Univ. of Portland was ranked 14th.
ELLSBURY AND SNIDER NAMED TOP PROSPECTS .....
Baseball America newspaper's anunnal ranking of each major league's team minor league prospects has begun with the American League East division and includes two prominate Baseball Northwest Alumni. Jacoby Ellsbury from Madras HS (OR) and Oregon State University was ranked first in the Boston Red Sox organization and Travis Snider of Jackson HS (WA) was ranked second in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. Ellsbury was a Baseball Northwest Oregon Junior Olympic team member, Oregon Fall Scout team member, and Oregon Prospect Games and Northwest Championship participant before leading OSU to the College World Series in 2005. The left-handed hitting outfielder was Boston's first round pick (#23) in 2005 and hit .299 in high "A" and .308 in "AA" this past season. He followed it up by hitting .333 in the Arizona Fall League and was named the leagues 4th best prospect. Snider was the MVP of the BBNW's 2005 Northwest Championship Tournament and ranked as the top Northwest prospect by Baseball Northwest's anunal player rankings before being taken by the Blue Jays in the first round (#14) in 2006. The left-handed hitting outfielder hit .325 with 11 homeruns in his professional debut at Pulaski in the Appalachian Rookie League and was the league MVP and top prospect.
Peavey and Mahalic chose OSU......
Greg Peavey, RHP, of Hudson Bay HS (WA) and Joey Mahalic RHP, of Wilson HS (OR) have made a commitment to Oregon State University and will be signing letters of intent this week. They are the last two of the most highly rated prospects in the the Northwest to announce their decisions. Peavey had narrowed his choices to Arizona, Arizona State, the Univ. of California and OSU before chosing the Beavers and Mahalic had his list at three...Arizona, Notre Dame, and OSU before chosing last year's national champions. Both are Baseball Northwest alumni.
SCOUT TEAMS MAKE STRONG SHOWING IN ARIZONA.....
The three Baseball Northwest senior "scout" teams made a strong showing at the Arizona Senior Fall Classic in Peoria, Arizona on October 19-22. The teams produced a combined 12-3 record with Oregon leading the way with a perfect 5-0 mark while Washington East went 4-1 and Washington West went 3-2. Over 300 college coaches and professional scouts attended the event which is the top Fall West Coast showcase event. It is held at the Peoria Sports Complex which is the spring training home of the Mariners and Padres. BBNW also scored well in the SPARQ testing by taking 7 of the top 10 ratings including the top 3.
Top 20 Baseball Northwest SPARQ Scores for Arizona Senior Fall Classic
1. Vernell Warren 89.64 Oregon
2. Hilton Richardson 89.49 Washington Gold
4. Steve Ockerman 80.02 Washington Green
6. Garrett Queen 75.68 Oregon
7. Kaylor Hasbarger 75.67 Washington Green
10. RW Zeller 73.69 Oregon
12. Michael Richard 72.47 Washington Gold
14. Daniel Fitterer 72.04 Oregon
19. Garry Kuykendall 69.88 Washington Green
20. JB Millet 69.87 Washington Green
ALUMNI NAMED TOP PROSPECTS........
Baseball America newspaper post-season ranking of the professional leagues top prospects include many Baseball Northwest alumni. Below is the list:
Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Red Sox.... 2nd in the Carolina League and 7th in the Eastern League
Trevor Crowe, OF, Indians...... 4th in the Carolina League and 12th in the Eastern League
Kory Casto, 3B. Nationals.......14th in the Eastern League
Brett Lillibridge, SS, Pirates.....17th in the Carolina League
Jed Lowrie, SS, Red Sox....... 20th in the Carolina League
Travis Buck, OF, Athletics..... 5th in the Texas League and 6th in the California League
Travis Snider, OF, Blue Jays.....1st in the Appalachian League
Cole Gilespie, OF, Brewers.......11th in the Pioneer League
Scott Deal, RHP, Athletics......18th in the Northwest League
Lillibridge and Snider were named to classification all-minor league all-star teams.
O'FLAHERTY MAKES ML DEBUT......
Left-handed pitcher, Eric O'Flaherty, of Walla Walla HS (WA) made his major league debut on August 16th for the Seattle Mariners. The former Baseball Northwest pitcher was a Prospect Game member and a 2002 East Washington Fall Scout team member.
BBNW ALUM BALDWIN GOES TO MARINERS......
Righthanded piticher, Andrew Baldwin, a Baseball Northwest alumni was traded to the Seattle Mariners from the Philadephia Phillies in exchange for Jamie Moyer. Baldwin was a 2004 5th round pick from Oregon State and a Prospect Game and Northwest Championship participant. The trade included another Northwest player, Andy Barb, from Juanita HS in Washington who signed out of Kirkwood (Iowa) junior college.
ACBA NAMES SEVEN ALUMS COLLEGE ALL-AMERICANS . . . . .
The American Baseball Coaches Association has named seven Baseball Northwest alums to their All-American teams. From NCAA division 1 were Cole Gillespie and Dallas Buck from Oregon State, Tim Lincecum from Univ. of Washington, Chris Minaker from Stanford, and Tyler Mach from Oklahoma State. From NCAA division ll was Nick Waechter from Western Oregon, and from NCAA division III was Bo Thunnel of George Fox University.
6 BBNW ALUMNI MAKE HS ALL-AMERICAN . . . . .
Six Baseball Northwest alumni have been named to the 2006 American Baseball Coaches Association All-American Team. Named to first team was senior outfielder, Travis Snider, of Jackson HS (WA), named to the second team was senior, DH Jake Locker, of Ferndale HS (WA) and junior utility player, Joey Mahalic, of Wilson HS (OR), and named to the third team were senior first baseman, Brett Davis, of Clackamas HS (OR), senior pitchers, Greg Peavey, of Hudson Bay HS (WA) and Cam Nobles, of Jackson HS (WA). All are past BBNW participants.
PEAVEY NAMED TO AFLAC CLASSIC . . . . .
BBNW alum Greg Peavey has been named to the west team for the AFLAC All-American High School Baseball Classic. This national high school all-star game of the country's top class of 2007 talent will be televised on Fox Sports Net on August 12th at 12:00 noon PST. Greg was the class of 2007 most valuable player in the 2004 Northwest Championship Tournament.
PEAVEY IS JUNIOR NATIONAL TEAM INVITEE . . . . .
Greg Peavey of Hudson Bay HS (Wa.), a Baseball Northwest alum has been invited to the USA Baseball Junior Team national trials. Greg, a right-handed pitcher and infielder, was the 2004 Northwest Championship Tournament most valuable player for the 2007 class. 32 US players were invited for trials in Atlanta, Georgia beginning September 6th. The team will compete in the World Junior Championships from September 17-27 in Cuba. Kawika Emsley-Pai of Jackson HS (WA), a switch hitting catcher, is also invited.
BARNEY NAMED TO NATIONAL TEAM . . . . .
Baseball Northwest alum, Darwin Barney, of Oregon State has been named to the USA Baseball National Team. The team consists of the top collegiate players in the country, and plays a summer exhibition game schedule across America and overseas against the world's top baseball talent. Darwin, from Southridge HS (OR) is a former BBNW Oregon Prospect Game and Northwest Championship Tournament player.
SNIDER AND PEAVEY NAMED ALL-AMERICANS.....
Baseball Northwest players. senior outfielder Travis Snider of Jackson HS (WA) and junior right-handed pitcher Greg Peavey of Hudson Bay HS (WA) have been named to the 2006 Louisville Slugger High School All-American team. Snider was drafted in the first round of the June major league draft by the Toronto Blue Jays and was the most valuable player in the 2005 Northwest Championship Tournament for the class of 2006. Peavey, ranked at the top of the class by Baseball Northwest was the 2004 Northwest Championship Tournament most valuable player for the 2007 class.
ALUMNI NAMED NCAA D1 ALL-AMERICANS........
Many Baseball Northwest alumni received post season All-American awards. Collegiate Baseball Newspaper named to its first team-- Tim Lincecum of Univ. of Washington, Tyler Mach of Oklahoma State, and Cole Gillespie of Oregon State...second team-- Dallas Buck of Oregon State and third team-- Jay Miller of Washington State University.
Baseball America named Gillespie and Lincecum to its first team, Jonah Nickerson of Oregon State to the second team. Also Collegiate Baseball named two alumni to their freshman All-American team ... Matt Wickswatt of Santa Clara Univ. and Travis Coulter of Washington State.
BBNW ALUMS NAMED to College All-American First Team.....
Three Baseball Northwest alumni were named to the 2006 Louisville Slugger All-American first team. Tim Lincecum of Univ. of Washington, Cole Gilliespie of Oregon State Univ., and Tyler Mach of Oklahoma State Univ. Lincecum played in the 2003 Northwest Championships, Gillespie was a member of the Oregon Fall Scout Team and Prospect Games, and Mach was a member of the West Washington Fall Scout Team.
THREE ALUMNI SIGN PRO CONTRACTS . . . . . .
Three Baseball Northwest alumni have signed professional contracts with the teams that they were drafted by in the 2005 draft. Steven Marquardt, infielder from Kennewick HS (Wa.) and Columbia Basin Community College was signed by the Texas Rangers. Steven was a member of Washington USA Junior Olympic Tournament team in 2001 and 2002, and an East Washington Fall Scout team member. Texas also signed former Baseball Northwest's Oregon USA Junior Olympic Tournament, Oregon Prospect Games, and Northwest Championship outfielder, Tim Rodriquez of Centennial HS (OR) and Mt Hood Community College. Also, Josh Short, an outfielder from Marysville HS (WA) and Mt Hood Community College has joined the Florida Marlins after participating in the 2004 Northwest Championships and West Washington Fall Scout Team.
ELEVEN BBNW ALUMNI NAMED PAC-10 FIRST TEAM......
Baseball Northwest alumni were well represented on the Pac-10 first team all-star selections with eleven being named. Those selected included Oregon State's Darwin Barney, Dallas Buck, Cole Gillespie, Kevin Gunderson and Jonah Nickerson...Univ. of Washington's Tim Lincecum, Zach Clem, and Matt Hague...Washington State's Jay Miller....Stanford's Chris Minaker....and Arizona State's Colin Curtis. Additional alumni named to honorable mention were Washington State's Travis Coulter and Jim Murphy....Univ. of Washington's Matt Lane and Elliot Cribby...and Oregon State's Shane McFeeley.
LINCECUM NAMED PAC-10 PITCHER OF THE YEAR
BBNW alumni Tim Lincecum was named 2006 Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year. The junior righthander led the nation in strikeouts with 199 while compiling a 12-4 record and a 1.94 ERA. Tim also set a PAC-10 career strikeout record. Tim pitched in the 2003 Northwest Championship Tournament.
GILLESPIE NAMED PAC-10 PLAYER OF THE YEAR.....
BBNW alumni Cole Gillespie, outfielder at Oregon State Univ. was named Pac-10 Player of the Year. Cole is a junior from West Linn HS who was a Oregon Prospect Games participant and Oregon Fall Scout Team member. He was in the top 10 of nearly every conference statistical list while hitting .370 with 11 home runs, scoring 70 runs, and driving in 50 runs.
GUNDERSON IS FINALIST FOR RELIEF AWARD....
BBNW alumni Kevin Gunderson, left-hander closer at Oregon State Univ. is among five finalists for the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, which recognizes the top relief pitcher in college baseball. Kevin was a 2003 Oregon Prospect Game participant.
LINCECUM NAMED AS GOLDEN SPIKES FINALIST....
Baseball Northwest alumni Tim Lincecum, righthanded pitcher at the Univ. of Washington is a finalists for the Golden Spikes Award that is given out by USA Baseball to the top college player in the country. The award is presented June 23rd. Tim was a member of the Washington Metro team in the 2003 Northwest Championship Tournament.
LINCECUM AND BUCK VIA FOR CLEMENS AWARD . . . . .
Baseball Northwest alumni Tim Lincecum of the University of Washington and Dallas Buck of Oregon State University are one of the top 10 finalists for the 2006 Roger Clemens Award.The annual award is given to the nation's top college pitcher. The two righthanded pitchers are former Northwest Championship Tournament participants.
BARNEY INVITED TO NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS . . . . .
Baseball Northwest alumni Darwin Barney of Oregon State University has been invited by USA Baseball to participate in the 2006 USA Baseball National Team Trials. The USA National Team will be picked from of pool of 36 college freshman and sophomores and play a summer international schedule. The sophomore shortstop has been a past Prospect Game and Northwest Championship Tournament participate.
LINCECUM BREAKS STRIKE-OUT RECORD....
BBNW alum Tim Lincecum from Liberty HS (WA) broke the University of Washington career strikeout record early this spring. The right-handed junior pitcher broke the previous record of Jeff Heaverlo of 303's K's.
BUCK #4 ON A'S LIST.....
Baseball Northwest alum, Travis Buck formerly of Richland HS (WA), and Arizona State University has been ranked by Baseball America as the Oakland A's #4 prospect. Buck played in the Northwest Championship Tournament and the East Washington Fall Scout Team.
BUCK, NICKERSON, GUNDERSON . . . .
Three Oregon State pitchers and Baseball Northwest alumni, Dallas Buck, Jonah Nickerson, and Kevin Gunderson are on the watch list for the 2006 Roger Clemen's Award, given annually to the best pitcher in college baseball.
CROWE NAMED INDIANS #8 PROSPECT . . . . . . .
Baseball Northwest alum, Trevor Crowe, of Westview HS (OR) and the Univ. of Arizona has been ranked by Baseball America as the Cleveland Indians #8 prospect. The lefthanded hitting outfielder was drafted in the first round this Spring and finished the year at AA. Trevor is a former Oregon Prospect Games participant. [mlb news article]
THREE BBNW ALUMS IN RED SOX TOP 10 PROSPECTS.......
Baseball America has ranked three Baseball Northwest alumni on the Boston Red Sox top 10 Propsect List. Left-handed pitcher, Jon Lester, from Bellarmine Prep (WA) #2, outfielder, Jacoby Ellsbury, from Madras HS (OR), and Oregon State #6, and infielder, Jed Lowrie, from North Salem HS (OR), and Stanford Univ. #9. All three were Northwest Championship team members, and Ellsbury and Lowrie were Oregon Junior Olympic team members and Oregon Fall Scout team teammates.
www.baseballamerica.com/today/features/05top10s/redsox.html
FOUR ALUMNI NAMED PRE-SEASON ALL-AMERICANS.......
Four Baseball Northwest alumni have been named to Louisville Slugger Pre-Season All-America Team which is selected by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Right-handed pitcher, Dallas Buck, of Oregon State was named to the first team; right-handed pitcher, Jonah Nickerson, and left-handed pitcher, Kevin Gunderson, both from OSU, were named to the second team; and Tim Lincecum, right-handed pitcher from the Univ. of Washington was selected for the third team. Buck was a Prospect Game and Northwest Championship participant. Nickerson was an Oregon Fall Scout team pitcher. Gunderson was a Prospect Game pitcher and Lincecum was a Northwest Championship pitcher.
www.baseballnews.com/allamericans/currentallamericans.htm
BUCK AND GUNDERSON NAMED TO WALLACE WATCH
Baseball Northwest alumni and Oregon State junior pitchers, Dallas Buck and Kevin Gunderson, are on the list of 120 baseball student athletes on the 2006 Wallace Watch released this week by the College Baseball Foundation. The Brooks Wallace Award is presented annually to the national college player of the year.
Buck, from Newberg HS, earned a number of All-American honors in 2005, going 12-1 with one save and a 2.09 earned run average. Gunderson, from Central Catholic HS, was All-Pacific 10 first team in 2005, going 6-4 with a school record 14 saves and a 2.76 earned run average.
TRAVIS HANSON PICKED TO OLYMPIC QUALIFYING TEAM ROSTER . . .
Travis Hanson, formerly of the University of Portland, has been picked to represent the United States at the 2005 CONCEBE Regional Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Phoenix, Arizona, November 15-19. The roster named by USA Baseball is made up of professional, non 25 man Major League rostered players, of the 30 Major League Baseball organizations. The St.Louis Caridnal farmhand that was picked in the 9th round of the draft in 2002 was a AA Texas League All-star this past season.
KEMPT GIVES OREGON VERBAL COMMITMENT FOR FOOTBALL . . .
BBNW alumni, Cody Kempt, of Westview HS (OR) has reportedly given an verbal commitment to the University of Oregon for football. The 2004 and 2005 Oregon Prospect Game participant is listed in Baseball Northwest's top 40 player list as a first baseman and left-handed pitcher.
OREGON STATE EXTENDS PAT CASEY's CONTRACT . . . .
OSU head coach, Pat Casey, has had his contract extended by the University through the 2010 season. Pat coached the Beavers to the Pac-10 championship and the College World Series in 2005. The native of Newberg, Oregon guided OSU to a school record for wins in a season by going 46-12 and finished No. 7 in the national polls after being ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation. Casey coached previously at George Fox University and was a player at University of Portland after playing professional with the Seattle Mariners. Many coaching honors were given to Pat for the 2005 season including West Region Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association, Pac-10 Coach of the Year, and National Co-Coach of the Year by the College Baseball Foundation. Coach Casey is a popular instructor at selected Baseball Northwest winter camps.
CARD, GASTON, CHENEY SELECTED AS PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Three former Baseball Northwest players were selected 2005 Louisville Slugger Player of the Year for there respective states. Left-handed pitcher, Bryn Card, of Henley HS (OR), left-handed pitcher, Tyler Cheney, of Richland HS (WA), and outfielder, Jonathan Gaston, of Borah HS (ID) received the honors. All three were Northwest Championship Tournament and Senior Fall Scout team members. Card is attending Oregon State; Cheney is attending Washington State; and Gaston is attending the University of Arizona.
ELLSBURY WINS ANOTHER AWARD
BBNW alum, Jacob Ellsbury, former Oregon State outfielder, has won another award. He has won the Easton Redline Award for the NCAA Division 1 top defensive player. Jacoby had no errors in 143 chances during last season as he led the Beavers to the College World Series. The Madras, Oregon native played on Baseball Northwest's Oregon Junior Olympic team, State Prospects Games, Northwest Championship Tournament and Oregon Senior Scout teams.
.....BBNW alumni Nick Hundley and Zach Simmons were ranked #4 and #16 prospects from the Northwest League by Baseball America. Hundley, a catcher from Univ. of Arizona and Lake Washington HS was the San Diego Padres 2nd round pick in last June draft. Simmons played at Glenns Ferry HS in Idaho, and Everett Community College before signing this spring with the Colorado Rockies. Nick and Zach are former Northwest Championship participants and Zach played for the Baseball Northwest Idaho team in the Junior Olympic Tournament.
.....BBNW alumni Jacoby Ellsbury and Jed Lowrie were ranked by Baseball America as the #7 and #8 prospects from this season's New York-Penn League. Ellsbury, who led Oregon State to this year's College World Series hit .317 with 23 stolen bases with the Lowell Spinners. Lowrie, his teammate, hit .328 and led the league in on base percentage. Jed played at Stanford and North Salem HS. Both players played as teammates on the Oregon fall scout team and on the Oregon team at the Northwest Championships Both were drafted in the first round by the Boston Red Sox in the past draft.
......Shane Sullivan of North Thurston HS (WA) has signed a free-agent contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The left-handed hitting outfielder was ranked by Baseball Northwest 10th in Washington and 15th in the Northwest in the pre-season 2005 class list. Shane had signed a letter of intent to Oregon State University. Shane played in the 2003 and 2004 Northwest Championship Tournaments.
.........Hal Deberry has been named the new head coach at Edmonds Community College. The former Baseball Northwest Fall scout team coach also had scouted for the Montreal Expos, and previously had been the head coach at Spokane Falls Community College. Hal takes over for Tighe Dickinson who has become the volunteer assistant at the University of Washington.
......Dave Wong has been named the new volunteer assistant for Oregon State University. Wong is a former head coach at Willamette University and has been a coach for the Baseball Northwest Oregon Scout team for the past 3 years. Also Joey Wong, Dave's son, has made a verbal commitment to attend OSU. The former volunteer assistant Troy Schrader has finished his master's degree and is going into business.
Yes...that was BBNW alumni Chris Gissell who was the starting pitcher for the Pacific Coast League in the Triple A All-star game. Chris was the winning pitcher in the game and was named PCL pitcher of the week for the previous week. The 10-year minor league veteran made his major league debut last year with the Colorado Rockies. Chris pitched with the BBNW North Oregon Scout team prior to his senior year at Hudson Bay HS in Vancouver.