Despite the weather outside, baseball is finally here! With a few teams opening their seasons tomorrow, it’s time to preview all 10 of the Whatcom County baseball teams.
BELLINGHAM – Recent history has been rough on the Bayhawks, but last season brought joyous occasions throughout the season. Despite going 5-14 in 2022, Bellingham played a lot of close games, and earned the respect of its opponents. This season, new head coach Tom Lewis takes over after being an assistant with the program, and his roster has a good mixture of experience and youthful talent.
Senior catcher Ethan Brimble returns for his third year as a starter. He is a complete player that does everything extremely well, including having one of the strongest arms behind the plate in Whatcom County. He’s patient at the plate (.413 on-base percentage), and can drive the ball to the gaps. He always hustles down the first base line, and he can help on the mound if needed. Junior Jake Troost had a break-out season in 2022, batting .302 with nine runs batted in. He also picked up a pair of victories on the mound, striking out 24 batters and posting a 2.40 ERA. Junior Owen Rasmussen can play all over the field, and he has a knack for coming through in the clutch. Both Troost and Rasmussen also showed great control on the mound last year, combining for just 18 walks given up in 53 innings pitched. Junior outfielder Joe Toof showed glimpses of greatness last season knocking in 10 runs, and he could have a huge 2023. The middle of the lineup also got a big boost when junior first baseman Jesse Harward transferred from Mount Baker. The hulking lefty batted .288 with 11 RBI’s last season. Look for a freshmen Alden Scott, Kai Nelson and Joe Harward to make an immediate impact as well.
BLAINE – Last season, the Borderites were incredibly senior-heavy. But every local coach will tell you that Blaine head coach Tanner Olson can develop talent as well, or better, than anyone in the area. Even though graduation hit the border city hard, that doesn’t mean that the cupboard is bare.
One of the top players around returns in shortstop Axel Puls. The switch-hitting senior played injured throughout the second half of last season, which caused his numbers to drop a little bit. He finished with a .418 batting average, .582 slugging percentage and a .541 on-base percentage. Yes, he FELL to those numbers. Blaine also returns junior outfielder Hunter Vezzetti who hit .273 last season with 14 runs batted in, and will provide a tremendous 1-2 punch with Puls. Junior righty Kieran Markusen looks to be the ace of the pitching staff, as the strong-armed starter struck out 23 batters in 28 2/3 innings last season. He also slugged .455 last season, and should make an impact offensively as well. Blaine also returns a handful of players that have some varsity experience, but are going to have their time to shine in 2023. They include juniors Grady Swinburson, a quick-handed second baseman; Jesse Deming, an athletic outfielder that can really run ’em down; Alejandro Moser-Hernandez, a powerful bat at first base and possible closing pitcher; Mason Akre, a bulldog on the mound; and senior Josh Audette, who is a terror on the base paths.
FERNDALE – Playing against Ferndale last season was described to me from one coach this way, “It’s like playing against a top-tier men’s slow-pitch softball team.” Not a bad description, as the head coach Donny Hennigs’ Golden Eagles launched 12 home runs last season, and the infield averaged about 230-pounds per player.
A lot of talent returns for Ferndale, but gone is senior Landen Hatchett who graduated early to get a head-start on his football career at the University of Washington. Senior Jake Mason had an ERA of 1.35 last season, while going 6-1 in 46 2/3 innings. He also knocked in 19 runs while batting .295. Senior Andrew James is about as talented as they come, and his numbers showed it last season, batting .370, slugging .630 and knocking in 21 runs. Senior Dylan Strom can mow ’em down on the mound, as he struck out 64 batters in 34 innings, and senior Jordan Mason played all over the field, batted in the leadoff spot, hit .305 with three homeruns and led his team with eight stolen bases. Junior Camden Raymond will be another force in the middle of the potent Ferndale lineup, and he brings his .824 OPS to the table. He also posted a 1.58 ERA on the mound in 18 innings pitched. Look for seniors Tipton Bundy, Tre Ferry and Lane Oostra to have a bigger impact this season, along with junior center fielder Bishop Ootsey.
LYNDEN – As a team last season, the Lions had an ERA of 1.53. If that’s not scary, get this… they all return this season! Just that info alone should make Lynden one of favorites this season in the Northwest Conference, even after graduating the entire infield from last season’s 19-6 squad.
Back on the mound are Lane Simonsen (6-1, 59 IP, 94 K’s, 0.94 ERA), Kaedan Hermanutz (4-1, 25 IP, 21 K’s 0.85 ERA, Coston Parcher (4-0, 27 IP, 31 K’s, 1.79 ERA) and Lincoln Van Diest (4-2, 35 IP, 30 K’s, 1.39 ERA). Seniors Lane Heeringa and Campbell Nolte return to the outfield after combining for 28 runs batted in and 22 stolen bases a year ago. The infield will be taken over by Jesus Ortiz at first base, Eli Migchelbrink at second base, Parcher at short stop and Van Diest at third base. Parcher had a big year offensively last season, batting .421 while only striking out four times in 70 plate appearances. The glue that holds head coach Cory White’s team together is senior catcher Kobe Baar. After being a huge part of multiple back-to-back state champions in both football and basketball, his leadership is unmeasurable, and he could be the key ingredient for another deep run. Other players that could potentially break out in 2023 are juniors Austin Tolsma, Cooper Moore, Kael Stapleton and River Langstraat.
LYNDEN CHRISTIAN – The number “one” is an important number when looking a numerous factors. The way that opposing coaches see that number with the Lyncs is that is the number of players LC lost from last season. Center fielder Joey VanHofwegen has graduated, and the rest of Noah Rawls’ 10-11 squad from a year ago returns.
It doesn’t appear that there needs to be too much tinkering around, but perhaps the biggest change will be the health of junior Brody Bouwman’s arm this season. It appears that he’s ready to go, and he should be a go-to guy on the mound, when he’s not playing a corner infield position. Senior Lane Dykstra batted .323 last season, and posted a 3.92 ERA while walking just six batters in 39 innings pitched. When he’s not pitching, he can play third base or short stop, depending who’s on the bump. Also playing short stop will be junior Jonah Terpstra who batted .364 last season with 15 runs batted in. Sophomore Austin Engels returns at second base after hitting .316 with 16 RBI’s, and senior Isaac Paxton will be at first base after batting .317 last season with 11 runs batted in. Paxton also won six games on the mound, and pitched nearly 50 innings, walking just 15. Returning to the outfield are senior Dexter Zylstra, and juniors Logan Brink and Treven Blair.
MERIDIAN – Every year it seems like the Trojans could possibly have a “down” year, or low numbers. Or, they’re only suiting up 12 or 13 kids a game at the varsity level, and they have a lot of underclassmen. And, every year head coach Steve Slesk finds a way to make a playoff run. Fundamentals and hustle have been the constant under Slesk over the years, along with grit and determination.
Sophomore southpaw Jonah Aase returns after one of the best freshman seasons in Whatcom County history after leading Whatcom County with nine victories (including a win over Lynden) on the mound and posting a 1.17 ERA in nearly 60 innings pitched. He also hit .309 from the leadoff spot, and played very well in the outfield. Fellow sophomore Jaeger Fyfe batted in the 5-spot all of last season, but will likely be moved up in the lineup this season. He hit .316 last year with 14 runs batted in. He also won two games, pitched 21 1/3 innings, and struck out 20 batters. He’ll be at short stop when he’s not pitching. Senior Hunter Jones is a great athlete that can be used in a multitude of ways in the field, and he’ll likely bat somewhere in the middle of the order. Senior Tyrel Brooks has been a mainstay at first base the past few seasons, and will retain that spot. Junior Ian Forbes is in his third year as the starting catcher, and his ability to move the runner over from his #2 spot in the batting lineup is huge for the Trojan gameplan. Juniors Silas Berschauer, Jacob Amundson, Alex Short and Tyson Timmer all have valuable varsity experience, and it will be put to good use this season. 6-foot-5 sophomore Lincoln Hoefer is an intriguing prospect that I’m going to keep my eye on as well.
MOUNT BAKER – When last season ended, even though the Mountaineers went 6-13, I was already getting excited about next season. McHenry Pattison’s 2022 team only had two seniors, third baseman Brent Anderson and pinch hitter Gavin Stuart, and a tough punch of underclassmen that showed great promise for the future of the Mounties. Fast forward to this season. First baseman Jesse Harward transferred to Bellingham, while Ethan Larson, Alex Maloley and Dylan Moa opted for track and field this spring.
Baker will look to seniors Brady West and Elijah Washburn for leadership, as well as stellar play on the field. West will pitch, (4 of the teams’ 6 wins last season, 46 IP, 67 K’s) and catch. He also batted .305 last season, mostly from the leadoff spot. And Washburn, who just recently won the state championship as a wrestler, will be at shortstop. He also went 1-1 on the mound last season in 18 1/3 innings. A trio of juniors also look to make a huge leap forward after getting a lot of experience last season, and they are Landen Hanstead, Hayden Rosse and Braven Nason. Hanstead has incredible speed, and will man second base. Rosse got a lot of key hits last season, and will return to the outfield, and Nason is an incredibly talented baseball player that was slowed last season after an arm injury. He has great gap power at the plate, and he could be a force on the mound if he’s fully healed. Juniors Daniel Washburn and Braeden Scott also earned valuable experience last season. Look for varsity newcomers like Tyson Rightmire, Anthony Rabang, Cameron Hesyck, Liam Stuart, Caden Mosher and Camden Moa to fill roles quickly.
NOOKSACK VALLEY – It’s been a rough ride for the Pioneers as of late, but there’s a lot to like about head coach Joel DeWispelaere’s team. It isn’t dominated by a certain class, there’s some pop in the lineup, big arms on the mound, speed on the bases and defense on the field. The big two returners are senior Bennett DeLange and junior Kasey Newton.
They each pitched over 30 innings last season, and they combined to strike out 74 batters. The only downside has been the control, as they also combined for 77 walks. If the walks get cut in half, it could be a big year for the Pioneers. They can both hit as well, and when they aren’t pitching DeLange will be in the infield and Newton will patrol the outfield. Senior Henry Lind can also eat up innings on the bump, and fellow senior Drew DeWispelaere can pack a punch with the bat. Junior Eduardo Cerda knocked in seven runs last season, and he can play all over the field. Sophomore Colby Martin could be an offensive force and is a very good third baseman. Junior Daemion Perez takes over behind the plate, while juniors Bradley Blake and Jesse Tresselt, sophomore Cole Bauman and freshman Mathew Blake look to fill the remaining roles. As usual, Nooksack Valley will use early non-conference games to try a lot of combinations and see what works before heading into the regular season.
SEHOME – The youth movement continues for Dane Siegfried’s Mariners. It was a disappointing 5-14 record last season, but it was filled with close heart-breaking losses. The return of seniors Carson Neff and Jacob Gillig are a huge benefit for Sehome. Neff led Whatcom County with 23 stolen bases last season, while also batting .368 with four doubles. He also struck out just four times in 70 plate appearances.
Gillig knocked in seven runs, including a game-winner against Mount Baker last season, but he really showed his dominance on the mound, striking out 62 batters in 54 innings of work and posting a 1.43 ERA. Another senior is pitcher Ben Sefrit who went 3-0 last season after pitching masterfully in relief, and he’ll likely be looked upon as the number two guy on the bump behind Gillig. Junior Campbell Robbins, Greyson Mack and Salvador Backman all got valuable experience last season, along with sophomores Ryder McGrath and Jackson Evans. The Mariners also have a good crop of freshman coming in with Hudson Neff, Gunnar Tweit, Benjamin Ricks and Keegan Glennon.
SQUALICUM – After an 8-13 finish last season, head coach Kevin Fry is looking for that “something extra” in his squad to take it over the top, and there’s a lot to like about this year’s group. Starting with seniors Chase Andersen, Eli Knowlton and Hayden Hollingsworth.
Andersen is one of the best defensive infielders around, and his ability at the plate (.408 OBP, 11 RBI’s, 11 stolen bases) make him doubly dangerous. Knowlton has a blazing fastball, and super pop off his bat. Last season he picked up three victories, and struck out 59 batters in 40 innings pitched while posting a 1.93 ERA. He also knocked in a team-high 16 runs, with a third of his hits going for extra bases. Hollingsworth poked a home run last season, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. He’s an incredibly talented player that other teams will need to be wary of. Sophomore Ben Hebert also sprung onto the scene last spring, and he has shown to be a valuable piece to the puzzle. In limited action last season, junior Josh Kreta had a pair of hits, runs batted in and walks, in just seven plate appearances, and senior Cole Sumner stole six bases last season. Junior Brady Scammell is another speedster that swiped five bases last season. A host of newcomers will vie to show Coach Fry what they can do in the coming weeks.
Good luck Nooksack Pioneers!! Have a great season!