Each week, the Prep Baseball Report Washington staff will highlight some of the top performers across the WIAA landscape in this ‘Diamond Notes’ article. Players mentioned below had impressive performances across the board in a given week.

If interested in submitting a player to be mentioned in next week’s edition of ‘Diamond Notes’, shoot a direct message on Twitter to @PBR_Washington or via email to [email protected]

For now, here are the players that popped from the first week of WIAA action, spanning from March 12th to March 20th.

DIAMOND NOTES

+ You won’t see many outings as dominant as what we saw this past week from RHP JR Ritchie (Bainbridge Island, 2022; UCLA) in a combined no-hitter. Ritchie threw six flawless innings, retiring all 18 batters he faced on just 65 pitches in total, 50 of them being strikes. He struck out 15 batters in total, accounting for 83% of his outs in this outing via the punchout. We’re eager to see Ritchie again at some point this spring as he continues to ascend his draft status prior to July.

+ Matching Ritchie in this outing were both LHP Bjorn Johnson (Lincoln, 2023) and RHP Nicholas Saelans (Lincoln, 2024). The duo allowed just one earned run through seven innings, keeping a competitive contest against the Pacific Northwest’s top arm.

+ The week’s most impressive offensive performance came from MIF Hudson Shupe (Hanford, 2022; Seattle). The left-handed hitting senior didn’t get out in Hanford’s first three games, finishing the week a perfect 8-for-8 with eight RBIs, two doubles, and a home run. He also took the mound twice, striking out 10 batters in seven total innings of work, and was apart of a combined no-hitter in Hanford’s 11-0 win over Ferris.

+ It was a super productive week for one of the state’s top seniors: INF Tyce Peterson (Junaita, 2022; Oregon State). The beaver signee finished the week with six hits in total with a home run, three triples, and six RBI performance in the Ravens’ 19-9 win on Saturday.

+ A name that truly ascended up our Washington 2022 rankings in the most recent update, RHP Jacob Gabler (Edmonds-Woodway, 2022; Bellevue College) absolutely dominated against Lake Washington in his lone outing of the season thus far. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound senior went four scoreless innings, allowing just three batters to reach base while recording 11 of 12 possible outs via the strikeout.

+ MIF/RHP Ethan Jury (Marysville-Getchell, 2023) made a case for ‘Start of the Year’ last Wednesday. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound uncommitted junior’s only blemish was a walk, as he went seven hitless innings while striking out 11 batters in a 4-0 win over Sedro-Woolley.

+ In three games for Medical Lake this spring, senior Joe Griffey has started his final prep campaign on a high note. Griffey tallied nine hits over the course of 10 at-bats, including three doubles. He’s driven in 11 runs, scored five, and has yet to strikeout this season, either.

+ INF Max Finkelstein (Ballard, 2023) has been one of the state’s top run producers so far in limited action. He’s brought in nine runs thus far and is currently 4-for-8 with a triple, four walks, and zero strikeouts.

+ Committed to Gonzaga, LHP Kale Hammer’s (Snohomish, 2023) start on the mound this spring has been certainly noteworthy. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound southpaw has won both of his games, punching out 16 batters across 10 innings pitched without allowing an earned run.

+ In his first start of the season, RHP Trevor Young (Bothell, 2023) threw four scoreless innings, striking out eight batters and holding his opponents to just one hit.

+ Across both of his appearances for Shelton, RHP Kyle Gerchak (2022) has yet to allow a run and opponents have tallied just one hit in 8 ⅓ innings pitched. He’s struck out 10 batters in that span and Shelton’s emerged victorious in both games that he’s taken the mound.

+ From Overlake/Bear Creek, RHP AC Clark (2023) currently leads the state in strikeouts on the hill (as of 3/20 via MaxPreps). He’s punched out 22 batters in 15 innings pitched this year and is already close to surpassing his yearly total from last season as a sophomore in nine less innings.

+ Another Overlake/Bear Creek product, OF Ben Fettig (2022) is off to a strong start to his senior campaign. In three games last week, Fettig tallied eight hits, drove in eight runs, and doubled three times. He’s also currently the week’s leader in runs scored (nine) and he swiped two bags as well.

+ Known for his prowess on the mound, RHP/1B Isaac Yeager (Bishop Blanchet, 2022; Washington) had a loud week offensively. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound senior collected five hits across three games, driving in five runs in total with a double and a home run. Yeager also took the mound in Bishop Blanchet’s 11-4 win over Shorewood, striking out five batters in three innings, allowing one earned run.

+ A former PBR Future Games participant, RHP Terence Hayes Jr. (Liberty, 2023) popped in front of our staff last week and has been amongst the WIAA’s most potent arms in the first week of play. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound uncommitted junior has fanned 16 batters in 8 ⅓ innings pitched thus far, walking three and pitching to a 3.36 ERA.

+ CIF Matthew Sauve (Grandview, 2022; Yakima Valley) used a strong three-game stretch at the end of the week to propel him onto this list. Sauve racked up seven hits in that span, including five doubles, and scored five runs. He was also a perfect 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts, operating as a table-setter for the Grandview offense throughout. Suave also took the mound on Saturday and struck eight batters out in four innings, facing the minimum and not allowing a run.

+ Impressive stuff from P Luke Dickey (Medical Lake) on Tuesday against Connell, as he struck out 11 batters over five scoreless innings with no walks, holding his opponents to three hits in total.

+ Klahowya had themselves a pretty impressive opening act to the 2022 WIAA season, bombarding their opponents for 57 total runs across four games in week one. Junior backstop Matthew Bailey (2023) was a key cog to that success, as he drove in nine runs in total while finishing the week 7-for-12 at the dish. Bailey doubled twice, scored seven runs, and walked three times while not striking out. He put the finishing touches on all that by swiping four bags, too.

+ An impressive arm-to-note from Klahowya is freshman Aiden Michael (2025). The dual-sport athlete has started his high school baseball career off on a high note, making three appearances on the rubber across the first week of action. Michael punched out 16 batters in total, including an eight strikeout performance across three innings against Chimacum. He earned a save in their opening day game against Olympic too, closing things out in the final inning with three strikeouts.

+ Another standout freshman performer from the first week of gameplay was RHP/INF Orlando Young (Federal Way, 2025). Young made two appearances in week one, allowing just one earned run across five innings pitched and striking out 11 batters in total. In a close 6-5 victory on Saturday against Emerald Ridge, Young went four innings and only surrendered an earned run, retiring eight batters via strikeout.

+ RHP Taylor Franklin (2023) helped lead Belleville Christian to a 7-0 victory over Seattle Christian last Wednesday. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior went five strong innings, failing to allow an earned run and holding his opponents to just two hits in total. Franklin walked just one batter and struck out nine in total, facing just three batters over the minimum.

+ OF Nickolas Sakamoto (Snohomish, 2023) finished his first week of action by going 7-for-14 at the plate, driving in four runs and scoring six of his own. Sakamoto also tripled and stole four bases.

+ LHP Braiden Boyd (Chelan, 2023) put together a strong four innings this past weekend, striking out nine batters. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound junior is amongst the state’s top southpaws and is committed to Washington State.

+ Dayne Castillo (Sammamish) had himself two impressive showings against Nathan Hale and Liberty, respectively, to end the week. Castillo picked up seven hits in total during that span, going 7-for-8 at the plate with five RBIs and two runs scored.

+ Freshman LHP Cooper Anguellar (Woodinville, 2025) started his high school career on a high note, striking out nine batters across four scoreless innings in a 2-0 victory over Richland. Anguellar’s line owns just two blemishes, as he allowed one hit and walked a batter.

+ It was a loud end of the week for Ephrata’s Brock Hussey, as he blasted two home runs in their 7-0 win over Othello on Saturday. Hussey finished that contest with three hits and four RBIs, adding on to the two-hit, two-RBI performance he had last Tuesday against Cashmere.

+ RHP Cade Best (Spanaway, 2023) turned in one of the week’s better starts in a win on Friday against Mountlake Terrace. Best threw five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, and he struck out 12 batters in the process.

+ LHP Noah Imboden (2022; Lower Columbia College) was really impressive for Kalama against Winlock/Toledo on Thursday, letting just two reach base in a scoreless three-inning stint. Imboden took it upon himself to record all nine outs and he did so via the strikeout, finishing this game with nine punchies in total.

+ 1B/LHP Nic Lewandowski (Bonney Lake, 2022) helped propel his squad to a win last Wednesday against Stadium. Lewandowski didn’t allow an earned run over 5 ⅔ innings pitched, walking just one and scattering five hits throughout his outing, striking out 11 batters in total.

+ RHP AJ Hendrickson (Southridge, 2023) made two appearances this past week and didn’t allow an earned run in either. Hendrickson allowed just two hits in five total innings, both out of the ‘pen, and he retired 12 batters via the strikeout in that span.

+ RHP Joe Oliver (Medical Lake, 2022) turned in a strong outing on the mound last Thursday against Reardan, helping lead Medical Lake to a 7-4 victory and remain undefeated. Oliver went six scoreless innings, scattering five hits while punching out 10 batters.

+ RHP Jaden Rippelmeyer (Mountain View, 2022) blanked Evergreen in his six inning stint on Thursday, holding his opponents to just one hit in an 11-0 victory. Rippelmeyer punched out eight batters and walked two in the win.

+ Uncommitted senior RHP Carter Avery (Juanita, 2022) really impressed our staff in a complete game effort when we saw him last Tuesday. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound right-hander dominated his opposition, striking out 12 batters and walking one, while holding them to two hits in total.

+ 1B Caleb Gray (West Valley, 2022; Yakima Valley) hit the hardest ball at an event for us this winter, reaching an 104.1 mph max exit velocity at the Pacific Northwest ProCase. Gray’s power has translated into gameplay early this spring, as the 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior blasted two home runs in week one of WIAA action.

+ Starting on varsity as a freshman, MIF Mikey Rican (Bishop Blanchet, 2025) held his own across three games in week one. The former PBR Junior Future Games participant finished the week with five hits, including two multi-hit contests. He doubled twice and brought home a run, too.

+ OF Bryce Didrickson (Interlake, 2022; Claremont-Mudd-Scripps) jumped out to a hot start in his senior season, going 8-for-15 with two doubles, a triple, and four RBIs over Interlake’s first week of action.

To follow along in our extensive coverage of WIAA action, click HERE.

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