BSB Preview: Freshman LHP earns spot in weekend starting rotation
WHAT: Washington State (0-0) at Saint Mary’s (0-0)
WHERE: Louis Guisto Field (1,500), Moraga, Calif.
WHEN: Friday, 2 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. (DH), Sunday, 1 p.m.
INTERNET: Videostream at wsucougars.com.
PITCHING MATCHUPS:
Game 1 (Fri): LHP A.J. Block (WSU) vs. LHP Ken Waldichuk (SMU)
Game 2 (Sat): LHP Ky Bush (WSU) vs. RHP Kevin Milam (SMU)
Game 3 (Sat): RHP Dylan Steen (WSU) vs. RHP Carlos Lomeli (SMU)
Game 4 (Sun): RHP Hayden Rosenkrantz (WSU) vs. RHP Tyler Thorton (SMU)
Had he chosen to do so, Washington State freshman lefthander Ky Bush would currently be in a minor league camp somewhere getting ready for his first full professional season.
Instead, the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Ogden, UT native, a 40th round draft pick of the Kansas City Royal last June, will make his collegiate debut Saturday for the Cougars in the second of a four-game series at Saint Mary’s.
Bush fanned 57 batters in 39.0 innings as a senior last year for Fremont High School in West Haven, UT., being named All-State First Team. He verbally committed to WSU in September of 2016, early in his junior campaign. He also had offers from Seattle University and Utah Valley, while Utah was showing interest.
“Ky already has the skill set to come in and pitch right away,” Lees said prior to the start of full team practice in late January. “He is a big body lefthander who commands all of his pitches. He was one of the best in the state of Utah and we are very fortunate he chose WSU over a number of other offers."
A pair of veteran hurlers – junior LHP A.J. Block and sophomore RHP Hayden Rosenkrantz sandwich the weekend rotation with Block (48 K in 44.0 IP in 2018) getting the honor of starting the season opener.
In between, Bush will throw in the first game of Saturday’s scheduled doubleheader, while JUCO transfer Dylan Steen, a graduate of West Valley High School in Spokane before attending College of Southern Idaho for two years, takes the mound for his WSU debut in the nightcap.
Last season, Steen posted a 12-1 record with a 2.21 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 105.2 innings pitched for CSI, which reached the JUCO World Series.
“One thing this pitching staff has been able to do is prepare us (for the season),” Lees said. “We have velos (velocity), right and left, different arm angles, different speeds, guys that pitch with power, guys that pitch with pitchability. That will definitely help us.
“What I like our pitching staff this year is I see a lot more strikes. Guys are able to throw a second and third pitch for strikes. We have balance. We can have some consistency from week to week and not move guys around. We have a good idea of what things will look like.”
That quartet of hurlers will be supported by experience up the middle with senior catcher Rob Teel, senior shortstop Andres Alvarez, sophomore second baseman Garrett Gouldsmith and junior centerfielder Danny Sinatro.
The slick-fielding Alavrez enjoyed spectacular 2018 season from a defensive perspective, committing just one error in 30 Pac-12 conference contests for a .992 fielding percentage. Overall, he made just six errors in 50 games, less than one every eight games, with 120 assists and 80 putouts.
“I really like how this team has come together,” Lees said. “When you start at catcher and look through the middle of our infield and go out to center, we’re returning a very good defensive team. Having a shortstop who made just one error in Pac-12 play last year is a pretty good start.
“Garrett Gouldsmith has brought a personality we needed. He’s a real baseball player. He’s great to be around and he knows what he’s doing. His communication skills are at a high level. Then you look out at center and Danny Sinatro is one of the top two or three centerfielders in the whole league.”
PROJECTED OPENING GAME LINEUP:
C – Rob Teel (Sr.)
1B – Dillon Plew (Jr.)
2B – Garrett Gouldsmith (So.)
3B – Kodie Kolden (Fr.)
SS – Andres Alvarez (Sr.)
LF – Collin Montez (So.)
CF – Danny Sinatro (Jr.)
RF – Brody Barnum (So.)
P – A.J. Block (Jr.)
PAC-12 BASEBALL SCHEDULE (Feb. 15-17)
Washington State at Saint Mary’s (3-game series)
Oregon at Texas Tech (3-game series)
UMass-Lowell at Arizona (3-game series)
St. John’s at UCLA (3 game series)
Notre Dame at Arizona State (3-game series)
Nebraska-Omaha at USC (3-game series)
Washington at UC Irvine (3-game series)
Oregon State, Cal, Stanford and Utah at tournaments in Arizona and Texas
