Cougs sign 3 local baseball players

Three area baseball players are among 10 recruited to play for Washington State in 2009.

Lake City infielder Kyle Johnson, West Valley power hitting outfielder Bryan Peterson and Central Valley pitcher Rusty Shellhorn all signed letters of intent with the Cougars.

“Some of the top players in the state of Washington will be Cougars,” said coach Donnie Marbut in a WSU press release. “In addition, we went out of state and landed some of the best talent in the West. We have added depth to our pitching as well as speed and defense to our program.

Besides the signing of Shellhorn, a lefty who was 5-3 with a 2.23 earned run average and 70 strikeouts in 47 innings for the Bears, three others from the Greater Spokane League have signed at various schools.

Ferris athletes, pitcher Andrew Kittredge (21-5 in three years as a Saxon) and first baseman Beau Brett (.433 batting average with nine home runs, seven doubles and 38 RBIs last spring), signed their letters of intent at Washington and Southern California, respectively.

Mt. Spokane shortstop Jarek Cunningham (.373, five HRs, seven doubles, 32 RBIs), signed his letter of intent with Arizona State.

Peterson hit .583 with six homers, six doubles, two triples and 33 RBIs for the Great Northern League Eagles. Johnson played on state championship football and baseball teams as a junior, stealing 31 bases in 28 games.

Others in the Cougars class of 2009 are Auburn catcher Kyle Buchanan and pitcher/infielder David Olson, Seattle Prep pitcher/third baseman Anthony Drobnick, Snohomish pitcher/outfielder Derek Jones, Mountlake Terrace pitcher Jacob Theis, Lewis-Palmer (Colo.) pitcher Bobby Hansen and Bend (Ore.) middle infielder Tommy Richards.