‘There’s an ascension, there’s momentum’: Washington State baseball on the rise in Year 3 under Brian Green

PULLMAN – Reflecting on his second season at the helm, coach Brian Green came to a couple of conclusions about his up-and-coming Washington State baseball club.

“We believe we can win. We’re proud of who we are,” he said during a news conference late last month when asked to outline his takeaways from the 2021 campaign. “But we as coaches had to do a better job of getting balance in our lineup.”

If the Cougars planned on making noise in the stacked Pac-12 Conference in ’22, Green knew they’d need to sign some left-handed batting options and southpaw pitchers.

“You better have left and right, or each week you’re really at the mercy of who you’re playing and the matchup,” Green said.

The Cougars reeled in four high-potential, left-handed newcomers who’ll compete for time on the mound and inked another three lefties who’ll vie for at-bats.

They’ll mix in with a deep and talented supply of returning veterans, a group that laid the foundation for a winning tradition last season under Green’s guidance.

A positive culture has been established in the WSU clubhouse and now the Cougars can focus on fine-tuning. That’s Green’s primary takeaway from ’21.

“We left last year with a knowledge and belief that we can compete in this league,” he said. “The program is in a spot where there are expectations in the locker room to make a run and get to the postseason.

“Now, it’s a matter of execution, preparation, discipline, details and commitment, and I think we’re in a pretty good spot as we enter the season.”

WSU opens Year 3 of the Green era with a four-game series at Hawaii, beginning Friday at 8:35 p.m. Grant Taylor, a big sophomore right-hander and WSU’s top returning arm, will start.

WSU compiled a 26-23 record last season, winning 13 games in conference play during its best season in seven years. The Cougars tied for eighth in the preseason coaches’ poll.

“I want them to be hungry and I think it’s great when you’re chasing a need to improve,” said Green, who signed a contract extension through 2026 in the fall. “We haven’t accomplished anything, but what we have accomplished is creating that buzz. There’s an ascension, there’s momentum. All things are getting better – recruiting and our athletes and facilities and our grades.”

Seven regular starters return to WSU’s lineup, which finished the 2021 season second in the Pac-12 in hitting (.302), third in per-game scoring (7.2 runs) and first in doubles against league opponents (74).

WSU lost two all-conference position players in star first baseman Kyle Manzardo – a Coeur d’Alene product who went in the second round of July’s MLB draft to Tampa Bay – and designated hitter Tristan Peterson, but the Cougars aren’t expecting drop-off offensively.

“The returning core has been outstanding,” Green said. “Guys are just better. They’re stronger. Their plate discipline is better. Their plate awareness is better. … We’ve got an old team, and there’s nothing better than having experience and guys who have been through the wars.”

Batting leadoff will probably be junior Kodie Kolden, a Lake City High grad who hit .320 last season with 38 RBIs and was named a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, given to the nation’s top shortstop. Four other efficient batters are back in fifth-year outfielder Collin Montez (.316), senior third baseman Jack Smith (.311), junior first baseman Jacob McKeon (.345) and sophomore second baseman Kyle Russell (.301), a promising Washingtonian who was limited to just 20 games with an injury last season.

Other key pieces include Jake Meyer, an honorable mention All-Pac-12 catcher, and starting outfielder Justin Van De Brake.

“If you’re a Coug fan, you’re going to see the same cast of characters,” Green said Wednesday by Zoom from a hotel room in Honolulu. “The experience will always get the nod early (in a season).”

WSU secured an impressive haul of signees this offseason in a nationally ranked recruiting class – also the top-ranked junior college class in the nation, per baseball publication JBB. The prized recruit is JC transfer center fielder Hylan Hall, a top-30 transfer nationally who began his college career at Miami (Florida).

“He had the best fall of probably anybody,” Green said. “He’s an incredible competitor. … He’s got an ability to go get the ball in center field that we haven’t had.”

WSU shored up its lineup with three left-handed JC transfers: first baseman/outfielder Bryce Matthews, who started his college career at Arkansas; catcher Nate Stevens, another former Razorback; and outfielder Austin Plante, who signed with TCU out of high school.

“They give us an opportunity to be very balanced,” Green said.

WSU will enjoy a deeper defense this season with several versatile returners and additions. Green called infielder Elijah Hainline “an elite defender.” The true freshman out of Mead High will see action this weekend.

Starting left-handers Cole McMillan and McKabe Cottrell are set to make their Cougar debuts in Hawaii. McMillan, another top-30 transfer who will start Saturday, played two years at San Jacinto (Texas) Junior College after a one-year stay at Houston. Cottrell, penciled in for Sunday’s start, earned JC All-America honors last season in his third year at Spokane Falls after transferring out of Gonzaga.

The Cougars’ main concern is a new-look staff. Zane Mills and Brandon White started a combined 26 games and worked 149 innings last season. Both were selected in the MLB draft.

WSU is still sorting out its rotation. Monday’s starter will be determined.

The presumed ace, Taylor went 3-0 with a 3.04 ERA last season. Junior righty Dakota Hawkins is the most tested returner. He logged a 4-6 record and a 5.82 ERA over 51 innings. Yale transfer lefty Matt Erickson, southpaw Spokane Falls transfer Cam Liss and sophomore returner Duke Brotherton, from Mercer Island, Washington, will contend for reps.

“Five or six guys are going to have the opportunity to (start),” Green said.

Bullpen ace Michael Newstrom graduated after setting the single-season WSU record last year with 34 appearances. Returning relievers include Connor Barison (4.05 ERA in 26⅔ innings), Caden Kaelber (4.08 ERA, 17⅔ IP) and Kolby Kmetko (4.98 ERA, 21⅔ IP).

“We clearly have a group of guys we’re excited about,” Green said.

The Cougars are hungry for their first national postseason run since 2010. The program has only qualified for the NCAAs twice in the past 30 years. But they seem to be trending upward under Green.

“We want to be in the hunt, we want to be chasing it and we certainly know we have something to prove,” Green said. “At the same time, we’re out there promoting and selling like crazy to get people to believe in where we’re going.”