Name: Whitman College
City and State: Walla Walla, WA
Head Coach
Brian Kitamura (8th season as Head Coach, 13th overall)
Assistant Coaches
Colby Watilo (2nd season), Casey DeMello (1st season), Peter Fowler (5th season)
Who are some key returning position players and what do you hope to see from them this year?
Ben Parker (Sr., OF) – Outstanding athlete, one of the best players in the nation. 1st-team All-NWC in 2022, All-Region selection.
Teague Conder (Sr., INF/OF) – Pure hitter who only continues to improve. Honorable Mention All-NWC in 2022.
Garrett Runyan (Jr., OF/RHP) – Two-way player who will shift primarily to the OF this season after catching early in his career. 2nd-Team All-NWC in 2022.
Beck Maguire (Jr., INF) – Just scratching the surface with his skill set. Top 20 in NWC in batting average and on-base percentage in 2022. Honorable Mention All-NWC in 2022.
Who are your key returning pitchers and why?
Julien Hernandez (Jr., RHP) – 1st-Team All-NWC in 2022. One of the best arms in our region.
Benjamin Seashore Hobson (Sr., RHP) – Led team in appearances in 2022, pitched extremely well in high leverage situations.
Do you have an incoming impact freshman or transfers that will help the team in 2023?
Joaquin Hines (So., INF) – Transfer from Saddleback JC in California.
Nathan Wilson (Fr., UTL) – First year utility player from Houston, TX.
Halen Otte (Fr., C) – First year catcher from Mercer Island, WA. Won 2022 WA State championship at Mercer Island senior year.
What was the focus and what things did you see from the team in the fall?
Our focus during the fall was to work together and execute consistently at a high level. Guys did an outstanding job and have continued to put in quality work to develop individual skill sets as well as our ability to execute as a team.
What are the expectations and goals for the team entering the season?
We are excited for this season and are focused on what we can do to win every day. We have outstanding student-athletes and, even though we are younger, we have a great group of guys who can really play. We expect to continue to elevate what we do throughout the spring and play our best baseball heading toward the post-season.