Here are players to watch in Whatcom County prep baseball this spring

Four players for Class 3A Ferndale have signed to play college ball, but who are the top five hitters and pitchers to watch when Whatcom County’s high school baseball season begins this month?

Five hitters to watch

Matt James,Ferndale, Sr.

James, a catcher who can play other spots, was Whatcom County’s most honored player last season as a first-team Class 3A all-state selection. His numbers speak for themselves – .482 average, 32 RBIs and 19 runs in 23 games, with four home runs and seven doubles. He burst onto the scene as a sophomore with a .417 average.

Max Jeffrey, Ferndale, Sr.

Golden Eagles coach Donny Hennigs expects much of Jeffrey, a second-team all-conference shortstop as a junior, in the field and at bat. “He’s a very good top-of-the-order guy,” the coach says of the talented leader, who will play for Oregon’s Corbin College.

Shane Jamison, Sehome, Jr.

Coach Monte Walton loves what he saw of third baseman Jamison last season as “one of the league’s best sophomores.” He earned a second-team all-conference honor while batting around .340. He was a key factor in Sehome’s 15-7 season, including a 9-3 record in the huge NWC, good for a tie for third.

Chase Abshere, Blaine, Soph.

Abshere, one of the league’s fastest players, will play either third base or in the outfield. He may well be one of the league’s finest leadoff hitters and will always be a threat to steal or stretch what look like singles into doubles. He batted well over. 300 as an impressive freshman and helped Blaine qualify for the state 2A regionals and finish 15-10.

Tyson Cline, Lynden Christian, Sr.

The swift Cline was too good to overlook, at bat and in center field, even though the Lyncs endured a 5-17 season. It’s rare for an underclassman to earn honors in the NWC on a losing team, but Cline did as a second-team all-conference selection.

Five pitchers to watch

Felix Zavisubin, Sehome, Sr.

Zavisubin, a first-team All-Northwest Conference selection as a junior, is exceptional on the mound and in the outfield, as well as at bat. He has the potential to give Ferndale’s Matt James a run for Player of the Year in the league and may well be the league’s most versatile performer. He’s a good bet to win seven or eight games and bat better than .400.

Trevin Hope, Lynden, Jr.

The 6-foot-7 Hope went 8-1 as a sophomore with a 1.45 earned-run average. He struck out 40 and walked 24 in 48 innings while earning first-team all-conference recognition. Like Felix Zavisubin, he has the potential to compete with Ferndale’s Matt James for the league’s Player of the Year honor and is also a solid outfielder.

Mason Shaw, Ferndale, Sr.

Shaw and teammate Matt James have signed with Yakima Valley, one of the Northwest’s best community college programs. Coach Donny Hennigs is counting on him to be one of the league’s most reliable pitchers and a starter at any of several field positions when not pitching. “He has three pitches and is a real student of the game,” Hennigs said.

Simon Burkett, Meridian, Jr.

Burkett, a pitcher and shortstop with a lively arm, already has established himself as one of the league’s most productive multisport athletes. Burkett, a productive passer in football, figures to have college options in either sport. He helped Meridian baseball to a 12-12 overall record and 6-6 league mark, which is more than respectable in a 14-team league with eight 2A teams and two 3A squads.

Jared House, Lynden, Sr.

Lions coach Cory White expects House to be an effective No. 2 starter and one of the league’s finest first baseman when Hope and sophomore James Marsh are pitching. House blossomed as a solid sixth man as a state trophy-winning basketball guard, and White feels he’s ready for a big senior year in baseball.

This story was originally published March 12, 2017 at 4:50 AM with the headline "Here are players to watch in Whatcom County prep baseball this spring."