Four Huskies Headed to Yakima Next Summer

Two-time state champ Davis Spencer will make The Orchard home

YAKIMA, Wash. — Three University of Washington Huskies, including a two-time state champion from Ellensburg, will join a 2020 holdover on the Yakima Valley Pippins’ roster in 2021.

Leading the pack are a pair of pitchers, including 6-foot-6, 220-pound right-hander Davis Spencer, who helped the Ellensburg Bulldogs to the Class 2A state baseball championship in 2017 and 2018 at Yakima County Stadium.

“We believe Davis Spencer is going to be one of those classic Northwest power arms,” UW head coach Lindsay Meggs said in a news release when Spencer signed in November 2019. “Davis has tremendous tilt on the fastball and is already a very uncomfortable at-bat for both right- and left-handed hitters. Along with the obvious upside, Davis is also a good competitor with a great work ethic.”

Left-hander Karl Koerper, whose birthday is on Christmas, is a 6-foot-4, 240-pound sophomore at UW. He made six starts in the shortened 2020 season, all at designated hitter. He also had one relief appearance, striking out two in one inning. Koerper, from Las Cruces, N.M., is ambidextrous.

Like Spencer, Koerper also helped his high school team to a state championship during his junior year.

Case Matter, a member of the UW’s 2020 recruiting class, is a 6-foot, 170-pounder from Henry M. Jackson High School in Mill Creek, Wash., who will play first base in the summer.

The trio join Corey Jarrell, an outfielder who entered UW this fall. Jarrell, from Brewster, signed to play with the Pippins in 2020 before the season was canceled and will play next summer.

The Pippins’ seventh season next summer will be the first time the team has included UW Huskies.

“I’m excited to continue my long relationship with coach (Elliott) Cribby, formerly at Purdue and Seattle U.,” Pippins manager Kyle Krustangel said. “I have always had top-notch players from him, and the Diamond Dawgs he is sending the Pippins I am sure will be no different. Coach (Lindsay) Meggs has done a great job with the University of Washington in his tenure and I look forward to coaching a few of his guys in Yakima this summer.”

The Pippins are scheduled to open their seventh WCL season at Yakima County Stadium on June 4. Season tickets, mini season ticket plans and ticket vouchers are already on sale at PippinsTickets.com. Single-game tickets for all 32 Pippins home games will go on sale in early 2021.

By Yakima Valley Pippins

December 23, 2020