Saint Mary’s Standout, 2 Dominant Pitchers Join Pippins

YAKIMA, Wash. – The Pippins’ roster continues to expand with talent as Saint Mary’s Gavin Napier joins the ballclub alongside impressive pitchers Diego Moran and Trent Sellers.

Napier is in his second season with the Gaels but has already started making an impact, batting .368 in 19 starts this season.

“Gavin plays with a tenacity of a football running back and the savvy of a West Coast winner,” says Saint Mary’s skipper Greg Moore.

The shortstop from Livermore, California, was two-time All-League out of Granada High School, and is one of several Saint Mary’s players in the West Coast League.

“Gavin comes highly regarded not just as a player but as a person,” says Pippins skipper Kyle Krustangel. “Not just a Division I player but a Division I guy that should be a rock-solid contributor.”

Moran, Napier’s former teammate, will be on the mound for the Pippins this summer. The sophomore who transferred from Saint Mary’s last season has been phenomenal with Diablo Valley College this year.

Moran was recently named Northern California and Big 8 Conference Pitcher of the Week after allowing just two hits over a nine-inning stretch in March. The California native has a 3.60 ERA for the Vikings and 47 strikeouts in nine appearances.

“What I like about Diego is that he has a chip on his shoulder and something to play for,” says Krustangel. “Guys in the summer that are hungry and trying to find their next home are gonna give you all they got.”

Out of Arcadia High School, Moran was second-team All-State with a 2.32 ERA, a .512 batting average, and 39 RBI. He also has 22 at-bats with the Vikings this season.

Also joining the Pippins is former West Coast League player Trent Sellers. After a season in the Expedition League last year, Sellers returns to his home state of Washington.

The junior at Lewis-Clark State College has had an outstanding career with the Warriors after transferring from Washington State his freshman year. Last year, Sellers led the team in strikeouts and wins, and his performance in the NAIA World Series landed him on the All-Tournament team.

Sellers followed up that performance over the summer with a 13 strikeout no-hitter in the Expedition League, and is out to a 8-0 start this season with a 1.24 ERA and 77 strikeouts to 13 walks.

“Trent’s an absolute bulldog, he’s nasty. Not just with his stuff but with his mentality,” says Krustangel, who coached Sellers with the Wenatchee AppleSox in 2019. “A great young man and a guy that will be fun for fans to watch because he’s electric when he’s out there.”

The trio will start their summer ball season on June 3, when the Pippins take on the Corvallis Knights at home. Tickets are available online at PippinsTickets.com.

By Zach McKinstry

April 11, 2022