SBLive Oregon’s top athletes of 2022-23: Meet the baseball stars

By René Ferrán | Photo by Leon Neuschwander 

The high school sports season has wrapped up in Oregon, so SBLive Oregon is looking back at some of the best high school athletes of 2022-23.

Over the next week, we'll be highlighting some of the top players in all classifications in volleyball, soccer, football, basketball, softball and baseball.

Here is the SBLive Oregon all-state baseball team.

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First team

Pitchers

Jonah Barkoff, Lake Oswego, Jr.

The ace left-hander of the Lakers staff and University of Oregon commit was dominant for the 6A semifinalists, going 11-0 with an 0.90 ERA, striking out 100 and walking 11 over 69⅔ innings while allowing opponents to hit just .156 against him.

Drake Gabel, West Linn, Sr. 

The Seattle University-bound lefty got the start for the Lions in the 6A final and delivered a masterful performance, blanking Jesuit on six hits in a 2-0 victory that gave West Linn a second consecutive title. It capped a season in which the 6A pitcher of the year went 7-0 with six saves, allowing one earned run in 57⅓ innings (state-best 0.12 ERA), striking out 72 and walking eight. 

Noble Meyer, Jesuit, Sr. 

The projected top-15 pick in this month’s baseball draft was the state’s Gatorade player of the year, finishing 10-2 with an 0.41 ERA, striking out 142 in 69 innings while giving up only 20 hits and 20 walks. He also had a solid season at the plate, playing first base when not on the mound and hitting .359 with five home runs, 27 RBIs and six stolen bases. 

Connor Molony, Thurston, So. 

The right-hander hardly looked like a newcomer last spring as a freshman on the varsity, and the University of Oregon commit continued his progression this season, capping an 11-0 season by tossing a four-hitter over eight innings in the 5A final as the Colts defeated West Albany 2-1 for their first title since 2009. The 5A pitcher of the year struck out 75 in 68 ⅓ innings, walked 33 and posted a 1.02 ERA. 

Paul Wilson, Lakeridge, Sr.

The Pacers lefty also figures to hear his name called early in this month’s draft, hoping one day to follow his father, Trevor, to the big leagues. Wilson shared Three Rivers pitcher of the year honors with Gabel, going 8-1 with an 0.23 ERA, striking out 98 while allowing 14 hits (.081 batting average) and walking 13 in 46⅔ innings. He batted .365 with 21 RBIs and 19 runs. 

Catcher

Ryan VandenBrink, West Linn, Jr. 

The Oregon State commit and top-ranked recruit in the class of 2024 had a banner season for the repeat 6A state champion Lions, winning Three Rivers player of the year honors while handling a staff that featured three Division I prospects. He batted .378 with an 1.216 OPS, smashing nine doubles and seven home runs while driving in 39. He caught nine of 35 would-be base stealers (a .257 success rate). 

First baseman

Logan Kind, Banks, Sr.

Kind was a two-way standout for 3A state champion Banks, earning player of the year honors while hitting .524 with three home runs, 35 RBIs, 14 doubles and seven triples. He scored 45 runs and stole 18 bases. On the mound, he was 7-1 with a 1.20 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 52 innings. 

Infielders

Levi Jones, Jesuit, Sr.

The 6A player of the year will head to Corvallis to join the Oregon State program, coming off a season in which he hit .422 (1.244 OPS) with eight home runs, 33 RBIs, 31 runs and nine stolen bases, striking out just nine times in 112 plate appearances.

Maddox Molony, Thurston, Sr. 

The 5A player of the year led the Colts to their first state championship in the past 14 years, hitting .497 (.559 on-base percentage, 1.533 OPS) with eight home runs, 11 doubles, 25 RBIs and 21 stolen bases. Molony will stay close to home when he plays at the University of Oregon. 

Cooper Mullens, Marist Catholic, Sr.

The University of Michigan signee won Sky Em player of the year and first-team 4A all-state honors after a senior season in which he batted .451 (.574 on-base percentage, 1.281 OPS) with 30 RBIs and 44 runs. In 108 plate appearances, he struck out three times. 

Dawson Santana, Lakeridge, Sr.

A speedy middle infielder who signed with Oregon State in the fall, Santana batted .365 (.509 on-base percentage, .932 OPS) with 20 RBIs, 29 runs and 22 stolen bases. He had 24 walks and three strikeouts in 101 plate appearances. 

Outfielders

Evan Bliss, West Albany, Sr.

Bliss moved from the infield, where he was an honorable mention all-state pick as a junior, to the outfield this spring, becoming a key player in the Bulldogs’ run to the 5A state final. He had a 1.533 OPS in four playoff games and finished the season hitting .418 (.582 on-base percentage) with four triples, 21 RBIs, 31 runs and 14 stolen bases. He also went 8-1 with a 1.18 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 71⅓ innings pitched. 

Rex DeAngelis, North Marion/Gervais, Sr.

The UC Santa Barbara signee missed eight Oregon West Conference games in the middle of the season with a muscle pull in his back, but he came back to be a table-setter for the Huskies as they reached the 4A quarterfinals, finishing the season with a .476 batting average (.639 on-base percentage, 1.425 OPS), three home runs, 14 RBIs, 30 runs and 26 stolen bases. 

Nick Gribble, Sherwood, Sr.

Gribble will play football at Linfield University in the fall, but he’s also a two-time 6A all-state selection on the diamond, finishing his career by hitting .385 (1.073 OPS) with three home runs, 23 RBIs, 32 runs and 13 stolen bases in 13 attempts for the Pacific Conference champion Bowmen. 

Designated hitter

Parker Guinn, McMinnville, Sr.

The Cal State Bakersfield signee was the straw that stirred the offense for the Grizzlies this spring, earning first-team 6A all-state honors after hitting .400 (.586 on-base percentage, 1.149 OPS) with two home runs, 20 RBIs and 28 runs. 

Utility

Armand Lettiere, Central Catholic, Sr.

The Mt. Hood Conference player of the year and Puget Sound signee was a standout in the outfield and on the mound for the Rams. He batted .510 in MHC play (1.391 OPS) with 23 RBIs and 22 runs and went 5-2 with a 2.65 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 29 innings against conference opponents. 

Pitcher of the year

Noble Meyer, Jesuit, Sr.

Player of the year 

Maddox Molony, Thurston, Sr.

Coach of the year 

Dennis Minium, Thurston 

The Colts had been knocking on the door the past several years under their eighth-year coach, and after he guided them to a fifth consecutive Midwestern League title, they finally broke through with their first 5A state championship since 2009. His team finished 28-3 and led the classification in runs scored (250) and fewest runs allowed (66). 

Second team

Pitchers

Gabe Howard, West Linn, Jr.

Ethan Kleinschmit, Kennedy, Sr.

Trey Newmann, North Medford, Sr.

Nolan Umlandt, Sherwood, Jr.

Alex Via, Summit, So.

Catcher

Troy Osborne, Grants Pass, Jr.

First baseman

Kayle Pisano, Clackamas, Jr.

Infielders

Ryan Cooney, Jesuit, Sr.

Eli Crist, Thurston, Jr.

Joe Fagan, Scappoose, So.

Jace Nagler, Ridgeview, Sr.

Outfielders

Markus Everitt, Newport, Sr.

Brock Leitgeb, Jesuit, Sr.

Danny Wideman, West Linn, So.

Designated hitter

Zach Justice, Summit, Sr.

Utility

Austin Wolfe, Mountainside, Sr.

Third team

Pitchers

Ty Alleman, Jesuit, Sr.

Max Gregg, Corvallis, Sr.

Erik Hoffberg, Lakeridge, Sr.

Jace Schow, La Grande, Sr.

Hayden Smith, Gladstone, Sr.

Catcher

Charlie Sturm, Jesuit, Sr.

First baseman

Jake Holmes, West Linn, Sr.

Infielders

Payton Lambert, Pendleton, Sr.

Grant Maxwell, Lake Oswego, Sr.

Justin Schram, Wilsonville, Jr.

Brandon Stinnett, Sprague, Sr.

Outfielders

Adam Elliott, Thurston, Jr.

Henry Frish, Roosevelt, Sr.

Leo Renzema, Putnam, Sr.

Designated hitter

Leo Reeves, South Eugene, Sr.

Utility

Kellen Segel, Grant, Sr.

Kaden Starr, Marist Catholic, Sr.