SBLive's 2023 Washington high school baseball all-state team: Eastlake's Bryce Johnson is player of the year
Here is SBLive’s 2023 spring all-state team for Washington high school baseball. The statewide team spans all WIAA classifications and was compiled by reporter Hailey Palmer.
Read: 20 position players to watch in 2023 WIAA baseball postseason
Read: 20 pitchers to watch in 2023 WIAA baseball season
Players were selected based on spring high school performance, coach recommendations, all-league awards and overall team success, especially in the postseason.
Player of the year: Bryce Johnson, Eastlake, sr.
Photo courtesy of Eastlake Baseball
Eastlake's first state championship in program history doesn't happen without ace Bryce Johnson on the mound.
The Oregon State pledge led the Wolves' pitching staff with a four-pitch arsenal that threw hitters off all season long.
Johnson, the 4A KingCo most valuable player, had a season that could best be summed up with his 75-pitch complete-game winning performance in the Class 4A semifinals over Tahoma.
Dominant from start to finish, Johnson was also a force at the plate for the Wolves, batting in the top part of the lineup.
Coach of the year: Ray Atkinson, Lincoln of Seattle
Photo by Hailey Palmer
Everything came full circle for Ray Atkinson this season.
A former three-sport athlete at Lincoln, he thought the school would never reopened when it shut its doors in the 1981.
With Auburn-bound pitcher Bjorn Johnson leading the way on the mound, Atkinson and his squad were able to capture the baseball program's first state championship in its first try.
The Lynx also earned their first Metro League championship in 2023 and ended the season with a 26-4 record, winning their last 10 games.
4A player of the year: Jake Bresnahan, Sumner, sr.
The best pitcher in arguably the top league in the state, Bresnahan earned 4A SPSL player of the year honors after turning away hitter after hitter all season long - posting an earned-run average under 2.00.
He helped lead Sumner to its first state championship game in program history by shutting down league rival Puyallup in the Class 4A semifinals.
3A player of the year: Bjorn Johnson, Lincoln of Seattle, sr.
Photo courtesy of Zane Heinrich/@zaneyphotos
Johnson's video game numbers helped Lincoln earn its first state championship in program history.
The Auburn signee led the Metro League with 79 strikeouts and a 1.05 ERA in 46 innings, but also hit .386 and drove in 27 runs at the plate.
2A player of the year: Alex Overbay, Tumwater, sr.
Photo by Alec Dietz/The Chronicle
One of the main cogs in Tumwater's operation this year on its quest of back-to-back state titles.
The UNLV signee and 2A Evergreen Conference MVP was a threat on both the mound and in the batter's box.
1A player of the year: Taylor Franklin, Bellevue Christian, sr.
Photo by Sean Carter
Whether it was on the mound or with the bat, Franklin was almost never out of control of the situation.
The Nisqually League MVP helped get Bellevue Christian back to the state tournament a year after winning the state championship.
2B player of the year: Connor Cox, Toutle Lake, jr.
Photo courtesy of Candy Durgeloh for The Daily News
The younger brother of former Toutle Lake star Jackson Cox, Connor made a huge impact for the Ducks this season en route to being named 2B Central MVP.
His versatility was on display with home run power at the plate and oftentimes nearly un-hittable stuff from the bump.
1B player of the year: Billy Holtzinger, DeSales, soph.
Photo courtesy of Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
Holtzinger was all over the statistical leaderboard for the Irish - the No. 1 team in Class 1B for much of the year. He was third in batting average (.487), first in hits (38), first in RBIs (33) and first in doubles (13).
The sophomore was also the team's best pitcher with a 1.56 ERA and 55 strikeouts.
2023 ALL-STATE BASEBALL TEAM
Catcher: Kai Halstead, Puyallup, jr.
Another solid year for Halstead behind the dish for the Vikings following another run to the Class 4A semifinals.
The junior was named co-4A SPSL offensive player of the year.
Catcher: Carson Ohland, Tahoma, sr.
The state's top high school prospect wrapped up an incredible career at Tahoma after leading his team to the Class 4A semifinals.
A Washington signee, Ohland was one of the top hitters in the 4A NPSL with a .397 batting average.
Corner infielder: Sebastian David, Lakeside of Seattle, sr.
David has the athleticism to play anywhere in the infield and get the job done, but was also one of the top hitters in the Metro League in 2023.
A huge threat on the base paths, he stole 25 bags this season to break the single-season school record while hitting .400.
Corner infielder: Brody Mills, West Valley of Yakima, sr.
Before heading off to the University of Washington, Mills earned both the CBBN player and pitcher of the year awards.
He had a batting average of .484 with 27 RBIs and was 5-0 pitching this season with 62 strikeouts.
Middle infielder: Reeve Boyd, Seattle Prep, sr.
Broke the 33-year old single-season hits record at Seattle Prep with 43 this year.
Other coaches called him one of the best hitters in the Metro League and his .585 batting average, .831 slugging percentage and 1.494 OPS backs that up.
Middle infielder: Reese Vassar, Brewster, sr.
His coach Todd Phillips said Vassar has been as reliable as they come the past two seasons as the Bears' leadoff hitter.
With a batting average over .500, Vassar was an important piece of the Bears' state title run in 2022 and nearly got them back there in 2023.
Middle infielder: Zane Harden, Moses Lake, sr.
Offensive player of the year in the 4A CBBN, Harden has been on the varsity team since he was a ninth grader.
Wrapped up his senior year with one of the league's top honors.
Outfielder: Donte Grant, Puyallup, sr.
Central Arizona signee is one the quickest athletes on this list.
Commanded the outfield for a Puyallup squad that reached the Class 4A semifinals for a second consecutive year.
Outfielder: Simeon Howard, Kennewick, sr.
Mid-Columbia Conference player of the year had plenty of speed in the outfield to go with natural power at the plate.
Will play at Walla Walla Community College next year.
Outfielder: Tommy Meluskey, West Valley of Yakima, sr.
A true dual threat for the Rams this year, Meluskey made the all-4A CBBN first team as both an outfielder and pitcher.
He had 25 RBIs on the year and struck out 64 hitters.
Utility: Grady Woodward, Eastlake, jr.
Woodward's versatility of being able to play in the outfield or infield was great for Eastlake all season.
Fielding is sound and the bat was solid in an already loaded Eastlake lineup that powered its way to its first Class 4A championship.
Utility: Jake Mason, Ferndale, sr.
The Northwest Conference MVP did whatever the Golden Eagles needed him to do whether that was on the mound or with a bat.
Mason had 40 hits and a .482 batting average to go with a 1.50 ERA.
Pitcher: Tyler Boden, University, sr.
Boden's dominance can be defined by throwing three no-hitters over the course of one month this season.
Headed to Community Colleges of Spokane next year as a pitcher.
Pitcher: Miles Gosztola, West Seattle, sr.
The ace of West Seattle's pitching staff, Gosztola struck out 51 hitters across 33 innings this season.
The Wildcats made it to the Class 3A semifinals behind his 1.06 ERA. He gave up just 19 hits and walked only seven batters this year.
Pitcher: Dylan Skolfield, Eastlake, sr.
The Wolves' No. 2 pitcher could have been the No. 1 pitcher for any team anywhere else.
Skolfield was no walk in the park for hitters and was often times just as good as Eastlake's No. 1 Bryce Johnson.
Pitcher: Zach Swanson, Toutle Lake, jr.
Had a case for Class 2B player of the year over his teammate, but the Central 2B first-teamer still lands on the all-state team.
The Oregon State commit still has one year left of high school to improve on an already impressive arsenal of pitches.
Pitcher: Carter Seely, Selah, sr.
The 2A CWAC player of the year nearly led his team to a state championship appearance, but the run fell just short in the WIAA semifinals.
Seely paired a 10-1 record on the mound and 108 strikeouts with a .352 batting average.
Honorable mention - C: Jaxen Mentink, Sumner, jr. CI: Peter Hollabaugh, Kennedy Catholic, sr. CI: Xavier Neyens, Mount Vernon, soph. MI: Gavin Brubaker, Curtis, sr. MI: Eddie Marson, Tumwater, jr. MI: Adam Haight, Cedar Park Christian, jr. MI: Jace Hampson, Lynnwood, jr. OF: Jay Mentink, Sumner, sr. OF: Max Martin, Southridge, sr. UTI: Tyler Jones, Woodinville, jr. UTI: Chris Parkin, Columbia River, jr. P: Lane Simonsen, Lynden, jr. P: Logan Anderson, Shorewood, sr. P: Sax Matson, Olympia, sr. P: Leyton Lind, Kennewick, jr. P: Spencer Green, Richland, sr.
Featured photo by Jeff Steinbok Photography
