Freshman Dax Whitney will get the start for Oregon State on Friday as the Beavers open the College World Series against Louisville.
That name should sound familiar to area baseball fans.
The tall right-hander was a standout for Blackfoot High and the American Legion Bandits out of Idaho Falls.
He was named Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year last season after being a force on the mound and at the plate for the Broncos.
Whitney signed his letter of intent with Oregon State prior to his senior season and said he’d love to bat in their lineup, but would likely primarily be a pitcher.
Things couldn’t have worked out better for Whitney or Oregon State. Even if he’s not hitting.
Whitney has shined in the rotation, entering Friday’s game with a 6-3 record and 3.66 earned run average.
He beat Florida State in the Super Regionals on June 6, giving up just one earned run and striking out 10 in 4.2 innings.
Whitney earned the win against TCU on May 31, striking out 12 in six innings in the Corvallis Regional.
His numbers heading into the CWS include 111 strikeouts in 71.1 innings (an average of 14 per nine innings), and he’s struck out 10 or more hitters five times in 16 appearances.
His success hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Not only has he earned the Beavers’ No. 1 spot, Whitney was named a Second-Team Freshman All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) on Monday.
“I think I’m pitching as good as I have all year right now,’ Whitney said in a video interview with media on Tuesday. “For sure the curveball’s working a lot, but the big thing for me right now is the changeup. I’ve been able to land that for strikes and it’s another pitch to get them off my fastball.”
With postseason honors starting to roll out, Whitney will likely see his name on a few more All-Freshmen lists.
“It’s cool, but I want to go win a national championship,” he said on media day. “So that stuff is cool, but it doesn’t really mean that much.”
Whitney isn’t the only player from east Idaho hoping to earn a ring with the Beavers.
Pocatello High catcher Martin Serrano is on the team and is also a freshman. He’s played in three games this season.
