Four baseball players with ties to Bellevue were selected in the Major League Baseball first year player draft recently, and will have the opportunity to continue their playing careers with a shot to reach the big leagues.
Colin Hering, a 2009 Newport High School graduate and former Bellevue College Bulldog for coach Mark Yoshino, was selected in the 10th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of Coastal Carolina University.
The left-handed outfielder helped the Chanticleers to the NCAA Tournament in 2013, after spending two seasons at BC. He started 49 games in his final season, knocking in 13 runs.
Jared Fisher, a pitcher for the University of Washington and 2011 Newport High School graduate, was chosen in the 15th round, 442nd overall, by the Philadelphia Phillies.
A right handed pitcher who has spent the past three years playing for coach Lindsay Meggs and the Huskies. Fisher was second on the team in strikeouts and won six decisions, as Washington reached the NCAA Tournament.
During his senior season at Newport, Fisher helped the Knights to their last 4A state tournament berth, and a win in the opening round against South Kitsap.
He was chosen in the 26th round after his senior year at Newport by the Houston Astros, but elected to instead sign with Washington.
Nick Kiel, a Bellevue College sophomore pitcher, was also chosen in this year’s draft, and was part of the Jackson team that beat Fisher and the Knights in the 2011 4A state quarterfinals.
An early signee with the University of Missouri, Kiel was a second team All-North Region NWAACC selection for the Bulldogs and coach Mark Yoshino during the 2014 season.
He started 12 games on the mound, and led the team in wins with seven on the year. Kiel worked 74 innings and a third, posting a 1.81 earned run average and tossing five complete games.
Matt Cooper, a 2010 graduate of Marysville-Pilchuck High School, was selected in the 16th round by the Chicago White Sox, after spending the past two seasons at the University of Hawaii.
Prior to his time with the Warriors, Cooper lettered twice for Yoshino at Bellevue College, helping his team to the NWAACC title in 2011.
