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23 Eugene-area baseball players to watch for in the 2024 season

edith noriega, eugene register-guard
·2 min read

The high school baseball season is underway and the Eugene-area team on everyone's radar is reigning 5A state champion Thurston.

Thurston returns a lot of its key players, including Midwestern League pitcher of the year junior Connor Molony and first team all-league utility player Grady Saunders, who is committed to play for Oregon State.

Thurston beat West Albany for the 5A state title last season.

Here are a few of the top baseball players expected to excel this season.

Thurston's Grady Saunders throws out a pitch as the Sheldon Irish defeated the Thurston Colts 7-5 Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in a season opening matchup at PK Park in Eugene.
Thurston's Grady Saunders throws out a pitch as the Sheldon Irish defeated the Thurston Colts 7-5 Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in a season opening matchup at PK Park in Eugene.

Thurston

  • Connor Molony, junior, Midwestern League pitcher of the year.

  • Grady Saunders, sophomore, first team all-league utility player, committed to Oregon State University.

  • Eli Crist, senior, first team all-league.

  • Collin Hernandez, junior, first team all-league.

  • Adam Elliott, senior, first team all-league and gold glove team.

  • Braden Corgain, junior, second team all-league and gold glove team.

  • Kyle Miller, junior, second team all-league.

Thurston's Eli Crist makes contact as the Sheldon Irish defeated the Thurston Colts 7-5 Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in a season opening matchup at PK Park in Eugene.
Thurston's Eli Crist makes contact as the Sheldon Irish defeated the Thurston Colts 7-5 Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in a season opening matchup at PK Park in Eugene.

Sheldon

  • Nolan Miller, senior, Southwest Conference first team all-league. The LHP won the first game of the 2024 season for the Irish against Thurston, striking out seven in 4 innings pitched.

  • Ty Burnham, sophomore, all-league honorable mention.

  • Quincy Peterson, junior, hit a two-run RBI double in the Irish's season opener 7-5 nonleague win over Thurston.

  • Evan Colling, junior, hit a two-run RBI single in the Irish's season opener nonleague win over Thurston.

Sheldon's Nolan Miller throws out a pitch as the Sheldon Irish defeated the Thurston Colts 7-5 Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in a season opening matchup at PK Park in Eugene.
Sheldon's Nolan Miller throws out a pitch as the Sheldon Irish defeated the Thurston Colts 7-5 Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in a season opening matchup at PK Park in Eugene.

North Eugene

  • Caiden Gould, senior, Midwestern League first team all-league and gold glove team.

  • Michael Buschelman, sophomore, first team all-league

  • Kellan Justice, senior, second team all-league.

South Eugene

  • Tavi Santiago, senior, Southwest Conference first team all-league.

  • Landon Lea, senior, second team all-league.

Willamette

  • Tyson Rather, junior, Southwest Conference first team all-league.

Marist

  • Peyton Tyner, senior, Sky Em League first team all-league.

  • Drew Wooten, senior, second team all-league.

  • Niko Leyba, junior, second team all-league.

  • Cash Andrus, junior, second team all-league.

Junction City

  • Connor Koon, senior, Sky Em League first team all-league.

  • Kaden Shafer, sophomore, second team all-league.

Edith Noriega is a sports reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at ENoriega@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Noriega_Edith.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: 5A Thurston baseball looking to add another OSAA state title