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Drew Vettleson named Gatorade Player of the Year


Ambidextrous pitcher Drew Vettleson, from Central Kitsap,  was named the 2009-10 Gatorade Washington Baseball Player of the Year.
Vettleson hit .490 with seven home runs, 28 RBIs and a 1.137 slugging percentage. The skilled ambidextrous pitcher went 3-2 with two saves and a 1.35 ERA.
As one of the Washington's top prospects, Vettleson struck out 71 in 41 1/3 innings.
source: The Seattle Times



Press Release

CHICAGO (June 2, 2010) — In its 25th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced Drew Vettleson of Central Kitsap High School as its 2009-10 Gatorade Washington Baseball Player of the Year. Vettleson is the first Gatorade Washington Baseball Player of the Year to be chosen from Central Kitsap High School. 

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Vettleson as Washington’s best high school baseball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year award announced in June, Vettleson joins an elite alumni association of past state baseball award winners, including Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Roy Halladay (1994-95, Arvada West HS, Colo.), David Price (2003-04, Blackman HS, Tenn.), Chipper Jones (1989-90, Bolles School, Fla.), Derek Lee (1992-93, El Camino HS, Calif.) and John Lester (2001-02, Bellarmine Prep, Wash.). 

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior outfielder and ambidextrous pitcher led the Cougars (15-8) to the first round of the Class 4A state tournament this past season, batting .490 with seven home runs, 28 RBIs and a 1.137 slugging percentage while posting a 3-2 record on the mound with two saves, a 1.35 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 41.1 innings. The returning Gatorade Washington Baseball Player of the Year and the 2010 News Tribune All-Area Baseball Player of the Year, Vettleson is rated the nation’s No. 19 prospect in the Class of 2010 by Baseball America. 

Vettleson has maintained a B average in the classroom. He is active in his church community and has volunteered locally as a youth baseball and basketball coach. 

“Drew Vettleson is one of the best pure hitters I’ve ever seen at this level,” said Central Kitsap High Head Coach Bill Baxter. “He has so much talent as a baseball player and works extremely hard to make himself better.” 

Vettleson has signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball on scholarship at Oregon State University this fall. 

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