Player of the year: CK's Drew Vettleson

Long before college coaches and professional baseball scouts recognized Drew Vettleson for the complete ballplayer he could become, he had made a name for himself by being an ambidextrous pitcher.

“That’s what I’ve always been known for,” Vettleson said, “the kid who can switch-pitch.”

Vettleson’s ability to hurl fastballs and sliders with both arms isn’t a sideshow – most South Sound coaches say he’s one of the top pitchers in the area – but what he can do with a bat is much more impressive.

“As the years have gone by, especially since I got to high school, people have seen that I’m a pretty good hitter, too,” Vettleson said.

Vettleson is an all-around player, and the legions of pro scouts who have shown up for his games speak to his caliber. He can hit, field, run and, of course, pitch at elite levels, and that makes the Central Kitsap senior The News Tribune’s All-Area Baseball Player of the Year.

“He’s really good,” said a scout who works for a National League team. “He’s got good instincts for a high school athlete. A lot of guys usually have to learn them.”

For at least the next week or so, Vettleson, who plays shortstop when he’s not on the mound, is focused on leading the Cougars deep into the Class 4A state playoffs.

Central Kitsap (15-8) had reached the state tournament in each of the previous three seasons, but with only two starters – Vettleson and his cousin, second baseman Tyler Baumgartner – back this spring, the Cougars’ season had a rocky start. They were “10-runned” in their first two games, losing to Puyallup and North Kitsap.

“We lost a lot from the year before, and it really showed in those first two games,” the two-time Narrows League Bay Division MVP said. “Those were good teams we lost to, but you can’t get 10-runned.

“We’ve come a long ways since then.”

Central Kitsap bounced back with seven straight wins, and on Saturday the Cougars clinched a fourth consecutive state berth. In a 7-1 winner-to-state, loser-out victory against Emerald Ridge in the district playoffs, Baumgartner hit a pair of home runs, and Vettleson scattered three hits over 62/3 innings and struck out 11 – including the first six batters he faced.

On Saturday, Central Kitsap will meet Mountlake Terrace (15-6) at 10 a.m. at Memorial Stadium in Everett.

Win or lose, Vettleson’s high school days are numbered. He signed a letter of intent to play at powerhouse Oregon State, but he will be selected in the Major League Baseball draft on June 7. Vettleson figures he’ll settle into a corner outfield position at the next level.

“There’s been talk about playing third base or other places around the infield, but I’d like to play corner outfield,” said Vettleson, who played outfield for his summer-league team, the Northwest Timberjacks. “Pitching would be kind of a fall-back.”

Most scouts agree the outfield is in Vettleson’s future.

“The consensus is that he’s going to settle into a corner outfield role,” the NL scout said. “He’s a big, strong, left-handed batter. He has plenty of arm to play right field, has plus raw power and finds ways to get the bat on the ball.”

Vettleson’s baseball future is so bright that at least one scout believes he’ll be drafted before the third round. If that’s the case, the 18-year-old will have to make a life-altering decision – attend Oregon State or sign a professional contract. That contract would include a signing bonus that could be around $500,000.

In the 2009 draft, players selected in the second round who signed a contract received a signing bonus of at least $450,000.

Vettleson wouldn’t speculate what route he might choose, saying he’d rather wait until the draft arrives. Until then, he’s going to keep his focus on the field.

“In baseball, you fail seven out of 10 times,” Vettleson said. “You can’t let yourself get down. You have to have fun with it.”

He’s having a ball.

Doug Pacey: 253-597-8271 doug.pacey@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/preps