UW commit Carson Ohland is the state’s top baseball recruit. His Tahoma Bears are 17-0
Carson Ohland’s first left-handed swings came in backyard wiffle ball exhibitions. Eager to mash plastic spheres into oblivion – but afraid to tamper with a working, natural swing from the right side – the nine-year-old Ohland became a self-proclaimed switch hitter.
In his own time and away from league competition, Ohland developed the hitting mechanics of a southpaw. By 12, he floated the idea of a lefty debut to coaches.
Most balked. “It’s a lot different than wiffle ball,” they told Ohland, a gentle recognition that the nine-year-old’s backyard highlights wouldn’t necessarily translate on the actual diamond.
But Ohland was a full-time switch-hitter within a year, and enjoyed this newfound versatility enough to bring it to the high school level.
Now 18 years old, Ohland has the South Sound on notice. Already the state’s top-ranked recruit, a sensational senior campaign has his Tahoma Bears undefeated atop the 4A NPSL standings – a perfect 17-0.
“We realized that we have something special going,” Ohland told The News Tribune. “We’re just rolling through teams right now.”
His defensive position has remained the same. Since childhood, Ohland has been a catcher. So has his brother, Austin, now behind the plate at Central Washington University.
“As far as I can remember, I was back there catching,” Carson said.
Tahoma’s offense produces nearly 10 runs per game, and the pitching staff has tossed more shutouts this season (three) than games with more than three runs allowed (two).
Ohland and the Bears won the season’s first six games by nearly eight runs on average, a foreshadowing of what continues to be an unblemished run through the NPSL.
Monday brought Tahoma’s closest call yet: A 5-4 win over Federal Way, which included a 3-for-3 (two doubles) performance from Ohland. The Bears trailed, 4-0, before the conclusion of the first inning.
“But all of us knew. We had no doubt in our minds that we were going to come back,” Ohland said Tuesday. “We had the whole game to work back. We put up a run almost every inning, just chipping away, chipping away, chipping away.”
Starting pitcher Logan Pierce recovered from the rocky first frame, combining with Tahoma relievers to shut out Federal Way from the second inning on.
Tahoma met the Eagles for consecutive days, again toppling Federal Way on Tuesday, 4-2. The unblemished record lived on.
“Just hearing how they talk to each other, how they work… I don’t think anybody ever talks about wins on our team,” Jaime said. “We just talk about trying to control what we can control at (an) elite level. That’s what they focus on, and it’s been rewarding to see.”
Of Tahoma’s designated offensive roles, Ohland is the “hybrid,” a nod to his top-of-the-line power and speed. Behind the dish, opposing baserunners rarely attempt to swipe second, well aware of Ohland’s above-average pop time.
“It’s kind of disappointing,” Ohland chucked. “I don’t get to throw out many kids, but I’m definitely… talking with my shortstop, my first baseman, always looking to back-pick kids.
He paused. “I did throw one kid out the other day, so that was good. But yeah, most kids are intimidated.”
Perfect Game scouts describe the star catcher’s batting stance as open, with quiet hands and an ability to create bat speed through the strike zone. Ohland is slashing an absurd .489/.600/.829 with 10 extra-base hits (one home run) in the season’s first 16 games. His breakout sophomore season featured a .385 batting average (20-for-52), but in two years since, Ohland is looser, calmer, matured.
In mere months, the Tahoma senior will join the Wenatchee AppleSox for a collegiate summer season in the West Coast League. Then, Ohland pivots to Division-I play, a recent commit to his hometown Washington Huskies. Most commits arrive for fall workouts in September, he said.
“I loved the thought of being home and being a hometown kid from the Northwest,” Ohland added.
But first is a run for the 4A state title, and the chance to complete an undefeated regular season with Tahoma. Four games – including a pair with second-place Kennedy Catholic – remain on the slate.
“Whenever I’m tense and tight at the plate, that’s when I start hitting rollovers and pop-ups,” Ohland said. “(I’m) telling myself to calm my mind, loosen my body, and look for a fastball. Most of these high school kids are throwing a lot of fastballs, and there’s gonna be a fastball there. So just look for that, stay loose, and pound it.”
Tahoma’s Pierce, far and away the team’s leader in innings pitched, is a former NPSL MVP and two-time first-teamer. Recent developments include an uptick in Pierce’s fastball velocity, plus added movement on a slider that fools hitters down and away.
Senior outfielder Conrad Henkel sports a team-best .520 batting average, responsible for 26 hits, another Tahoma-best.
Seven Bears are batting over .345 (min. 45 plate appearances).
“You might hold down two or three of them,” Jaime said. “But it’s tough to hold down the majority of them.”
