A Local Pitcher Sets His Sights on a New Division
Connor Corlett, the 6‑foot‑7 right‑hander who dominated the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League as the 2025‑26 boys basketball MVP, has officially pledged to continue his athletic career at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. The commitment marks the latest step in a trajectory that blends elite pitching with academic ambition.
During a March visit to the campus with his parents, Corlett was struck by the combination of competitive baseball and a strong economics program. He noted that the college’s fastball targets — regularly sitting in the mid‑80s and peaking at 89 miles per hour — matched his own development curve, which has seen his velocity climb from the low 80s to the high 80s over the past year.
A Pitching Arsenal in the Making
Statistically, Corlett posted a 1.29 earned run average with 19 strikeouts across 16.1 innings, while also batting .296 with five extra‑base hits and 18 RBI. He will join fellow Knights — seniors Jake Escalante and Hudson Summerrill, and junior Luke Shoemaker — who have already committed to four‑year institutions, forming a growing contingent of local talent at the Division III level.
Beyond the numbers, Corlett’s dedication to both sport and study signals a broader trend of student‑athletes seeking environments where athletic performance and academic rigor reinforce each other. His fastball, which now sits comfortably in the 86‑88 range, is expected to be a key asset for the Whitman baseball program as it looks to contend in the upcoming season.