Athlete of the Year, baseball: Jon Yearout, Columbia River

Columbia River's Jon Yearout is our All-Region baseball player of the year. (TROY WAYRYNEN/The Columbian)

Jon Yearout is a pitcher first. But he also has the ability with the bat.

This season, he went 6-3 with a 2.20 ERA. He also hit four home runs and drove in 25 runs.

That combination, as well as Columbia River's trip to the Class 3A state baseball playoffs, has earned Yearout the distinction of being The Columbian's All-Region baseball player of the year.

Yearout capped his high school career in style, being named to the coaches All-State team for the second year in a row as well as being voted by the coaches as the Class 3A Greater St. Helens League's player of the year. He also is playing in the All-State games this weekend in Yakima. He plans to attend Mount Hood Community College next year with his teammate Dean Breashears.

How did you get your start in baseball?: "My dad, when I was 2 years old, gave me a big orange bat. The first pitch he threw to me, I hit it, and I actually broke all of his wine glasses that he had bought. From that point forward, he knew I was going to be a baseball player."

What does baseball mean to you?: "It's just what I love to do. If I didn't have it, I don't know what I'd be doing. It means everything to me."

Thoughts on being named the All-Region player of the year: "It's an honor to be selected player of the year. I worked hard in the offseason, and I think this shows how hard I worked."

What is it like to play for Columbia River, to represent the school?: "I'm very proud to be a Chieftain. It's fun to play for Coach (Korey) Kier. It's a good environment, with a good group of guys."

Most influential coach: Columbia River assistant coach Stephen Donohue. "I just respect him totally. I take in everything he says, and I try to learn from him."

Most embarrassing moment in baseball: "My whole freshman year. The pants they gave me were so short and so wide. I totally looked goofy. I hated that uniform freshman year."

What is one thing that some might be surprised to learn about you?: "I'm also a good golfer. I made it to bi-district (my junior year), but I couldn't play because of baseball." (Note: Boys high school golfers compete in the fall for the regular season, then return for the postseason in the spring. Yearout was still playing baseball for the Chieftains when the bi-district golf tournament was played.)

What is a goal, associated with your sport, that you would like to accomplish in the next few years?: "Just get stronger, throw harder, and get drafted."

What is a goal, outside of your sport, that you would like to accomplish in the next few years?: "If baseball doesn't work out, I'd like to become a teacher. I'd want to teach math or physical education and become a baseball coach."

What is one thing about your sport that most people do not understand?: "How hard it is to hit any pitch."

Memorable moment from the season: "Hitting a home run off of (Fort Vancouver's) Max Beatty to tie the game and rally us to win the game."

Advice to a younger player: "Work hard and set goals."

Favorite teacher: James Phillips, current world problems teacher at CRHS. "He likes to joke, and he's easy to talk to. He's a football coach, too, and you can talk sports with him."

Have you met any famous people?: At the Babe Ruth World Series when he was 14, Yearout met Babe Ruth's daughter.

Hobbies: "Play video games." His favorites right now are Tiger Woods Golf and MLB, The Show.

What will you take most from this past season? "All the hard work can pay off. If you trust your teammates and play as a family, good things will happen."