Five things to watch in baseball
• Catchers live here: While we featured Camas’ Austin Barr for the season preview, we hope to catch up with Union’s Clint Coulter toward the end of the season. Coulter has signed with Arizona State. Baseball America lists Coulter on its second team, pre-season All-America list. He, too, expects to be selected in June’s Major League Baseball amateur draft. The two close friends, who have played on the same club teams and often work out together, will have decisions to make: College or pro ball.
• Lofty expectations at Camas: The Papermakers are coming off back-to-back appearances in the Class 3A state semifinals, placing second in 2010 and third in 2011. Camas returns several key players from last season’s 26-1 squad.
• Thunder will make some noise: With five first-team all-leaguers returning, including Zach Torson, Ryan Johnson, and Riley O’Dell, and with Michael Rivers destroying the baseball in the early going, the Mountain View Thunder could be primed to end Camas’ recent run in the 3A Greater St. Helens League.
• Wide-open 4A GSHL: Heritage’s recent disciplinary issues have changed the “favorite” in that league. A couple of coaches say Skyview, with a bunch of young talent, is now the one to watch. But Union, Evergreen and an improved Battle Ground squad look to keep things interesting in the 4A GSHL.