Drew Talavs

From the start, Drew Talavs, senior, knew pitching was his calling. 

“I’ve always been able to throw a little harder than the average person,” Talavs said. “I just worked hard on my arm and [the ability] to throw strikes and that was what I stuck with.” 

Sticking with pitching led to two culminating points in Talavs’ high school baseball career— committing to Oregon State University as a sophomore and winning the 2022 OSAA 6A Baseball State Championship. 

“Oregon State just has a great program,” Talavs said. “I really like the coaches. I really like the kids who play there. I think it’s a perfect spot for me. [It is] close to home and a good program. I’d say Oregon State was my first choice [for baseball].” 

With teams such as Jesuit, Lakeridge, and Lake Oswego on the horizon for the baseball team, players are also working to phase in newcomers to varsity after losing a number of seniors. 

“We have a similar team [this year],” Talavs said. “We lost a lot of seniors, but we gained a lot of younger talent. I think that really balances out and we have the exact same potential as we did last year.” 

Having four years on varsity under his belt, Talavs steps into a leadership position as a pitcher for his final high school season 

“It’s fun,” Talavs said. “You just got to know your job as a leader [and] know when to chime in and when to let someone figure it out. It’s important to pick up your teammates as a leader because it would mean more coming from someone who’s been on the team a lot longer.”

Though his recruitment journey started as a freshman, Talavs’ love for the game has not run out since. 

“I just don’t know what I’d do without baseball,” Talavs said. “I love playing with my teammates. I love being around my teammates. I love playing the game. Nothing motivates me to not play baseball. I just always want to play.”