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12 ex-Tri-City Dust Devils on MLB first-day rosters + Pasco Invite draws 1,000 athletes

jeff morrow
·5 min read

Over 1,000 athletes from 87 schools are expected to compete at the 61st annual Pasco Invitational track and field meet this Saturday at Edgar Brown Stadium in Pasco.

The event begins with a 9 a.m. national anthem, and finishes with the boys 4x400 relays, starting at 5:50 p.m.

In between, track and field fans should see a lot of talent from all over the state.

Here are just some of the standouts who fans should keep an eye on:

  • Brady Abbott of Rocky Mountain. Abbott is the top boys pole vaulter currently in the state of Idaho.

  • Hanford junior Landry Allen is ranked second in the state among all girls pole vaulters. Last weekend at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in California, Allen finished fifth in the girls pole vault Invitational, clearing 12 feet, 9 inches. Also a standout high jumper, Allen won the Pasco Invite girls pole vault event last year.

  • Evan Berg, Mead, is the defending champion, winning the boys javelin title at the Pasco Invite in 2023.

  • Gavyn Buchanan, Kamiakin. The Braves senior is the state’s co-leader in the boys long jump at 23 feet, 1 inch.

  • Dominick Corley, Mead. He’s the boys state leader in both the 100 and 200 meters, and he won the Pasco Invite 100 meters event in 2023.

  • Sutton Flint, Liberty of Issaquah. The sophomore is the top 300 meters hurdler among all boys in the state of Washington.

  • Isaac Ford, East Valley of Yakima. He’s the current leader among all state boys in the 400 meters.

  • Cort Gebbers, Brewster. He leads the state among all boys shot putters and discus throwers.

  • Whitney Griffith, Walla Walla. She’s ranked second in the state among all girls discus throwers.

  • Kamiakin junior Aubrey Herrin will compete in the girls triple jump, an event she won last year at the Pasco Invite.

  • Orofino’s Lindi Kessinger, who is the leading discus thrower among Idaho girls right now.

  • Mead’s Kadmiel Lopez was the 2023 Pasco Invite champion in the boys pole vault.

  • Richland senior Alyssa Marsh, is the defending champion in the girls 200 meters after winning the event in the 2023 Pasco Invite. Marsh has already committed to running track next year at the University of Idaho.

  • University High’s Addy MacArthur returns to defend the girls’ shot put title she won last year at the Pasco Invite.

  • Josie McLaughlin of St. George’s. She won the girls 800 meters last year at the Pasco Invite, and she’s back to defend it.

  • Rocky Mountain’s 4x100 boys relay team. The quartet currently leads Idaho in this event.

  • Rogers of Spokane’s 4x100 boys relay team, which is the fastest in the state.

  • Ivy Smith of Sandpoint, Smith is the top girls shot putter in the state of Idaho right now.

  • Walla Walla’s 4x100 girls relay team is the fastest in the state right now.

  • Richland’s Baylee Wroble returns to defend the girls javelin title she won last year at the Pasco Invite.

Major League Baseball

No less than 12 former Tri-City Dust Devils were on opening-day rosters of Major League Baseball teams when play began last month. Here is that list:

  • Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher David Bednar (played with Tri-City in 2016, 8 games).

  • Colorado Rockies DH-outfielder Charlie Blackmon (68 games with TC in 2008).

  • Seattle Mariners first baseman Ty France (66 games with Tri-City in 2015).

  • Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Phil Maton (23 games with Tri-City in 2015).

  • Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill (10 games with TC in 2015; 16 games with the Dust Devils in 2017).

  • San Diego Padres pitcher Adrian Morejon (7 games with the Dust Devils in 2017).

  • San Francisco Giants catcher Tom Murphy (55 games with the Dust Devils in 2012).

  • Seattle Mariners pitcher Andres Munoz (21 games with Tri-City in 2017; 5 more games in 2018).

  • Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (7 games with the Dust Devils in 2022).

  • Colorado Rockies pitcher Cal Quantrill (5 games with Dust Devils in 2016).

  • Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman (64 games with Tri-City in 2013).

  • Seattle Mariners infielder Luis Urias (10 games with the Dust Devils in 2015).

Prep softball

Hanford beat Kamiakin 3-1 on Tuesday, handing the Braves their first loss of the season.

It also allows the Falcons and Richland (and technically, Kamiakin) to share the Mid-Columbia Conference lead in the standings.

Hanford travels to Kamiakin at 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 16, for a key match-up.

MCC softball standings

Through games of April 10

Hanford 5-0 MCC, 8-0 overall

Richland 5-0, 8-1

Kamiakin 6-1, 11-1

Southridge 5-2, 9-2

Chiawana 4-2, 6-4

Hermiston 3-2, 5-3Kennewick 0-7, 5-7

Walla Walla 0-7, 1-9

Pasco 0-7, 0-10April 9: Chiawana 9, Eastmont 8; Eastmont 4, Chiawana 2; Hanford 3, Kamiakin 1; Hermiston 21, Pasco 1; Southridge 20, Kennewick 9.

April 10: Richland 22, Walla Walla 0.

April 12: Hanford at Southridge (2), 4 p.m.; Kamiakin at Chiawana (2), 4 p.m.; Kennewick at Hermiston (2), 4 p.m.; Pasco at Richland (2), 4 p.m.; Walla Walla at Moses Lake, 4 p.m.

April 16: Hanford at Kamiakin, 5 p.m.; Kennewick at Southridge, 5 p.m.; Pasco at Hermiston, 5 p.m.; Royal at Chiawana, 5 p.m.; Walla Walla at Richland, 5 p.m.

April 19: Hermiston at Hanford (2), 4 p.m.; Richland at Kennewick (2), 4 p.m.; Southridge at Chiawana (2), 4 p.m.; Walla Walla at Pasco (2), 4 p.m.

SCAC East softball standings

Through games of April 9

Royal 2-0 SCAC East, 8-1 overall

College Place 2-0, 7-2

Kiona-Benton 0-0, 11-1

Connell 0-2, 6-4

Wahluke 0-2, 5-5

April 9 scores: La Grande 17, College Place 0; Kiona-Benton 20, River View 3; Kiona-Benton 19, River View 4; Royal 15, Zillah 0; Royal 14, Zillah 0.

April 12: Montesano at Royal, 7 p.m.; Nooksack Valley vs. Wahluke at Kittitas, 4:30 p.m.

April 13 games: College Place at Cedar Park Christian, 9 a.m.; Colville at Royal, 9 a.m.; Mount Baker at Royal, 2 p.m.; Naches Valley at Connell (2), 11 a.m.

Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.