Barnes-Keller looks to continue his successful career in Wenatchee

Jun. 1—QUINCY — After a successful senior season, Quincy Jackrabbits pitcher Ashton Barnes-Keller earned Second Team All-Conference honors and is planning to continue his pitching career with the Wenatchee Valley Knights. As the senior heads on to the next step in his career, he looks back on his long-time passion that has opened doors for his future.

"I began at age four," said Barnes-Keller. "After playing (baseball) a lot, it was always so fun. I knew it was going to be my favorite."

He grew up in East Wenatchee, where he played baseball in youth travel ball leagues with the All Stars. The young athlete continued his career with Eastmont in his middle school years before moving to Quincy in his eighth-grade year, said the senior.

Once in Quincy, Barnes-Keller quickly caught the attention of then Head Coach Seth Longwill, who immediately brought the eighth grader onto the varsity lineup where he started on third base.

The coach said that typically, students in that situation have a hard time navigating the team since they are younger and don't even attend the same school as the rest of the roster, but Barnes-Keller quickly found himself at home with the Jacks.

"Just to sit there and play ball, it's crazy. We were thinking, 'This kid is 13, 14 years old and played against some dudes,'" said Longwill. "Seeing 95 miles an hour (throws) as a 14-year-old kid pressuring at third plate, guys hitting bullets. It was cool, he stepped up."

In his first season with the Jacks, Barnes-Keller and his fellow teammates made a deep run in the postseason, where they ended up making a run in the state tournament.

As Barnes Keller grew with Quincy, he played a variety of positions and by his sophomore year, he had been moved to shortstop and began pitching more. During this season he racked up the most strikeouts in the Caribou Trail League at 99.