APPLESOX ADDING THREE JUCO TALENTS FROM WASHINGTON
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Smith Slye - smith.slye@wsu.edu
AppleSox adding three JUCO talents from Washington
Familiar friends, Washington JUCOs, and all sophomores. Nathan Woodside, Noah Figuered, and Sawyer Wickerstrom may play for different programs, but they have quite a few similarities below the surface.
All three are finding their way to Wenatchee this year, and each one adds depth to their position group. Whether that’s an undersized catcher keeping runners in their place, a middle infielder swiping bag after bag, or a righty starter who has found his groove in JUCO, the ‘Sox picked three quality faces to join their ranks.
So, let’s peel back the curtain on these JUCO sophomores…
Nathan Woodside - C - Sophomore
Out of Woodinville, Washington, the ‘Sox are scooping up a catcher with a golden glove behind the dish. Currently at Lower Columbia Community College, Woodside is not exactly slugging the baseball, but he makes up for it with his defense.
Through 23 games, the 5-foot-7 sophomore is batting 0.222 with just 12 hits, nine RBIs, and one double. He has posted no triples and no home runs, making that one double his only extra-base hit of the year.
But the 0.993 fielding percentage jumps off the page immediately. To complement it, he has already thrown out four runners this year.
It makes sense considering his accolades from high school. A first-team All-Kinco selection in 2023 and a second-team selection in 2024. He excelled in his high school career, and now he is doing the same with the Red Devils.
Woodside is not alone on his trip to Wenatchee. He joins Harlan Rowe, who has been a Swiss Army Knife with Lower Columbia thus far.
With Rowe as a pitcher and Woodside as a catcher, the two battery mates will be reunited this summer in Wenatchee.
Noah Figuered - INF - Sophomore
After spending last summer with the Bellingham Bells in the WCL, the ‘Sox have flipped Figuered to the valley. He is currently in his second year with Edmonds Community College, and his numbers paint a very clear picture.
The kid out of El Cajon, California, committed to the Tritons out of high school and immediately got to work. A 0.281 average, 47 hits, 13 doubles, 35 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases made up his explosive freshman year in Edmonds.
Of course, the glove was a little shaky that first year, with Figuered botching 13 plays in the middle infield and recording a 0.936 fielding percentage.
However, he has one-upped himself this season. A 0.315 average, 10 doubles, 46 hits, only three errors, and an insane 53 stolen bases. With eight games left on the slate, Figuered has plenty of time to continue growing his numbers and possibly break into 60 stolen bases.
A career 52 RBIs and 82 stolen bases are what truly pop about Figuered. After snatching him away from the Bells, the ‘Sox will be benefiting from both his speed on the basepaths and his clutch factor at the plate.
He is one of two Tritons who will be coming to the valley this summer, and as someone who does nothing but improve, he should be an exciting face to watch up the middle.
Sawyer Wickerstrom - RHP - Sophomore
From the right side, Wenatchee is adding a Trojan who finds three familiar faces in the valley this year. Wickerstrom is joining Dylan Dyer, Basil Hendrix, and Hiroshi Johnson on the ‘Sox squad this summer, all three of his current teammates at Everett Community College.
He is a first-year Trojan, given that he started his journey at Utah Valley during his freshman season. Wickerstrom made just six cameos with the Wolverines, tossing six innings and giving up four runs. That rang up his ERA at a flat 6.00 in his Utah Valley career.
After that, Wickerstrom took the step down to JUCO, heading back to his hometown of Bothell. Ever since setting foot on the Everett rubber, he has not once looked back.
As one of Everett’s starters, Wickerstrom has made ten appearances this year. In about five innings per outing, he has posted a 1.29 ERA, only seven earned runs, 20 walks, and 62 punchouts.
Essentially, Wickerstrom has found a home at the JUCO level. Now with Wenatchee this summer, he will have a chance to test his arm against a good mix of college talent.
As the fourth Trojan pitcher on the roster, Wickerstrom bolsters a bullpen that is stuffed to the brim. But his numbers against NWAC bats may give him an edge to grab a starting spot in the rotation.
The 2026 season begins on May 29 as the AppleSox jet off to Edmonton to play the Edmonton RiverHawks at RE/MAX Field at 6:05 p.m. The AppleSox open their home season on June 5th at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium as they host the Kamloops NorthPaws. The AppleSox have 29 home games and play until mid-August. The franchise’s five West Coast League championships are the second-most in league history. Season ticket packages are available for purchase now at applesox.com/season-tickets.
