Mavs Hancock and Whitaker sign with Eastern Oregon

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake Mavericks pitchers Kason Whitaker and Cooper Hancock both signed letters of intent to continue their baseball careers with Eastern Oregon Wednesday afternoon.

“They’re an up-and-coming program,” said Cooper. “Their program got shut down a while ago, but then they got started back up in 2021 and every single year they kept on building.”

Kason plans to pursue a degree in rangeland science, he said, where he would learn more about managing range and grazing lands for livestock and wildlife. 

“It’s a really good program that they have, and I know education-wise I’m going to be able to go down there and keep on the track I want to go down while being able to keep playing baseball,” said Kason. 

His involvement in agriculture with spending time on his grandparents’ farm and continued through his high school career with involvement in FFA, he said.

Cooper is going to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education with a minor in physical education in hopes of one day becoming a school superintendent. He plans also to earn a master's in social studies.

“I want to be an educator; I want to change other kids’ lives," said Cooper. “There’s a lot of people around you who don’t think that they can go far in life, but I want them to know that they can.”

Kason’s parents Quince and Julie Whitaker said they are very excited to see where life will take him next. 

“He’s kind, he’s a very hard worker especially when it matters to him,” said Julie Whitaker. “He loves God and that’s the biggest thing that I hope he continues to pursue while he’s down there.”

Quince Whitaker said he is grateful for all the family and friends who have been there to guide Kason along the way and brought him to this point.

“They’ve built him into what he is as a kindhearted competitor,” said Quince. “Red faced and sweaty, that’s just the way he likes to play, and we want to see him continue to do that.”

Cooper’s father Bo Hancock said his son is a hard worker and described him as the most happy and pleasant person you’ll ever meet.

“I’m so proud of that boy, he works his tail off not only on the field, but he works hard at home,” said Bo Hancock. “You can see from the community, what goes on here, you have got to work hard if you want to get there.”

Cooper’s mother Margaret Hancock said she is very excited for him to have this opportunity after all his work and dedication.

“If he sets his mind to something, he will get it done and he will do it to the best of his ability,” said Margaret. “He’s a good captain, he shows good leadership. I’m just so blessed. I’m a very lucky mom.”

His grandmother Kaye Eaton said she would see his dedication as he would go out and play his hardest even on the days where it would be freezing and overall unpleasant weather.

Mavericks baseball coach Donnie Lindgren said he has known the two most of their lives and looked forward to being able to coach them in high school.

“It’s been a lot of fun having both of them there, they seem to be best friends,” said Lindgren. “They compete against each other because they’re both two of our starting pitchers and it’s like you could mix and match either one of them.”

Lundgren said he has coached with Bo Hancock since he first moved to Moses Lake and being able to coach Quince Whitaker’s son has been a huge opportunity for him. 

“He’s just grown in the last three years into a great pitcher and an even better young man,” he said.

Lindgren said that Cooper made the varsity team in his freshman year and he has been impressed with the growth he has seen.

“He’s put in a lot of time off season and just lived and breathed baseball,” he said.

Kason said he remembers starting off his freshman year at Moses Lake high school during the end of COVID-19. He started playing basketball and made junior varsity for baseball that year.

In his sophomore year he decided to put a greater focus on baseball, starting to hit the weightroom and taking the sport more seriously.

“I knew that varsity was my goal that year; it was that or nothing and I got the call up to varsity to start the year,” said Kason. “I think it was eight or nine innings in league, (I) threw really well. (In) junior year I just knew that it was probably going to be me and Coop as our two guys.”

Cooper said he has both good and bad memories from his time in high school, but he will always remember the support that his coaches gave him. He expressed gratitude to The Complex gym for their support in his trials and to Coach Lindgren for helping him become the player he is today.

“Without the discipline he taught me and Kason we wouldn’t be the players we are today,” said Cooper. 

Cooper said he hopes that the culture that they have cultivated will last generations with Moses Lake High School baseball.

“I know baseball is just a sport to a lot of people, but here in Moses Lake, they have made it a form of life,” he said. “Everyone on the diamond I played with from the high school team, they’ve all been my brothers, and I wouldn’t want to have played anywhere else. I really want to say thank you to everyone that’s supported and helped Moses Lake baseball.”

    Cooper Hancock sits with his parents Margaret and Bo Hancock and Kason Whitaker sits with his parents Quince and Julie Whitaker.
  

    The players are joined by their coaching staff who came to the signing.
  

    Cooper Hancock won the Pitcher of the Year award last season along with first-team designated hitter and pitcher honors.
  

    Kason Whitaker, seen pitching in a game earlier this season, has taken to the mound many times in his career improving his skills with each throw.