Barnes-Keller looks to continue his successful career in Wenatchee

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.  

“Every year he just continued to improve,” said Longwill. 

Throughout high school, Barnes-Keller kept his bonds close with Wenatchee as he continued to play summer ball with the Wenatchee Valley Club baseball team under the coaching of Josh Schuyleman.  

Schuyleman said Ashton started with Wenatchee Valley Club during the summer after his sophomore year as he was looking for another opportunity to play high-level baseball. Wenatchee was looking for some extra pitching as well and with that Ashton Barnes-Keller joined their roster. 

“I think there were about 11 guys who were committed to go play college baseball, and he fit pretty well with that group,” said the Wenatchee coach. 

While playing with Wenatchee, Schuyleman said he saw Barnes-Keller grow his relationship with his teammates as well as his baseball skills. 

When Quincy moved into the Central Washington Athletic Conference in Barnes-Keller's junior year, he said the Jacks ran into some trouble. That year the team finished 5-15 overall, and Barnes-Keller threw only 55 strikeouts but still maintained a .400 batting average. 

Entering his senior season for 2026, Barnes-Keller faced further challenges as Longwill stepped down as head coach.  

“I loved coaching Ashton, and that was one of the hardest things when I stepped down and resigned was not being able to finish with him,” said Longwill. 

Fortunately, the senior had prior experience with his new head coach, David Garza, as he trained at Garza’s athletic training facility before the start of his senior season. 

“I first started training him over a year ago through my athletic breakthrough business. We had those conversations about what it should look like to prepare your body and do the right things to get to the next level,” said Garza. 

From Barnes-Keller's junior season to his senior season, the coach said he saw the senior grow significantly. 

The Jacks as a team became more accustomed to the competitive nature of the CWAC and found success in the second half of the 2026 season. After a 2-8 start to the season, the Jacks went on to win their next five with notable wins against Othello and Prosser while making a run in the District 5 tournament. 

When the CWAC All-Conference team results were announced, Barnes-Keller was selected for the Second Team All-Conference, to cap off his senior season with the Jacks. He was recognized for his excellent season in pitching as he led the league in total strikeouts at 92 and only allowed 42 walks and 29 earned runs. 

“Ashton really contributes and shows within his team and amongst his teammates,” said Garza. “Something that he will continue to learn and develop is his leadership skills and being vocal.” 

Barnes-Keller said he has plenty of fond memories from his time with the Jackrabbits such as his successful start in his eighth-grade season to beating tough league opponents such as Cashmere in his sophomore year and Othello in his senior year. One thing Barnes-Keller said he cherishes from throughout his baseball career is the opportunity he had to make memories with all of his teammates both in Wenatchee and Quincy. 

Each of his coaches has strong memories of working with Barnes-Keller over the years. Longwill highlighted Barnes-Keller's mental fortitude, which was shown throughout his early high school career. 

“He just battled and competed,” he said. “With frustrations and things, he never hung his head, he never got down. He’s someone who just ran pretty even and continued to grow.” 

One thing that all of his coaches said that stuck out to them about Ashton over the years was the love and dedication that he has for the game of baseball. 

“Right after the end of the season, boom, back in the weight room, getting ready for fall ball, for the next level and getting himself prepared,” said Garza. “That’s the kind of coachable player you want.” 

“He’s a kid who just has a work ethic where he wants to get better every day. He wants feedback,” said Schuyleman. “He’s trying to find a way every day to get that 1% better to get him to where he wants to go in his end goals.” 

Before the start of his senior season, Barnes-Keller had been in talks to play for Wenatchee Valley Community College after graduation, and earlier this spring, he made it official as he signed on to play for the Knights this fall. His decision to join the Knights comes from his deep roots in Wenatchee, he said.  

“Definitely the environment from my younger years,” said Barnes-Keller. “Playing baseball all the time in the Valley, getting to go to games there or having played on that same field, the dynamics of the games at WVC, the love for the team and their coaching staff and the atmosphere, all of that definitely contributed to my decision to choose to begin my college career at WVC.” 

Ahead of the start of his college baseball career, Barnes-Keller said he gets another opportunity to play for the Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak over the summer where he will play against some elite players. He hopes that through playing with the Pepsi Pak and WVC he continues to develop and can eventually play for the United States Air Force Academy baseball team. 

Baseball has become a deep-rooted aspect of his life that the pitcher said he would like to play as long as he can. 

“Baseball has shaped me quite a bit through emotions. It is a very emotional game with mistakes or feeling the weight of the game on your shoulders,” said Barnes-Keller. “It has taught me to stay calm, control what I can when things don’t go my way. Don’t let the little things bother me. Stay focused and always humble.” 

    Jacks senior Ashton-Barnes Keller steps up to bat in a game earlier this spring.
  

    Ashton Barnes-Keller from Quincy waits to take off to the next base during a game against Prosser during the 2026 season.
  

    Ashton Barnes-Keller from the Quincy Jackrabbits gets ready to hurl a pitch on the mound during a game this season.