HRV baseball returns key players for 2026

HOOD RIVER – The Hood River Valley High School baseball program will have several key returning players on the diamond in 2026, including several seniors that helped HRV reach the state playoffs in 2025.

The Eagles, led by head Coach Max Reitz, began practice March 2 and enter the season hoping to compete at the top of the OSAA Class 5A Northwest Oregon Conference (NWOC) and host a state playoff game this year.

“I think every season the team’s defined by its senior class and what they bring,” Reitz told the Gorge News. “This year we have six returning varsity players that are seniors and they’re going to have a huge role in determining how this team performs.”

Among those seniors is Kingston McAdam, the team’s starting catcher who earned second-team all-state honors last season and signed to play college baseball at Eastern Oregon University in December. Also returning is Bodie Stuben, the Eagles’ top pitcher and starting shortstop, who earned all-conference infield honors last season.

Other senior contributors include returning outfielder Nick Tuttle, first baseman Chaz Valentine, pitcher Trevor Jacobs, who signed with Oregon Tech in December, and who is expected to move into a starting role after working primarily as a reliever last year. Finishing out the senior group is Maverick Hockett, who Reitz said will contribute both on the mound and in center field.

Beyond the senior class, Hood River Valley also returns several key underclassmen who are expected to play major roles this season. Davin Snyder, a second-team all-state outfielder, returns after serving as the Eagles’ leadoff hitter last year, and is a guy that Reitz said “makes the offense go.” Tyson Harjo also returns after earning all-conference honors as a freshman last season. Reitz said Harjo will see time across the field this year, including at shortstop, catcher and on the mound. Another young player expected to contribute is left-handed pitcher Landon Pratt, who saw limited varsity action last year but is projected to take on a larger role this spring.

“What really excites me is just the returning group and what they bring from last year,” Reitz said. “We expect them all to be improved and to bring a veteran presence and some poise as we work through the challenges of the season.”

The Eagles face a demanding schedule this year. Early tests include a road game against defending 4A state champion Pendleton and a home matchup with reigning 5A state champion Summit.

Hood River Valley will also travel to Arizona during spring break (March 23-26) to compete in the Coach Bob National Invitational, where the Eagles will face three programs from Colorado and one from Arizona. Conference play will feature familiar foes, including matchups with heavy weights Wilsonville, La Salle and Canby.

“We probably managed to schedule a tougher schedule this year than last year, but that’s by intent,” Reitz said. “We want to go out there and play the best teams and see how we stack up.”

Despite the challenging slate, the Eagles’ expectations remain high. “Eagles baseball has enough of a tradition that we expect to compete for a conference title every year and we expect to make the state playoffs every year,” Reitz said. “We’d love to host one of those playoff games. That means finishing in the top seven or eight in the state, and that’s something we think this group is capable of.”