re: Kendall reporting Jason Kelly will be hired as the next PC; Coach Johnson comments added

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Kelly joined the Washington baseball staff as pitching coach in August of 2012, moving to the UW after having spent the previous six seasons developing a top-notching pitching staff at Cal Poly. He was promoted to Associate Head Coach on April 28, 2014.

In seven seasons since joining Washington, Kelly has led a pitching staff that has carried the Huskies to three NCAA post-season appearances, including the 2018 College World Series. He also has earned a reputation as one of the nation's top recruiters, assembling nationally renown classes on a yearly basis.

His 2019 pitching staff accomplished a first in program history by having five different pitchers record 50 or more strikeouts. Josh Burgmann (101), Jordan Jones (79), Chris Micheles (76), Stevie Emanuels (65) and Jack Enger (61) formed one of the most intimidating staffs of Kelly's tenure. After the season, Burgmann (5th), Micheles (14th) and Jones (16th) all heard their named called in the top-20 rounds of the MLB Draft.

The 2018 pitching staff logged the second most innings among all Pac-12 hurlers, trailing only Oregon State, yet they put on an impressive display of control, issuing the fewest wild pitches, fewest hit batters and just one more walk than the lowest total by any other Conference staff. Under Kelly's direction, the Huskies were fourth in the Pac-12 with a 3.81 ERA.

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Kelly also mentored a pair of All-Pac-12 performers in 2018, Joe DeMers and Alex Hardy. Kelly spear-headed the first-ever perfect game thrown by a Husky, calling an 84-pitch masterpiece by DeMers against UC Riverside. DeMers would go on to be selected in the 11th-round of the MLB Draft,

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On the recruiting front, Kelly is a tireless worker who has helped build several of the Huskies' best classes. The Huskies welcomed in a top-10 recruiting class in 2017 thanks to Kelly, many of whom made an immediate impact in 2017. Eight newcomers pitched for the Huskies in 2017 and helped UW rank fifth in the Pac-12 with a 3.92 ERA. Several veterans anchored the staff, namely All-Pac-12 performer Noah Bremer. Bremer (sixth round) and Greg Minier (32nd round) would go on to hear their names called in the 2016 MLB Draft.

In 2016, the Huskies ended the year sixth in the conference in ERA and as a trademark of staff's led by Kelly, they were among the best in fewest walks allowed, ranking third in the Pac-12. The squad was full of inexperienced pitchers yet Kelly was able to establish the Huskies as one of the best staffs in the league, especially in the bullpen. At the backend of the bullpen was Troy Rallings, who was the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, a unanimous first team All-American and a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award. He also was huge in the development of Spencer Jones, who was a 10th round selection in the 2016 MLB Draft.

As the Huskies' recruiting coordinator, Kelly assembled one of the top classes in UW history and one that ranked 18th nationally after signing day. The class included five players ranked among the nation's top-200 players and featured four players that were selected in the 2016 MLB Draft.

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Any ASU pitchers in the portal?

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Read between the lines

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"I think he's very complete in regards to what's required out of an elite Division I pitching coach," Johnson said, adding he trusts Kelly's ability to call pitches mid-game and find opposing hitter's weaknesses.

"I think he has a very good template to get the guys on the current roster to another level in terms of what he's going to do with building their arm strength and developing their pitch ability."

Kelly interviewed Saturday night, Johnson said, the day after Kelly and Arizona State reportedly parted ways. They reached an agreement Monday, Johnson said.

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Jwho77

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