Carson High’s Nate Yeskie passed over for Oregon State baseball coach

Former Oregon State catcher Mitch Canham was named as the Beavers’ new baseball coach on Friday.

Nate Yeskie, a 1993 Carson High graduate, was considered a leading candidate for the job and had the support of many former players. But in the end, Oregon State selected the 34-year-old Canham for the job. Canham was the catcher for the 2006-2007 National Championship Oregon State teams.

Canham went on to play in the minor leagues before becoming a Minor League manager in 2016. Most recently in 2019, Canham was the manager of the Seattle Mariners Double A affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers, leading the Travelers to the Texas League’s North first half division title.

Canham replaces Pat Bailey, another longtime Oregon State assistant, who served as the Beavers’ interim coach in 2019. Bailey replaced longtime Oregon State coach Pat Casey, who Canham played for. Casey had the option to return to the Beavers, but declined.

Bailey was also considered a candidate for the job along with Yeskie, who has been the Beavers’ pitching coach for the last 11 seasons.

Canham didn’t officially commit to anything as far as who his assistant coaches would be, but The Oregonian reported on Friday that Yeskie and Bailey would likely remain on the staff.

The Corvallis Gazette-Times reported Bailey would reportedly stay on the staff and Yeskie may return as well.

The Corvallis newspaper reported Canham as saying about Bailey and Yeskie, “phenomenal coaches. And not only that they’re family. “I’m excited to sit down and talk with each coach. Had a chance to talk with Nate, had a chance to talk with Bailes.”