Cougar legacy Brotherton signs with Knights

Tuesday, February 22, Corvallis, Ore. – Fourth-generation Washington State pitcher Duke Brotherton will join the Corvallis Knights for the 2022 season, Knights skipper Brooke Knight announced Tuesday.

He is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-hander from Mercer Island High School in Mercer Island, Wash., the home of former Knight, Beaver and current MLB pitcher Matt Boyd. A rising sophomore, he follows his parents, grandparents and great-grandparents to WSU, continuing a tradition that began with his great grandfather Augus Clark (WSU 1927) nearly a century ago.

Brotherton was 0-0 in three games for the 2021 Cougars, with six strikeouts in four innings.

“Duke is considered the best pitcher in the Northwest by many scouting organizations,” WSU recruiting coordinator Terry Davis said of Duke back in 2020. “He pitches in the low 90s right now.”

“He will be a front-end of the rotation guy for us and we are very excited to have him join the program.”

Perfect Game named Brotherton to its preseason All-America West Region team and ranked him as the 71^st-best right-handed pitcher in the country and the top right-hander in Washington before his senior season, which was cancelled due to Covid-19. He was also ranked as the No. 2 overall Washington prospect by Prep Baseball Report.

As a junior, Brotherton was named a second-team 3A KingCo League all-star after going 4-3, 3.45 ERA, with two saves and 52 strikeouts in 42 innings. He won the 3A KingCo League championship game, and was selected to play for Royals Area Code Team.

Brotherton enjoys fishing, boating and hiking. A Seattle Mariners fan, his favorites include Inception (movie), Breaking Bad (TV show), and The Road (book).

The Knights begin the 2022 season on May 26 with their annual Science, Engineering & Art Day presented by Paventy & Brown Orthodontics at Goss Stadium against the NW Star Nighthawks. Their WCL opener is June 3 at Yakima Valley; their WCL home opener is June 17 vs. Yakima Valley.