SPRINGFIELD – Hunter Dryden has gone from a Drifter to an Emerald.
The 23-year-old right-handed pitcher spent the summers of 2022 and ’23 pitching for Springfield at Hamlin Sports Complex before being drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 17th round of the 2024 Major League Baseball draft.
After a sterling pro debut in San Jose last year, the Giants moved him up to their High A affiliate in Eugene this season.
Dryden drove from spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz., to PK Park earlier this month.
“As soon as I pulled into town, that familiar feeling hit me and that was nice,” Dryden said. “Being on the highway and knowing how to get around town felt great.”
Dryden was not a big-time recruit coming out of Deer Park, Wash., when he signed with Whitworth University in Spokane, Wash. He joined the Drifters following his sophomore and junior seasons with the Pirates.
Dryden ranked sixth in the West Coast League with 50 1/3 innings pitched in 11 appearances, including 10 starts, during his first summer in Springfield. His 51 strikeouts ranked third in the league.
In his second season as a Drifter, Dryden pitched in 12 games, including seven starts, while striking out 33 in 36 innings pitched. His 84 strikeouts are the most for any pitcher in the four-year history of the Drifters.
Developing with the Drifters
“My college years, both at Whitworth and the summers in Springfield, definitely helped get me to where I am today,” the 5-foot-9, 184-pounder said. “That’s when I made a lot of improvements and saw a jump in my velocity and command. When I got to Springfield, I was playing against better competition in the West Coast League because a lot of those teams had the best players off their college teams. So I definitely had to refine what I do as a pitcher and I would say that helped me going into my junior and senior seasons at Whitworth to be more prepared.”
Dryden went 6-3 with a 2.10 ERA in 11 starts as a senior while striking out 71 in 68 2/3 innings to earn first-team All-Northwest Conference and second-team All-Region honors. In four years with the Pirates, Dryden was 18-10 with a 3.22 ERA.
Dryden was planning to transfer to Gonzaga for a fifth season given to Division III players due to Covid, but instead the Giants came calling before he could make the 25-minute drive from his hometown to Spokane. He was the first player from Whitworth drafted since 2016.
“My senior year was when it all started to happen,” Dryden said. “I talked with one team at the beginning of the year, but as the season went on the number of teams I talked to started to grow and more scouts came to the games, but it was still never a sure thing.”
Draft day excitement
He was watching the draft online when he found out he was drafted and quickly began his pro career at San Jose. He went 5-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 21 starts with 103 strikeouts in 93 innings last year while helping the club win the California League title. He was on the mound when the Giants secured the title as he threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief during a 4-2 win over Inland Empire that clinched the championship.
“That was a ton of fun, I couldn’t have asked for a better first year, not just in regard to stats, but how it went,” Dryden said. “It was an amazing team and coaching staff that set us up for success, so to end it with a championship was something I will never forget.”
Dryden had another unforgettable moment last month at spring training when he got into a major-league game against the Chicago Cubs. He needed only three pitches to retire the lone batter he faced.
“That was a cool experience,” he said. “Honestly, the craziest part was going back into the dugout and seeing so many familiar faces I have seen on TV.”
Dryden and many of his teammates are together again this summer after being promoted from Single-A San Jose to Eugene.
In his first start at PK Park, Dryden threw four scoreless innings with six strikeouts. In three starts, he has allowed one earned run in 10 innings with 14 strikeouts.
Family feeling
Curt and Kim Strahm, who served as Dryden’s host family during his two summers in Springfield, were at PK Park when Dryden made his debut for the Ems.
“I have kept in touch with them, but it was amazing to have them at the game,” Dryden said. “My family came to watch my second start in Vancouver and we have games near my hometown in Spokane and Tri-City so I am sure I will see a lot of people when we go there. It is good to see family during the long season, it makes it feel more like home when you see your friends and family in the stands. Some of them came down to San Jose, but now it will be even easier for them to see me play.”
It is uncertain how long Dryden will stay in the Northwest as he could be promoted at any time to San Francisco’s Double-A team in Richmond, Va.
“I am living my dream every single day,” he said. “It is still crazy to think that I am going to the ballpark and calling it work. I can’t even call it that, it doesn’t feel right, but it is amazing to be at the field every day.”
