Hirai, a Pasco native,  toiled in 13 games at Walla Walla Community College this spring and started in 10 of his appearances. He struck out 67 and walked only 25 in 59.1innings pitched, and yielded just one home run in that stretch.

Brayde won a team co-leading four games last summer for the Sweets and posted a 3.79 earned run average. He struck out 30 in 40.1 innings pitched spread out over 17 appearances.

Hirai hurled 32 innings for WWCC in 2018 and registered 26 K's.

“I’d like to carry on with how last summer went,” Hirai said earlier this year after committing to play in Walla Walla for a second consecutive summer. “I’m going to go into (the season) with the same mindset and get after it.”

Hirai is a “tremendous competitor and a heck of a clutch pitcher,” according to manager Frank Mutz. “There were several occasions last summer we had to move up or change Brayde’s spot in the rotation,” Mutz said. “He was ready every time we handed him the ball.”

Brayde desires chicken stir fry, ice cream and pizza as his foods of choice and displayed an open mind by not listing any dislikes. He said that WiFi and an Xbox are two things he can not do without.

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