Former CSM pitcher Tommy Watanabe, 20, found dead

“I talked to his family the day he died … and they said he had been happy as could be,” Lininger said.

A 6-3 right-handed pitcher with electric stuff, Watanabe was beloved for his outgoing personality and warm sense of humor.

“He was one of a kind,” said Jonah Gonzales, an incoming redshirt sophomore at CSM and Watanabe’s former roommate. “He was so outgoing. I was just so comfortable with him. He was just one of those kids when you meet him … you have barriers to break. He broke all those barriers.”

The traits echoed throughout his life, as was described on a Twitter post by an old friend from middle school, Ryan Carroll, who recounted once being teased for buying a knockoff pair of topsiders, and the unique manner in which Watanabe stuck up for him.

He said in the tweet: In the eighth-grade, I was embarrassed to wear knockoff Vans shoes, so Tommy bought a pair too so we’d match. Truly a good dude.

As a freshman at CSM in 2016, Watanabe emerged as a staple of the Bulldogs’ starting rotation. He posted a 4-2 record with a 3.99 ERA, helping the Bulldogs to the Northern California Super Regional playoffs. Plagued by bouts of wildness, he was still heralded as a Division I prospect with electric stuff. Prior to his sophomore season of 2017, he committed to transfer to University of Nevada, Reno.

During CSM’s fall-ball season of 2016-17, though, Watanabe suffered a lower back injury. He went on to start CSM’s third regular-season game in the spring but exited after 2 2/3 innings with back stiffness. He spent the rest of the season on the injured list.  

“He easily could have gotten drafted,” said Lininger, who caught him for four years at Bella Vista High School-Fair Oaks and also played at CSM in 2016 before transferring to Feather River College. “I would say if he was healthy, he would have gotten drafted this year.”

Gonzales said Watanabe was scared for the future of his baseball career at the outset of his sophomore season.

“I think everything falling apart kind of scared him,” Gonzales said.

The right-hander attempted to establish himself on the Collegiate Summer League circuit, pitching for the Wenatchee AppleSox in Washington state. He appeared in three games, pitching a scoreless inning in his debut June 12 against Yakima Valley. Ten days later, he surrendered three runs through one inning of work in his final outing of the summer. He left the team prior to the end of the season — the AppleSox finished their season Monday night — returning home to Gold Valley in late July.

“I think he had some injuries he was working through during the summer which is why he was spotty,” said Trevor Williams, AppleSox director of communications and broadcasting.

The AppleSox learned of Watanabe’s death prior to Saturday night’s 11-1 over Bellingham in a game they had to win to stay in playoff contention. Wenatchee was eliminated with a loss Sunday.

“This is the closest team in collegiate athletics I’ve ever worked with and it was a really tough time to find out about it,” Williams said, “because suddenly baseball was very secondary to us.”

CSM Baseball tweeted news of Watanabe’s death Saturday evening. Once again, the overwhelming reaction was one of shock.

“We were shocked and saddened by the news,” CSM athletic director Andreas Wolf said. “It took us all by surprise. He was a healthy young man. He had a great attitude and a great spirit. Any time you lose someone like that, it’s a tragedy. But we don’t have a lot of details at this time.”

Time and location of services have yet to be announced.