PULLMAN, Wash. (February 5, 2026) – Taber Fast spent the last three years and pitched in 17 games with Texas Tech before joining Washington State this past offseason.
 
We recently sat down with redshirt-junior lefthanded pitcher Taber Fast.
 
How was coming back to Washington after spending the last couple in Texas?
It's been great. I mean, I'm only five hours away from my family. It's been really good to be close to home again and be able to have my family come out to games and stuff. It was hard for them to come out while I was down in Texas, but it's been good.
 
What's been your favorite part of Pullman so far?
The community. I mean, everything is centered around WSU, and everybody pulls for football, everybody pulls for baseball. Everybody pulls soccer, basketball, everything, it's a very tight knit community, and it's just amazing to be a part of a special community like that.
 
What made you choose WSU?
Coach Choate, giving me a second chance. I was out of baseball for all of last year and honestly, I was searching really hard for a team who wanted me, and WSU wanted me right then and there, so it was just kind of like God just put it right in my face, and I took it and ran with it. So I'm very, very thankful for that second opportunity that Choate gave me.
 
How has getting that second chance motivated you?
It has motivated me a lot in wanting to win for Choate because he's believed in me, he wants me here, I want to win here for him and everybody on this team wants to win. A lot of guys have been given a second chance to be here, we just want to win for him, win for the community, and win for the university.
 
Your Grandfather played for the Cubs in the late 1960's, how has he influenced you playing baseball?
I mean, he's influenced me in many ways. He became a pastor, took some retirement time and then started a new church. He's influenced me on how to be a man of faith, and definitely on how to play the game of baseball, too. My whole family is centered around baseball. Everybody plays baseball in my family so he definitely has taught me a lot in terms of pitching and how to play the game the right way.  
 
How has your sister and your dad influenced your love and interest in sports?
Definitely how to compete. My family is very competitive, my dad taught me how to play the game of baseball the right way. My sister was a very, very talented basketball player, she was a very hard-nosed competitor and I feel like that was instilled in me from her, my dad and my mom as well. My mom was also a very, very good basketball and softball player. They all just taught me how to compete and how to love the game and get after it the right way.
 
What's been your favorite baseball memory?
Oh, that's easy. It would be my state championship win, senior year of high school. It was with Rylan Haider, who's actually on the team right now here too.
 
How is being able to play with Haider again?  
Oh, it's been awesome! We reminisce about high school times and stuff like that, and Coach Weldon, and that whole state title team. We like to talk about those memories, and it's really fun getting to play with him again.
 
Do you have any pre or in game superstitions?
Not so much superstitious, but definitely saying a prayer giving it all over to God, just want to give it all the glory to him.
 
What is something that you're excited for this season?
Winning. We have a very, very talented group who wants to win, we want to win for Coach Choate and this whole coaching staff. I'm excited to win.
 
What is something fans should know about you?
I can juggle but I don't think that's very interesting. I love duck hunting and fishing. Those are kind of my things outside of baseball. I go pheasant hunting here with Haider and Nick Lewis and I've been fishing on the snake.