Washington baseball is keeping a familiar Pacific Northwest pitching voice on Montlake.
On August 25th, the Huskies announced that pitching coach Connor Lambert has signed a contract extension after two seasons with the program.
During Lambert’s first two seasons at Washington, four Husky pitchers earned All-Big Ten recognition. His return gives UW some valuable stability heading into the 2027 season.
Deep Northwest Roots
Lambert’s baseball background is tied closely to the Pacific Northwest.
Before joining Washington, he spent seven seasons as the pitching coach at Portland.
The Pilots enjoyed plenty of success on the mound during Lambert’s time in North Portland. His staffs regularly ranked among the West Coast Conference leaders in several pitching categories, while numerous Pilots earned All-WCC honors.
Lambert also played college baseball at Washington State from 2007-10.
That makes his path through the region a unique one. He played in Pullman, built his coaching reputation in Portland and now oversees the pitching staff at Washington.
Those stops have also given Lambert years of experience with the players, coaches and programs that make up the Northwest baseball community.
Continuity for the Huskies
Washington has already seen results during Lambert’s time on Montlake.
Four pitchers earned All-Big Ten recognition during his first two seasons in Seattle. Max Banks also became an MLB Draft pick in 2025.
Washington expects several experienced arms to return in 2027, giving Lambert a chance to continue the development already underway.
The Huskies have reached the Big Ten Tournament in each of their first two seasons in the conference.
UW finished fifth in the Big Ten during its inaugural 2025 season. A year later, Washington picked up its first two Big Ten Tournament victories.
The Huskies defeated Ohio State and Michigan in Omaha before Oregon ended their run in the quarterfinals.
For Washington, keeping Lambert means more than retaining a pitching coach.
It keeps a coach with deep Northwest ties in Seattle and gives the Huskies continuity on the mound as preparations begin for 2027.
