2024 Preseason Preview: Cornerstone Christian
January 29, 2024
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The 2024 California high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across California.
Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in their respective CIF Section Championship Game, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across California. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 25 rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action and the Third Annual Prep Baseball California Spring Invitational.
Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across California. Each week we will be releasing our Power 25, Players of the Week, Diamond Notes, Podcasts and much more.
Our 2024 preseason coverage continues today.
High School: Cornerstone Christian Crusaders
Head Coach: Dave Dexheimer
CIF Section: CIF-SS, Division 7
Conference League: Majestic
2023 Record: 20-6
Team Strengths: Pitching
No. of Returning Starters: 8
No. of Returning Pitchers: 5
Areas of Improvement: Hitting
COMMITTED PLAYERS
+ ‘24 RHP Micah Sweeton - Concordia University - Nebraska - 6'4 185 lbs.
TOP UNCOMMITTED SENIORS
+ ‘24 LHP Matthew (Cole) Contrares - 6'4 215 lbs.
TOP UNCOMMITTED JUNIORS
+ ‘25 RHP Alek O'Sullivan - 5'10 165 lbs.
TOP UNDERCLASS FOLLOWS
Class of 2026
+ ‘26 UTIL Ben Frazier - 6'0 165 lbs.
Class of 2027
+ ‘27 RHP/INF Dylan Kelly - 5'11 175 lbs.
+ ‘27 UTIL Brandon Breede - 5'8 135 lbs.
TEAM OUTLOOK
After a dominant 20-8 record and a perfect 9-0 conference slate, the Crusaders, led by Coach Dexheimer have their sights set even higher in 2024. Concordia University - Nebraska commit, ‘24 Micah Sweeton will pace the Crusaders on the mound and he returns a 2.05 ERA in a team high 19 appearances. It is also worth mentioning that he led Cornerstone Christian in a number of offensive categories last year, too. Fellow senior, ‘24 Matthew (Cole) Contrares is another experienced arm back for the Crusaders as he brings back a 1.38 ERA in 18 appearances in 2023. Junior right-hander ‘25 Alek O’Sullivan is another arm to note on this roster who has plenty of experience as he made 12 appearances last year and pitched to a sub-one ERA.
As for underclassmen, ‘26 Ben Frazier will play a number of positions for Coach Dexheimer and during his freshman season he tallied a batting average of .322. Two freshmen that Coach Dexheimer seems fond of are ‘27 Dylan Kelly and ‘27 Brandon Breede, so be on the lookout for them.
Coach Dave Dexheimer’s Expectations: “CIF Championship”