2024 Preseason Preview: Livermore
February 13, 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: Livermore Cowboys
Head Coach: Dave Perotti
CIF Section: CIF-NCS, Division 2
Conference League: East Bay Athletic League
2023 Record: 10-14
Team X Handle: @pokesbaseball
Team Strengths: Athleticism, varsity experience, speed, power, starting pitching
No. of Returning Starters: 6-7
No. of Returning Pitchers: 7
Areas of Improvement: Looking to replace some key pieces on defense due to graduation and season-ending injuries
COMMITTED PLAYERS
+ ‘24 C Mateo Bullis - Sonoma State - 5'9 180 lbs.
TOP UNCOMMITTED SENIORS
+ ‘24 SS/C/RHP Tanner Lee - 5'8 170 lbs.
+ ‘24 RHP/UTIL Chad “CJ” Johnston - 5'11 175 lbs.
+ ‘24 RHP Josh Rodriguez - 6’0 190 lbs.
+ ‘24 OF/RHP Andrew Arante - 5'10 180 lbs.
+ ‘24 1B Zack Bickerton - 6'4 185 lbs.
TOP UNCOMMITTED JUNIORS
+ ‘25 OF AJ Cook - 5'10 165 lbs.
TOP UNDERCLASS FOLLOWS
Class of 2026
+ ‘26 RHP/C Braden Ford - 5'11 180 lbs.
+ ‘26 RHP/1B Dylan Wherry - 6'5 170 lbs.
+ ‘26 OF/RHP Ryan Kohn - 5'10 165 lbs.
TEAM OUTLOOK
Experience will be key for the Cowboys’ success this year as they return a number of veteran leaders in 2024. Leading the way is Sonoma State commit, ‘24 Mateo Bullis who hit at a clip of .306 last season with 10 RBIs and 13 runs scored, too. Fellow senior, ‘24 Andrew Arante brings back a team high .341 batting average from 2023 and he will look to do more of the same during his final prep season. A duo of senior two-ways, in ‘24 Tanner Lee and ‘24 Chad “CJ” Johnston are both going to make contributions wherever needed. Coach Perotti referenced Lee as an “emotional leader and a captain” who is expected to be the Cowboys’ leadoff hitter, while also serving as their closer, too. As for Johnston, he earned East Bay Athletic League honorable mention last season as he hit .338 while also pitching to a 3.13 ERA. Rounding out the senior class are ‘24 Josh Rodriguez and ‘24 Zack Bickerton, who both will look to see their workloads increase in 2024.
The Cowboys bring back another East Bay honorable mention in ‘25 AJ Cook, who surpassed the .300 mark last season, as he hit .303 and will look to build off that this season. Underclassmen, ‘26 Braden Ford, ‘26 Dylan Wherry, and ‘26 Ryan Kohn are three sophomores that will look to make some big contributions on their first year at the varsity level.
Coach Dave Perotti’s Expectations: “We are high on our returning roster and some of our potential additions to the team, whether players coming back from injury or those pushing to make the roster from lower levels.”