2024 Preseason Preview: Ocean View
January 19, 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: Ocean View Seahawks
Head Coach: Tanner Van Maanen
CIF Section: CIF_SS, Division 1
Conference League: Golden West
2023 Record: 22-10
Team X Handle: @OV_BASEBALL
Team Strengths: Pitching
No. of Returning Starters: 2
No. of Returning Pitchers: 3
Areas of Improvement: Offense
TOP UNCOMMITTED SENIORS
+ ‘24 RHP Preston Gekas
TOP UNCOMMITTED JUNIORS
+ ‘25 LHP/OF JT Lewis - 6’1 170 lbs.
TOP UNDERCLASS FOLLOWS
Class of 2026
+ ‘26 INF Carson Sulsona
Class of 2027
+ ‘ 27 SS Evan Simonds
TEAM OUTLOOK
Plain and simple, the Seahawks return a small number of players from last year’s squad that attained 22 wins and a CIF Southern Section Quarter Finals appearance. They still have a handful of seniors that are expected to lead the team, highlighted by ‘24 Preston Gekas who will be a key piece in the Seahawks’ rotation. ‘25 JT Lewis is also expected to eat up some key innings for Ocean View while also patrolling the outfield on his days off the mound. Coach Van Mannen has high praise for ‘26 Carson Sulsona and ‘27 Evan Simonds, who has a chance to crack the starting lineup for the Seahawks.
Coach Van Maanen’s Expectations: “We are going to be young. ”
MORE PREP BASEBALL NEWS
- CA Future Games Spotlight: '26 RHP Blake Killinger 10/03/24
- CA Uncommitted Spotlight: '25 OF/C Joshua Brown 10/03/24
- CA Future Games Spotlight: '26 Corwin Allard 10/02/24
- CA Uncommitted Spotlight: '26 RHP/OF Tristan Ramos 10/02/24
- CA Future Games Spotlight: '26 SS/2B Jack Champlin 10/01/24
- CA Uncommitted Spotlight: '25 RHP/INF Wren Woods 10/01/24
- CA SoCal Underclass Top Prospects Quick Hits 9/30/24
- CA Uncommitted Spotlight: '26 INF/RHP Julian Oliver 9/27/24
- CA Future Games Spotlight: '26 Kai Van Scoyoc 9/27/24
- CA Future Games Spotlight: '26 C/RHP Gino Cappellazzo 9/26/24