2024 Preseason Preview: Scripps Ranch
February 17, 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: Scripps Ranch Falcons
Head Coach: Chris Lamb
CIF Section: CIF-SDS, Division 2
Conference League: Eastern
2023 Record: 16-12
Team X Handle: @baseballsrhs
Team Strengths: Loaded with seniors hungry to leave campus winners. Top end pitching with Jordan Green and Jack Gerardi. Solid up the middle with Ryan Ham and Daniel Herrera.
No. of Returning Starters: 6
No. of Returning Pitchers: 4
Areas of Improvement: Bats should show improvement. Defense will be really good in the infield.
COMMITTED PLAYERS
+ ‘24 SS Ryan Ham - UC Irvine
+ ‘24 RHP/3B Jordan Green - Point Loma Nazarene
+ ‘24 2B Daniel Herrera - Charleston West Virginia
+ ‘24 C Cayden Gonzalez - Colorado Springs - 6’0 170 lbs.
TOP UNCOMMITTED SENIORS
+ ‘24 1B/DH Daniel Lee
+ ‘24 OF/RHP Kyler Farrow - 6’1 175 lbs.
TOP UNCOMMITTED JUNIORS
+ ‘25 RHP Jake Sakurauchi
+ ‘25 RHP Jack Gerardi - 6’3 190 lbs.
TOP UNDERCLASS FOLLOWS
Class of 2026
+ ‘26 UTIL/RHP Jesse Dawson
+ ‘26 OF Ethan Walker
Class of 2027
+ ‘27 SS/OF Nathan Yu
+ ‘27 C Ethan Chuang
TEAM OUTLOOK
With a number of veteran leaders on this squad, the Falcons have high hopes in 2024. On the mound, ‘24 Jordan Green is expected to lead the rotation as he held a 2.73 ERA in a team-high 11 appearances last season, while also leading the team in batting average at .384. ‘24 Kyler Farrow is another experienced arm for the Falcons as he pitched to a 2.68 ERA last year and he is also expected to make contributions offensively, too. Newcoming arms include ‘25 Jake Sakurauchi and ‘26 Jesse Dawson, who will be looking to crack the Falcons’ rotation this season.
UC Irvine commit ‘24 Ryan Ham headlines this team on the other side of the ball, as he will provide consistent defense up-the-middle all while being a threat in the box, too. Fellow defender up-the-middle will be ‘24 Daniel Herrera who will be a power threat from the left-handed box. Behind the plate expect to see ‘24 Cayden Gonzalez there, as he is a quality defender there all while being a threat with the bat, too. Another power threat for the Falcons this season will be ‘24 Daniel Lee who returns a .311 batting average from last season which included six doubles and a team high 15 RBIs. Some underclassmen to note offensively for the Falcons include ‘26 Ethan Walker, ‘27 Nathan Yu, and ‘27 Ethan Chuang.
Coach Chris Lamb’s Expectations: “League Title and Deep Run in Playoffs”