2024 Spring Invitational Preview: Cypress
December 21, 2023
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LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - For the third consecutive year, the 2024 CIF-Southern Section high school baseball season will again kick off with the premier spring high school baseball tournament in Southern California, the Prep Baseball California Spring Invitational. The 16 team field will compete in a bracketed, winner-take-all format that will once again feature many of California's top prep baseball teams. This tournament holds massive implications for our Power 25 State Rankings and annually gives pro scouts an early glimpse into how some of the area's top draft prospects perform out the gate.
We continue with the Cypress Centurions, a CIF-Southern Section Division I school out of Cypress competing in the Empire League. Led by 19th year head coach John Weber, the Centurions went 22-8 last year turning in a second round playoff run.
Cypress enters the 2024 season with returning impact players '24 C/1B Nick Montgomery (ASU) and '24 OF/LHP Gabe Cobian (Long Beach State). Weber said, "This would be considered a full rebuilding year for us... but the future is very bright."
Newcomers to the varsity team looking to make an impact by filling vacancies or platooning with upperclassmen include '25 RHP Aiden Franco, '26 OF/C Noah Johnson, '26 Jake DeLaquil, and '25 3B/RHP Connor Artaserse
As Weber said, it is a rebuilding year, allowing plenty of room for underclassmen to enter the lineup/rotation and gain invaluable experience. The Centurions have three freshmen of emphasis, '27 RHP Dylan Keliiholokai, '27 RHP Tyler Kaufman, and '27 LHP Tate Belfanti.
Weber said, "This freshman class is the best class I have ever had."
We will get to see a full range of players and the first test of Cypress' depth at the Preseason Invitational as the Centurions look to solidify and define their lineup and rotation for the 2024 season.
College Commitments:
’24 OF/LHP Gabe Cobian - Long Beach State - 5'10 160 lbs.
'24 C/1B Nick Montgomery - Arizona State - 6'4 210 lbs.
Top Uncommitted ‘25s:
’25 RHP Aiden Franco - 5'10 150 lbs.
'25 3B/RHP Connor Artaserse - 6'1 200 lbs.
Top Uncommitted ‘26s:
’26 OF/C Noah Johnson - 5'10 170 lbs.
'26 SS Jake DeLaquil - 5'8 155 lbs.
Top Uncommitted ‘27s:
’27 RHP Dylan Keliiholokai - 5'11 165 lbs.
'27 RHP Tyler Kaufman - 6'1 150 lbs.
'27 LHP Tate Belfanti - 5'10 155 lbs.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Showcase | State | Date | Location |
Orange County Preseason ID | CA | 01/04 | JSerra High School - San Juan Capistrano |
SoCal Preseason All-State: Underclass (Invite-Only) | CA | 01/06 | Temescal Canyon HS - Lake Elsinore, CA |
SoCal Preseason All-State: Upperclass (Invite-Only) | CA | 01/07 | Temescal Canyon HS- Lake Elsinore, CA |
Fresno Preseason ID | CA | 01/14 | Fresno Pacific University - Fresno, CA |
Bay Area Preseason ID | CA | 01/21 | College of San Mateo - San Mateo, CA |
Inland Empire Preseason ID | CA | 01/21 | Santiago High School - Corona, CA |
NorCal Preseason All-State (Invite-Only) | CA | 01/27 | Mission College - Santa Clara, CA |
Sacramento Preseason ID | CA | 01/28 | William Jessup University - Rocklin, CA |
East Bay Preseason ID | CA | 02/04 | Chabot College - Hayward, CA |
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