2024 Spring Invitational Preview: JSerra
January 4, 2024
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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 JSerra Lions, a CIF-Southern Section Division I school out of San Juan Capistrano competing in the Trinity League. Led by head coach Brett Kay, the Lions went 24-9 last year winning the CIF-Southern Section Division I championship.
JSerra enters the 2024 season with returning impact players '24 RHP/3B Matt Champion, '24 C/OF Charlie Caruso (Northwestern), '24 RHP Adrian Nunez, '25 SS Tyler Dunning (UCLA), '25 SS Jordan Marian (UCSB), '24 RHP Andrew Padova (Uncommitted), '24 OF/INF Dmitri Susidko (Uncommitted) and '25 SS Cole Strane (USC). Kay said, "The season really depends upon our youth. Our junior and sophomore classes are very, very good, just need the experience of playing"
And while they may be a year away in some instances, the Lions have some underclassmen looking to break into the lineup and rotation including '26 OF Takashi Rutherford and '26 RHP/OF Corwin Allard. Kay added, "We are very similar to 2022’s team, we’re young and talented but very inexperienced. We have to get tougher, smarter, and more detail and process-oriented."
We will get to see a full range of players and the first test of JSerra's depth at the Preseason Invitational as the Lions look to solidify and define their lineup and rotation for the 2024 season.
College Commitments:
'24 C/OF Charlie Caruso - Northwestern - 6'1 185 lbs.
'25 SS Tyler Dunning - UCLA - 6'1 155 lbs.
'25 SS Jordan Marian - UCSB - 6'0 195 lbs.
'25 SS Cole Strane - USC - 5'10 160 lbs.
'25 RHP Thomas Gonzalez - San Diego - 5'10 165 lbs.
'26 SS Marcus Greis - TCU - 6'0 155 lbs.
'25 RHP Josh Hollis - Oregon - 6'2 175 lbs.
Top Uncommitted ‘25s:
’25 RHP/INF Gavin Flores - 6'2 195 lbs.
Top Uncommitted ‘26s:
'26 OF Takashi Rutherford - 6'3 175 lbs.
'26 RHP Max Yang - 6'3 185 lbs.
'26 RHP/OF Corwin Allard - 6'2 175 lbs.
Top Uncommitted ‘27s:
'27 RHP Aiden Kent - 6'6 160 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 |
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 Uncommitted Spotlight: '26 OF Will Suslow 8/29/24
- CA Class of 2025 Player Rankings Updated 8/28/24
- CA Uncommitted Spotlight: '26 OF Royce McKenzie 8/27/24
- CA Uncommitted Spotlight: '26 C Derrick Robertson 8/26/24
- CA Future Games Spotlight: RHP Dustin Dunwoody 8/22/24
- CA CA State Games: TrackMan Pitching Leaderboards 8/22/24
- CA Uncommitted Spotlight: '26 INF Greyson Gullage 8/21/24
- CA CA State Games: TrackMan Hitting Leaderboards 8/21/24
- CA Future Games Spotlight: OF Camden Goetz 8/21/24
- CA Uncommitted Spotlight: '26 OF Alex Mestman 8/20/24