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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 and early glimpse into how some of the area's top draft prospects perform out the gate.  

We continue with the Orange Lutheran Lancers, a CIF-SOUTHERN SECTION Division I school out of Orange, Ca competing in the Trinity League. Led by 16th year head coach Eric Borba, the Lancers went 20-12-1 last year and a berth in the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs.

Orange Lutheran enters the 2024 season with a talented group of returning impact players including ‘24 CF Derek Curiel (LSU), ‘24 SS Gabe Fraser (Arkansas), ‘24 OF Ben Reiland (Oklahoma State), ‘24 OF Finnegan Stewart (Utah Tech), ‘24 RHP Alex Chavez (LMU), ‘24 C/OF Nate Savoie (LMU), ‘24 RHP/INF Vinny Hudson (Arizona), ‘26 C Brady Murrietta (Texas), ‘26 INF Gavin Hottle (TCU), ‘25 1B Josiah Hartshorn (Texas A&M), ‘26 RHP/INF Hamilton Friedberg (Air Force), and ‘25 RHP Colt Peterson (Stanford). 

Borba stated, “we return 9 position players who saw significant playing time and facing one of the toughest schedules I’ve ever assembled we will need that experience. Our lineup will be lead by Derek Curiel and Ben Reiland entering their 4th seasons in the Trinity League and a quartet of Senior arms will mix with talented younger arms to form a strong staff.”

Newcomers to the varsity team at Orange Lutheran will look to make an impact by filling vacancies or platooning with the returners including; ‘26 RHP Gary Morse, ‘26 RHP/OF Tristan Ramos.

Being an underclassmen on a talent-laden roster can mean being a year away in some instances from your opportunity and the Lancers feature a few interesting names for this year and the Lancers future including; Morse, Ramos, Hartshorn, Murrietta, Hottle, Friedberg, ‘25 MIF Wyatt Hanoian and ‘26 INF Justin Lopez.

The Lancers head man Borba noted “I think this team as a whole is going to be very fun to watch. We are going to feature a balanced offense with very good defense and several different looks from the mound for opponents to match up with.” But, Borba added “the true test of the ‘24 campaign will be if we can stay healthy to navigate the waters of the daunting schedule this group has ahead of them.”

We will get to see a full look at players and the first test for the Lancers depth at the Prep Baseball California Spring Invitational as Orange Lutheran will look to get off to a hot start for the 2024 high school baseball season.

College Commitments:

‘24 CF Derek Curiel (LSU) - 6'2 180 lbs.

‘24 SS Gabe Fraser (Arkansas) - 6'1 180 lbs.

‘24 OF Ben Reiland (Oklahoma State) - 5'9 160 lbs. 

‘24 OF Finnegan Stewart (Utah Tech) - 6'1 205 lbs.

‘24 RHP Alex Chavez (LMU) - 6'3 175 lbs. 

‘24 C/OF Nate Savoie (LMU) - 6' 190 lbs. 

‘24 RHP/INF Vinny Hudson (Arizona) - 6'3 175 lbs.

‘25 OF/1B Josiah Hartshorn (Texas A&M) - 6'2 195 lbs.

‘25 RHP Colt Peterson (Stanford) - 6' 185 lbs. 

‘26 C Brady Murrietta (Texas) - 5'10 175 lbs.

‘26 INF Gavin Hottle (TCU) - 6'3 205 lbs.

‘26 RHP/INF Hamilton Friedberg (Air Force) - 5'10 165 lbs.

Top Uncommitted ‘24s:

‘24 RHP Nolan Tillitt - 6’2 195 lbs.

‘24 RHP Ross Clark - 6’5 195 lbs. 

‘24 RHP/INF Brady Strohm - 6’2 185 lbs. 

Top Uncommitted ‘25s:

’25 MIF Wyatt Hanoian - 5’9 170 lbs. 

Top Uncommitted ‘26s:

‘26 RHP Gary Morse - 6’6 190 lbs. 

‘26 INF Justin Lopez - 5’9 150 lbs.

‘26 RHP/OF Tristan Ramos - 5’10 195 lbs.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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