Prep Baseball Report

2024 Spring Invitational Preview: South Hills


Steven Hardesty

 

   

New Episode LIVE now! At The Yard Podcast

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 start/continue with the South Hills Huskies, who are moving up to CIF-SOUTHERN SECTION Division I level and are out of West Covina competing in the Hacienda League. Led by 11th year head coach Darren Murphy, the Huskies are coming off a 25-9 spring last year and reached the CIF-SS D2 Finals.

South Hills enters the 2024 season with a strong returning group of impact players featuring six D1 commits. Keep an eye out for seniors ‘24 3B Paul Vazquez (Oregon State), ‘24 RHP/INF Matt Moreno (LMU), ‘24 RHP/OF Noah Malone (LMU) to lead the way. With the Junior class of ‘25 LHP Jo Jo Moreno (UCSB), ‘25 RHP Daniel Camou (Cal Poly SLO) and ‘25 RHP Elias Reyes (LMU) will also be key pieces to the Huskies season.

 Murphy said, "We have the potential to be a very good team this spring. Are we necessarily as good as the ‘23 team, that’s the million dollar question on the potential for this year’s club.”

With returners from the ‘23 squad anticipated to be the key members of the ‘24 squad look for ‘24 INF/RHP Christian Gomez (Cal Poly Pomona) to be a newcomer who makes an impact on the future success of the Huskies this spring.

While he may be only a freshman ‘27 P Christian Santoyo will be competing for a role on the pitching staff.

We will get to see a full range of players and the first test of the South Hills Huskies depth at the Prep Baseball California Spring Invitational as the Huskies look to get off to a hot start to the 2024 high school baseball season. 

College Commitments:

’24 3B Paul Vazquez (Oregon State) - 6’3 200 lbs.

‘24 RHP/INF Matt Moreno (LMU) - 6’2 195 lbs. 

‘24 RHP/OF Noah Malone (LMU) - 6’1 190 lbs. 

‘24 INF/RHP Christian Gomez (Cal Poly Pomona) - 6’ 200 lbs. 

‘25 LHP Jo Jo Moreno (UCSB) - 6’3 150 lbs. 

‘25 RHP Daniel Camou (Cal Poly SLO) - 5’10 190 lbs.

‘25 RHP Elias Reyes (LMU) - 6’ 180 lbs. 

Top Uncommitted ‘27s:

’27 RHP/OF Christian Santoyo - 6’ 150 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