Prep Baseball Report

Hardy's Hits: CIF-SS Coverage 3/6 - 3/19


Steven Hardesty
Central Coast/North LA Area Scout

  

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Ventura, Calif- 

Over the course of the last 2 weeks I was able to get in 4 games around some weather hiccups, the Prep Baseball California Spring Invitational Championship and out of state travel. During those 3 matchups I was able to get eyes on 7 different programs (two looks at Ventura High School) with a large chunk of talented uncommitted prospects in the ‘24 - ‘27 classes. 

The first game was a non-league matchup between Rio Mesa Spartans from the Channel League and Grace Lancers from the Tri-Valley League. There was a heavy rainstorm the day prior to this game which left most of the local area unable to play and this was one of the few games to get in. With a stiff wind blowing in from left field offense was going to be difficult to come by for both teams which bore fruit with a 4-3 final. Grace took an early 2 run lead after the first inning, Rio answered with a single run in the 4th. The Lancers tacked on 2 runs in the top of the 6th with the Spartans responding with 2 in their half to make it a one run game. Grace was able to hold off Rio in the bottom of the 7th to claim the win.

My second look was another non-league matchup this time between the Thousand Oaks Lancers from the Marmonte League hosting the Foothill Tech Dragons from the Frontier League. Another game which featured high winds blowing in from the OF which made driving the baseball in the air a difficult proposition for either team. The Lancers opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first before the Dragons would tie the game at 1. Thousand Oaks would plate 5 runs over the next 4 innings to take a 6-2 lead into the 7th in which the Dragons fought to the end plating 1 run in the 4th and 1 run in the 7th, but the Lancers came away victorious with a 6-3 final.

My third outing for these two weeks was my first league matchup of the spring taking in a Channel League tilt between the current second place Ventura Cougars and the Pacifica Tritons. The Cougars would plate a run in the top of 2nd, but the Tritons would respond with a loud bottom half of the inning plating 9 runs to take a commanding lead in the game. Pacifica would solidify that lead with another 4 runs in the bottom of the third inning. Ventura was able to put 2 runs on the board in the 5th which would cap the scoring and the Tritons brought home a 13-3 victory. 

The final game of this notebook brought a change to get a second look at the Ventura Cougars and to get eyes on ‘25 RHP/INF Josh Woodworth on the mound against the Oxnard Yellowjackets and it was a quality look at the talented 2-way prospect. In the game the Cougars threw a combined shutout for a 4-0 win with Ventura plating 2 runs early by way a 2 run bomb from Woodworth and then a pair of insurance runs in the 7th.

Below you can check out my breakdown of the standouts of the day with video highlights, access to their PBR profile and a scouting report on them.

(Players click the link on your name below to claim your profile. Also, players search the PBR database for your profile. Don't see your profile? You can create a free PBR profile here)

Ventura:

+ ’25 RHP/INF Josh Woodworth An uber talented ‘25 who stands at the #44 ranked player in California by Prep Baseball California and is one of the top uncommitted players in the state. Woodworth is not only physical in his frame (plays tight end in football), but a good athlete who moves well defensively and is presently playing SS when he is not pitching. In my first look at him in 2024 (I saw him in spring 2023) he started at SS and hit 2nd in the lineup where he flashed potential 2-way ability. He is solid defensively at SS with a quick first step, reliable hands, plenty of arm strength and good feel for his angles, but would profile better as a 3B long term where his athleticism could make him an above defender there. The swing is aggressive with strength and he can mishit a baseball with authority as displayed in game when pulled a hard line drive down the LF line early in the game when he was out front on a pitch. He gets into his lower ½ in the turn with a path that shows lift to the middle/pull side of the field that looks to be more power based than pure hitting based which plays to his aggressive overall approach as he is hacking at any pitch he feels he can do damage on. My 2nd look at him featured him on the mound where he is one of the best uncommitted arms in California (previously a member of USA Baseball 15U National Team) where he went 4 innings with 4 punchouts, 2 hits allowed and no walks. He was working on a pitch count to minimize the workload on his arm as he also is playing SS for the Cougars. FB sat at 86-87 while touching 88-90 with heavy sink down in the zone and to the arm side that racked up ground ball contact throughout his outing. Flashed a very intriguing 77-79 MPH CHG with deception from his FB arm speed on it with heavy tumble that got swing/miss plus soft contact. Adds a solid 75-77 MPH SLD with sweeping action at times, but can also tighten the shape to his glove side with more power to the break. Attacked the zone early and often to get quick contact, but once he got ahead with a 2K count would attack punching the hitter out. Minimal effort in the delivery with consistent ability to repeat while showing pitchability on all 3 pitches and a starters profile. At the plate on the day he showed the impact in his RH bat by crushing a 2 run HR in the first inning to straight away CF and then narrowly missed a 2nd HR with a deep drive to CF before being intentionally walked in his last two plate appearances. Woodworth gives me real 2-way vibes with his strength, athleticism, ability to hit with impact, 3B defensive profile, pitchability, stuff, delivery and upside that will give the college program which lands his commitment the option to let him do both until potential one shines enough to give up the other.

Pitching/Hitting:

Hitting:

+ ’24 C/OF Dash Lopez An intriguing uncommitted ‘24 who is garnering some college interest. This was my 2nd look at Lopez who I saw in spring 2023 when he was playing CF for the Cougars. He has now moved behind the plate where his athleticism, lower ½ mobility, solid feel for receiving, average arm with accuracy all profile as a quality defender who could be impactful as he continues to get more reps behind the plate. What may affect his long term position profile is the athleticism and offensive ability Lopez has at the plate. He starts with a lower handset which allows his to use his direct path while still generating leverage through the middle of the field and he shows a consistent feel for hitting the baseball hard (I’ve seen 4 hard barrels in 7 game at bats) with a feel for his approach to stay within the strike zone and be on time with his swing. A solid above average runner who can impact the game on the bases. Lopez has a top of the order offensive feel for me personally, but with the added intrigue of being able to potentially play two premium defensive spots C/CF he is going to be a good land if he chooses to take a 4-year opportunity or could open even more doors for himself should he elect to go JUCO.

+ ’25 INF/RHP Caleb Sebek With a super projectable 6’4 frame that is lean with plenty of room to add strength to it, plus good athletic ability (also a solid basketball player) Sebek hinted at some interesting tools in this look. He started on the mound (I did not get video) and showed a 82-84 MPH FB with a 70-72 MPH CB that both flash potential, but he struggled to command both down in the zone and was chased after just 1.1 IP. He then moved over to play 3B while maintaining his spot in the 3-hole in the lineup and showed me the skills to be an corner profile defender with offensive upside. The swing is loose with some whip to the bat speed while using his lower ½ effectively and stung the baseball on multiple occasions in game including leverage from the middle to the pull side that shows HR power potential (will need to get more physical to fully tap into it). I liked the approach at the plate as he controlled the zone with quality swing decisions and was able to get the bat on the baseball consistently. There is solid defensive ability at 3B with the arm strength to stick there. Right now Sebek is slightly more projection than polish, but with time over the spring/summer to continue to develop into the fall he is a name for college programs to put on their radar in the ‘25 class as a good follow.

Rio Mesa:

+  ’24 OF/RHP Austin DeMello An uncommitted 2-way player who showed off intriguing skills on both sides of the game. DeMello has a wiry athletic frame who runs well and could profile as a CF/RF defender where his arm will be solid average to above average at either spot. His RH swing is loose and quick with a middle of the field approach who showed an ability to put the bat on the baseball with authority. There is pull side HR power, but the approach/toolset plays better to a doubles hitter who uses the middle of the field. DeMello also is a very intriguing arm who worked 1 inning in relief with a FB that sat at 86-88 MPH consistently with life through the zone while touching 89 twice and has room to add velocity to sit in the low 90’s in the future. The arm action is quick and he works with good intent in the delivery. Attacked primarily off his FB, but threw an interesting 78-79 MPH SLD in warm ups and once in game with horizontal break. The two-pitch mix and moderate effort to his delivery project a reliever future, but with his athleticism and two-way background he could be come a starter in the future should he focus solely on pitching. A player who I would be intrigued to pursue the JUCO route to start his college career and see what options that could open up for him as an OF, RHP or 2-way player.

+  ’25 MINF Damien Valdez A uncommitted ’25 who I saw briefly in the spring of 2023 where the defense looked good, but the bat still needed polish Valdez has come along very nicely in his development to start his JR campaign. He did not start this game as the Rio Mesa staff was using it early to get some playing time for reserves, but entered the game later to have two at bats and multiple innings on defense. Valdez’s defensive actions caught my eyes during INF/OF where he moved well at 2B with rhythm to his feet and lateral range while showing consistent hands, he is comfortable throwing off multiple footwork patterns and a variety of arm slots which will help him stick up the middle. I could see a transition to SS should his arm/athleticism make a jump, but he is a very solid to impactful 2B defender. Where Valdez has made the bigger jump over the last 12-14 months since I last saw him was at the plate. He has added some strength to his frame which has increased his bat speed, showing better use of his lower ½ with a loose swing that plays to the middle of the field for leverage, but can go line to line. It’s a high contact approach with a feel for his barrel, but can turn on a ball with impact (RBI single to RCF and a loud line drive out to LF in game). Valdez will be an interesting ’25 to keep eyes on as he continues to develop his already good overall toolset.

+ ’24 MINF Hunter Chavez Another uncommitted ’24 who showed some interesting tools over the course of the game. Chavez hit atop the Spartans order and flashed bat to ball ability from a compact RH swing that works mid/oppo when at its best while being a solid above average runner. He is on the more aggressive side at the plate which caused him to put bad pitches in play due to his ability to generate contact and the approach will need polish, but the swing has potential. Defensively, Chavez plays a very sound SS with good hands that can play both 1 and 2 handed while showing consistent rhythm to his footwork and the ability to go downhill with comfort and laterally. His arm has the potential to stick at SS long term and could continue to get stronger as he adds more strength to an overall lean frame. Chavez is an interesting JUCO route player where he could continue to add strength to his frame and polish his offensive profile which would open up 4-year college opportunities for him in the future.

+ ’26 CINF Alec Fontyn This was my 2nd look at Fontyn who started on varsity as a freshman in 2023 for the Spartans. While his toolset is intriguing with a good frame that has room to continue adding strength and looks to have another couple inches of growth in it the corner OF/1B profile fits this young ’26 prospect. Fontyn displays a good approach at the plate where he controls the strike zone well and swings at strikes consistently while staying off of pitches outside the zone. He uses his lower ½ well and the bat path is compact with leverage and could eventually add loft which would tap into what looks to be solid to impactful raw power potential. His in game rhythm/timing will still need to be polished as he tends to be slightly late on his swing decisions in my live looks at him which leads to foul balls and more low line drive to hard ground ball contact, but as he continues to see higher level pitching there is a strong offensive profile for Fontyn. He moves well at 1B where he will be at least a solid average defender, but he does look athletic enough to potentially play an OF corner in addition to his work at 1B. Fontyn will be one to keep eyes on as his in game performance develops and he continues to develop his strength/athleticism.

+ ’24 OF/MINF Tommy Castenada A compact framed middle of the diamond athlete who played both 2B and CF in this game and showed the actions/feel for each position to profile there long term. But, what Castenada does in the LH box at the plate is what makes him a college level player where he has a compact direct LH swing with a good feel for his barrel and the ability to play the small game (bunt for a hit, run the bases, situational hitting). As well, Castenada shows pull side authority this season with extra base hits to the pull side gap and RF line including in this game where he stung a loud line drive right at the 1B which had the potential for 3 bases with his running ability if it past the 1B. Another player who would benefit from starting his career at the JUCO level to polish his all around ability and open up 4-year college options for himself.

Pacifica:

+ ’25 1B/OF Devon Wilkes I saw Wilkes last spring in a live look where he stood out a sophomore hitting in the middle of the Pacifica order and drove a pull side HR in game. Coming back to see him again this spring the offensive profile continues to look like a quality one for college programs. A bulkier frame which fits at 1B or could potentially handle LF as he looks more athletic this year he is a solid defender with good actions at 1B fielding/around the bag. His swing is aggressive with a forward move into the baseball and he attacks the baseball with a quick bat. The path is compact/direct with more of a leverage/line drive plane to the middle/pull side of the field that will play as doubles/HR power, but Wilkes could eventually add more loft to his path which could increase his HR power. Either way Wilkes has an inherent feel for finding the barrel as he has absolutely rocketed 5 different balls in game while showing a good approach to stay within the strike zone and making sound swing decisions with timing/rhythm to the operation. While a corner offensive profile tends to be a later priority for college programs Wilkes is one to put on ‘25 recruiting board and keep tabs on because the LH bat is very strong and shows top/middle of the order potential.

+ ’26 C/INF JJ Carmona An intriguing backstop who showed solid ability behind the dish with a good feel for receiving and agility in his block while adding in a fringey average arm that is accurate on his throws to 2B. Where Carmona stood out was what he does in the batters box including multiple in game barrels (drove a pull side double, smoked a single and barreled up an out) while displaying good rhythm/timing to control the strike zone effectively. His approach works the middle to pull side of the field and there is impact to the pull side which as he matures and adds strength to his frame can develop into HR power. The overall baseball toolset is advanced especially on the offensive side, but will need to continue to develop his athleticism and polish his defensive profile and will be a name to file away in the ‘26 class for college programs to follow.

+ ’26 CF Riley Ortega Ortega flashed intriguing athletic ability with his range in CF while displaying a smooth athletic running stride that shows present above average run speed with plus potential (based on how his strength/frame develops). The offensive profile is interesting with a quiet set up/load, balanced in his lower ½ with a direct path that plays to line drives through the middle of the field, but enough bat speed to turn on the ball to the pull side presently. He consistently put the bat on the baseball with a feel for playing the small game. While still young Ortega has a good overall profile presently and the future for him will be impacted by how his frame/strength/athleticism continue to develop but with impact defensive ability at a premium spot and the ability to potentially hit at the top of the lineup should make him a name to keep eyes on in the ‘26 class for college programs.

+ ’25 C/INF Ryan Reyes Listed as a C/INF I did not get a look at him on the defensive side of the game as he was the DH, but the offensive profile showed solid ability. With a direct swing that has some strength to it through contact Reyes barreled the baseball in game while showing feel also for the small game. He stays balanced in his turn which allows him to use the ground for bat speed/impact and with strength in his compact frame he has doubles power presently which could grow into HR power based on polishing his approach at the plate to catch the ball out front more. Reyes will be one I’m interested to see what he looks like defensively to get a better feel for his overall profile, but the offensive ability was enough for him to catch my eyes.

+ ’27 MINF Bobby Ramirez Another freshman getting significant playing time at a premium spot defensively Ramirez has the look of a middle of the diamond defender long term. His feet are fluid and play with rhythm/comfort when working to and through the baseball. The hands are soft with a clean transfer when he plays 2-handed, but shows the ability to play 1-handed on the run. He is a solid athlete who played clean defense in game moving laterally/downhill the one ball he struggled with was a low line drive that short hopped him and was unable to make the play, but with more high level reps he will be able to make the play in the future. The arm is presently below average for a SS, but as only a freshman the strength with develop and he is accurate with his throws to 1B in INF/OF, between innings and in game which project the ability to stay at SS. The offensive looks was centered on a quality approach which showed rhythm/timing in his takes, good approach to stay off of pitches outside the strike zone (drew a walk, was hit by a 3-0 pitch), but I will need to go back and see more of Ramirez to get a better feel for his offensive profile. Needless to say this ‘27 SS is on my radar and one I look forward to seeing plenty of in the future.

Thousand Oaks:

+ ’24 LHP Steven Gormley An uncommitted ’24 this was my 3rd look at Gormley as I caught him twice in 2023 and it’s the definition of crafty/pitchability LHP. Smaller frame with velocity that tickles 79-80 MPH on his FB while mixing a deceptive low 70’s CHG with sink/fade and a looping mid 60’s CB. While Gormley doesn’t light up a radar gun or blow hitters away what he does do is record outs and pitch deep into games on a consistent basis with his ability mix pitches, locate his FB to all 4-quadrants of the zone, throw his offspeed pitches for strikes in any count and rack up soft contact/ground balls in each viewing. His ability to throw his CHG with FB arm speed and get fade/sink to his arm side that hitters start to swing at thinking it’s the upper 70’s FB, but are way out in front or chasing the CHG. Gormley has a potential future at the next level with his ability to mix/match his CB/CHG against RH/LH hitters in a relief role that could eat innings for a bullpen in the future. One thing is certain if he toes a college rubber in the future Gormley is going to compete and attack hitters without fear.

+ ’26 RHP Jameson Berigan An intriguing ’26 arm who has already received a Future Games Tryout based on the quality of the reviews I received on him from coaches and his video the in person look only made me even more intrigued with the future for Berigan. He came in for a 2 inning relief outing and showed me a 4 pitch mix with an athletic delivery, good intent, arm speed and the ability to attack the strike zone. Berigan pitches mainly of his 85-87 MPH FB which touched 88 on several occasions over 2 innings and his short breaking 74-76 MPH SLD that will flash swing/miss potential. But, throughout the two innings he sparingly mixed in a 69-72 MPH CB which had inconsistent shape, but when thrown down in the zone or below has power to the break and a 78-79 MPH CHG which he showed feel for including getting a LH hitter to roll it over to 2B for an out. Berigan punched out 2 hitters over 2 innings and showed what looks like a future starter profile for the Lancers and why he is a name college programs should be adding to their ’26 follow lists for the summer ahead of the Aug. 1 contact date.

+ ’24 INF Cole Howard An uncommitted ’24 who is just returning to the lineup after missing the start of the season with an achilles injury Howard has quickly asserted himself back to being one of the better uncommitted INF’s in the Ventura county area on the strength of the potential in his bat. A strong, compact frame with solid athletic ability Howard plays a good 3B with the arm strength to stick there, but could additionally handle a move to 2B should it be necessary. His actions on the dirt will profile a solid INF defender, but his carrying tool is the quality RH bat he brings to a lineup. With a quick swing that shows both present bat speed with barrel feel and an aggressive approach Howard hits the ball consistently and consistently hits the baseball hard. You could see there was a bit of rust from his time off due to the injury that effected his timing which meant two of the better balls he hit went foul, but Howard found several barrels in game and as he continues to get his game timing back should be a force in the Marmonte League this spring. Howard is one I would love to see go the JUCO route and develop his defensive profile, continue to add athleticism/strength to his ability and polish his very good offensive profile to see what 4-year options would come available to him as a JUCO transfer.

+ ’26 C Matthew Magruder Another intriguing ’26 for the Lancer program who has earned a Future Games Tryout invite based on the quality of my looks at him on video plus the reviews coaches have given me on him and my brief in-person look at him did nothing to disappoint. With multiple games on the week Magruder was splitting the day with another catcher, but once he came in the game with Berigan it was readily apparent the potential this young backstop has. He is mobile in his lower half with present strength to his frame that can be developed/improved as he matures. He is a solid receiver who presents pitches well with good actions to how his glove works but does need to polish his feel for consistently handling misses from pitchers. Magruder looked solid blocking in game with a pair of good blocks on breaking balls down. His arm works with a clean quick transfer and good arm strength plus accuracy to the base, including an in-game throw which was right on the back, but the INF could not hold onto the ball on the tag to record the out. The defensive ability alone is enough to have me intrigued with the future for Magruder, but being a LH hitting catcher who showed a balanced swing with some leverage to the pull side in his one at bat driving a ball to the warning track in RF has me interested to continue to see the offensive ability. Overall, another solid name for college programs to add to the ’26 follow list at a premium spot in the recruiting process.

+ ’25 CF Denten Tetzlaff A lean, wiry athlete who showed some intriguing tools on the day including above average run times down the line (4.2 and below H-1B). Tetzlaff moves well in CF where he has a good first step and the arm will play as fringe average with accuracy on his throws to 3B/Home. At the plate it’s a direct path with a middle of the diamond approach which looks to keep the ball out of the air more to a line drive/hard grounder and plays to his current toolset. He showed a feel to be the barrel on the baseball in game while being able to play the small game. The current skill set is intriguing but Tetzlaff will need to continue to add strength to his frame as he matures, but is one for college programs to follow as a premium defensive position defender who can add length to a lineup with athleticism.

+ ’25 OF Chris Atkins Another lean framed OF who shows potential to stick at a higher priority defensive position in RF where he moved well with solid arm strength and the athletic ability could potentially handle CF. His swing is compact with some leverage through the middle of the field and looseness to the hand path. Atkins hit a pair of balls hard in the game. It’s an interesting profile, but Atkins will need to develop more strength in his frame and polish his all around tool set going forward, but there is a good foundation here. 

Grace:

+ ’24 C Lucas Martinov I got eyes on Lucas during the spring 2023 when I saw him catch current Grand Canyon University RHP Hunter Watkins in which Martinov looked comfortable receiving low 90’s velocity and a quality breaking ball. Seeing him now almost 10 months later Lucas has only continued to get better as a backstop where he profiles potential above average receiving/blocking actions with mobility/agility in his lower ½. The arm works behind the plate although it plays more as an average throw tool, but his accurate and online to the base with consistency in the low 2.0 range. He is a good athlete who runs well and has a leaner athletic frame which has room to put on additional strength which may be necessary for him to handle the rigors of catching at the college level. Martinov has hit well for me in both looks at him and the swing itself has added bat speed with more leverage to what he does through contact. He drove a triple to RCF where he displayed his running ability, barreled another ball in game and drew a walk. Overall, it’s a quality defensive profile at a premium position with an offensive profile to add length/depth to a lineup. Martinov could be a good late 4-year pick up or benefit from starting at JUCO to open up 4-year options for himself.

+ ’24 SS Nate Slaton Providence Christian College Commit Slaton is a spark plug type MINF who hits a top the Lancers order and the LH hitter strung together a good look at his ability on both sides of the game for me on my 2nd look at him (saw in spring 2023). The actions on the INF dirt are solid with athleticism moving laterally/downhill, showing rhythm through the ball and good hands he is better playing with 2 hands than 1 handed. His transfer is consistently clean with an ability to throw from multiple arm slots while showing potentially enough strength to stick at SS long term, but will play well at 2B should he move over at the next level. Slaton has a compact LH swing with a middle of the diamond approach and a natural feel for his barrel (hit multiple balls on the barrel in game with a hit to show for it, while turning on a 89 MPH FB for a loud out to the RF). Slaton is a fringey average athlete who runs decent, but either will need to pack on more strength to add additional power to his game or quicken up a step to run better once he gets to the next level to reach his full potential.

+ ’25 1B/RHP Kyle Zahn A big framed 6’5 220 lbs 1B who came in to close out the game this was my first lengthy live look at Zahn (who I have seen plenty of video on social media of). There is strength to his swing with some impact potential, but can be a little stiff at times when rushed which can all be cleaned up with polish to the approach and continued development of his athleticism/strength. The ball jumps off the bat when he barrels it which he showed with a hard shot in game, but otherwise not much to show on the day at the plate. It’s presently more projection than performance, but you can see power in the swing he can tap into. On the mound I missed getting video of him as it was a 1 inning relief appearance to close out the win (he had thrown a longer outing recently). The arm works with a good delivery while showing an interesting 2 pitch mix in the outing with his FB sitting 82-84 while touching 85, dropping in a 69-71 MPH CB which showed an interesting shape with some potential and threw a CHG during his warm-ups. There is starter potential for Zahn on the mound with a relatively low effort delivery, room to polish/add velocity to his offerings and he showed a solid feel for the strike zone in game. Overall, Zahn is one to keep eyes on for the ’25 class with his power potential at the plate and intriguing profile on the mound.

Foothill Tech:

+ ’24 OF/LHP Adam Arth Arth started the year with a solid showing at the Prep Baseball California OC preseason ID which made me intrigued to go see him play in a game and this live look was a quality one. A good athlete who shows a quality all-around skill set including a feel to hit from the LH side while being a good runner who could potentially stick in CF, but will be a quality defender on either OF corner. His swing is simple and direct with strength in his hands which allow him to deliver the barrel with consistent accuracy including a hard single to RF in a left on left matchup and then turned around an upper 80’s FB later in the game for a loud out right at the 1B. He started the game on the mound working in the 80-82 MPH range with an interesting CB, but the profile for Arth presently looks stronger as a LH hitting potential CF who has strength in his frame with athleticism. Currently an uncommitted ‘24 he could be a late grab for a 4-year program or start his college career at the JUCO level and use the opportunity there to polish his full profile and open up 4-year opportunities for himself.

+ ’27 MINF Cooper Casey Another Prep Baseball California OC preseason ID standout who brought me out to get a live look at him and Casey showed intriguing tools for a freshman starting at the varsity level. With a smaller frame Casey shows good actions both defensively and at the plate that build a good foundation that has room to continue getting better as he matures and adds strength to his frame. His swing is short with a middle/oppo approach that allows him to shoot line drives through the big part of the

+ ’25 MINF Aidan Gomez I saw Gomez last spring when he was playing SS for the Dragons and his profile was similar to that of the Dragons current SS (Cooper Casey) is and his move to 2B has really improved his in game performance. He plays a clean 2B with comfort going laterally and coming downhill on soft contact, while being able to throw from different arm angles with a fringe above average arm for the spot has turned him into a strong defender. Another big improvement for Gomez was his work at the plate  where he showed a quick bat with some impact to it as he turned on a loud out to LF which he drove through a stiff wind and could have potentially without the wind been a pull side HR and shot a 87 MPH FB back up the middle for a single. The approach stays to the middle of the field, but there is enough bat speed and strength to show pull side impact as he displayed that will continue to get better. Gomez is an interesting uncommitted ‘25 for college programs to follow over the course of the spring/summer for an up the middle INF defense spot with potential to add offensive impact.

Names To Know:

In a one day look not all highlights are caught or players won’t always have their best results. With that in mind there were several other players who showed interesting tools/potential or futures. The names below are ones to keep an eye on going into the spring and going forward. Each player below is uncommitted for college coaches to put on their board for potential needs in the ‘24 or ‘25 class.

Rio Mesa:

+ '24 INF Gavin Samora

Thousand Oaks:

+ ‘26 RHP Andrew Albrecht

+ ‘25 SS Dane Holt

+ ‘27 MINF Jake Ange

Ventura:

+ '25 INF Carter Kimble (In sit out period due to transfer)

+ '25 RHP Cooper Tinkey (In sit out period due to transfer)

+ '24 INF Mark Moseley

+ '24 RHP Shane Farrell

+ '26 INF Luis Jungo

Oxnard:

+ '25 SS Carlos Rodriguez