2020 Preseason Preview: Weed Cougars
January 21, 2020
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The Road to the California State Games begins with the 2020 California high school baseball season. With the season just around the corner, our Staff has begun putting out team previews from all around the state getting you prepare for another year of exciting coverage.
In this edition we will take a closer look at the Weed Cougars (Weed, CA), a Far North program bringing in the youth to a group of returners and looking for a strong 2020 season.
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TEAM:
Weed Cougars
HEAD COACH (years at school):
Josh Oates (13)
OFFICIAL TWITTER:
CIF SECTION & DIVISION:
Northern Section, Division 5
CONFERENCE/LEAGUE NAME:
Shasta Cascade League
LAST YEAR’S RECORD:
7-11
PLAYOFF RUN:
N/A
# OF RETURNING STARTERS:
7
# OF RETURNING PITCHERS:
4
OUTLOOK:
The Weed Cougars may be one of the highest North teams we preview this year, but this team shows that quality baseball occurs all throughout the state of California. The Cougars are a young team with 5 upperclassmen yet even with a young team are prepared to compete going into the 2020 season with a team that has 7 returning players including the entire infield. With that much experience, expectations are for the culture to continue carrying the young players up to a higher competition level. Coach Oates needs to find some locks for his OF to make the overall defense be improved as well as on the hill, but he believes some of that youth will take roles and run with them. When teams rely on youth, it’s a strong recipe to building continued success and the Weed Cougars are looking to do just that.
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS:
2020 1B/P Alex Guzman - 6-1, 210, R/R
Team captain. Very solid defensive 1st baseman and a strike thrower on the mound. Middle of the order bat.
2020 C/P Chris Dahmen - 6-1, 165, R/R
Team captain. Improving defensively as a catcher. Shows flashes of being a #1 on the mound.
2021 SS/P Jarrod Keen - 5-9, 175, R/R
Our best offensive player last season. Good base runner with a high baseball IQ and strong love for the game.
2021 3B/P Hunter Smith - 6-1, 165, R/R
Solid third baseman with potential on the mound. Improved with the bat last season.
THE FUTURE:
2022 2B/1B Brandon Cores - 6-0, 165, L/R
Versatile player with a great power potential at the plate as a left-handed batter. Solid defensively with above average speed and great baseball IQ.
2023 SS/P Lucas Briggs - 5-7, 155, R/R
Showed promise during a local fall baseball season. Solid infielder and a strike thrower on the mound. Strong passion for the game of baseball.
2023 LHP Patrick Hill - 5-10, 150, L/L
We expect him to be our left-handed arm of the future.
UPCOMING EVENTS
| SHOWCASE | STATE | DATE | LOCATION |
| Winter Update Series powered by Monterey Bay Pirates | CA | 01/24 | Monterey Bay Pirates Facility |
| NorCal Preseason All-State (Invite-Only) | CA | 01/25 | Islanders Field at River Islands |
| Winter Update Series powered by EM Sports | CA | 01/27 | EM Sports - Long Beach |
| Winter Update Series powered by EM Sports | CA | 01/28 | EM Sports - San Diego |
| Winter Update Series powered by FBK1 | CA | 01/30 | FBK1 |
| California Far North Preseason I.D. | CA | 02/01 | Chico HS |
| Super 60 Pro Showcase | NATIONAL | 02/02 | The MAX - McCook, IL |
| Winter Update Series powered by Mike Murphy Baseball | CA | 02/08 | MMB - Walnut Creek |
| SoCal Underclass Games ID - Los Angeles | CA | 02/09 | O'Malley Family Field |
| Winter Update Series powered by EM Sports | CA | 02/10 | EM Sports - Rancho Cucamonga |
| 2020 PBR Future Games (California Invite) | CA | 07/29 | LakePoint Sports |
