Preseason Invitational Matchup Preview: Yucaipa v Mira Costa

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - The Inaugural PBR California Preseason Invitational will kick off on Saturday, February 12, 2022 as the officially CIF Southern Section sanctioned tournament will play host to some of the top teams from around SoCal and the entire state. With the changes in the rules for permissible games allowed taking effect in 2022, PBR California believed coaches would want every non-league game to be against the best competition they can play against which proved to be true. With over half the field in the California Power 25 rankings, the PBR California Preseason Invitational will be heavily scouted by both our own staff and pro scouts alike thanks to the amount of draft talent participating in the event this year. 

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for updates throughout the tournament. You can also see the full schedule here. 

In the matchup preview we will take a closer look at the Yucaipa v Mira Costa game.  

MIRA COSTA

PRESEASON INVITATIONAL SCHEDULE

During his tenure, sixth year head coach Keith Ramsey has built a program around pitching, defense, and stellar defensive play and we can expect more of the same this season. The Mustangs have a strong mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen that will once again place in this mix for a Bay League championship with eyes on a deep run in the CIF-SS Division I playoffs. Seniors Alex Rohm, Ben Gneiser, and Addison Lee frontline a staff that also features junior Dillon Despain and sophomores Alito McBean and Maximo Martinez. That depth on the mound will win a lot of games for the Mustangs. The bats are talented as well with Despain, Robert Love, Connor Meidroth, Ryan Matsukawa, Gneiser, and Max Anderson leading the way. The Mustangs will also count on talented underclassmen Martinez and Win Gurney to contribute offensively. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

ROBERT LOVE 

CONNOR MEIDROTH

RYAN MATSUKAWA 

BEN GNEISER 

DILLON DESPAIN 

MAX ANDERSON 

ALEX ROHM 

BEN GNEISER 

ADDISON LEE 

ALITO MCBEAN 

MAXIMO MARTINEZ 

WIN GURNEY 

FROM COACH RAMSEY:

“Mira Costa will take the field with many new faces this 2022 season. With a tough slate both in and out of league it should be a competitive schedule all around. The return of many quality seniors that know how to win combined with some talented juniors and sophomores it looks to be a promising year for the Mustangs. We had a great fall, and this group loves to compete so I’m looking forward to  getting out there with this group. Like in the past, we will rely on our ability to pitch and defend but we definitely have some talented bats in the lineup. Looking forward to a great season. “

YUCAIPA

PRESEASON INVITATIONAL SCHEDULE

Fifth year head coach Ralph Grajeda has elevated a proud program to the highest levels in terms of winning and talent. The term “brotherhood” is often used to describe teams and in the case of Yucaipa that’s the best way to describe a team that has many players that have been playing together since their youth baseball days. MLB Draft prospect Jacob Reimer frontlines a loaded roster that features draft prospects in the next three classes. Juniors Luke Scherrer and Owen, along with sophomores Wes Hickey and Daniel Arambula will be names to know as the conversation of future draft hits their classes. The rotation features four Division I commits in Carter Herrera, Egan, Carter Elliot, and Wyatt Doty. Add in Chase Antillon and Trevor Busby and the Thunderbirds have, on paper, one of the deepest teams in the section. In the end, for the Thunderbirds it’s going to come down to pitching and defense as is the case with many teams. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

JACOB REIMER

CARTER HERRERA

OWEN EGAN

 LUKE SCHERRER

DANNY ARMABULA

WES HICKEY

CARTER ELLIOTT

WYATT DOTY

CHASE ANTILLON

TREVOR BUSBY

DANNY ARAMBULA

FROM COACH GRAJEDA:
“The team is experienced on the mound and at the plate. We’ll go as far as our pitching takes us. We are looking for a successful season. It’s a close group as most of them grew up together from Little League on. It’s a true brotherhood right now in the program.”