SGV/Whittier Prep Sports Zone: BASEBALL PREVIEW - La Salle, Covina
Lancers appear to be sitting on a big year while youth will be served with Covina Baseball.
(Photo: La Salle High School Athletics)
La Salle High School
Coach: Andy Nieto
Previous Season Record: 18-11
Number of Returning Players: 7
Number of All-League Players Returning: 5
Number of Returning Infielders: 5
Number of Returning Outfielders: 2
Number of Starting Pitchers: 2
Number of Returning Relief Pitchers: 2
Key Infielders Returning
Hunter Vigil 12 6'0"165 1B .354 BA | 4 Errors | 10 RBI | 13 Runs | 2nd Team All League | Hope International Commit)
Travis Ochoa 10 5'8" 150 2B.260 BA |11 RBI | 17 Runs
AC Nieto 12 5'9" 165 SS .354 BA | 10 RBI | 11 Runs | 4 Errors | 1st Team All League
Moises Aguirre 11 6'0" 180 3B .294 BA | 3 Errors
Key Outfielders Returning
David Mysza 12 5'11" 175 CF .420 BA | 8 2B | 4 3B | 1 HR | 25 RBI | 23 Runs | 1st Team All League | UCLA Commit
Peter Callihan 11 5'11" 170 LF .256 BA | 10 Runs
Drew Ward 10 6'3" 170 RF .231 BA
Key Starting Pitchers Returning
Adrian Hernandez 12 6'3" 210 SP 28 Strike Outs
Morgan Sullivan 11 5'10" 160 SP 1.85 ERA | 39 SO | 2nd Team All League
Key Catchers/Designated Hitters Returning
Chris Cardenas 10 6'1" 185 C .296 BA | 13 RBI | 14 Runs | 2nd Team All League
Top Newcoming Players/Transfers
Andrew Luna 9 5'9" 170 3B/P
Frane Flores 9 6'0"165 P
Isaiah Romero 10 5'8" 155 OF Transfer from Maranatha
Aidan Gray 11 5'11" 165 C Transfer from St. Francis
CRYSTAL BALL: Lots to unpack here as longtime coach Andy Nieto has put together one of the top teams in the area. First, La Salle returns one of the top lineups in the area as only three seniors were on the starting lineup card in 2023. That’s huge as most baseball programs see a lot of turnover. Any talk of this team starts with UCLA signee David Mysza (Prep Baseball Report #63 - 2024). He can do it all and you don’t see UCLA coach John Savage making mistakes when it comes to recruiting. Most baseball observers think this kid is perfect for the #3 batting spot in the batting. But with the loss of Will Clougherty due to graduation, don’t be surprised to see this player in the 1, 2, or 3 holes this year. The player that will not be moving from the #4 spot in the lineup is Moses Aguirre. He batted a nice .924 last year and only committed three errors. Lancer fans got robbed of seeing AC Nieto play a complete season (was injured midway through the season) but that won’t be the case in 2024 and Nieto reports that AC is on the launch pad and ready to go. It’ll be interesting to see who Nieto taps to play CF next year, but whoever plays the position will have a talented player traversing left field in Drew Ward (PBR #131, 2026) who stands at 6’3. The pitching will be solid with Adrian Hernandez, Morgan Sullivan, and talented incoming freshman Andrew Luna. Luna, who has been clocked for his fastball in the mid-late 80’s by Perfect Game will be thrown into the fire early as he projects to be in the starting lineup. Throw in Hunter Vigil (2nd team all-league), Travis Ochoa, and Peter Callihan and this team projects to be in the top-5 in the area very easily. The concerns are a few such as finding a closer and a player that can produce in the designated hitter spot. Other than that, this is a team that is locked and loaded for a big season.
Covina coach Tim O’Leary. (Escarcega)
COVINA HIGH SCHOOL
Coach: Tim O’Leary
Previous Season Record: 11-10
Number of Returning Players: 9
Number of All-League Players Returning: 1
Number of Returning Infielders: 2
Number of Returning Outfielders: 2
Number of Starting Pitchers: 3
Number of Returning Relief Pitchers: 3
Key Infielders Returning
Noah Echeverria 12 5'11" 186 2B All Valle Vista League HM
Brandon Chavez 12 5'11" 179 SS
Ryan Silva 11 5'10" 185 3B
Key Outfielders Returning
Ryan Sarver 11 6'2" 181 CF
Key Starting Pitchers Returning
Declan Bowers 11 6'1" 178 SP
Ryan Sarver 11 6'2"181 SP
Ricky Alvarez 11 5'9" 165 SP
Top Newcoming Players/Transfers
Donovan Rendon 11 6" 194 C South Hills transfer
Lucas Thorpe 10 5'11" 195 OFWalnut transfer
Comments from Coach O’Leary: “We graduated (8) starting SR's last year, so we will be are relatively young squad, likely only starting (2) or (3) SR's this year. However, we are deep on the mound and will play arguably the toughest schedule in the Valley comparative to our D6 ranking. We will be playing in the National Classic over Spring Break against the toughest teams in SoCal in preparation for our Valle Vista league play against perennial powers San Dimas, Charter Oak, and Northview. Over 60% of our scheduleis against teams in divisions higher than us. Our pitching and defense will need to keep us in games, and our offense will scratch & claw to score runs any way we can. If we can securean AQ in league, we have the team to possibly make a run in CIF.”
CRYSTAL BALL: As coach O’Leary has mentioned, this team will be very young in 2024, which will be interesting considering the strength that San Dimas and Charter Oak have on their rosters. But that is not to think that the Colts are not without a few weapons at their disposal. The player that the program is high on is Noah Echeverria, a second baseman who earned Honorable Mention all-league honors. Has played in all 21 games last year and produced a .333 batting average. The team’s second leading hitter is back in third baseball Ryan Silva (.417 BA). One of the more important players on the s team is OF/SP Ryan Sarver. The junior made six appearances on the mound last year and won two games. He’ll be relied on heavily this year. The Colts do have two transfers coming in from two big-time programs, so when you look at the whole picture, this team does have a chance to make the postseason if the ball bounces fairly for them. But, you would have to think that this program will be one to watch in 2025.
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