2024 Preseason Preview: Quartz Hill

February 1, 2024
By: Isaiah Glidden
Staff Writer

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The 2024 California high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across California.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in their respective CIF Section Championship Game, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across California. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 25 rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action and the Third Annual Prep Baseball California Spring Invitational.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across California. Each week we will be releasing our Power 25, Players of the Week, Diamond Notes, Podcasts and much more.

Our 2024 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: Quartz Hill Royals
Head Coach: Aaron Kavanagh
CIF Section: CIF-SS, Division 2
Conference League: Golden League
2023 Record: 25-5
Team X Handle: NA

Team Strengths: Pitching. Lots of solid arms
No. of Returning Starters: 5
No. of Returning Pitchers: 6
Areas of Improvement: Offense. Graduated some good players.

COMMITTED PLAYERS

+ ‘24 C Esteban Sepulveda - Pepperdine - 5'11 175 lbs.
+ ‘24 1B/LHP Isaac Quintero - Cal State Los Angeles - 5'9 170 lbs.
+ ‘24 1B/LHP Ismael Quintero - Cal State Los Angeles - 5'9 170 lbs.
+ ‘24 OF Troy Johnson - Northland College - 5'9 150 lbs.

TOP UNCOMMITTED SENIORS

+ ‘24 SS Owen Rice - 5'10 170 lbs.
+ ‘24 3B/ OF/RHP Jeffrey Kavanagh - 6'1 170 lbs.
+ ‘24 OF Connor Gregory - 6'2 170 lbs.

TOP UNCOMMITTED JUNIORS

+ ‘25 INF/OF Blake Johnson - 5’7 125 lbs.
+ ‘25 RHP Christopher Lozano - 5’10, 180 lbs.
+ ‘25 1B/OF/RHP Jason Uribe - 6’2 215 lbs.

TOP UNDERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2026

+ ‘26 INF/OF Hector Anaya - 5’8 135 lbs.
+ ‘26 OF/RHP Zach Dizon - 5’11 125 lbs.
+ ‘26 OF Chris Struble - 5’8 140 lbs.
+ ‘26 IN/OF Austin Wood - 5’9 145 lbs.

TEAM OUTLOOK

In 2024 the Royals will rely on a number of experienced seniors to lead the way. Pepperdine commit, ‘24 Esteban Sepulveda will be a leader behind the plate for Quartz Hills and he returns a team high five home runs from last year. ‘24 Isaac Quintero and ‘24 Ismael Quintero will both be making two-way contributions throughout the year, with Ismael being the Royals’ No. 1. Some other seniors to note are ‘24 Troy Johnson, ‘24 Owen Rice, ‘24 Jeffrey Kavanagh, and ‘24 Connor Gregory.

There are also a handful of junior who will be getting their first full season of varsity baseball this year. Amongst them, ‘25 Christopher Lozano is expected to be the teams No. 2 according to Coach Kavanagh. Fellow juniors, ‘25 Blake Johnson and ‘25 Jason Uribe are going to be relied on offensively, with Uribe also contributing on the mound, too. Underclassmen, ‘26 Hector Anaya, ‘26 Zach Dizon, ‘26 Chris Struble, and ‘26 Austin Wood will round out this team during their sophomore campaigns.

Coach Aaron Kavanagh’s Expectations: “A very senior laden team returns for 2024”