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LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - For the third consecutive year, the 2024 CIF-Southern Section high school baseball season will again kick off with the premier spring high school baseball tournament in Southern California, the Prep Baseball California Spring Invitational. The 16 team field will compete in a bracketed, winner-take-all format that will once again feature many of California's top prep baseball teams. This tournament holds massive implications for our Power 25 State Rankings and annually gives pro scouts an early glimpse into how some of the area's top draft prospects perform out the gate.

We continue with the El Dorado Hawks, a CIF-Southern Section Division I school out of Placentia competing in the Crestview League. Led by 12th year head coach Matt Lucas, the Hawks went 16-12 last year turning in a second place finish in the Crestview League en route to a playoff berth.

El Dorado enters the 2024 season with returning impact players, highlighted by ‘24 RHP Andrew Frausto (San Diego), who returns a 1.69 ERA from last year and a team high 20 runs scored from the leadoff spot, too. Coach Lucas said, “We will be looking to replace quite a bit this year offensively but do return four starters in the lineup. Pitching should be a strength this year and should keep us competitive.”

Newcomers to the varsity team looking to make an impact by filling vacancies or platooning with upperclassmen include ‘24 RHP Travis Maxwell, ‘26 RHP/OF Logan Steenburgen, ‘25 RHP/1B Grant Thomas, and ‘26 RHP/INF Julian Rodriguez.

And while they may be a year away in some instances, the Hawks have some underclassmen looking to break into the lineup and rotation including classmate of the aforementioned Steenburgen and Thomas, ‘26 C Brady Abner.

Coach Lucas also added, “The Hawks should compete for a league championship and are hoping to make a deep run in the playoffs.”

We will get to see a full range of players and the first test of El Dorado’s depth at the Prep Baseball California Spring Invitational as the Hawks look to get off to a hot start to the 2024 high school baseball season.

College Commitments:

’24 RHP/SS Andrew Frausto - San Diego - 5’11 175 lbs.

Top Uncommitted ‘25s:

’25 RHP/1B Grant Thomas

‘25 Diego Gonzalez - 6’0 150 lbs.

Top Uncommitted ‘26s:

’26 RHP/OF Logan Steenburgen - 6’3 195 lbs.

‘26 RHP/INF Julian Rodriguez - 5’9 160 lbs.

‘26 C Brady Abner - 5’11 155 lbs.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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