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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 Maranatha Minutemen, a CIF-Southern Section Division I school out of Pasadena competing in the Olympic League. Led by 14-year head coach Matt Shupper, the Minutemen went 21-6 last year turning in a perfect 12-0 record in league play and a berth into the CIF-Southern playoffs.

Maranatha enters the 2024 season with returning impact players '24 RHP/INF AJ Beltre (Washington), '24 RHP Andrew Miller (CSU Fullerton), '25 RHP Zach Strickland (UCLA), and '26 OF/RHP Eric Zdunek (TCU). Coach Shupper said, "Pitching and defense will be a big strength for us. We will take care of the baseball and our pitchers will do a great job of challenging hitters."

Newcomers to the varsity team looking to make an impact by filling vacancies or platooning with upperclassmen include '26 3B/RHP Noah Everly, '25 INF Dougie Zuniga, '25 RHP Matthew Vazquez, '25 INF/OF Matthw Kurkdjian, '25 LHP Carson Kelly, and '25 C Dylan Garcia. Another newcomer to keep an eye on will be transfer '24 OF/C Thomas Lieb who will likely hit in the middle of the lineup. 

And while they may be a year away in some instances, the Minutemen have some underclassmen looking to break into the lineup and rotation including '26 RHP/INF Gabriel Barragan, '26 OF Noe Zavala, and '26 RHP Dylan Hoang. 

We will get to see a full range of players and the first test of Maranatha's depth at the Preseason Invitational as the Minutemen look to solidify and define their lineup and rotation for the 2024 season. 

College Commitments:

'24 RHP/INF AJ Beltre - Washington - 6'0 180 lbs.

'24 RHP Andrew Miller - CSU Fullerton - 6'8 240 lbs.

'24 INF Beau Stubbs - PCC - 5'8 160 lbs.

'25 RHP Zach Strickland - UCLA - 6'1 175 lbs.

'26 OF/RHP Eric Zdunek - TCU - 6'2 170 lbs.

Top Uncommitted ‘25s:

'25 RHP Jacob Yun - 6'1 180 lbs.

'25 INF Dougie Zuniga - 5'8 170 lbs.

'25 RHP Matthew Vazquez - 6'2 185 lbs.

'25 INF/OF Matthew Kurkdjian - 6'0 170 lbs.

'25 C Dylan Garcia - 5'10 165 lbs.

'25 LHP Carson Kelly - 6'0 160 lbs.

Top Uncommitted ‘26s:

'26 3B/RHP Noah Everly - 6'1 175 lbs.

'26 RHP/INF Gahbriel Barragan - 5'10 180 lbs.

'26 OF Noe Zavala - 5'10 160 lbs.

'26 RHP Dylan Hoang - 6'3 185 lbs.

'26 RHP Owen Lieb - 6'4 185 lbs.

'26 OF Bradley Loiacono - 5'11 170 lbs.

Top Uncommitted ‘27s:

'27 C/SS Yahir Treto

'27 1B/RHP Lukus Perez

'27 SS/RHP Kaden Lai

'27 OF/RHP Jaiden Lai

'27 INF/RHP Santiago Garza

'27 SS Trevor Rivas

'27 C/INF/RHP Moses Llamas

'27 C/INF Ethan Jimenez

'27 LHP Che Thomas Coleman

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

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