2024 Team Preview: Temescal Canyon

March 8, 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 season coverage continues today.

High School: Temescal Canyon Titans
Head Coach: Neal Post
CIF Section: CIF-SS, Division 3
Conference League: Raincross Conference / Ivy League
2023 Record: 14-14
Team X Handle: @tctitansbsbl

Team Strengths: While we graduated 2 of our 3 top pitchers and some other seniors that had meaningful offensive contributions, we are returning a majority of our starters and key offensive players. Baserunning should be a team strength this year as we are returning our top 2 base stealers (Jonathan Reece and Gannon Gonzales) and have decent team speed throughout the lineup. We are returning our entire infield, less our 1st basemen, who all have had a lot of experience, so our defense should be a strength as well. We also return our best pitcher Thomas Padilla (maybe not by numbers, but definitely by way of his stuff) and have 2 others that got to cut their teeth last year.
No. of Returning Starters: 5
No. of Returning Pitchers: 3

COMMITTED PLAYERS

+ ‘24 INF Branson Terry - Cal State Fullerton - 6’1 165 lbs.
+ ‘24 Ryder Costa - Salem University
+ ‘24 C/2B Bennett Murray - Cypress College - 5’11 175 lbs.

TOP UNCOMMITTED SENIORS

+ ‘24 LHP Arturo Desantiago - 5'11 170lbs. - New to pitching but misses bats

TOP UNCOMMITTED JUNIORS

+ ‘25 MIF Jonathan Reece - 5'10 160 lbs. - All-CIF 2nd Team last year, Middle infielder who will pitch for us, leader in most offense categories for us last year.
+ ‘25 RHP/OF/2B Gannon Gonzales - 5'10 150 lbs. - He can play anywhere and has a high baseball IQ.
+ ‘25 C Brock Dixon - 6'0 180 lbs. - Defensive catcher with offensive potential, best work ethic and make-up guy on the team..

TOP UNDERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2026

+ ‘26 RHP/OF Thomas Padilla - 6'2 160 lbs. - Our #1 pitcher last year, great arm action, best pitch is his change up.
+ ‘26 OF JT Carlile - 5'11 150 lbs. - Speed is his game, hits to all fields
+ ‘26 RHP Brennen Massey - 6'1 175 lbs. - Two-sport varsity athlete (waterpolo), will see a lot of time on the mound this year.
+ ‘26 RHP/1B Jacob Miko - 5'11 190 lbs. - Strike thrower that misses bats, has big power potential.

Class of 2027

+ ‘27 RHP Julian Gutierrez - 6'1 165 lbs. 2 sport athlete (football), has potential to pitch on varsity this year

TEAM OUTLOOK

Off to an even 4-4 record, the Titans have yet to hit their stride early on into 2024. Still, there are a number of talented prospects that have already made some noise. Leading the way offensively, has been ‘24 Branson Terry, who has tallied a .440 batting average in his 25 at-bats with eight RBIs. Junior duo, Jonathan Reece and Gannon Gonzales each have hit to a .435 batting thus far while also combining for eight RBIs.

The Titans have also relied on a plethora of arms already this season, too. ‘25 Caden Lenart has been hot to start the season, as he currently possesses a .91 ERA in three appearances. Underclassman ‘26 Thomas Padilla has been a strikeout machine early on too, as he already has racked up 24 punch outs in 18 innings of work. ‘26 Brennen Massey is another underclassman arm to note on this team, and he has already been a big part for the Titans rotation this season.

Coach Neal Post’s Expectations: “We expect to compete for the Ivy League title and make a run in the playoffs”