Prep Baseball Report

2025 High School Previews: El Modena Vanguards


Steven Hardesty
Assistant Scouting Director

 

  

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The 2025 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 these individual programs across California. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 25 rankings.

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 2025 preseason coverage continues today with a preview of the El Modena Vanguards.


2025 TEAM OUTLOOK

High School: El Modena Vanguards
Head Coach: Josh Kliner
CIF Section: Southern Section
Division: 3
2024 Record (Playoff Finish): 19-9-1 (2nd Round)
Key Players Lost: Nick Santivanez, Logan Asch

+ No. Returning Positional Starters: 8
+ No. Returning Pitchers: 5
+ Team Strengths: We can create havoc on the basepaths with our team speed and ability to take extra bases. As well, we are gritty and tough as a team who will compete in every game we play.

ROSTER PREVIEW

+ Key Players:

Seniors:

+ '25 OF Christian Tafua

+ '25 1B Adrian Perez

+ '25 RHP/INF Fausto Aguirre

+ '25 RHP Eric Ordaz

+ '25 C Weston Abbey 

Juniors:

+ '26 SS Logan Honikel

+ '26 INF/RHP Ryan Novajoski

+ '26 OF Jeremy Russell

+ Projected Starters: Eric Ordaz. Ryan Novajoski. Cash Ferinac. Fausto Aguirre
+ Projected Relievers: Matthew Gutierrez. Noah Nunez. Marco Marquez. Logan Honikel. Jesse leslie

IMPACT UNDERCLASSMEN

+ '27 Cash Ferinac

+ '27 Matthew Gutierrez

+ '27 Jacob Lopez 

BOTTOM LINE

With the a lineup boasting athleticism and the ability to create havoc on the bases we are going to put plenty of pressure on opposing defenses to take care of the baseball. This group is also tough and gritty with the ability to play hard nosed baseball and compete whenever we step on the diamond. - Coach Kliner

PREP BASEBALL CA STAFF’S TAKE

The Vanguards will look to replace a couple of key pitchers in 2025, but the cupboard is not bare by any means with a trio of upperclassmen and a standout sophomore to frontload the pitching staff with a number of experienced upperclassmen behind them. Where El Modena will earn their stripes will be offensively where this is a deep, talented, and experienced lineup. The Vanguards can play small ball and they can double you to death. They can steal bags and they can take extra bags. Smart and heady is a great way to descibe the way they play the game. - Les Lukach

Learn more about California’s 2025 spring season below:

+ Follow El Modena on X: @elmobaseball
+ Find more team previews on the Prep Baseball California Power 25 homepage

FOLLOW US THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball California on X
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+ Prep Baseball California on Facebook
+ Prep Baseball California on YouTube

MORE 2025 TEAM PREVIEWS

Upcoming Events

Showcase State Date Location
Orange County Preseason ID CA 01/02/25 JSerra
San Diego Preseason All State (Invite Only) CA 01/04/25 Maranatha Christian High School
Central California Preseason All State (Invite Only) CA 01/05/25 Antelope Valley College
Central California Preseason ID CA 01/12/25 Ventura College
North Bay Preseason ID CA 01/25/25 Novato High School
Northern California Preseason All State (Invite Only) CA 01/26/25 Ohlone College
East Bay Preseason ID CA 02/01/25 Pittsburg High School

MORE PREP BASEBALL NEWS