Follow @PrepBaseballCA Follow @LesLukach Follow @PBRmonkFollow @hardy03bsblFollow @HankLoForte

At The Yard Podcast: New Episode LIVE now!

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 Highland Bulldogs.

2025 TEAM OUTLOOK

High School: Highland Bulldogs
Head Coach: Chris Paxton
CIF Section: Southern Section
Division: Division 
2024 Record (Playoff Finish): 23-6 (CIF-SS D4 Playoffs)
Key Players Lost: Will Paxton, Caleb Montemayor, Cesar Casas, Christian Arreloa, Carlos Toro, Jacob Badillo

+ No. Returning Positional Players: 8
+ No. Returning Pitchers: 3
+ Team Strengths: Strong presence behind the dish with offensive upside. 

+ Key Players: 

Seniors:

+ '25 RHP/OF Patrick Diehl 

+ '25 3B/OF Jayden Carrillo

Juniors:

+ '26 C Cole Studt

+ '26 RHP/OF Colton Booterbaugh

+ '26 Josiah Rodriguez 

+ '26 RHP Hudson Harding

+ Projected Starters: To be determined

+ Projected Relievers: To be determined

IMPACT UNDERCLASSMEN 

+ '27 SS/2B Nick Gonzales

+ '27 INF/RHP Jacob Aragon

+ '27 1B/LHP Jake Wilson

+ '27 INF Mateo Dominguez

+ '27 Ruben Cabrera

+ '27 Victor Hernandez

BOTTOM LINE

Replacing a 2x Golden League Player of the Year in Will Paxton who fronted the offense for multiple years and was a stalwart piece of the pitching staff would be difficult for any program and then add in 5 other big time performers graduating from the program there will be plenty of new faces in key places. Their pitching staff has 36 total innings of varsity experience heading into 2025 and those arms are going to need to step up along with newcomers to the varsity level from the lower levels of the program. As well, their lineup is going to need big steps forward out of their returning pieces to help carry the load while the new faces gets acclimated to playing on the varsity level consistently.

PREP BASEBALL CA STAFF’S TAKE

I'm a big fan of the LHH catcher Cole Studt who has the impact in his bat to hopefully be able to provide numbers to help make up for the production that will be lost from players like Paxton, Montemayor and others. He is a strong presence behind the plate and while it's a lofty expectation to place upon any player there is potential in Studt to eventually bring another Golden League Player of the Year award back to the program after Paxton won back to back awards in 2023/2024. I like the potential for their underclassmen to help provide impact quickly on the varsity level especially in the form of Nick Gonzalez and Jake Wilson with what they can bring to the lineup if they are able to perform to their potential, plus with Jacob Aragon having a year of developing to improve on the solid 2024 campaign he had as a FR. playing on the varsity level. If the likes of Carrillo, Diehl and Booterbaugh can also take strides forward and put themselves in prominent roles for the Bulldogs they have a chance to finish right near the top of the Golden League yet again. - Steven Hardesty Assistant Scouting Director

Learn more about California’s 2025 spring season below:

+ Follow Highland on X: @HHS_Bulldogs1
+ Find more team previews on the Prep Baseball California Season Previews homepage

FOLLOW US THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

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

MORE 2025 TEAM PREVIEWS

Upcoming Events

2025 TEAM PREVIEWS

Showcase	State	Date	Location
Orange County Rising Stars ID (2029-2030 Grads)	CA	03/02	Mater Dei High School - Santa Ana, CA
Central California Rising Stars ID (2029-2030 Grads)	CA	03/23	Ventura College - Ventura, CA
Inland Empire Rising Stars ID (2029-2030 Grads)	CA	03/30	Corona High School - Corona, CA
Los Angeles Rising Stars ID (2029-2030 Grads)	CA	04/27	O'Malley Field - Sepulveda Basin, CA
2025 Future Games Tryout: Fullerton	CA	05/31	Fullerton College
2025 Future Games Tryout: Los Angeles	CA	05/31	Loyola Marymount University
2025 Future Games Tryout: Malibu	CA	05/31	Pepperdine University - Malibu, CA
2025 ProCase - West	CA	06/01	Loyola Marymount University - Los Angeles, CA
2025 Future Games Tryout: Central California	CA	06/07	Antelope Valley College - Lancaster, CA
2025 Future Games Tryout: Northern California	CA	06/14	Consumnes River College - Sacramento, CA

MORE PREP BASEBALL NEWS