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 Maranatha Minutemen.

2025 TEAM OUTLOOK

High School: Maranatha Minutemen
Head Coach: Matt Shupper
CIF Section: Southern Section
Division: Division 2 (2024)
2024 Record (Playoff Finish): 22-7 (CIF-SS D2 playoffs, lost 2nd round to Ayala)
Key Players Lost: AJ Beltre (USD), Thomas Lieb (OK State)

+ No. Returning Positional Players: 6
+ No. Returning Pitchers: 6
+ Team Strengths: Pitching, Defense with some top talent hitters mixed in

+ Key Players: 

Seniors:

+ '25 Zach Strickland UCLA Commit

+ '25 Josh Proctor Oregon State Commit

+ '25 Matthew Vazquez

+ '25 Jacob Yun

+ '25 Dylan Garcia

+ '25 Matthew Kurkdjian

+ '25 Carson Kelly

+ '25 Dougie Zuniga

Juniors:

+ '26 Eric Zdunek TCU Commit

+ '26 Gabe Barragan

+ '26 Dylan Hoang

+ '26 Owen Lieb

+ '26 Will Suslow

+ '26 Noe Zavala

+ '26 Bradley Loiacono

+ Projected Starters: Zach Strickland, Matthew Vazquez, Dylan Hoang, Carson Kelly

+ Projected Relievers: Owen Lieb, Jacob Yun, Kaden Lai

IMPACT UNDERCLASSMEN 

+ '28 Jayden Morales

+ '27 Ryan Geeting

+ '27 Lukus Perez

+ '27 Trevor Rivas

+ '27 Kaden Lai

BOTTOM LINE

Replacing a pair of stalwarts from the 2024 team lineup will be vital, but the 2025 squad has a pair of talented D1 commits leading it with depth throughout to make it a potential strength. The strength of the pitching staff/defensive side of the game will be instrumental in the sucess of this years squad especially with a legitimate ace taking the ball to start each week.

PREP BASEBALL CA STAFF’S TAKE

With Beltre and Lieb off to play D1 baseball now the order does lose some star power, but the trio of Proctor, Zdunek and Strickland fronting it build a strong foundation. Then adding in returners who put together strong 2024 campaigns like Yun and Barragan who both hit over .300 in significant playing time with hopefully forward steps from players who are stepping into full-time roles this year the Minutemen could have a deep lineup from top to bottom. On the mound, having a legitimate ace for the high school level like Strickland fronting a rotation will make them extremely difficult to beat anytime he toes the rubber and then Vazquez coming off a sub 2.00 ERA season in 35.1 innings pitched provides a talented number 2 with plenty of varsity experience. Seeing growth in the performances of the arms behind these 2 will be key to building off a 2024 Olympic League title and making a deeper run into the CIF-SS playoffs, but the depth of the Minutemen's roster from the upperclass down into the underclass talents on the rise have them in prime position to put that type of season together. - Steven Hardesty Assistant Scouting Director

Learn more about California’s 2025 spring season below:

+ Follow Maranatha on X: @mhsbaseballfam
+ 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

Showcase	State	Date	Location
Orange County Rising Stars ID	CA	03/02/25	Mater Dei High School
Central California Rising Stars ID	CA	03/23/25	Ventura College
Inland Empire Rising Stars ID	CA	03/30/25	Corona High School
Los Angeles Rising Stars ID	CA	04/27/25	O'Malley Field

MORE PREP BASEBALL NEWS