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Each week, coaches around the state submit to us their nominations for the Prep Baseball California Player of the Week for NorCal and SoCal. Week 3 Players of the Week honors went to Jackson Norum (La Jolla Country Day, 2025) and Cullen Hirtensteiner (Christian Hertiage, 2025). Norum went 6/9 at the plate with two home runs and seven RBI. Hirtensteiner struck out 15 batters over a complete game shutout in a 1-0 victory over Channel Islands, allowing only three hits on the day.

There were several other impressive performances across the week that were in the mix for both awards and deserve recognition. Here’s a rundown of some of the other standouts of the week.

WEEK 3 DIAMOND NOTES

+ Landis Nguyen, OF/RHP (Madison, 2027)

Nguyen was instrumental in all three games for Madison, going 5-for-9, with a walk, and 4 runs scored out of the leadoff spot. Being the sparkplug for the offense this week, Nguyen helped lead Madison to a 2-1 record.

+ Damian Catano, 1B/LHP (Arcadia, 2026)

The lefty Catano showed his effectiveness on both sides of the ball for Arcadia. Across two games, Catano went 6-for-8 with a 2B, 3B, 5 RBI, and 5 runs scored. Catano also earned the win vs. Muir High School with 4 scoreless innings, striking out 5.

+ Braden Litt, RHP/SS (Temecula Prep, 2025)

With only the league opener on the schedule for Temecula Prep, Litt showed out on both sides of the ball. Litt began the game with a leadoff HR, finishing the day 2-for-4 with a 2B, HR, RBI, and 2 runs scored. On the mound, Litt struck out 13 across 6.1 innings, giving up only 2 hits, 2 walks, and an unearned run to earn the win vs. Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac. Litt is now 3-0 on the season, with 31 strikeouts over 15.1 innings.

+ Logan Steenburgen, RHP/OF (El Dorado, 2026)

Steenburgen delivers his sharpest outing of the season, throwing a 1-0 complete game shutout on Friday against El Modena. Steenburgen scattered 5 hits across his 7 innings of work, striking out 6 and walking none. Steenburgen improves to 2-0, with a SV on the season, striking out 18 over 17 innings.

+ Corbin Culver, 3B/OF/RHP (Buchanan, 2027)

Excels at plate as the DH to help lead a doubleheader sweep vs. West Ranch. Batting out of the 3 and 4 spots across the two games, Culver went 4-for-5 with a 2B, 4 RBI, and a run scored.

+ Joseph Engin, RHP (Archbishop Mitty, 2026)

Engin tosses a dominant 5-inning no-hitter vs. Christopher in his first start of the year. Throwing 42 of his 68 pitches for strikes, Engin finished with 9 strikeouts against 2 walks.

+ David Rodriguez, RHP (Lakeside, 2025)

Rodriguez has his finest outing of the early season, with a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over Woodcrest Christian. Walking only 2, Rodriguez struck out 11 over the 7 innings.

+ Cash Ferinac, RHP (El Modena, 2027)

Ferinac had 6 strong innings of 1 run ball in a pitchers' duel vs. El Dorado. With a pitch to contact approach, Ferinac limited El Dorado to 4 hits and only 2 walks across his outing.

+ Fausto Aguirre, RHP (El Modena, 2025)

Aguirre set the tone with a scoreless start in an extra-inning matchup against Cypress. Aguirre mixed in 2 strikeouts, while Cypress only managed 4 hits and 2 walks against him.

+ Stevie Jones, OF/LHP (Corona Del Mar, 2026)

Getting the start vs. Tesoro, the lefty Jones threw 61 of his 88 pitches for strikes to extend Corona Del Mar's season opening win streak to 5 games. Jones finished with 13 strikeouts over 6 scoreless innings, giving up only 3 hits and a walk.

+ Garrett Jacobs, RHP (Mira Costa, 2025)

Jacobs pitched an efficient shutout vs. Notre Dame to bring Mira Costa to a 5-2 record early on in the season. Jacobs gave up only 2 hits to the leadoff batter over his 7 scoreless innings. Jacobs struck out 5 and walked none, throwing 58 strikes over his 79 pitches. On the season, Jacobs has now given up only 1 run over 18 innings while striking out 34 batters against 3 walks.

+ Jared Grindlinger, OF/LHP (Huntington Beach, 2027)

Grindlinger shined on both sides of the ball in the season opening win vs. Harvard-Westlake. Starting in LF and batting 7th, Grindlinger went 2-for-3 with 2 2B and an RBI. The sophomore moved to the mound in the 5th, where he tossed 2 perfect innings and struck out 3.

+ Griffin Messenger, RHP/OF (Justin-Siena, 2026)]

Messenger displayed swing-and-miss stuff in his second start of the year, going 6 no-hit innings. Messenger finished with 12 strikeouts against 1 walk, giving up an unearned run in the 6th.

Coaches, do you have a Player of the Week or top performer you'd like to nominate? Be sure to check your email inbox each Sunday night and Monday morning for our request. Simply send weekly details/stats to our scouting staff by Monday.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Showcase	State	Date	Location
Rising Stars ID: Los Angeles	CA	03/17	O'Malley Field
Rising Stars ID: San Diego	CA	03/24	Eastlake High School
Rising Stars ID: Corona	CA	03/30	Corona High School
Rising Stars ID: VTA County	CA	04/21	Thousand Oaks High School
SoCal Rising Stars Game	CA	05/12	Mater Dei High School
FUTURE GAMES TRYOUT: Orange County	CA	06/01	Fullerton College
FUTURE GAMES TRYOUT: Ventura County	CA	06/09	Westmont College

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