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Preseason Preview: Sandra Day O'Connor

February 17, 2022
Paul Panaccione
Arizona Scouting Director

Athletics / Athletic Information

Opening Day is around the corner, try outs have been held, and rosters are soon to be set. The Arizona Interscholastic Association has announced that opening day of the 2022 season will commence on Wednesday, February 23rd. The PBR Arizona staff begins its 2022 season coverage starting with our preseason team previews, where we will take notes from coaches, and highlight returning players, newcomers, and some sleepers. Over the next couple weeks and leading up to opening day, we will be highlighting some of the top programs in state in our team previews. PBR will also be publishing its state Power 25 rankings that will be updated every Monday once the season begins. Throughout the season, PBR will be pumping out coverage, highlighting individual players, games, rankings, scouting reports and nominating a player of the week. PBR looks forward to getting out there this spring to see some great baseball. 


Today, we look into:

Team: Sandra Day O'Connor High School (6A, Desert Valley)
2021 Record: 15-8
Head Coach: Jeff Baumgartner
Returning Starters: 5
Returning Pitchers: 2

 

OUTLOOK

 As we gather info from coaching staffs, and come to a conclusion with our Preseason Power 25 Rankings, we expect Coach Jeff Baumgartner's club to be one of the teams to beat in the 6A Division. Year in and year out, the Eagles have become known as a top notch program in the state of Arizona. They've had a late history of high draft picks, and high level baseball. Looking at this roster prior to the 2022 spring season, it seems Coach Baumgartner has another group to have high hopes for. There should not be much of a shortage of offense with this lineup. Losing Chase Valentine and Barrett Skaugrud hurts, but there are multiple returners we expect to create offense for this team, along with some talented underclassmen. Senior C Preston Lucas is a leader for this team offensively, and when handling the pitching staff. Lucas has shown the ability to drive the gaps with a simple and flat bat path. 2024 OF/LHP Hustyn Wheeler (Oregon State) is going to compete for this team each time out on both sides of the ball. Wheeler will turn in quality and mature at bats, play clean outfield defense, and will get some big innings on the mound for this pitching staff. 2023 RHP Josh Butler will take the ball in big situations for the Eagles, Butler is an Arizona State commit coming off a huge summer and high hopes for the spring. O'Connor will also have some underclassmen with opportunities to prove themselves and make an impact, 2024 SS Jake Sanko has shown some impressive stuff through the fall and we'll get our first look at him through a varsity spring. Also, 2023 BYU commit Nico Rijo-Berger will be somewhere in the middle of the order and getting innings in important spots for the Eagles. There will be some high level baseball going on in the West Valley this year with O'Connor, Mountain Ridge, Liberty and Sunrise Mountain.. will be some fun matchups to watch between those teams this spring. 

KEY PLAYERS LOST:

Name State School Class Position Commitment
Chase Valentine AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2021 SS Central AZ
Barrett Skaugrud AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2021 RHP/3B Yavapai

TOP RETURNERS:

Name State School Class Position Commitment
Preston Lucas AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2022 C -
Hustyn Wheeler AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2024 OF/LHP Oregon State
Josh Butler AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2023 OF/RHP Arizona State
Kolt Kurzman AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2022 2B Glendale CC

 

PRESEASON MVP:

Name State School Class Position Commitment
Preston Lucas AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2022 C -

 

TOP NEWCOMERS:

Name State School Class Position Commitment
Jake Sanko AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2024 SS -
Nico Rijo-Berger AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2024 3B/RHP Brigham Young

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