Stanford-bound ace Joey Volchko of Redwood has been the talk of the Valley, thanks to his rocket right arm.
By Gabe Camarillo
After three more weeks of close, unpredictable high school baseball action in the Central Section, there is another edition of the ESPN Fresno Top 25 rankings.
I’ve decided once again to group all the teams together, regardless of division. If this season has proven anything, it’s that anybody can beat anybody, no matter the difference in base divisions.
Speaking of it, if you’re curious where your team lands, check out the base divisions here: https://www.cifcs.org/sports/CS_Baseball_Divisions.pdf
Top 25, as of April 13, 2023 (previous ranking in parentheses):
1. Bullard (1)
Record: 13-3
The Knights have no reason to step down from their throne atop the rankings. They went 9-0 over the last three weeks and outscored the competition, 96 to 13. The offense rightfully grabs attention, but on the mound, Cam Schneider (0.72 ERA) and Sam Reynolds (1.85) have formed a devastating duo.
2. Bakersfield Christian (3)
Record: 14-4
Just like Bullard, Bakersfield Christian keeps winning, so the base Division 3 team keeps their high ranking. They could beat anyone – including the defending D1 champion Stockdale – and they proved it by taking the San Diego Lions tournament. Senior southpaw Toby Twist sports a sparkling 7-1 record, and TCU-bound junior Mason Brassfield averages over two strikeouts per frame.
3. Stockdale (4)
Record: 11-6
Stockdale won’t be punished for a walk-off loss Wednesday to Centennial, considering they previously beat the Golden Hawks, 4-2. But keep an eye on the ever-competitive Southwest Yosemite River League, which has four teams inside the top 12. Ace Ryan Featherston has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last five starts.
4. Redwood (8)
Record: 12-5
Redwood rises because of its close game against No. 1 Bullard in the Fresno Easter Classic championship, which they led 3-0 after 5 ½ innings. They were competitive in a 3-1 loss to Stockdale, and the return of Cal Poly-bound senior Reece Bueno bolstered a stout pitching staff. Joey Volchko has struck out 14 batters in each of his last three starts.
5. Frontier (11)
Record: 13-5
Frontier experienced the biggest jump of any team, and it’s because of a new addition from the transfer portal. On the day he became eligible, UCLA commit Luke Rodriguez struck out 11 in 4 2/3 innings and defeated No. 12 Liberty. He is paired with junior ace Logan Judd and an experienced lineup, making Frontier a legit Division I title contender.
6. Clovis (6)
Record: 9-8-1
Clovis is the highest ranked TRAC ball club after taking two of three from previously No. 2 Buchanan. The two Logans – senior Logan Borboa (1.12 ERA) and freshman Logan Georges (2.33) – have shined. Junior Marcel Leal leads the offense with a .429 batting average.
7. Buchanan (2)
Record: 10-7
Buchanan isn’t too far behind Clovis, given their series rubber match went to extra innings. The Bears went 3-1 in the Fresno Easter Classic and Long Beach State-bound shortstop JP Acosta earned tournament MVP honors. The Bears swept No. 14 Clovis East Wednesday with Pepperdine commit Braden Guentz earning the win; he also threw a no-hitter last week.
8. Clovis West (7)
Record: 9-8
Clovis West faced good competition at the Boras Classic over Spring Break, losing to three teams with a combined winning percentage of .717. Thus, they only drop one spot. Three big series against Clovis East, Buchanan and Clovis are ahead for the TRAC leaders at 5-1. Junior pitcher Brody Santos has lowered his ERA to 0.47.
9. Kingsburg (5)
Record: 15-3
Losses to unranked Reedley and No. 22 Fowler drop the Vikings a few spots, but at their best, they beat the top two teams in the TRAC standings, Clovis West and Clovis. Kingsburg bounced back Wednesday with a 9-0 win over Sierra Pacific, highlighted by Ethan Winslow’s complete game shutout.
- Tulare Western (10)
Record: 10-6
Tulare Western remains inside the Top 10 because of two wins over No. 11 Centennial, the latter of which was a 17-16 marathon that lasted over 3 ½ hours and featured a combined 29 hits. The wins look even more impressive with Centennial’s win over No. 3 Stockdale. Justin “Moose” Cuellar earned statewide recognition for his 13-strikeout no-hitter of Bakersfield last Tuesday.
- Centennial (13)
Record: 10-7
Centennial rallied Wednesday and defeated No. 3 Stockdale, 7-3, on a walk-off grand slam from Trenton Hernandez. This win pushes the Golden Hawks up a couple spots, along with a 3-1 win over No. 12 Liberty. Centennial could take the series from Stockdale, on the road Friday.
- Liberty-Bakersfield (9)
Record: 9-10
Liberty’s record is a result of the 3rd toughest strength of schedule in the Central Section. Speaking of strength, Stanford commit Brady Reynolds is tied for the SYRL lead with three home runs, the latest in an 8-5 win over Garces Wednesday. Liberty has an opportunity to climb back up the rankings with two games apiece against Stockdale, Frontier, and Centennial.
- Arroyo Grande (17)
Record: 14-6
Arroyo Grande has stayed hot in Mountain League play. A recent 8-game winning streak coupled with impressive wins over No. 4 Redwood and No. 5 Frontier pushes the Eagles up the rankings. Those two wins keep them ahead of El Diamante and Kerman despite early head-to-head losses. Cal-bound C/1B Ryan Tayman is batting .509 while playing every game.
- Central (14)
Record: 9-10
Although staying put at their spot, Central played a competitive series against No. 6 Clovis and No. 7 Clovis West. Their veteran lineup has averaged 6.4 runs per game, highest in the TRAC, while facing one of the tougher schedules in the Section. Nico Gaucin has supplied the power with three homers and 18 RBIs, both team-bests.
- El Diamante (16)
Record: 13-5
El Diamante has won seven of eight since the previous rankings. Pitching and defense has been the ticket. Senior righty Trevor Hampel turned in another stellar outing Monday. Coming off a complete game 2-hit shutout of Oxnard, he twirled six scoreless innings in an 8-0 victory over Porterville. Caleb Silva leads the Miners in almost every hitting category.
- Clovis East (19)
Record: 8-10
Clovis East reeled off five straight wins after the last batch of rankings came out. The streak included a sweep of Clovis North and two walk-off wins. When you consider that Clovis East put the go-ahead run on base in two of three losses to No. 7 Buchanan, the Timberwolves have proven capable of giving any TRAC team a challenge. Wins over surging Centennial and Righetti look especially good now.
- Kerman (22)
Record: 12-6
Kerman climbed five spots thanks to a strong resumé and two walk-off wins in the Fresno Easter Classic. Four Top 20 wins against Arroyo Grande, Central, Madera and Righetti stand out for the Lions, and they stayed on track with a seven-run comeback against Garces on April 3. Junior Adam Delgado has the team’s lowest ERA (1.74) and most hits (25).
- Madera (12)
Record: 12-6
Despite falling in the rankings due to a recent rash of losses, the Coyotes are the clear-cut challenger to Bullard for the CMAC title; they and the Knights are 5-0 in league play. Madera beat Garza 7-0 on Wednesday behind 12 strikeouts from senior Alejandro Espejo.
- Righetti (23)
Record: 13-5
Righetti has the longest active winning streak of any team not named Bullard in these rankings, at 10 straight victories. Caden Cuccia, a transfer from St. Joseph, is hitting his stride at the plate, batting .406 during the winning streak. Alex Robles recorded complete game shutouts against No. 3 Stockdale and No. 11 Centennial earlier this season. The Warriors are getting hot at the right time.
- St. Joseph (NR)
Record: 11-9
St. Joseph breaks into the Top 20 with an 8-1 win over No. 14 Central. Part of the big leap is who pitched the Knights to victory Tuesday. Righetti transfer Omar Reynoso threw seven innings and allowed one unearned run. He helped the Warriors to the Division I title game last year, and since he’s become eligible, he looks every bit like an ace.
- Clovis North (15)
Record: 6-13-1
Clovis North has dropped some heartbreakers in league play but snapped its losing streak last Wednesday with a 6-1 win over Reedley. Sophomore slugger Jack West went 2-for-3 on the day with a double and home run. Injuries have been an obstacle, but the young Broncos should continue to improve as the season moves along.
- Fowler (NR)
Record: 12-2
The Redcats boosted their stock at the Fowler Easter Classic, mounting a comeback to topple previously ranked Washington Union and tallying nine hits to beat No. 9 Kingsburg, 10-2. Payton Garcia earned tournament MVP honors, and Chris Mendoza smacked a bases-emptying double in the championship game. Head coach Bill Feaver notched his 500th win on March 30.
- Fresno (18)
Record: 12-6
Fresno dropped as a result of new teams entering the Top 25 and teams previously below them (Kerman, Righetti) recording big wins. The Warriors went 2-2 at the Fresno Easter Classic and continued NYL play with a 7-0 win over Torres. Nolan Keene had a 2-for-3 day at the plate and recorded three RBIs.
- Liberty-Madera (21)
Record: 13-6
Liberty of Madera scored an upset over No. 5 Frontier in nine innings, 3-1, as the Hawks’ pitchers stranded 20 Titans on base. Similar to Fresno, they fell because of new teams and surging teams below them, but make no mistake, the Hawks have a golden opportunity to climb when they host No. 21 Fowler on Friday.
- Lemoore (NR)
Record: 11-4
The debate raged on between Lemoore and Dos Palos for the 25th spot. It came down to Lemoore having two Top 25 wins, over No. 10 Tulare Western and No. 21 Fowler. At 5-0, the Tigers are the only undefeated team in the West Yosemite League.
The 26th team: Dos Palos (13-2)
The 27th team: Cabrillo (16-4)
Also in consideration: Pioneer Valley (10-4-1)
Dropped out: Washington Union, San Luis Obispo, Ridgeview
