OCVarsity is starting to release its baseball preview for the 2017 season.
Here is the preseason list of the top 10 players to watch in Orange County:
Tanner Bibee, Mission Viejo, Sr., P: Bibee was All-CIF and the Sea View League player of the year last season. He posted a 8-3 record with a 1.61 ERA. The 6-foot-2 right-hander signed with Cal State Fullerton.
PHOTOS: Click through the slideshow to see all 10 players
Hans Crouse, Dana Hills, Sr., P: Crouse, a 6-foot-4 right-hander who signed with USC, is on Baseball America’s preseason All-America team. Crouse was 5-4 with a 1.15 ERA in 2016 and 96 strikeouts in 73 innings. He pitched seven shutout innings in the USA National Team’s win over Cuba at the Pan American Championships this past fall.
Hagen Danner, Huntington Beach, Sr., P/INF: Danner was All-Sunset League first team as a third baseman last season. His future, though, might be as a pitcher. His fastball has been clocked in the mid-90s. Danner, who signed with UCLA, is on Baseball America’s preseason All-America second team.
Noah Fluman, El Toro, Sr., P: Fluman was All-Orange County and All-South Coast League in 2016. He finished 8-2 with a 0.89 ERA. Fluman, a left-hander who signed with San Diego State, struck out 57 in 62 innings in 2016.
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O.C. BASEBALL PREVIEW
- Baseball preview: O.C. preseason top 10
- Baseball preview: Orange County’s top 10 players to watch
- Baseball preview: Other players to watch
- Baseball preview: Beckman has already had one close call
- Baseball preview: Important dates
Sam Glick, El Toro, Sr., P: Glick was 6-1 last season with a 1.51 ERA. The left-hander, who signed with UCLA, had 54 strikeouts in 60 innings last season. Glick was All-South Coast League first team.
Tristan Hanoian, Orange Lutheran, Sr, SS: The Texas Christian University signee is a four-year varsity starter. That’s a rare accomplishment in the Trinity League. He batted .320 last season and was all-league second team.
Royce Lewis, JSerra, Sr., SS: Lewis, who is on everybody’s preseason All-America team, played third base last year and played a variety of positions on the USA Baseball 18u national team this past fall. A UC Irvine signee, Lewis was All-CIF Division 1 first team last season and was Trinity League player of the year.
Garrett Mitchell, Orange Lutheran, Sr., OF: Mitchell is on Baseball America’s All-America first team. Many projections have him as an MLB first-round draftee. Mitchell was All-Trinity League second team in 2016 when he batted .299 with eight doubles.
Isaiah Parra, Cypress, Sr., INF/P: Parra is a triple-threat for the Centurions. He can pitch, he can hit and he is a slick infielder with a strong arm at shortstop. Parra, who signed with San Diego State, was All-Empire League second team in 2016.
Nick Pratto, Huntington Beach, Sr., P/1B: He can pitch and hit with the best of them. Pratto was Sunset League MVP in 2016 and is on Baseball America’s preseason All-America first team. He signed with USC.
Contact the writer: sfryer@scng.com