Keep an eye on these O.C. players in the 2014 season:
Griffin Canning, Santa Margarita, Sr.: Canning was an All-Trinity League first-team pitcher and made All-Orange County third team last year. He was 5-2, including a playoff win over Fountain Valley, with a 1.78 ERA. He has committed to UCLA.
Eddie Carranza, Garden Grove, Sr.: He is one of those hidden jewels that annually exist in county baseball. Carranza was an All-CIF Division 3 first-team pick last year. He struck out 84 in 84 innings, won 13 games and posted a 0.58 ERA. He also hit .375 with six home runs and 23 RBI.
Tyler Clark, Mission Viejo, Sr.: He was an All-County second-team outfielder last year. He hit .430 with 32 runs scored and had 46 hits. Playing alongside John Balliet and Evan Nelson, he is a key member of one of the county’s better corps of outfielders.
Trevor Hall, Cypress, Sr.: He was 11-4 with a 1.71 ERA last year for the CIF champion Centurions. The All-CIF selection was great in Cypress’ playoff run, getting one-run, complete-game victories over Dos Pueblos of Goleta and Vista Murrieta of Murrieta. He has committed to Long Beach State.
Brock Lundquist, Fountain Valley, Sr.: He was All-Orange County and All-CIF first team last year. Primarily a first baseman as a junior last season, he hit .380 with eight home runs and drove in 26 runs. He committed to Long Beach State.
Kyle Molnar, Aliso Niguel, Jr.: This right-hander, who has committed to UCLA, gets his fastball into the 90s, and he is pretty good with the bat, too. Molnar was 8-3 with a 2.25 ERA last season. He hit .348 with 19 RBI.
Josh Morgan, Orange Lutheran, Sr.: One of the better-fielding shortstops in the county last year, Morgan is poised to have an outstanding offensive season. He hit .280 and drove in 14 runs in 2013. He has signed with UCLA and is projected as an early-round selection in the MLB draft.
Jacob Nix, Los Alamitos, Sr.: The hard-throwing, 6-foot-4 right-handed pitcher has committed to UCLA and is projected to be an early-round choice in the MLB draft. Among Nix’s better performances was a 10-strikeout effort in a complete-game playoff win over El Toro. He was a member of the USA 18-and-under world championship team this past fall.
Andrew Piraino, Sonora, Sr.: He was All-County second team last year. An outstanding defensive catcher, Piraino hit .495 with 48 hits last year. He also will be a closer for Sonora, which is No. 4 in the CIF-SS Division 4 preseason rankings.
Chase Strumpf, JSerra, So.: Baseball America rates the shortstop as the No. 3 prospect in the nation for his age group. He was MVP of the USA National 15-and-under team last year. Strumpf, who hit .367 in 2013, has committed to UCLA.
OTHER PLAYERS TO WATCH:
(alphabetical order)
Kai Abe, Woodbridge, Sr.
Nate Alam, El Dorado, Sr.
Kolby Allard, San Clemente, Jr.
Brandon Alamo, Cypress, Jr.
Ryan Alsworth, Servite, Sr.
Andres Arroyo, Garden Grove, Sr.
Cameron Aufderheide, Trabuco Hills, Sr.
John Balliet, Mission Viejo, Sr.
Garrett Barker, Laguna Hills, Sr.
Cameron Bishop, Brea Olinda, Sr.
Jake Bradley, St. Margaret’s, Jr.
Justin Brand, Fountain Valley, Sr.
Jake Brodt, Huntington Beach, Sr.
Henry Bustamante, Sonora, Sr.
Chase Calabuig, Capistrano Valley, Sr.
Eric Calderas, Savanna, Jr.
Bryan Call, Mater Dei, Jr.
Alberto Carrillo, Tustin, Sr.
Austin Case, Yorba Linda, Jr.
Clay Chatham, JSerra, Sr.
DC Clawson, Mater Dei, So.
Justin Cobb, Fountain Valley, Jr.
Sam Cohen, JSerra, Jr.
Brett Conine, El Modena, Jr.
Chris Cooper, Crean Lutheran, Jr.
Parker Coss, Capistrano Valley Christian, Sr.
Patrick Cromwell, Calvary Chapel, Sr.
Gio Cuellar, Godinez, Sr.
Noah Davis, Huntington Beach, Jr.
Tyler Duncan, Corona del Mar, Sr.
Dominc Fletcher, Cypress, So.
Justin Fowler, Aliso Niguel, Sr.
Taylor Franzman, Pacifica, Sr.
Eric Fukuda, Capistrano Valley Christian, Sr.
Goliath Gaddy, Anaheim, Sr.
Joe Gandara, Western, Jr.
Danny Garcia, Century, Sr.
Chris Gilbody, Pacifica, Sr.
Steven Gingery, Marina, Jr.
Brandon Gonzalez, Villa Park, Sr.
Preston GrandPre, Laguna Beach, Sr.
Daniel Griese, Beckman, Sr.
Nick Grimes, Aliso Niguel, Sr.
Brennan Guinet, Beckman, Sr.
Daniel Harris, Capistrano Valley, Sr.
Steven Harrison, Laguna Beach, Sr.
Jake Hazard, Beckman, Sr.
Lucas Herbert, San Clemente, Jr.
Leo Hernandez, Orange Lutheran, Sr.
Cooper Herrera, Mission Viejo, Sr.
Tristan Hildebrandt, Esperanza, Sr.
Nick Howard, Pacifica, Sr.
Zach Huarte, Servite, Sr.
Brenden Hueston, Corona del Mar, So.
Chad Jacob, Woodbridge, Sr.
Randell Kanemaru, Foothill, Sr.
Garret King, Orange Lutheran, Sr.
Connor Kloss, Pacifica, Jr.
Jesse Kuet, Huntington Beach, Sr.
Pedro Leon, Godinez, Sr.
Quentin Longrie, JSerra, Jr.
Ryan Maister, Tarbut V’Torah, Jr.
Matt Majors, Trabuco Hills, Sr.
Matt Markus, Crean Lutheran, Jr.
T.K. McWhertor, Newport Harbor, Sr.
Joe Mercado, Cypress, Sr.
Dillon Millar, Huntington Beach, Sr.
Zach Minich, Trabuco Hills, Jr.
Daniel Morales, Calvary Chapel, Jr.
Evan Nelson, Mission Viejo, Sr.
Richie Nunis, Laguna Beach, Sr.
Kevin Okuda, Northwood, Jr.
Brett Olson, Corona del Mar, Sr.
Tim Olson, Kennedy, Jr.
Randall Ortiz, Fullerton, Sr.
Anthony Orozco, Westminster, Sr.
Sean O’Toole, Huntington Beach, Sr.
Andrew Pactwa, Garden Grove, Sr.
Daniel Patzlaff, Fountain Valley, Sr.
Brandon Perez, Mater Dei, Jr.
Dillon Persinger, Fountain Valley, Sr.
Eriq Plechot, Kennedy, Sr.
Tyler Porto, Yorba Linda, SSr.
Logan Pouleson, Huntington Beach, So.
Nick Pratto, Mater Dei, Fr.
Chris Prescott, Canyon, Sr.
Jake Pries, JSerra, Jr.
Harrison Pyatt, Esperanza, Sr.
Willie Quiros, Capistrano Valley Christian, Sr.
Ryan Randel, Aliso Niguel, Sr.
Louis Raymond, Dana Hills, Sr.
Hunter Remington, Mission Viejo, Sr.
Parker Joe Robinson, JSerra, Sr.
Nathan Rodriguez, El Dorado, Sr.
Matt Ruff, Valencia, Sr.
Austin Saad, La Habra, Sr.
Blake Sabol, Aliso Niguel, Jr.
Joey Sanchez, Orange Lutheran, Sr.
Matt Sanchez, Pacifica, Sr.
Patrick Sandoval, Mission Viejo, Jr.
Jon Paul Sarro, Sonora, Jr.
Jonathan Schiffer, Mater Dei, Fr.
Jay Schuyler, Dana Hills, Jr.
Connor Seabold, Newport Harbor, Sr.
Dylan Sharon, Tesoro, Sr.
Elijah Skipps, Cypress, Sr.
Austin Sojka, Marina, Sr.
Anthony Sommer, Aliso Niguel, Sr.
Evan Sonny, Sonora, Sr.
Nick Sprengel, El Dorado, Jr..
Cole Stanton, Trabuco Hills, Sr.
Josh Stephen, Mater Dei, So.
Tristen Tardiff, Laguna Hills, Sr.
Kevin Thomsen, Santa Margarita, Sr.
Shane Timmons, Capistrano Valley, Sr.
Dominic Vaccher, Troy, So.
Nick Valdez, Cypress, Sr.
Shaun Vetrevic, Newport Harbor, Sr.
Charlie Vorsheck, Mater Dei, Sr.
Chaz Williams, St. Margaret’s, Sr.
Chris Williams, Garden Grove, Sr.
Stephen Young, Mission Viejo, Sr.
Jarred Zill, Capistrano Valley Christian, Sr.
MORE IN THE 2014 O.C. BASEBALL PREVIEW:
Fast track to Dodgers Stadium?
Cypress does not expect a letdown
Preseason O.C. top 10, key dates
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com
