JUNIOR COLLEGE BASEBALL / TEAM-BY-TEAM PREVIEWS

ANTELOPE VALLEY

CO-COACHES: Tim Fieckert and Joe Watts, second season

LAST SEASON: 6-26; eighth in Foothill Conference, 5-19

PLAYERS TO WATCH: When scanning the roster, one name rises to the surface immediately--catcher Jack Cox. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound sophomore was an All-Foothill Conference selection last season after leading the team in several offensive categories. Cox, from Antelope Valley High, batted .353 with seven home runs and 28 runs batted in. However, he committed 14 errors, but Watts said Cox has worked hard to improve his defensive skills. Also back are shortstop Ryan Branch, third baseman Brandon Yount and right-handed pitcher Ryan Wilson. Branch batted .347 and Yount, nephew of Milwaukee Brewer center fielder Robin Yount, finished at .231. Wilson was 1-9 with a 4.73 earned-run average. He will be in a rotation that will include right-hander Ricardo Dominguez, a transfer from Victor Valley. Watts said the other pitching spots are undetermined. “They are all freshmen and I can’t say much about them yet,” Watts said. But four players he could mention and who will play regularly are first baseman Travis Wilson (.254 with 13 RBIs his senior season at Palmdale High in 1991), center fielder Will Wallace (.476, eight home runs, 32 RBIs at Quartz Hill High in 1993), utility infielder Eric Cole (.480, seven home runs, 34 RBIs at Antelope Valley High) and outfielder Jeff Bowne (.357 and 13 RBIs at Quartz Hill).

OUTLOOK: During one stretch last season, the Marauders lost 13 of 14 games, and Watts hopes the new crop of players will help turn the program around. “We have been down for so long,” Watts said. “Our goal is to play at least .500 ball.” The team’s defense should be improved but Watts is worried about the inexperienced pitching corps.

CANYONS

COACH: Len Mohney, eighth season

LAST SEASON: 29-10; first in Western State Conference, 26-4

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Cougars don’t have a returning pitcher and will depend on six pitchers, five of them fresh off outstanding senior seasons in high school, to help them defend their WSC title. Mohney has tabbed right-handers Bobby Cowan, Gary Stephenson and Jnani Matson as starters. Cowan was 4-6 with a 1.66 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings at Saugus High, and Stephenson was 9-4 with an 0.98 ERA at Hart. Matson pitched last at Santa Monica High in 1989. The long reliever or set-up man will be right-hander John Bowman (8-4, 2.45 ERA at Sylmar) and the closers will be left-hander Tom Manning (9-2, 1.47 at Kennedy) and right-hander Brad Coukos (5-5, 2.77 at Canyon). They will work with two catchers, returnee Jim Traylor and transfer David Castillo. Last year’s starting catcher, Chris Pfatenhauer, will move to shortstop. Traylor had only two at-bats for the Cougars last season and Castillo, who Mohney said probably will be the starter, played at Pasadena City in 1993. Pfatenhauer (.277, 19 RBIs) will be joined in the infield by returnees Tom Nickels at first, Ari Jacobs at second and all-state second-team pick Ted Kiester at third. Jacobs batted .298 last season and Kiester was fourth in the WSC in batting at .414. Nickels will replace Andy Shaw (now at Cal State Northridge), who won the WSC triple crown last season with a .405 batting average, 12 home runs and 51 RBIs. The outfield will be anchored by sophomore center fielder John Davis (.308, three home runs, 24 RBIs) when he recovers from surgery for a cut nerve on the index finger of his left hand. Davis suffered the injury during the Jan. 17 earthquake. Sophomore J.T. Billingslea will be in right field, with sophomore R.J. Fenolio in left. The designated hitter duties will be handled by one of two newcomers, Dave Supple (six home runs, 25 RBIs at Notre Dame High last year) or Brian Powers (.494, two home runs, 32 RBIs at Chaminade).

OUTLOOK: All those freshmen pitchers are making Mohney feel a bit uneasy. “We are scared,” he said. “We are counting on them to mature real fast. But the real question might be our offense. We are concerned we are not going to score a lot of runs.” Mohney is hoping the Cougars can pick up the slack in the field. “I think we’ll wind up being a pretty consistent team on defense, which we were not last season,” he said.

GLENDALE

COACH: Steve Coots, 17th season

LAST SEASON: 18-20; tied for eighth in WSC, 13-17

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Vaqueros will do battle with a squad loaded with freshmen and only two returning starters--outfielder Lance Evans and pitcher John Nall. Evans, a unanimous All-WSC first-team selection last season after batting .344 with 32 RBIs and eight home runs, moves to left field from designated hitter and catcher. Nall, a 6-foot-5 left-handed starter, is coming off a 5-4 season with a 5.69 ERA. He figures to share the pitching load with left-hander Josh Parker, 0-1 with a 6.45 ERA in 22 1/3 innings last year. Freshman right-hander Rick Luna (4-6, 5.77 ERA at St. Francis High) figures to see action in relief. Evans, freshman catcher Andy Reitz and freshman third baseman Chris Padron, both from Bishop Amat High, and freshman right fielder Bryan Warner from Monrovia High also will see mound duty. Another Bishop Amat graduate, freshman Nathan Baez, will compete with sophomore Rob Turner at first base. Catcher Pat Lodes and 6-4 shortstop Randy Vickers, freshmen from South Hills in West Covina, also are expected to contribute. Jack Wickersham, a freshman from La Canada High, will patrol center field, and Ed Gillis, a transfer from Santa Monica College, will play second base. Padron, Warner, Vickers and Wickersham played on the San Gabriel Valley all-star team that won the Babe Ruth senior World Series in August. That team was coached by former Dodger outfielder Mike Marshall, a Glendale assistant.

OUTLOOK: The Vaqueros lack experience, which Coots said is the team’s biggest drawback. “I think we’ll play good defense and we’ll hit a little,” said Coots, whose teams have won 302 games.

MISSION

COACH: John Klitsner, sixth season

LAST SEASON: 25-15; second in So. California Athletic Conference, 14-6

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Two talented transfers and some key returnees lend much-needed experience to a team laden with freshmen. Among the players Klitsner will rely on for offense are shortstop Erik Lazerus, who batted .667 in six games for Cal State Northridge last season, and third baseman Dave Valdez (.307 with 14 RBIs at UC San Diego in 1992). “(Lazerus) should be one of the best (junior college) infielders in the state and (Valdez) has been our most consistent player throughout the fall. He has a lot of offensive skills,” said Klitsner, who is also counting on sophomore outfielders Jesus Perez, Gary Matthews and Dereck Ornelas. Perez batted .382 and drove in 16 runs last season. Matthews, who was drafted in the 13th round last June by the San Diego Padres, is back after batting .320 with two home runs and 22 RBIs. Ornelas was sidelined because of a shoulder injury and redshirted last season. Klitsner also figures that freshman second baseman John Toven, who batted .390 with 18 RBIs at Kennedy High last season, will contribute. Sophomore starting catcher Joey Gandara (.258, 16 RBIs) joins pitchers Rob Walley and Eric Diaz on the list of returnees. Walley, a left-hander, was 1-1 with a 6.82 ERA last season and Diaz, a right-hander, was 3-1 with a 7.92 ERA. They will lead a pitching corps that will feature newcomers John Romero and Raymond Rivera (San Fernando High), Robert Ballester (Monroe High), Freddy Esqueda (Poly High) and Justin Sampley (Montclair Prep), but that will have to make do without last year’s ace Josh Brown (11-3, 3.11 ERA), now at Southern Colorado.

OUTLOOK: This season could mirror 1993 for the Free Spirit: There’s plenty of hitting but the pitching is suspect. “I think we should hit. I think we have to,” Klitsner said. “The guys who have the potential to hit are going to have to get it done. Our guys are going to have to play good defense because we don’t have the overpowering pitching.” Mission finished one game behind East L.A. in the conference race last season, and Klitsner hopes a solid effort can put the Free Spirit in the thick of things again.

MOORPARK

COACH: Ken Wagner, fifth season

LAST SEASON: 20-21; seventh in WSC, 14-16

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Five players from last season’s powerful Simi Valley High team will be in the Raider lineup. Designated hitter Britten Pond and catcher Kevin Nykoluk will give considerable sock to the Moorpark offense. Pond batted .532 with six home runs and 47 RBIs last season, and also hit 15 doubles and four triples. Nykoluk batted .467 with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs. Their high school teammates, shortstop Ryan Briggs (.347, 20 RBIs), and outfielders Aaron Whitley (.362, 18 RBIs, 21 stolen bases) and Jason Alcala (.259, 16 RBIs) will join four returnees who should give the Raiders a formidable offense. “The kids we got from Simi Valley have done well (in fall competition),” Wagner said. Among the sophomores Wagner will try to blend with the new crop are first baseman Aaron Fischer (.288, three home runs, 25 RBIs), second baseman Sean Mitchell (.324), third baseman Ken Cote (.409) and center fielder Wayne Northern (.370, 12 stolen bases). Sophomore Tom Anderson will be in right field. The pitching staff will include sophomore right-handers Jeff Naster, who redshirted last season, and Brad Taylor. Freshmen right-hander Keith Loitz (5-5, 1.90 ERA at Royal High in 1993) and left-hander Dale Robinson, who played high school baseball in Utah, add pitching depth.

OUTLOOK: If any team should benefit from the new two-division format in the WSC, the Raiders are it. Moorpark shows great hitting potential and, Wagner said, a steady defense that should help them challenge for the North Division championship. “I think we’ll be pretty competitive,” Wagner said. “We have a real good infield and I like our pitching staff.”

OXNARD

COACH: Chris Stevens, third season

LAST SEASON: 12-28; 10th in WSC, 7-23

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Youth abounds on the Condor roster this season, but maybe that’s a good sign. Oxnard had 13 sophomores on the squad in 1993 but all that experience didn’t help much. With the exception of five sophomores, including four starting pitchers, the Condors are laden with freshmen. Stevens will rely on right-handers Greg Arnold, Joey Vargas and Chad Olthoff, and left-handed freshman John Cooper as starting pitchers, with right-handers Alex Zavala and Ryan Glass in relief. Arnold was 2-1 with a 7.36 ERA last season. Olthoff redshirted and Zavala, who will be used in long relief, was 1-1 with a team-leading 3.24 ERA. Glass, a freshman from Thousand Oaks High, will be the closer. They will throw to one of two freshmen catchers, Robert Sanchez from Camarillo High or Adam Basua from Rio Mesa. Basua redshirted last season after he suffered a broken leg during a practice before the 1993 season got under way. “I’m still undecided about who is going to start,” Stevens said. “Basua has the slight edge right now on hitting over Robert.” The infield features nothing but freshmen and former shortstops in high schools. The keystone combination will be formed by second baseman Jason Young (25 runs at University High in Irvine last season) and shortstop Jess Olivares (.356 with 16 RBIs at Hueneme High in 1993). Armando Marcial, from Santa Clara High, will handle first base and either Ryan Gause (Temecula Valley High) or Josh Silverstein (Thousand Oaks) will play third. Four freshmen will be in the outfield--right-fielder Joe Torres (Oxnard High), center fielder Andy Wilson (Thousand Oaks) and left fielder Adrian Castellon (Channel Islands). Jim Seguine (Buena High) will play when Torres pitches in relief. Wilson, who batted .388 with 19 RBIs and 28 stolen bases last season, will lead off. Young, a four-year starter at shortstop in high school, will bat second.

OUTLOOK: Even with an inexperienced club, Stevens is anxious to get the season rolling. “This is the first time in the last two years where I’ve felt we are ready to (play) right now,” he said. “This is probably the most intelligent team I’ve ever had. They have adapted real well.”

PIERCE

COACH: Bob Lofrano, fourth season

LAST SEASON: 23-17; tied for second in WSC, 19-11

PLAYERS TO WATCH: With six newcomers in the Brahmas’ eight-man starting lineup, Lofrano is looking to his experienced pitching corps for leadership. The ace of the staff will be returning left-hander Adam West (3-4, 7.06 ERA in 1993), who Lofrano said had an excellent fall. The other likely starters will be returnees Brandon Nickens, a right-hander who was 0-2 with a 7.55 ERA last season, and Tony Dellamano (3-1, 5.63 ERA). Newcomer Jason Warren, a right-hander who was 2-9 with a 4.96 ERA at Agoura High last year, also will be in the running for a starting spot. The stopper again will be right-hander Chris Frith-Smith (4-3 and a team-best 3.41 ERA), who tied with Ventura’s Marco Grajales for the WSC lead in saves with seven. Around the horn, the Brahmas will go with sophomore Kevin Milligan (.325 with two home runs and 32 RBIs last season, mostly as the designated hitter) at first base, freshman Cesar Martinez (.375 and 22 stolen bases at Notre Dame High in 1993) at second base, former Thousand Oaks High standout Brian Sturges, who played sparingly at Cal State Sacramento last year, at shortstop, and Louis Tapia, the only returnee on the infield, at third base. Tapia led the Brahmas in hitting last year at .391 and knocked in 36 runs. The outfield will be occupied by Heath McElwee (.370 in 20 games at Canyons last season) in left field, returnee Brian Basowski (.280 with three home runs and 17 RBIs) in center and returnee Robert Vazquez (.275 with 15 RBIs) in right. Basowski was a backup outfielder last year. Crespi High graduate Brett Farlow, a transfer from Long Beach State, will do the catching and John Novak, who batted .297 with 22 RBIs at El Camino Real High last season, will be the designated hitter. Edgar Maldonado (who batted .324 in limited play) returns as a utility player.

OUTLOOK: The Brahmas had plenty of firepower last season and shaky pitching but the roles might be reversed this time. “I’m more encouraged by our starting pitching,” Lofrano said. “I’ve been really pleased with their work (in the fall). But I think our offense will produce.” Lofrano said he will stick with mainly eight or 10 regular players.

VALLEY

COACH: Chris Johnson, seventh season

LAST SEASON: 20-16; tied for second in WSC, 19-11

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Although the Monarchs appear strong in all facets of the game, hitting probably will be their calling card. The top gun in Valley’s arsenal is first baseman David Stevenson, who last season took the team triple crown with a .407 batting average, five home runs and 34 RBIs. Stevenson, who has signed to play next season for former Valley Coach Dave Snow at Long Beach State, also had team-high numbers in hits (55) and stolen bases (17). He will have plenty of help from Ozzie Areu (.350, 17 RBI)s, who moves to center field from right field. Another returnee, Jamie Zeichick (.256, three home runs, 26 RBIs), will be in right field. Three players--Carl Grissom, power-hitting Marlon Hamilton and Will Skett--will battle for left field. Grissom hit .196 at Pierce last season, Hamilton played at El Camino College in 1992 but sat out last season, and Skett is a redshirt freshman who is also in the running for the starting job at second base. Johnson said Eric Morante, who redshirted two years ago and was cut last season, might have a slight advantage over sophomore Ted Gonzalez at shortstop. Third base again will be patrolled by Vic Seper (.267 and 30 RBIs) and returnee Doug Rubin (.160 in only 25 at-bats), the backup catcher last season, takes over behind the plate. One newcomer who Johnson said “will definitely be involved” is former Monroe High pitching ace Jorge Dorado (8-0, 2.20 ERA last season). The right-hander, who batted .486 with 18 RBIs in 1993, has been bothered by tendinitis in his pitching arm and will play strictly middle infield. His brother, Juan, will be one of the relievers on a talented pitching staff. The mainstays will be returning right-hander Juan Velazquez (2-3, 5.65 ERA), who Johnson said has “developed big time over the fall,” and right-hander Shaik Nabi, a transfer from College of the Redwoods. Probable spot starters will be left-hander returnee Jason Litt (1-0, 4.97 ERA) and freshmen right-handers Kevin Szymanski (10-1, 1.26 ERA at El Camino Real High last season) and Francisco Mere, who pitched at Monroe in the mid-1980s. Sophomore left-hander Ryan Messervier (3.09 ERA, two saves) will be the closer.

OUTLOOK: Because of the way his team is rounding into form, Johnson is looking to challenge seriously for the WSC South Division title. “We just don’t have too many holes,” he said. “We have some depth in the pitching staff. Theoretically, we should be very good offensively. Now I look down to the on-deck circle through nine (players) and I feel really good.”

VENTURA

COACH: Gary Anglin, 17th season

LAST SEASON: 18-20; tied for eighth in WSC, 13-17

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Perhaps scared by Ventura’s poor pitching last season (5.39 ERA), Anglin will open the season with only two starters, right-hander Marco Grajales and left-hander Eric Rafter. The two sophomores head an inexperienced staff. Grajales (0-1 last season) led the Pirates with a 2.40 ERA and set a school single-season record with seven saves. Rafter was 3-4 with 5.07 ERA. Left-hander Bryant Fick (0-2, 7.56 ERA) and right-hander Jeff Hook (0-1, 36.00 ERA) also return. Also expected to pitch will be freshmen right-handers Brandon Knight, who was 6-2 with a 2.05 ERA at Buena High last season, and Tim Farris, who was 2-3 with a 4.20 ERA at Newbury Park High. However, the left-handed-hitting Knight (.429, two home runs, 16 RBIs) will play primarily in right field, and Farris (.346, two home runs, 18 RBIs) will back up Clint Harris at first base. Harris batted .528 with three home runs and 27 RBIs at Thousand Oaks High last season. One infield spot the Pirates will have well guarded this season will be second base, where David Frazier returns after being academically ineligible last season. Frazier batted .403 and was an All-WSC selection in 1992. Jorge Macias, who batted .339 in conference play last year, is back at shortstop, and freshman Sam Monroy takes over at third base. Monroy batted .394, knocked in 13 runs and stole 24 bases in 25 attempts at Channel Islands High in 1993. With Monroy and freshman center fielder Jamal Nichols, who stole 37 bases at Thousand Oaks last season, the Pirates could give headaches to opposing catchers. Nichols (.454, five home runs, 18 RBIs) also should provide some punch. Returnee Chris Mace (.317, 30 RBIs) will be in left field. Shoulder surgery kept redshirt freshman catcher Robert Fick out of action last season, but the former Newbury Park standout (.315 his senior season) has recovered.

OUTLOOK: As in 1993, Anglin is concerned about one team component--pitching. “Like most junior colleges, our pitching will be a question mark,” he said. But Anglin hopes his team’s defense and hitting will override the potential pitching deficiencies. “Through the fall, we fielded over .950. I think we’ll hit well and play good defense,” Anglin said.