Dialing It Up in the Area Code Games

It’s an exclusive diamond collection.

More than 300 of the best high school baseball players in the nation will be inspected, dissected and projected by droves of major league scouts, college coaches and agents next week at the Area Code Games.

The 11 teams will practice Monday and play games Tuesday through Saturday at Blair Field in Long Beach. Scores are secondary to skills.

Careers are launched and stars are made. Players selected in the June amateur draft this year who participated in previous Area Code Games commanded nearly $40 million in signing bonuses.

Dozens earned college scholarships.

“Every major league team has asked for anywhere from seven to 10 credentials for scouts,” said Bob Williams, who has administrated the Area Code Games since their inception in 1987. “Plus, just about every college coach and some 30 agents will be there.”

Most players from the region participating are members of either the 818/805/626/760/661 team unaffiliated with a major league team, or the 310/213/562 team sponsored by the Dodgers.

Jamie Shields of Hart, Matt Harrington of Palmdale and Chris Cordiero of Thousand Oaks--the region’s top pitching prospects--are on the 818 team.

Westlake has six players spread among three area code teams. Infielder Jeff Dragicevich, outfielder Ryan McCarthy, first baseman-pitcher Tyler Adamczyk and catcher Michael Nickeas are on the 818 team, outfielder Jonathan Shepard is on the Dodgers’ team and pitcher Jesse Kozlowski is on the Texas Rangers’ team comprised mostly of players from the Southeastern U.S.

Notre Dame also is well represented. Catcher Matt Cunningham, second baseman Brendan Ryan and shortstop Jonathan Brewster are on the 818 team, and catcher Alec Moss is on the Dodgers’ team.

Other members of the 818 team from the region include catchers Joey Hamer of Newbury Park and Jonathan Higashi of Chaminade; infielder Conor Jackson of El Camino Real; outfielders Brian Horwitz of Crespi, Matt Thayer of Harvard-Westlake and Delmon Young of Camarillo; and pitchers Matt Parris of Highland, Gregory Russell of Hoover, Jason Kubel of Highland, Matt Merricks of Oxnard and Jose Montez of San Fernando.

Other players from the region on the Dodgers’ team include catcher Brandon Montemayor of Hart; infielders Ryan Brown and Sam Sandoval of St. Francis, Randy Curtis of Calabasas and Mark McCauley of Crescenta Valley; and pitchers Clint Kofnehl of Crespi, Anthony Sulser of Calabasas and Jeff Green of Valencia.