Lopes signs with Seattle

Timmy Lopes, who graduated from Edison High last week, has signed with the Seattle Mariners.

Lopes was taken in the sixth round (No. 191 overall) June 5 by the Mariners in the Major League First-Year Player Draft. Lopes previously had been a UC Irvine baseball signee. He was one of three Anteater signees to sign a professional contract. Pitchers Andrew Potter and Kevin Grendell signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Baltimore Orioles, respectively.

Earlier this month, Lopes had been named the Most Valuable Player in the Sunset League. He said he signed with the Mariners on June 12. Two days later, the 17-year-old, who turns 18 Sunday. graduated from Edison.

“I couldn’t be more happy with where I am,” Lopes said. “It was not an easy decision. It was a family based decision. Coach (Mike) Gillespie is an amazing coach [who[ runs a really great program at UCI, and I was blessed enough to be signed with them.

“I wasn’t sure of which decision to make, but to see how God has worked in my life, it helped me, my family, with this decision. It was really tough but now I’m here in Arizona, playing pro baseball. It’s a dream come true for me.”

Lopes reported to training camp Saturday with the Peoria Mariners at Peoria, Ariz. Arizona League (rookie) play started Wednesday and runs through Aug. 29.

“What can you say about Timmy Lopes?,” Steve Lambright said. “He hit, he fielded and pitched for us. Without him, we don’t make the (CIF) playoffs. He is one of the best athletic baseball players that I have coached in 18 years.

“He has worked very hard at his skills and deserves all the recognition he is getting. He will be successful at the next level.”

Lopes is the sixth Edison player to be drafted since 2008 and the fifth Charger to be selected in the last two MLB drafts. His older brother, Christian, a shortstop/second baseman, was drafted last year in the seventh round and signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. Also last year, pitcher Henry Owens was a first-round pick and signed with the Boston Red Sox. Owens is the highest draft pick to come out of Edison, Lambright said.

Timmy Lopes was one of three Chargers drafted earlier this month. Former Edison players Kurt Heyer, an ace pitcher for University of Arizona, was selected in the sixth round by theSt. Louis Cardinals. Nic Hanson, a pitcher at Golden West College, was taken in the 16th round by the Philadelphia Phillies.

In 2008, catcher Kyle Higashioka was taken in the seventh round by the New York Yankees.

Heyer started for Arizona on Saturday in their College World Series opener against third-ranked Florida State, a game the Wildcats won, 4-3, in 12 innings. The Wildcats are 2-0 at the double-elimination tournament and again play Florida St. on Thursday. A win Thursday would put Arizona in the championship series that starts Saturday.

Timmy Lopes said his brother called to talk Tuesday night and let him know that he hit his first home run. Christian Lopes hit a two-run home run Tuesday to give the Bluefield Blue Jays a 2-0 lead that led to an eventual 7-2 win over the Bristol White Sox in Appalachian League play. The Blue Jays are based in Bluefield, W.Va.

“I was so happy for him, he’s worked really hard,” Timmy Lopes said of his older brother. “It’s been a really great past week. A lot has happened, and I’m really blessed.”

*

All-CIF Selections

Ocean View High baseball standout Timmy Robinson, who has signed with USC, has been named to the 2012 All-CIF Southern Section Division 3 team.

In softball, Edison junior pitcher Sammy Cordova was named to the All-CIF Division 1 first team, and Ocean View senior infielder Kristin Nance and junior pitcher Brittany Hitchcock were named All-CIF Division 4 first team.

In boys’ volleyball, Ocean View senior outside hitter Adam Wills was named to the All-CIF Division 3 team.

*

Boys’ Basketball

Brethren Christian opened its summer league schedule at The Classic tournament Friday and Saturday at Saddleback Valley Christian High. The Warriors, who were missing three starters, went 2-2 at the tourney. They opened with a 55-53 win against Orangewood Academy, dropped consecutive games to Fairmont Prep (70-48) and Northwood (55-33), and ended the tourney with a 68-19 win over San Diego Lutheran.

Brethren Christian Coach Jon Bahnsen said that 7-foot-5 center Mamadou Ndiaye and forwards Dakota Warren and Guy Demaziliere didn’t play in the tournament. Ndiaye attended the three-day National Basketball Players Assn.’s Top 100 Camp at Charlottesville, Va., which was June 14 through Saturday.

michael.sciacca@latimes.com

Twitter: @MikeSciacca