Play ball: 20 area players dot MLB rosters in restart
Bouncing around the regional sporting regions, heavy on baseball, with a touch of Sacramento State football recruiting and a concerning sign on JC athletics.
20 locals in MLB mix
This has always been a baseball town, and then some. Major League Baseball is preparing for a summer start amid a shortened season due to COVID-19 with 20 Sacramento-area products dotting 60-man rosters.
Eight of them played at Elk Grove High School for coach Jeff Carlson, including son Dylan Carlson, a slugging outfielder for St. Louis. Other former Herd stars on MLB rosters include Colorado catcher Dom Nunez, Milwaukee catcher David Freitas, Mets slugger J.D. Davis, White Sox infielder Nick Madrigal, Toronto first baseman Rowdy Tellez, Cleveland pitcher David Hernandez and Detroit outfielder Derek Hill.
Carlson, Hill and Madrigal were first-round selections. Freitas, Davis and Tellez have already had big-league moments.
Jesuit has three players on MLB rosters who played prep ball for coach Joe Potulny in Pittsburgh catcher Andrew Susac, Giants first baseman Zach Green and Philadelphia first baseman Rhys Hoskins, also out of Sacramento State. UC Davis has two products in the mix in Houston pitcher Joe Biagini and Cubs infielder Daniel Descalso. Two veteran catchers in the fold are Granite Bay’s Andrew Knapp with Philadelphia and Yuba City’s Max Stassi with the Angels.
The Giants roster also includes second baseman Mauricio Dubon of Capital Christian, and two live arms include The Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin of Vacaville, Detroit’s Matt Manning of Sheldon and San Francisco’s Logan Webb of Rocklin. And big-time, small-school prep power Valley Christian Academy of Roseville has outfielder Ryan Cordell with the Mets.
Hale a Hornet
Sacramento State has received a verbal scholarship commitment from duel-threat quarterback star Dorian Hale of national powerhouse De La Salle.
The Hornets coaching staff includes a host of one-time Folsom High coaches who saw Hale work his magic up close and personal. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Hale beat Folsom twice in nonleague games, including last fall 42-27, electrifying early with a 70-yard scoring sprint to extend De La Salle’s unbeaten streak against teams north of Fresno to 301, dating back to 1992.
Hale will be a third-year starter this season, a campaign that includes another game against Folsom. Hale has led De La Salle to seasons of 12-1 and 12-2.
JC danger signs
The presidents of the community college programs within the Central Valley Conference announced last month that it has canceled all fall sports seasons due to the coronavirus pandemic, including football.
The CVC includes Clovis, Columbia, Fresno City College, Merced College, Porterville, Reedley, College of the Sequoias, Taft, West Hills of Coalinga and West Hills of Lemoore. The California Community College Athletic Association will announce July 17 how it will offer a 2020-21 sports calendar, including football possibly moving to the spring. The Big 8 Conference that includes American River, Cosumnes River, Folsom Lake, Modesto, Sacramento City and Sierra College has not made any drastic announcements but will continue to follow health guidelines and direction from the CCCAA.
Returning athletes from the CVC are in full-on scramble mode, looking to transfer to other schools while wondering if those programs will have seasons. They come from high school programs wondering the same thing.
This story was originally published July 8, 2020 at 4:00 AM.