All County baseball team

Jack Bailey, Monterey >> Don’t let the 6-5 record on the mound fool you. Bailey was dealing this spring for the Toreadores, posting a 1.52 earned run average.

The senior struck out 43 in 69 innings for work, and did not allow a run in five outings this year. At the plate, Bailey hit .270, scoring 12 runs.

Clay Barbree, King City >> A member of The Herald’s All-County football team as well, Barbree hit a team high .395 this spring for the Mustangs.

The senior led the team in hits (30), runs batted in (22), homers (2), extra base hits (12) and stolen bases (11). On the bump, Barbree was 5-1 with 56 strikeouts in 41 innings of work.

Michael Carnazzo, Monterey >> Providing leadership on a team filled with youth, Carnazzo hit a team high .448, leading the Toreadores in runs scored (31) and hits (38).

The junior second baseman also hit two homers and drove in 18 runs for Monterey, striking out four times in 107 at bats. Carnazzo also led the team in stolen bases with 12.

Kevin Cook, Carmel >> The senior infielder hit .468 for the Padres, leading the team in hits (36) and runs scored (32).

An all-leaguer in basketball and baseball for the Padres this past season, Cook also drove in 14 runs and stole 10 bases, with a third of his hits going for extra bases.

Isaac Lopez, Soledad >> Leadership aside, the senior hit .543 with a team high 44 hits and 38 runs batted in for the Mission Trail Athletic League champion Aztecs.

Lopez also scored 38 runs and had eight doubles, while leading the team in triples. Defensively, he anchored the Soledad infield at shortstop.

Sal Lopez, Alisal >> The Pacific Division Most Valuable Player, the slugger/hurler finished among the team leaders in numerous offensive categories.

The sophomore was also one of the teams aces on the bump this past spring, helping pitch them to back-to-back league titles for the first time in school history.

Nathan Martorella, Salinas >> A three-time member of The Herald’s All-County baseball team, the junior first baseman ripped four homers for the Cowboys, while batting .338.

Martorella, who is headed to Cal on a baseball scholarship in two years, hit .385 with runners in scoring position. He scored 19 runs and walked 25 times, striking out just six times in over 100 plate appearances.

Ben Pajas, Soledad >> The only sophomore named to the team, Pajas hit a team high .544 for the Aztecs, who set a school record with 17 straight wins.

Pajas also scored a team high 39 runs, had 43 hits and two homers, while driving in 19 runs. On the mound, he was 3-1 with an 0.61 earned run average, striking out 35 in 23 innings or relief.

Dominic Scattini, Palma >> The senior infielder lead the Chieftains with a .398 batting average, scoring 23 runs while driving in 21.

Scattini struck out just four times in over 100 plate appearances for Palma, stealing a team high 16 bases this past year. He also posted a 1.20 earned run average with two saves in eight appearances.

Christian Stapleton, Carmel >> The senior was a highlight reel nearly everytime he came to the plate for the Padres, hitting over .620 with 10 homers.

Of his 45 hits, 24 went for extra bases this spring. Stapleton drove in 40 runs and scored 22. He also walked 24 times and sported a .742 on base percentage for Carmel.

Sam Stoutenborough, Palma >> Last year’s Herald Player of the Year, the Cal University bound hurler posted a 0.90 earned run average with five wins, striking out 93 in 68 innings of work.

Stoutenborough, who was selected in the 40th round by the Los Angeles Angels, didn’t allow an earned run in seven starts for Palma. At the plate the senior hit .280, driving in 19 runs and scoring 13.

Chris Villarreal, Soledad >> Playing most of the season with a torn labrum, the senior started all but one game, hitting .418 while driving in 25 runs for the Aztecs.

What made Villarreal so valuable is he played nearly every position on the field for the Mission Trail Athletic League champions. He also scored 30 runs and walked 12 times.

Chris Wright, Trinity >> Overshadowed by his teams struggles, Wright hit .607 this spring for the Warriors with four home runs and 26 runs batted in.

Wright stole 12 bases and struck once in over 100 plate appearances. He led Trinity in seven offensive categories. The senior also struck out 82 hitters on the mound this season.

Damien Ryan, Soledad coach >> A decade long tenure has produced over 200 wins and three league titles. Ryan, though, put together his finest season as a manager, helping the Aztecs to a spot in the CCS Division II title game.

 

Honorable mention >> Javier Rodriguez, Alvarez; Cedrick Perez, King City; Vince Flores, Palma; Jon Jon Berring, Palma; Aaron Rodriguez, Soledad; Andrew Holguin, Soledad; Alexis Zavala, Greenfield; Brian Lopez, King City; Jeovani Santoyo, King City; Daniel Garrett, Stevenson; Dylan Houpt, Carmel; Xando Mendez, Gonzales; Hunter Hanes, Pacific Grove; Daniel Rosas, Pacific Grove; Josiah Ramos, Alisal; Mason Hunter, Salinas; Nathan Chapman, Salinas; Michael Mugan, Monterey; Danny Villegas Alisal; Daniel Sayre, Seaside; Dalton Rainaud, Seaside; Angel Rodriguez, Alvarez.