PRIME 31 Players | 20-16

Thirty-one is a Prime number, one that is divisible only by one – and, of course, itself. Hence, the moniker Prime 31. It’s named for the 31 players we think best illustrate the talent level on the Peninsula. In digging into the rosters – and the stats – we found power pitchers, power hitters and powerful presences in their respective dugouts. They represent a solid cross section of private school pedigrees and the nose-to-the-grindstone public school kids who are making themselves seen and heard just as loudly. It’s an impressive list that took hundreds of hours of conversation and sometimes heated debate to compile and complete. It’s meant to inspire conversation and perhaps even more debates.

20. LOGAN MATHIAS

Sequoia, senior

Senior catcher Logan Mathias always knew baseball was his haven. That fact hit home when Tommy John surgery cost him his sophomore season. “That was tough because baseball is a main component in my life,” he said. “For that to be taken away was hard.” But there was a silver lining, he added. The surgery taught him the importance of precision when it comes to training, stretching and throwing programs while teaching him perhaps baseball’s biggest lesson: dealing with failure. Mathias returned to the lineup last year and had a solid campaign. Now a senior, he is looking to put an exclamation point on a career where he would have been a four-year starter if not for the elbow injury. “I feel like our really do well this year. We’ve put in the hard work.”

In their own words:

“Catching has helped me when I’m hitting because I have a pretty good sense of when and in what situations pitchers throw each pitch.”

What others are saying:

“Logan is one of the most athletic catchers I’ve coached. He’s lightning quick on his release and has worked hard to become a good receiver as well.”
– Mike Doyle, Sequoia coach.

19. LANDON KIM

Saint Francis, senior

Landon Kim, in his first year as a starter for the Lancers, was a workhorse last season, logging more than 63 innings. He improved his game in the offseason by working on mechanics as well as his strength. “Building late-game stamina was definitely one of the main reasons I prioritized weightlifting,” he said. “I struggled toward the end keeping my stamina throughout a game. The goal in the offseason was to be stronger in the late innings and he thinks his time in the weight room will accomplish that.

In their own words:

“I put myself in the best position for this year by throwing as much in the summer,” he said. “Cleaning up my mechanics was big, and I think I have improved as a pitcher.”

What others are saying:

“Landon is everything you want in the leader of a pitching staff. He is the heart and soul of our team. His competitiveness to being great is the model we want everyone in our program to follow.”
– Erik Wagle, Saint Francis coach.

18. GRAYSON MUNOZ

Archbishop Mitty, senior

Brian Yocke can sum up what makes Grayson Munoz special in one sentence. “He has light tower power,” said the Mitty coach, who looks forward to the senior first baseman’s return to the mound this season, too. Munoz’s approach to hitting is “to drive the ball as hard as I can into the right-center field gap to keep my bat path through the ball. It’s worked well for the 6-foot-3 senior, who is one of the WCAL’s top returning power hitters. His bat will be needed if the Monarchs are to make a run at repeating their CCS-Division I crown. “I’m extremely excited – especially this being my last year at Mitty,” he said.

In their own words:

“I always say to sit on the fastball and if it’s a breaker, just sit a little longer.”

What others are saying:

“He plays quality defense with agility that’s rare for someone his size.”
– Brian Yocke, Mitty coach.

17. EVAN TAVAREZ

Bellarmine, senior

Evan Tavarez enters his senior season with a message for the rest of the WCAL: Don’t count out the Bells. “I genuinely believe we have the ability to surprise a lot of people.” Tavarez is a self-confessed creature of habit, a right-hander who goes to the plate with a play and process. And so far, that strategy has worked just fine for him. “I have a routine and stick with it,” he said, adding that being in the weightroom regularly. The middle infielder and outfielder will be called on to lead Nate Sutton’s club this season.

In their own words:

“As a hitter, I try not to think a whole lot. My approach is simple, just try to stay up the middle and react. The work is already done. There’s not much to think about once it’s game time.”

What others are saying:

“Evan has a bright future – even beyond high school – as a baseball player.”
– Bellarmine coach Nate Sutton.

16. EMMET JOHNSON

St. Ignatius Prep, senior

On a team loaded with talent – from Archer Horn and pitchers Beau Shaffer and Chase Gordon – it would be foolhardy to overlook the contributions of Emmet Johnson the senior outfielder who is one of Wildcats’ glue guys. Johnson enters his final high school season with a bevy of confidence, mostly because he put in the work during the offseason. “The biggest thing I have worked on is my swing and the ability stay in rhythm and in sequence.” That, he said, has enabled him to stay behind the pitches better and hit the ball to all fields.

In their own words:

“With regard to timing, I tell me self to simply be on time with the heater. I trust myself and my mechanics to get to the breaker. Besides that, all I do is try to stay loose.”

What others are saying:

“His speed and power combo is elite and, arguably, the best in the WCAL. He is a great player and a great teammate.” – Archer Horn, St. Ignatius Prep junior.

PRIME 31 Players | 15-11

Thirty-one is a Prime number, one that is divisible only by one – and, of course, itself. Hence, the moniker Prime 31. It’s named for the 31 players we think best illustrate the talent level on the Peninsula. In digging into the rosters – and the stats – we found power pitchers,

Peninsula Prep BaseballPPB Team