San Benito will have a tough task ahead to improve on its best
season in school history
Hollister – Last season was a banner year for the San Benito baseball team, winning a school-record 24 games and capturing the Tri-County Athletic League title.
With seven starters and 10 total players – including league co-MVPs Karson Klauer and Breyon Canez – gone from that team, the Haybalers are looking to reload in an attempt to challenge for another crown.
“We have some really big shoes to fill,” third-year coach Michael Luna said. “We need somebody to step up to be the leader.”
While a lot of talent was lost to graduation, the team also returns seven players from last year’s championship team, including four all-leaguers.
Junior pitcher and shortstop Zach Canez (brother of Breyon Canez) was a second team selection last season and will anchor the pitching staff and get the start in today’s season-opener against North Monterey County at 3pm. The game is part of the Pacific Grove Coast Classic Tournament, but will be held at San Benito.
Senior Kevin Medeiros, a second-teamer who should be the starting left fielder and bat cleanup, will join the team at the conclusion of the basketball season, which wraps up tonight at North Salinas.
Junior Brian Haggett, another second-teamer, has transitioned from first base to second base and is expected to provide much of the offensive firepower and bat in the No. 3 spot.
Senior Justin Andrade should be a spark in the leadoff role and split his time between third base and shortstop, filling in at short when Canez is on the mound. Andrade was an honorable mention selection a year ago.
The catcher position is still undecided, with Miles Sanchez, Johnny Sanchez and Kyle Zozaya all competing. Currently, Luna says Zozaya has the edge because of his bat and the sophomore will get the start today.
Kolton Klauer will start in the outfield for the ‘Balers and Luna is expecting the senior to have a breakthrough season.
The ‘Balers biggest concern initially is the pitching. While Luna has eight pitchers on the roster, many of them are inexperienced at the varsity level.
“We’re very inexperienced on the bump, that’ll be the big question,” he said.
Michael Garcia, who didn’t pitch at all his sophomore season and saw only limited duty on the mound last year, is slated to be the No. 2 guy behind Canez.
“He’s thrown a lot for us in the summer,” Luna said of Garcia, who will get the start Saturday in the ‘Balers second game of a home-and-home with NMC. “I think he could win a lot of games for us.”
Beyond that, much is still to be determined for a staff that will feature three sophomores in its rotation. But with a full slate (weather permitting) in the next week or so, the ‘Balers should get a good idea of how they’ll look.
“Defensively, we’ll be solid,” Luna said. “We’ve got some descent team speed. I’m not sure about the hitting yet, but I think we’ll be able to score runs. I think the arms are good enough for us to be in every game.”
Depending on the results of the games today and Saturday with NMC in the Pacific Grove tournament, San Benito could find itself with five games in four days next week.
If the ‘Balers advance in the tournament, they would play Wednesday and Friday. They already have a non-league game scheduled Thursday against Santa Teresa, which knocked them out of last year’s Central Coast Section playoffs in the second round.
San Benito then begins play in the Wilcox Mike Hazlett Tournament on Saturday with a double-header, facing Harbor at 9:30am and Valley Christian at 3:30pm.
“That’s one of the reasons we schedule those games,” Luna said. “We know how tough our league is. That shows us where we’re at.”
The early consensus on paper is that Salinas is the league favorite, with Gilroy, Palma and San Benito all expected to be contender.
Luna added that he believes North Salinas and new coach Randy Bispo could be a sleeper in the league.
“I think he’s going to surprise a lot of teams if they take them lightly,” Luna said. “He’s going to help make the league a lot more competitive.”
The ‘Balers are looking at between 13 and 14 non-league games (again, weather permitting) before opening league play on the road March 14 at Palma.
