10 high school baseball players to watch this spring
How deep is the baseball talent in the valley? There are players signed to Division I colleges who didn’t make the list below. Desert Oasis won the state championship in 2019, but the competition throughout the valley this spring figures to be fierce.
Players to watch
Garrett Cutting, Arbor View: The senior hit .495 with eight doubles, six triples, three homers and 30 RBIs in 2019. He also had four wins and struck out 22 in 26⅔ innings.
Chris Cortez, Silverado: The senior was 6-3 and struck out 65 in 49⅓ innings in 2019. He also hit .400 with nine doubles, three triples and 19 RBIs.
Tommy DiLandri, Palo Verde: The senior hit two home runs in five games last spring, is rated as a top-100 player in the country by ESPN.
Chase Gallegos, Liberty: The senior hit .462 with three RBIs and four runs scored in five games before last season was cut short.
Hunter Katschke, Basic: The senior hit .395 with nine doubles, three triples, four homers and 38 RBIs in 2019. He also went 3-0 with 19 strikeouts in 16⅔ innings.
Santino Panaro, Bishop Gorman: The senior hit .320 with three doubles and 13 stolen bases in 2019.
Reed Schaefer, Desert Oasis: The senior was stuck behind some of the state’s best on the Diamondbacks’ 2019 Class 4A state title team, but it’s his turn to shine.
Jairo Verdugo, Rancho: The senior hit .467 with seven home runs and 34 RBIs in 2019. He also went 2-1 with a 2.47 ERA.
Jacob Walsh, Desert Oasis: The senior hit .403 with nine doubles, two triples, five homers and 36 RBIs in 2019. He also went 5-1 with a 1.71 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 32⅔ innings.
Tyler Whitaker, Bishop Gorman: The senior is expected to be the No. 3 hitter in a stacked lineup.
Contact Jason Orts at jorts@reviewjournal.com. Follow @SportsWithOrts on Twitter.
