SAN GABRIEL VALLEY ALL-AREA BASEBALL 2024
The top award winners and the player selections from the San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena and Whittier areas.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Landon White, San Dimas, Senior
San Dimas’ Landon White has been one of the area’s top baseball players since his freshman season, and he finishes his senior year as the San Gabriel Valley player of the year.
White, who plays third base and is an Arizona State commit, led a super-talented Saints squad that won the Valle Vista League title and advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals before losing to Harvard-Westlake, 5-4.
The Saints finished the season 25-5 overall, and White, who also was a CIF Southern Section Division 1 first team selection, was a big part of the team’s success.
White, who was named San Dimas’ team MVP, was the Saints’ undisputed catalyst at the plate, batting a team-best .398 with four home runs and 38 RBIs, which also led the squad.White had three RBIs or more in seven games.
The four-year varsity player batted .375 for his career and averaged more than 25 RBIs per year, finishing with 108 to go with 11 career home runs.
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Zach Strickland, Maranatha, Junior
Maranatha’s Zach Strickland, a UCLA commit who throws in the mid 90s, has been selected the San Gabriel Valley pitcher of the year after a dominant season against strong competition that included a trip to the Boras Classic.
In terms of statistics, few were better. Strickland finished 8-0 with a 0.39 ERA and teams batted just .110 against him.
Perhaps Strickland’s most memorable performance came in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 playoffs. He finished with 17 strikeouts in a 4-0 victory over Royal.
Strickland also had nine strikeouts during a 5-4 victory over San Dimas, and nine strikeouts in a 6-3 win over El Dorado.
The Minutemen finished 22-7 and won the Olympic League title, with Strickland being named the league MVP. Strickland also was a CIF-SS Division 2 first-team pick. He also was a valuable piece at the plate, batting. 394 with 21 RBIs, five doubles, four triples and two home runs.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Albert Sanchez, Azusa
Azusa coach Albert Sanchez was tasked with the difficult challenge of bringing school rivals together and making it work, and did he it so well that he has earned San Gabriel Valley coach of the year honors.
Sanchez, who played and coached previously at Gladstone, was named the head coach of Azusa after Gladstone closed as a high school and merged with Azusa.
The merger turned into immediate success and helped bring a community together. Azusa finished in a three-way tie for the Montview League title and the Aztecs went on to win the CIF Southern Section Division 8 title. They beat Pacifica Christian of Orange County 5-0 in the championship game.
The Aztecs advanced to the CIF Southern California Regional Division V championship game, where it lost to Chavez 8-6 in nine innings.
ALL-AREA FIRST TEAM
Pitcher: Jude Favela, San Dimas, Sr.
Pitcher: Walker Calvo, La Mirada, Sr.
Pitcher: Gabe Lopez, Arcadia, Sr.
Pitcher: Luke Bauer, South Hills, Sr.
Pitcher: Aaron Sandin, Bishop Amat, Sr.
Pitcher: Zach Menlove, Monrovia, Sr.
Pitcher: Josh Torres, Azusa, Sr.
Pitcher: Aiden Mahoney, St. Francis, So.
Utility: Sean Asperger, Pasadena Poly, Sr.
Utility: Andrew Medina, South El Monte, Sr.
Utility: Fernando Palencia, Arcadia, Sr.
Utility: Kalai Benavente, St. Paul, Jr.
Catcher: Thomas Lieb, Maranatha, Sr.
Infield: Diego Vasquez, Bonita, Sr.
Infield: Paul Vasquez, South Hills, Sr.
Infield: Maverek Russell, La Mirada, Jr.
Infield: Kasen Khansarinia, San Dimas, Sr.
Infield: Gabe Barragan, Maranatha, So.
Infield: Erick Felix, Walnut, Sr.
Infield: Kevin Jeon, La Mirada, Sr.
Infield: Matt Moreno, South Hills, Sr.
Infield: JJ Manuel, Ganesha, Sr.
Infield: Holden Deitch, St. Francis, Sr.
Outfield: David Myzsa, La Salle, Sr.
Outfield: Noah Malone, South Hills, Sr.
Outfield: Nikko Paoletto, Damien, Sr.
Outfield: Vaughn Coleman, San Dimas, Jr.
Outfield: Travis Friend, La Mirada, Jr.
Outfield: Eric Zdunek, Maranatha, So.
Outfielld: Jacob Campos, Bishop Amat, Jr.
ALL-AREA SECOND TEAM
Pitcher: Rudy Odell, Damien, Jr.
Pitcher: Kody King, San Dimas, Jr.
Pitcher: Matthew Vazquez, Maranatha, Jr.
Pitcher: Justin Peinado, Bishop Amat, Sr.
Pitcher: Adrian Hernandez, La Salle, Sr.
Pitcher: Jared Day, La Habra, Sr.
Utility: AJ Beltre, Maranatha, Sr.
Utility: Tomás Bilvado, San Marino, Jr.
Utility: Fernie Soto, St. Paul, Sr.
Catcher: Gabriel Rincon, South El Monte, Sr.
Infield: Gus Salazar, Montebello, Sr.
Infield: Ivan Flores, Nogales, Sr.
Infield: Jordan Vogel, Arcadia, Fr.
Infield: Jacob Oropeza, La Mirada, So.
Infield: AC Nieto, La Salle, Sr.
Infield: Aiden Aguayo, La Mirada, Jr.
Infield: Rocco Regan, San Dimas, Sr.
Infield: Ryan Castro, San Dimas, Sr.
Infield: Jared Brunk, Bonita, Sr.
Infield: Steven Jimenez, South Hills, Sr.
Infield: Nolan Adams, South Pasadena, Sr.
Outfield: Teddy Crocker, Ganesha, Sr.
Outfield: Owen Long, La Serna, Sr.
Outfield: Andrew Alva, Bonita, Sr.
Outfield: Josh Rodriguez, La Serna, Sr.
Outfield: Josh Proctor, Maranatha, Jr.
Outfield: Leo Peniche, Arcadia, Jr.
Outfield: Noah Ellison, Monrovia, Sr.
Outfield: Andrew Carter, Damien, Sr.
Outfield: Jacob Nguyen, West Covina, Sr.
