LA COSTA CANYON HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

MOST WINS IN ONE SEASON 2003 32 2002 27 1997 26 2010 26 2011 26 2015 26 2004 25 2016 23 2009 23 2013 23 2017 23 2018 23 2008 22 1998 22 2012 22 2014 21 2000 20 1999 19 2001 16 2005 16 2006 16 2007 16 TEAM STAFF EARNED RUN AVERAGE 2015 1.30 2011 1.93 2003 2.01 2014 2.05 1996 2.11 2018 2.13 1997 2.19 2012 2.26 2009 2.32 2017 2.51 2010 2.53 2013 2.58 1998 2.64 2004 2.64 2006 2.82 1999 2.95 2000 X 2001 3.09 2007 3.33 2002 3.63 2005 3.89 MOST STRIKE OUTS IN ONE SEASON 2009 281 2011 261 2010 259 2008 254 2013 252 1998 236 2018 234 2012 229 2004 225 2002 216 2001 215 1999 209 2007 193 2000 189 2017 188 2015 182 2003 181 2014 180 2016 174 1997 173 2005 165 2006 164 FEWEST WALKS ALLOWED IN ONE SEASON 2015 54 2016 61 2014 63 2006 67 2017 75 2012 78 2004 81 2011 81 2010 82 2003 84 2013 93 2018 97 2002 109 2005 109 2007 116 2009 118 2008 158 MOST NO HITTERS 2001 1 2002 1 2004 1 2007 1 2011 1 2012 1 MOST PERFECT GAMES 2011 1

2019 BASEBALL PRESEASON TEAM RANKINGS

 1  Helix 

 2  Torrey Pines

 3  Poway

 4  Grossmont

 5  Eastlake

 6  Mira Mesa

 7  San Marcos

 8  La Costa Canyon

 9  Santana

10. Point Loma

By John Maffei: San Diego Union Tribune

"Not known as a pitcher, La Costa Canyon lefty now rising in rankings

Spencer Jones earned a reputation as a hitter - a big, strong lefty with a beautiful stoke, power and speed.  Then La Costa Canyon High baseball coach Justin Machado - short on pitching in the middle of last season's Lions Tournament -- decided to give the 6-foot-7 Jones a pitching start against No. 1 ranked Eastlake in front of about 25 major league scouts who had come to see Titans right-hander Grant Holman.

Holman didn't disappoint, touching 94 mph in beating the Mavericks. but when Jones hit 92-93 mph on the radar guns, he sent the scouts scrambling.  "I had never been more than a mid-80's guy." Jones said. "All of a sudden , I'm in the low-90's, and people are buzzing."

Jones threw only 27 1/3rd innings last season,  but he struck out 33.  Thats the upside.

The downside was 33 walks and a 4.09 ERA.  To smooth outh his mechanics, Jones elisted the help of Dom Johnson, a pitching guru, who works with a number of major leaguers.

"Spencer was clueless, a rudderless ship," Johnson said. "At 6-7, there were a lot of moving parts. But he's very intlligent. He's a great listener. He wants to get better. He had no experience as a pitcher, but the talent is there. He has worked hard to smooth his delivery, but he still gets out whack at times. That will get better with experience."

Jones said he considers himself a hitter who pitches. And the numbers back him.  He hit .414 for LCC last season with five homers, seven doubles and 32 RBIs. Plus, he had 12 stolen bases and struck out just 14 times in 123 plate appearances. 

  "We always thought of Spencer as a hitter," said one major league scout, who spoke on condition his name not be used. "but he has opened some eyes wih his pitching. "You don't get a lot of lefties throwing 92-93-94. Plus he's tall, so he has some downhill tilt.  His pitches have a left-hander's natural movement."

 A summer on the show-case circuit that included trips to Georgia, Florida, Texas and Illinois put him in the national spotlight.  At the end of the summer, he turned scouts' heads at the area code Games in Long Beach, then threw a great inning at the Perfect Game All-American Classic in Petco Park.  After his inning in Petco, he led off the next inning with a line-drive single single to center.  "Impressive.  Really, really impressive," another scout said.

  MaxPreps lists him as a  preseason All-American.  Baseball America has him ranked as the 26th-best draft-eligible player.  Street & Smith's Baseball Annual has him rated No. 31. And that includes college and high school players.  These numbers put Jones squarely in the crosshairs of the first round of the major league draft.

  "We're used to having major league scots buzzing around here." said Machado, who has third baseman Phillip Evans in the big leagues and saw Mavericks center fielder Mickey Moniak drafted No. 1 overall by the Philadephia Phillies two years ago. "But this is different. The scouts knew if we were playing, Mickey was going to play center field and hit at the top of the lineup. "But it's labor intensive when pitchers are involved. I'm getting tons of calls. "The scouts not only want to  know when Spencer is going to pitch, but against what team and how long I plan to have him out there."

  "He's scary good right now, and he'll only get better. He's a big puppy dog, who is going to grow into his body.  And don't forget, he's one of the top hitters in the country."

  Jones has signed to play at Vanderbilt -- a top flight academic and baseball school.  The Commodores want him as a hitter and pticher.  That appeals to a player who carries a 4.2 GPA.  "I've been a hitter for 10 years," Jones said. "I've been a pitcher for a year. I may end up doing just one thing.  That will work itself out.  And I'll be the first to know it."

  Scouts also like the fact Jones has a plus-breaking ball, delivered from a high-three-quarters arm slot. After sessions with Johnson, he has added a change-up. "I tried all kinds of change-up grips -- splitter, choke, circle," said Jones. "Nothing felt comfortable. "Then, while I was working with Dom, Chris Devenski of the Astros came over and showed me his grip. And I loved it. It felt natural. Now I need to work on it, use it in games to show the scouts--and also the hitters-- that I have more than two pitches."

  Jones saw what Moniak went through in the draft.  He saw the money his former teammate received. He has benefited from Moniak's donation back to the program to refurbish the clubhouse. "It's wierd to think I could be a pro." Jones said. "If I sign out of high school, I'd be the first person in two generations of my family not to go to college. "I'm still only 17, and I have a lot of thing to think about. "College is a place to get better as a person and player. Pro ball is pro ball, a chance to get to the major leagues.  My goal right now is to be the best I can be for my team.  I'm a senior. this is my team. It's my responsibility to lead on the field and by examle.  I want to take on that burdern. If pro ball is right, I'll be the first to know it.  I still have a few months for all that to play ouf."

By: John.maffei@sduniontribune.com 

 

Team Offense Records BATTING AVERAGE MOST HITS 2003 .370 2003 333 2000 .341 2002 324 1998 .335 2009 305 2010 .335 2011 297 2002 .333 2010 293 2016 .332 2014 293 1999 .330 2015 284 2009 .316 2000 283 2017 .313 2016 282 2004 .312 1998 279 2015 .311 2004 279 1997 .307 2012 277 2011 .307 2017 272 2014 .303 2013 270 2012 .298 2018 267 2001 .297 2007 261 2017 .297 1999 260 2007 .292 2001 244 2013 .284 1997 217 2005 .259 2005 203 2006 .227 2006 181 HOME RUNS RUNS BATTED IN 2009 32 2003 254 2000 29 2009 227 2002 28 2002 218 1999 28 2010 191 1011 27 2004 189 2010 26 2016 182 1998 25 2011 180 2003 22 1999 178 2018 22 2008 176 2008 21 2000 169 2013 16 1998 169 2004 15 2017 169 2016 12 2018 167 2007 10 2012 163 2012 10 1997 158 2014 10 2007 150 2017 10 2014 147 2005 9 2915 140 2006 9 2013 138 1997 8 2001 124 2001 7 2005 116 2015 7 2006 88 TRIPLES DOUBLES 2016 18 2002 80 2003 17 2003 75 1997 16 2017 64 2002 12 2012 63 1998 10 1998 61 1999 9 2016 59 2001 9 2009 59 2008 9 2011 59 2011 9 2000 55 2018 9 2018 55 2009 8 1999 54 2010 8 2006 53 2012 8 2014 53 2005 7 2004 52 2015 7 2007 52 2006 6 2010 46 2013 6 2015 43 2017 6 1997 42 2007 5 2013 41 2004 4 2001 40 2014 3 2005 39 2000 ? 2006 33 RUNS SCORED STOLEN BASES 2003 274 2003 86 2009 257 2018 67 2002 231 2016 65 2011 222 1998 61 2010 210 2002 60 1998 208 2017 56 2008 204 2001 55 2004 203 2008 46 1997 202 1997 45 2012 202 2007 45 2016 199 1999 42 1998 196 2015 37 2017 195 2006 34 2018 193 2014 34 1997 179 2005 32 2014 165 2004 31 2015 159 2009 27 2013 157 2010 26 2005 145 2011 23 2001 137 2013 21 2006 104 2012 13 2000 ? 2000 ?

Leo Fletes  and  Josh McMahon