Baseball Preview: Pirates seek postseason return

Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli spent part of last summer touring with the United States national collegiate team as an assistant coach for exhibition games in Taiwan, Japan and Cuba.

This spring, Altobelli, entering his 25th season, the venerable Pirates head man has another destination in mind: the postseason.

After back-to-back state championships in 2014 and 2015, the 2016 OCC squad failed to make the playoffs after losing six of its last nine games to finish 18-18, 9-12 and tied for fifth in the eight-team Orange Empire Conference. It was the first time OCC missed the playoffs since 2006.

Much like the formula that led to consecutive state titles, bounce-backs from four-year programs will occupy key positions when the Pirates open the 2017 season on Saturday at noon against visiting College of the Desert.

Foremost among the former Division I players are University of Oregon transfers Travis Moniot and Kyle Robeniol.

Moniot, a switch-hitter out of Palm Desert, started at shortstop last season for the Ducks, for whom he hit .168 in 53 games, with five home runs and 18 runs batted in. He also had a .947 fielding percentage, committing just 10 errors in 190 chances.

“Defense is his plus-plus side,” Altobelli said of Moniot, who has already signed to play next season at the University of Arizona. “He needs to keep the ball out of the air, offensively, but he’s a good player with a good eye at the plate and he will bring leadership that will help our infielders.”

Robeniol, who has committed to Utah, was 3-2 with a 7.09 earned-run average in 26 2/3 innings with Oregon last season. Four of his 13 appearances were starts and he struck out 21 in 26 1/3 innings.

“He’ll be our opening-day starter,” Altobelli said of the left-hander. “He is coming back with a vengeance and he has been throwing strikes and keeping the ball down.”

Other bounce-backs include sophomore projected closer Blair Lewis (Pitt), sophomore catcher Chris Ceballos (Cal State Fullerton), freshman utility player Jacob Doty (Pepperdine), and sophomore outfielder Luke Hussung (Concordia).

Pitchers Cameron Jabara, a Newport Harbor High product, and McKinley Lefore both began their collegiate careers at Oregon.

Key returners include sophomore second baseman J.T. Navarro, who led last year’s team in batting average (.370), hits (47), runs (28), and on-base percentage (.420). Navarro, a Fountain Valley High product, and sophomore outfielder Jake Scott, both of whom were second-team all-conference last season, have committed to Houston Baptist.

Scott hit .326 with 16 RBIs and had a .413 on-base percentage last season, but is in a battle for playing time in the outfield, according to Altobelli.

“We’re going to have a good team that will have a lot of good players on the bench,” Altobelli said. “You just have to wait your turn and be ready to go. I could easily bat 14 guys with this team, but you can’t do that.”

Sophomore returner Eric Wagaman, the Player of the Year in the Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas Collegiate Summer League, in which he hit seven homers and drove in 46 runs in 199 at-bats, is expected to play first base and bat third.

“We need him to have a big year for us,” Altobelli said of Wagaman, who hit .214 with one homer and seven RBIs in 56 at-bats last season.

Freshman Michael Odgers will open the season at third base, Altobelli said. Odgers, a four-year starter at Granite Hills High in Apple Valley, hit .372 with 60 RBIs and 47 extra-base hits in 341 prep at-bats.

Sophomores Jake Gozzo and Daniel Hawkins, who is also a catcher, should be the primary designated hitters, Altobelli said, adding to a lineup that should surpass the 12 homers hit by last year’s squad.

“We have some guys in our lineup who can drive the ball a little bit,” Altobelli said. “We should be more of a power offense than a finesse offense.”

Hawkins (.282 with three homers and 17 RBIs last season) and Ceballos should battle sophomore Robert Teel (.290 with three homers and 19 RBIs in 2016) for time behind the plate.

Hawkins may also see time in left field, as could center-field candidate Hussung.

Altobelli said sophomore Jacob White is another contender for the job in center, while sophomore John Balliet leads a group that includes sophomore Ramiro Velasco and freshman Walker Keller in right.

Velasco is nine years removed from a standout career at Santa Ana High, in which he .542 with 10 homers, 103 RBIs and 93 steals in four varsity seasons. He was twice first-team All-CIF Southern Section and was also a first-team All-CIF football player for the Saints.

Ryan Randel, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, is the projected No. 2 in the starting pitching rotation, with Jabara and sophomore Austin Moore the early picks at Nos. 3-4, respectively, Altobelli said.

Jabara was drafted in the 31st round by the Atlanta Braves in June.

Randel, who is committed to the University of Houston, was 3-2 with one save and a 3.46 ERA in 39 innings last season.

Moore, a Huntington Beach High product bound for the University of Utah, was 2-4 with a 4.50 last year, when he struck out 32 in 32 innings.

Altobelli said Lefore, freshman sidearmer Doug Magee, freshman Jacob Higareda, sophomore Andrew Eppenbach, and Balliet are slated to support Lewis in the bullpen.

OCC opens its conference season March 7 at home against Santa Ana.