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There’s perhaps no high school baseball team anywhere that was more eager to get on the field this season than Long Beach Poly. The Jackrabbits have won three of the last four Moore League championships for the first time ever, including a historic undefeated 12-0 title last year–the first perfect league record Poly’s had in baseball since at least 1968, and the first in the league by anyone in a couple decades.
But despite the on-field success, things have been tumultuous off the field, to say the least. Former coach Brent Lavoie was suspended for much of last season and then let go, which sparked outrage with some Poly parents; then video was released of a locker room slapboxing match during the offseason.
The end result? A group of kids and coaches who want nothing more than to turn the page and get on the field to hear the words “play ball!”
“It’s been a lot of chaos, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before, nothing we haven’t handled before,” said senior starting pitcher Jacob Mason. “As you know from our team last year, we’re great with handling adversity and not listening to the noise, just going out and playing Jackrabbit baseball. It was very hard what happened last year but we didn’t let it crack us, and we really showed who we are.”
The team that takes the field this year is younger, with many of them new to varsity or new to contributing at the varsity level. First-year head coach Martin Rodriguez said he likes the attitude and talent of his team.
“It’s a really hungry group of players who all deserve a shot,” he said. “The team’s been loaded the last few years and they’re ready to collectively be the next man up.”
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Rodriguez acknowledged that his first task was winning over parents and players who’d been loyal to Lavoie and were sorry to see him go.
“We still deal with it,” he said. “There’s still two sides of the fence when it comes to Poly baseball. Most of the people are on one side of the fence now. The kids bought in from day one, most of the parents and supporters bought in from day one. Slowly we’re winning over everyone else.”
He also acknowledged that the state of the program is pointed way up, with several talented freshman classes in a row under Lavoie and now this season as well.
“Poly baseball is coming back,” he said. “They’ve always been there but now three of the last four league titles–it’s a little different.”
Mason will lead the deepest pitching staff Poly has had in a while, a true sign that the program’s depth and standing have improved in terms of pulling local talent–Martinez said he has 10 “pitch first” players. Mason and Joshue Sayre will form a tandem ace, and Rodriguez says he’s equally comfortable with either in tough situations.
“You’re not going to see a dropoff there, Jacob is a little more experienced, Joshue is a little bit more of a dog, but they’re a really impressive two-headed monster,” he said. Other contributors will include Matt Garcia, Sebastian Morales, Nick Rowley, sophomore Ryan King, Connor English, and freshman Malakai Pruitt.
Rodriguez will be without some players he thought he’d have–returning catcher Max Pemberton, slated to be one of the city’s top players this year, is out for the season with an elbow injury. Emotional leader Jordan Malau’ulu graduated early to play college football, and Tyger Canales is focusing on football as he prepares for his senior year.
Catcher will be a big spot to watch as Rodriguez anticipates a platoon approach without Pemberton, with Daylen Carey and Alex Rodriguez competing early, and freshman Caleb Safotu a player on the rise there. “He’s going to play more and more,” said Rodriguez.
Around the infield there’s a mix of youth and experience with senior Jesse Ritz at third, junior Izaiyah Gutierrez at short, senior Nathan Berumen at second, and promising sophomore Tate Hammond at first.
Hammond’s already one of the best power bats in the league as a 10th grade, and has a very bright future.
“We needed his bat in the lineup so we gave him a first baseman’s glove six weeks ago, he looks like he’s been playing there since he was five,” said Rodriguez. “He’s going to surprise some people this year.”
The outfielders to start will be Antonio Yepez, Sebastian Morales and Miles Hiskey.
Rodriguez said his team is fired up and ready for the season.
“The kids know that there’s a responsibility in representing Long Beach Poly and Long Beach Poly baseball,” he said. “There are 54 kids in the program with a huge sense of pride for what we’re about to embark on. We’ll go one game at a time and hopefully at game 28 there’s a chance for us to dogpile. We’re expecting to be the last man standing.”
Long Beach Poly Starting Lineup
P- Jacob Mason, Sr. / Joshue Sayre, Sr.
C- Daylen Carey, Jr. / Alex Rodriguez, Sr. / Caleb Safotu, Fr.
1B- Tate Hammond, So.
2B- Nate Berumen, Sr.
3B- Jesse Ritz, Sr.
SS- Izaiyah Gutierrez, Jr.
LF- Antonio Yepez, Jr.
CF- Sebastian Morales, Sr.
RF- Miles Hiskey, Jr.
DH- Isaac Holder, Sr.
