The562’s coverage of Jordan Athletics is sponsored by former LBUSD superintendent Chris Steinhauser.
The562’s baseball coverage in 2025 is sponsored by the Millikan, Long Beach Poly, and Lakewood baseball boosters
There has been a decent amount of ambiguity surrounding Jordan baseball over the last few years.
The Panthers have been navigating on-campus construction that’s forced them to practice or play at multiple locations, and this year they’ll need to replace All-Leaguer J.J. Nielsen who graduated early to play at the University of Hawai’i.
Thankfully, this young roster has a leader who understands what it takes to succeed in third-year coach and Jordan alum Phillip Berman.
“He’s very strategic and is hands-on with the details,” senior Oswald Martinez said of Berman. “He wants precision and more defensive oriented play. We’re starting fresh, I’m one of two seniors, and we’re young so it’s all been new experiences.”
Berman also doesn’t shy away from embracing the challenges at Jordan.
“We take pride in practicing at Houghton Park because we know that a lot of teams couldn’t put up with what we go through like not having cages or bullpens, using an all dirt infield and you never know the shenanigans that are going to be going on at the park,” Berman said. “We kind of wear it as a badge of honor. We don’t make excuses. It’s not what we don’t have it’s what we make with what we have.”
Martinez will be key to the Panthers success as a fastball, curveball ace who has recently added a slider to his arsenal.
“At first it was a little side project, I thought it was fun, but once I started throwing it in games it became really deadly,” Martinez said. “It’s my strikeout pitch. I can go inside or outside with it and put it in the dirt to try and get you to chase.”
“He’s a leader who echoes the message of the coaching staff, and he’s not just a leader of the team, he’s also a leader on campus,” Berman said.
Freshmen Julian Lopez and Talin Velazquez are two big, physical pitchers who will be a key to this group of underclassmen building something on the North Side.
Sophomore Andrew Medina will be back behind the plate catching those pitchers after showing an impressive ability to control the game as a freshman.
Medina will hit third in the lineup in front of first baseman Adrian Mendez. The 6’4” junior is new to the position but fits the mold as one of the hardest working players on the team.
Freshman Matthew Alcala is emerging as a leader of the infield at second base while transfer shortstop Adrian Lara will have to complete the CIF Southern Section mandatory 30-day sit out period before joining the lineup. Velazquez will fill in for him at shortstop until then.
The other senior, Cris Aleman, will play third base and hit second in the lineup as a lefty who can direct the ball and get bunts down.
Sam DIxon is a speedster in center field who will use that quickness in the field and on the base paths. The junior will be flanked by freshman Noah Sanchez and Velazquez.
Martinez knows his teammates are ready for the intense competition of the Moore League, but also knows his team needs to be themselves to succeed.
“We’re really goofy, we’re not the most serious team, but when we have to fight and battle (in the game) we can do that,” Martinez said. “We’re just a fun group at practice and in the dugout.”
With his experience on a relatively inexperienced team, Martinez also wants to be a leader by dialing in on the details for league play.
“It’s about throwing strikes and hitting that first pitch strikes because these (Moore League pitchers) will get you with their off speed,” he said. “And we have to have good base running because they’re hard to run on too.”
Jordan missed out on an at-large bid into the CIF playoffs, and Berman is using that as motivation for his young team. He also adjusted his schedule to include more lower division teams that did make the playoffs.
Projected Starting Lineup
C – Andrew Medina (So.)
1B – Adrian Mendez (Jr.)
2B – Matthew Alcala (Fr.)
SS – Adrian Lara (So.)
3B – Cris Aleman (Sr.)
OF – Sam Dixon (Jr.)
OF – Noah Sanchez (Fr..)
OF – Talin Velazquez (Fr.)
P – Oswald Martinez (Sr.) / Julian Lopez (Fr.) / Talin Velazquez (Fr.)
