The562’s baseball coverage in 2025 is sponsored by the Millikan, Long Beach Poly, and Lakewood baseball boosters
There’s a light at the end of the tunnel for Compton this year with the new high school finishing up its long-awaited reconstruction, which means it’s the last year that the Tarbabes have to practice on a makeshift baseball field at a nearby middle school.
“Man, I can’t wait to get to the new school,” said Compton coach Lorenzo Reddick. “I think that’s gonna help our program so much. We’re not gonna have to mark off the field every single day and we’ll be able to get right into working and I think that’s gonna help us tremendously.”
The excitement of their new school along with a handful of young and new guys has combined into what feels like a reset for Compton baseball in 2025.
“Training has been going good. I got a lot of new guys and a lot of freshmen, so we’re trying to figure things out with who we’re gonna roll with but we’re excited,” Reddick said.
The Tarbabes are specifically young in their infield after losing a handful of infielders last year, but they’ll have some experience at shortstop in three-year junior Andrew Ruiz. Senior Aaron Espinoza will also bring some key experience at second base, meanwhile Rafael Vicente is another senior who Reddick says will be an important leader.
“Rafael Vicente and Aaron Espinoza are two seniors that we’re really holding to drive the team and keep guys accountable,” Reddick said. “And we have junior Andrew Ruiz who we’re really expecting to be a leader too.”
Vicente will lead the pitching rotation for Compton but will also be utilized all over the field when he’s not on the bump. Reddick singled out Vicente as his key leader, and Vincente says he’s tried to lead the way by putting in the work.
“It’s hard for us since we don’t have a field, but I just try to motivate the guys to get after and work hard,” said Vicente, who will graduate this year before the finish of Compton’s remodel. “It’s a little hard but we’re pushing through it. I’ve just learned to work hard and not make excuses. But it’s exciting, we’re trying to get some of these guys ready for next year to return to the new school and new field.”
“I’ve had him for four years and he’ll also be playing a little bit of first base and outfield, and I’ll be really depending on him to step up,” Reddick added of Vicente. “He’s the leader of the team and has the experience of our league and he knows what it takes to compete. I think he can really really help us.”
One of the younger guys who has stepped up this offseason is freshman Arturo Loera who is pushing to make the start at first base. Johnny Maciel is also pushing to be a starter somewhere in the infield, meanwhile Marcos Reveles will contribute on the mound and should be another utility player for Compton.
Reddick has made an effort to catch his young team up to speed with the difficulty of the Moore League, and he’s stressed to his team the opportunity they have to compete against stiff league competition.
“I always tell them that everyday you have to work because in the league we have there are no days off,” he said. “You have to come and train because those guys are already more advanced than us so we have to work to try and compete in our league. I mean we have a great league, and I tell them that you have to look at that as an opportunity because if you play well against the teams in our league you’ll be able to have the potential to go play in college.”
Projected Starting Lineup
P – Rafael Vicente
C – Lucio Catalan
1B – Arturo Loera
2B – Aaron Espinoza
3B – Eric Vera
SS – Andrew Ruiz
LF – Anthony Lopez
CF – Anthony Jacobo
RF – Victor Contreras
