The Register’s All-Orange County baseball team 2023

THE ALL-COUNTY BASEBALL TEAM 2023

FIRST TEAM

P Matt Champion, JSerra, Jr.: He was 8-1 with a 1.65 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 59.1 innings for the CIF-SS Division 1 champions. The right-hander, who was named All-CIF, committed to LSU.

P Collin Clarke, Santa Margarita, Sr.: The Orange County pitcher of the year.

P Chad Gurnea, Pacifica, Sr.: An Empire League MVP. Gurnea was 8-2 with a 0.31 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 67.1 innings. He signed with Cal State Fullerton.

Pacifica’s Chad Gurnea (3) celebrate a strike out in the last inning of their win over Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

P Brandon Luu, Villa Park, Sr.: Luu was the Crestview League pitcher of the year, going 6-4 with a 1.24 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 62 innings. He signed with UC Irvine.

C Luke Lavin, Santa Margarita, Sr.: Lavin hit .327 with 33 hits, four home runs and 24 RBIs for the CIF SoCal Division I Regional champions. He signed with Stanford.

1B Ralph Velazquez, Huntington Beach, Sr.: Velazquez batted .402 with six home runs and 23 RBIs. He was the Surf League MVP and was named All-CIF. Signed with Arizona State and projected as an early-round choice in the MLB draft.

INF Trent Caraway, JSerra, Sr.: The Orange County player of the year.

INF Abbrie Covarrubias, Cypress, Sr.: The slick-fielding shortstop batted leadoff for the Empire League co-champions. He hit .320 with 15 stolen bases. He signed with USC.

INF Gavin Grahovac, Villa Park, Sr.: The Crestview League MVP batted .350 with five home runs and 12 stolen bases. He signed with Texas A&M and might be an early-round pick in the MLB draft.

OF Aidan Espinoza, Huntington Beach, Sr.: He batted .363 with 37 hits, 21 RBIs and five home runs. The All-Surf League first team selection signed with UCLA.

OF Jackson Freeman, Tesoro, Sr.: The South Coast League player of the year hit 12 home runs with 32 RBIs and posted an OPS of 1.140. Freeman, an All-CIF selection, signed with Northwestern.

OF Matt Morrell, Cypress, Sr.: The Empire League co-MVP batted .352 with 20 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. Morell, who also pitched and had 23 strikeouts in 24 innings, signed with Oregon State.

Cypress’ Matthew Morrell (19) delivers a pitch against Pacifica during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

DH Dominic Smaldino. JSerra: The All-CIF first baseman batted .323 with four home runs and 19 RBIs for the CIF-SS Division 1 champions. He signed with Cal.

UT Zach Brown, Villa Park, Sr.: Brown, a multi-position player who signed with Ohio State, drove in a team-high 21 runs. On the mound he was 6-2 with a 2.15 ERA,.

SECOND TEAM

P Damon Anderson Wolf, Aliso Niguel, Sr.

P Sammy Cova, Santa Margarita, Sr.

P Cohen Gomez, Canyon, Jr.

P Hunter Long, Capistrano Valley Christian, Sr.

C Jarett Sabol, Aliso Niguel, So.

Aliso Niguel’s Jarett Sabol (10) and Jonathan Nadolski (8) celebrate scoring on a passed ball as they play San Marcos in the Division 3 championship game of the CIF-SS baseball playoffs at Blair Field in Long Beach on Saturday May 20, 2023. Aliso Niguel defeated San Marcos 11-1. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)

1B Nick Montgomery, Cypress, Jr.

INF Roman Martin, Servite, Sr.

INF Blake Wilson, Santa Margarita, Sr.

INF Brandon Winokur, Edison, Sr.

OF Isaac Cadena, El Dorado, Sr.

OF Derek Curiel, Orange Lutheran, Jr.

OF Logan de Groot, Santa Margarita, Jr.

DH Jack O’Malley, Crean Lutheran, Sr.

Utility Tim Grack, Fountain Valley, Sr.

THIRD TEAM

P JJ Conrad, Yorba Linda, Sr.

P Andrew Parker, Foothill, Sr.

Foothill’s Andrew Parker pitches during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs against Santa Margarita on Thursday, May 4, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

P Ben Reimers, JSerra, Sr.

P Cole Tryba, Los Alamitos, Sr.

C Blake Balsz, Santa Margarita, Sr.

1B Jonny Rodriguez, Servite, Sr.

INF Rysusei “Lou” Fujiwara, JSerra, Sr.

INF Mulivai Levu, Ocean View, Sr.

INF Jonathan Mendez, JSerra, Sr.

OF Chase Brunson, San Clemente, Sr.

OF Josiah Hartshorn, Orange Lutheran, So.

OF Drew Rutter, Santa Margarita, Sr.

DH Conor Sutherland, Fullerton, Sr.

Utility Gabe Cobian, Cypress, Jr.