Romeo Briones LHP / 1B / Helix, CA / 2028

Briones entered the event well regarded for the impact in his left-handed bat, which has demolished baseballs across a pair of ID events and during the high school season in San Diego. The reputation for loud power with Briones was on display both days, with him blasting a pair of homers, one at Fullerton High School and the other at Fullerton College as part of a three-for-five weekend while drawing a walk and driving in a total of five runs at the plate.

Cruz Gonzalez SS / 2B / Poway High, CA / 2027

Cruz Gonzalez was another San Diego-based product who stood out for our staff down there and earned his invite to the California State Games. His showing over the three days there was consistently strong from the workout into a loud two-game show at the plate. Gonzalez would post a five-for-six weekend with a pair of extra-base hits, including a homer at Fullerton High School and a double to go with it. He added three singles and drove in multiple runs to earn his spot amongst the first team standouts.

Matthew Herrera 1B / 3B / Corona, CA / 2027

Herrera hails from the powerhouse Corona Panthers program and has been a standout across several events for our staff. His left-handed power bat was firmly on our radar coming into the event, and his results did not disappoint. With an impressive batting practice session during the workout confirming the raw power we knew, the multiple-hit weekend over two games showed off the improved overall hit tool and approach that Herrera will be bringing into his senior campaign in the Inland Empire. He tapped into his raw power with a massive homer at Fullerton High School and rocketed a triple into the massive gaps at Fullerton College while drawing a walk to round out his offensive performance.

Max Adams SS / 2B / Carlsbad, CA / 2027

Adams' overall profile has been well-regarded by our staff in San Diego going back to his sophomore season and has performed well at a pair of previous Prep Baseball California events and during his spring season. This weekend at Fullerton College and Fullerton High School was more of the same for the talented RH hitter who can play all over the INF dirt at a high level. His workout was a demonstration of his toolset, but it was the consistently strong performance he posted in two games that firmly cemented him on our first team. Adams had three hits on the weekend, with two of them going for extra bases, including a homer at Fullerton High School, with another going for a double while playing steady to strong defense throughout the weekend. One of the better uncommitted players in the 2027 class.

Added a homer to dead center, totaling to 3 hits on the day. https://t.co/jsrqUsz4Pi pic.twitter.com/5lIAKepMmI

— PREP BASEBALL CALIFORNIA (@PrepBaseballCA) August 1, 2026

Aaden Escarcega OF / OF / San Dimas High, CA / 2027

Escarcega entered the California State Games as a bit of an under-the-radar player, but the performance he put together over the three-day event should put him firmly on the radar going forward. He showed well across his entire workout with solid athleticism, offensive tools, and defensive ability. Then once the game play portion of the weekend kicked off, the LH hitter took it up a notch, finding hits throughout both of his games to finish with a five-for-six showing. Across those five hits, two of them went for doubles using his sub 6.8 60-yard sprint speed to push the envelope and collected three more singles. As well, Escarcega showed the feel to play multiple OF spots with a realistic chance to stick in CF long term.

Samuel Poirier SS / 2B / Elsinore High, CA / 2028

Poirier is a natural INF who has shown strong skills on the dirt, but he attended the California State Games as an OF to show off the way his athleticism can translate into defensive versatility. A favorite of Vinnie Alfino during the spring season and with a strong showing at the Future Games Tryout: San Diego bringing his invite, Poirier showed that no matter what glove he puts on his hand, the RH bat he wields in the batter's box has a chance to be an impact tool at the next level. Poirier picked up three knocks over his first game, with one of those being a homer to put himself on the first team and as a name for college programs to be keeping tabs on.

Homered to LCF in next ab https://t.co/FqEUMgPgT9 pic.twitter.com/lySww0YLfy

— PREP BASEBALL CALIFORNIA (@PrepBaseballCA) August 1, 2026

Noah Baker OF / 2B / Chaminade College Preparatory, CA / 2028

Baker burst onto our radar with an electric showing at the Central Coast Summer ID in early July, which earned him a spot at the California State Games, just weeks later. The electricity of his showing on the Central Coast carried itself into Orange County with another standout performance for the rising Jr. out of the Mission League. Once again one of the top performers during the workout, he showed the high-level tools he possesses translate firmly into game play against strong competition. Over two games, Baker reached base a total of five times in six plate appearances, with two of those going for hits, including a rocket triple where we got a good look at the high-level run tool he possesses. But, beyond the hits, he showed a disciplined approach and an ability to work at bats to earn walks, collecting three of them over his other four plate appearances, while showing a true impact potential defensive profile in CF.

Izayah Najera C / 3B / Norco High, CA / 2028

Najera hails from the defending CIF-SS D1 champion Norco High School program, and while he hasn't had a huge impact as just a rising Jr., his impact was quickly imparted on our staff with an impressive showing at the High Desert Summer ID. The talented RH hitter with intriguing pop showed just how his hit tool and impact can show up in games vs. strong competition. Over two games, he collected a total of four hits with two of those going for extra bases, including one of just two homers hit all weekend at Fullerton College, while adding a rocket triple there into the RCF gap. Najera drove in multiple runs on the weekend and his offensive toolset alone should get him on the radar of college programs. 

Brodey Vicars 3B / RHP / Granite Hills High School, CA / 2027

In an event loaded with two-way talent, the honoree of First Team Utility was not an easy selection whatsoever. The San Diego-based Vicars picks up the honoree on the back of a strong overall showing with both the bat and on the mound. As a right-handed pitcher in the final game on Saturday at Fullerton College, he went three innings, allowing just four total baserunners on hits, didn't walk anyone, and, to put the exclamation mark on the day, punched out six total hitters, which had him in the conversation for the MV-Pitcher honors. But it wasn't just the arm that shone for Vicars as he added a pair of knocks over the two games with a double and drew a walk from the left-hand side.

Ayden Katuszonek RHP / 1B / Rosamond High Early College Campus, CA / 2027

Katuszonek hails from a small town in the High Desert region of Southern California east of Lancaster and Palmdale. But the right-hander has shown off a prototype pitcher's frame, quality pitch arsenal, feel to throw strikes, and confidence across his spring high school season and then again at our High Desert Summer ID to pick up an invite to the California State Games. One of the first arms to toe the rubber, Katuszonek made his three innings on the mound memorable, going three innings while allowing just three hits with four strikeouts to stamp his mark on a standout showing. He showed feel for an 84-87 MPH FB, intriguing upside in his 75-78 MPH CHG, an emerging pair of breaking balls in his 78-79 MPH SLD and low 70's CB.

Macai Friedman RHP / El Camino Real Charter High, CA / 2027

Friedman was another first day arm at Fullerton College whose three innings of work made not only a case to be amongst the First Team honorees, but was heavily in the conversation for the MV-Pitcher award. The Los Angeles based righthander used a riding FB in the low to mid 80's that comes in averaging nearly 24" of IVB and spinning nearly 2400 RPMs. Behind that he used a 72-76 MPH CB, 77-78 MPH SLD, and mid to upper 80's CHG to go three innings with five total Ks and allowed just two baserunners, with neither reaching via a walk.

Deegan Holquin RHP / 3B / Buchanan High, CA / 2029

Holquin attended the event as a two-way product, and while his showing as a RH hitting INF was solid, it was what he did during his time on the mound Sunday at Fullerton College that puts him on the First Team. Holquin works in the low to mid 80's at present with his FB as a rising Soph., but adds advanced feel for an emerging upper 60s to low 70s CB, which he can throw for strikes or bury down for chase. Then mixing in a low 70's CHG, which he effectively kills spin on to create vertical separation off the FB shape and fading to his arm side. Holquin went a total of three innings with five strikeouts and allowed just two baserunners, one coming via a hit and the other coming via a walk.