Cole Winn of Orange Lutheran High School (Orange, CA) has been named the 2018 Prep Baseball Report California State Player of the Year.

Few people in high school baseball circles around Southern California knew of much less had seen Cole Winn before he moved to the area for his senior year. Most people that knew of him were in the summer baseball scene where Winn was a mainstay last summer en route to earning an invitation to the Under Armour All-American Game. After an outstanding showing at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, Ca., Winn, a Colorado native, surprised everybody and announced he was making the move south to Southern California to play for the Orange Lutheran Lancers in the Trinity League.

Winn, the PBR Colorado State Player of the Year in 2017, immediately became the ace of a loaded pitching staff and vaulted himself to the top of the draft board in terms of SoCal prospects. After a fall in which many scouts were getting familiar with him, Winn embarked on one of the best seasons a pitcher in the Orange County area has had in a long time.

Winn finished the season at 8-2 with a 0.21 ERA with 120 strikeouts and 11 walks while allowing opponents to hit a meager .113 against him. In his two losses - one to Huntington Beach, one to St. John Bosco - Winn allowed the only two earned runs he'd give up all season. At one point Winn had a streak of 38 scoreless innings and six straight wins. In Trinity League play Winn was 3-1 with a no decision. In 27 innings pitched he allowed 1 earned run, 9 hits, walked four, and struck out 51 while opponents hit 0.98 against him. He averaged 13.2 strikeouts per game and his strikeout to walk ratio was 12.75 in the Trinity League. For good measure Winn also hit for the Lancers finishing the season with a .291 BA, 10 doubles, two triples, three home runs, and 38 runs batted in.

The rare combination of good player better person, teammates and coaches alike have said Winn is a better person off the field than he is player on it. That helps to explain how he handled himself during his one season in Southern California. Winn constantly pitched in front of droves of scouts, at one point late in the season there were six scouting directors and two general managers in the stands, and Winn continued to perform to his standard.

Winn was drafted in the 1st round with the 15th overall pick by the Texas Rangers. 

Winn has been selected by the Prep Baseball Report California team of scouts who have been diligently scouting and covering baseball games at baseball diamonds across the state this spring to bring parents, athletes and fans the most comprehensive coverage of amateur baseball across California. The dedication and coverage allows Prep Baseball Report California a credible way to identify the top athletes each year who best represent the state of California.

Congratulations Cole Winn, the 2018 Prep Baseball Report California State Player of the Year.

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