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Preseason Invitational: All-Tournament Team

February 27, 2023
PBR California Staff

New Episode LIVE now! - At The Yard Podcast

IRVINE, CALIF. - The second annual PBR California Preseason Invitational once again delivered on the promise of quality baseball, top teams and prospects, large crowds and an extra large turnout of MLB Scouts. Despite “sprinklergate” that ended the championship game in the bottom of the tenth in a 4-4 tie between Orange Lutheran and Gahr, fans and scouts alike were treated to some great individual performances throughout the tournament. 

For some players the tournament was a great opportunity for scouts to see them for the first time, while for others it was an opportunity to cement themselves amongst the top players in consideration for the MLB Draft. With as many as a dozen 2023 MLB Draft prospects in the field, there was careful attention paid to the many 2024 and 2025 prospects in the field as well. As you’ll see in the list below though, there were many players that made the All-Tournament team who are not yet household names. 

The breakdown of the All-Tournament team is as follows: 4 outfielders, 5 infielders, 2 catchers, 5 pitchers, and 2 two-way players. 

In celebration of these players' individual performances we proudly present the 2023 PBR California Preseason Invitational All-Tournament Team. 

Be sure to follow PBR California on Twitter and Instagram for videos/notes throughout the year.

MVP

Kyle Panganiban

Sr. Gahr HS

The senior CSUN signee was locked in from the first pitch to his bottom of the ninth base hit in the championship game. In between those two plays he played spectacular defense making the play of the tournament going to the second base side before spinning and getting the runner at first in the championship. It led the PA announcer to play the SportsCenter jingle, it was that good. Panganiban hit .467 going 7-for-15 with a double, two triples, and 3RBI. No RBI was bigger than the clutch double RBI in Gahr’s 1-0 quarterfinal win. He sat back on a hanging breaking ball and drove into left field on a line. Can’t forget about his game-opening triple in the semifinal that would see him score two batters later to set the tone for the rest of the game. Or how he bounced back from an unforced error to make another spectacular play moving to his right that stunted a rally and sealed his position as one of the top players in the tournament. All-in-all, Panganiban was the guy who at the end of the day was at the center of more big plays than any other player in the tournament and came out smelling like roses on the other end. 

Outfield

Chase Davidson

Soph. Aquinas HS

The sophomore outfielder from Aquinas played a big role in the teams 3-1 showing in the tournament both offensively and defensively. Reads the ball off the bat very well and uses his speed and athleticism to cover ground, arriving under control and ready to throw showing off the arm strength more than once. Davidson also showed he can handle the quality pitching he faced all tournament long hitting .454 (5-for-11) with 4RBI, and three runs scored. He’s capable of using the entire field and he shows a high level of barrel awareness. No AB better demonstrated this than the one that resulted in a game winning RBI in a tightly contested third round game. For good measure he added two stolen bases to his stat line showing his ability to impact the game in all facets. Only a sophomore, Davidson is a name to know moving forward. 

Josiah Hartshorn

Soph, Orange Lutheran HS

Hard to tell what was more clutch with Hartshorn, the hitting or the defense. He made two run saving plays coming in on the ball in the championship game and he also delivered an RBI in every game. Late into extra innings Gahr had a runner in scoring position when a hard hit sinking line drive was hit at Hartshorn who had gotten a perfect jump on it. He sprinted in a good twenty yards before sliding and making the third out catch to continue the game. Getting his first taste of varsity action, the sophomore delivered hitting .385 (5-for-13) with a walk, a run scored, and 5RBI in the tournament showing the ability to provide the clutch hit along with a clutch play defensively when needed. His presence in the lineup and on defense helped his team reach the championship game. 

Mike Lee

Jr. Gahr HS

Lee makes the list not so much for quantity but quality after hitting .333 (4-for-12) with a double and 2RBI. But it was the timeliness of those two doubles and those two RBI that must be taken into consideration as well. With his team down two with bases loaded with nobody out, Lee hit into a fielder's choice that would score a run before another fielder’s choice with the next batter would tie the game. A junior, Lee has entrenched himself in the middle of the order for what was proven to be a potent lineup for Gahr. 

Bradley Parsonage

Jr. Cypress HS

The 5-foot-11 170-pound Parsonage played much bigger for Cypress than his listed height and weight would indicate. With at least one hit in each game, the junior outfielder finished the tournament slashing .545/.583/1.220 with five base hits and a double. He added a walk, an RBi, a run scored, and for good measure, he didn’t strike out. He was a machine at turning the lineup over for Cypress out of the nine hole, doing it either by base hit or walk at least six times. Parsonage did his real damage out of the eight hole going 2-for-3 in a third round game against Harvard Westlake. The uncommitted outfielder provides a huge boost to what is a deep lineup that will find its bearing after their 2-2 start in the tournament. 

INFIELDERS

Brady Ebel

Soph. Etiwanda HS

A 4-for-5 day in the quarterfinals inside the stadium highlighted a brilliant tournament for the sophomore who confirmed to any onlookers just how talented a hitter he is and should be in the future. A 4-for-5 day in the quarterfinals inside the stadium highlighted a brilliant tournament for the sophomore who simply does not strike out, moreover, rarely do you see him pull or push balls foul. The guy just gets barrells all the time. He finished hitting .571 (8-for-14) with 4RBI at the plate. Ebel also pitched five innings in the quarterfinals where he was at times very good and times off. He finished charged with two earned runs, four walks, four strikeouts, a pair of hit batters and only one hit en route to the win. He was big when he needed to be both on the mound and at the plate throughout the tournament.

Nick Montgomery

Jr. Cypress HS

Perhaps no other player in the 2024 class that participated in the tournament had the amount of scouts eyes on him as Montgomery. A known name in the scouting community thanks to his powerful right handed bat, Montgomery did not disappoint in the first four games of the season finishing with a slash line of .545/.643/.1.552 with three singles, two doubles, and triple showing plenty of athleticism in getting around the bases. He also added two runs scored and a pair of walks to tally. The Arizona St. commit saved his best game for last going 3-for-4 in the final game of the tournament with an RBI and both of his runs scored. Montgomery has started the way the Centurions have hoped for and that’s as a true heart of the order guy.

Jonathan Rodriguez

Sr. Servite HS

Always a hitter, Rodriguez now has the physicality in his frame to do serious damage at the plate. The Long Beach State signee hit .400 with a .700SLG and over 500% OBP for Servite who battled back from an 0-2 start to finish the tournament at 2-2. The athletic first baseman finished with two doubles, a triple, and a pair of RBI for the Friars. Always stout defensively at first base, Rodriguez made a couple of very athletic plays at first to stunt rallies and end innings. 

Trey Ebel 

Frosh., Etiwanda

As far as freshmen go, Trey Ebel will be in the conversation for best hitters in that class moving forward. Very similar to his brother in that he simply does not strike and generally puts the ball in play, hard on a line, more often than not. Had a breakout game in the quarterfinals putting together quite the night out of the nine hole going 4-for-4 with 4 RBI just turning the lineup over consistently for the Eagles. It was a thing to see with hits to center field, the pull side, the other way. It was a hitting display that belied his age. As the starting second baseman for the Eagles, Ebel performed at a high level throughout the tournament showing enough aptitude and instincts to make you want to watch more. 

Abbrie Covarrubias

Sr. Cypress

A four year starter, Covarrubias is a staple in the Cypress lineup and defense. As far as senior shortstops are concerned, there aren’t many players that can do the things Covarrubias can do defensively as he showed time and again during the tournament. He’s the offensive tablesetter for the Centurions out of the leadoff spot where he hit .308 for the tournament with four runs scored and a pair of walks. As Covarrubias goes, so does the Cypress offense and, for that matter, so does the defense as he’s in command of the field when he’s on the dirt. 

CATCHER

Angel Cortez

Sr. Gahr HS 

The USD commit was a steady presence in the middle of the order and behind the plate for the Co-Champion Gladiators. The physical catcher hit .312 (5-for-16) with 3RBI in the tournament including two doubles, but it was his defense behind the plate that earns him his spot on the All-Tournament Team. Gahr allowed just six runs the entire tournament (four came in the Chamionship game) and Cortez played an important role in that. Cotez's game management and how he controlled the run game was essential in the elimination of any base running threats that Gahr faced throughout the tournament. Besides Panganiban, Cortez was probably the second most important position player on their run.

Ralph Velazquez

Sr. Huntington Beach HS

Velazquez entered the tournament quite possibly the hottest hitter in the country and continued to barrel baseballs throughout the four games. The Arizona State signee hit .308 (4-for-13) with two doubles, a home run, 4RBI, five runs scored and two stolen bases. Several of his outs were loud barrels and he had the loudest hit of the entire tourney in Huntington Beach’s fourth game with a home run that went approximately 400 feet to the naked eye. The power he has shown within such a simple/controlled swing has helped elevate his draft stock to new highs the last few months. Velazquez was behind the plate in 3-of-4 games this tourney, and with his catching ability being a central question in draft circles, he showed well and has continued to make it a possible discussion of him staying back there.  

PITCHERS

Tommy Bridges

Jr. Harvard Westlake

Bridges never disappoints on the mound as within the last year or so all he seems to do is put up zeros and that’s exactly what he did through two starts where he went 8.1 shutout innings striking out 16 and giving up three hits and one walk. He has such a confident mound presence where he feels he could get anyone out on any given day. In both outings he showed complete command of his 3-pitch mix with a fastball topping at 88mph. He worked it in/out and mixed in a tight CB that was effective against RHHs and a downward fading CH to LHHs. The easiness to which he moves down the mound allows him to repeat well and likely contributes to the command he consistently has each outing. Bridges will continue to be an anchor of what will be arguably the best staff in the state by season's end. 

Tomas Lopez

Sr. Redondo Union HS

The Columbia commit got two starts this tourney against two very formidable lineups in OLU and Yucaipa and was able to keep both at bay. He finished going 10 innings giving up two earned runs on 11 hits and K’d 12. From a stuff standpoint, Lopez belongs with some of the best arms in the tourney where his FB topped 92 and consistently living in the high 8s blowing it past hitters up in the zone. He also mixed in a SL/CB/SPLT that he showed solid feel for and it kept hitters off balanced. Mechanically he continues to show steady improvements moving with ease and control down the mound while starting to utilize more of his 6’4 200lb frame. It’s gonna be interesting to see where his stuff is at the end of the year. 

Andrew Parker

Sr. Foothill HS

Parker arguably had the best start of the entire tournament handing the #the 4th ranked team in the state, Harvard Westlake, their only loss in the opening game with a CG shutout. There are not many high school arms out there that can command a 3-pitch mix like him. Has a FB (86-88), CB (73-74), CH (80-81) mix where the CH is amongst the best in SoCal in terms of just feel for the pitch and shape where it garners whiff and chase due to its downwarding fading action. Standing only 5-11/185 he maximizes his frame in his delivery where he’s an efficient/athletic mover down the mound. He finished the tournament going 11.1 innings giving up 2R/8H/8K. 

Dylan Goff

Sr. Etiwanda HS

The 2022 PBR CA All-State pitcher got off to a hot start in our tournament going 13 innings allowing two runs with 19 strikeouts against two quality lineups in Servite and Etiwanda. He’s another rare arm that can command a 3-pitch mix. His FB sat 87-89 showing great feel for it to the gloveside, painting the outside corner consistently against RHHs. He would mix in a slower/larger-breaking CB at 72-73 he could flip in there for a strike at any time as well as a fading CH at 78-79. Goff, going back to last spring, has been one the best performing pitchers in the state and makes it seem that he’s going to have an abundance of options once the March recruiting window opens up. 

Noah Adrunas

Sr. Gahr HS

Adrunas was one of only a few pitchers that made three appearances in the tournament; and he dominated in each one. Andrunas went a tournament high 15 innings giving up 2R/10H/17K. The UCR commit pitched with high energy and confidence that you have to have if you are gonna run elite offenses the likes of Yucaipa, Etiwanda, and Orange Lutheran. His FB sat in the mid 80s but Andrunas was another guy that commanded it consistently to the gloveside and paired it extremely well with a sharp mid 70s slider that induced a lot of chase/whiff. His arm is loose and quick and he works fast down the mound with force into landing. 

Two-Way

Ethan Schiefelbein LHP/1B

Jr. Corona HS

The UCLA commit and #6 ranked player in the 2024 class got the nod to start two games in the Preseason Invitational, in both games Corona ended up winning. Combined it was a dominant five shutout innings allowing four hits, walking one and striking out 10. Schiefelbein is a low-effort controlled mover down the mound with an easy quick arm. His FB is one that consistently sits in the high 80’s and will touch low 90’s. He pairs his FB with a larger slurvy breaking ball he can flip in there for a strike at any time along with a quality fading CH. Schiefelbein also hit in the middle of the order for the Panthers where he was a solid .333 (3-for-9) with a BB and 3 RBI. 

Nathan Christman

Jr. Aquinas HS

Aquinas finished the Invitational going a solid 3-1 and Christman was arguably their most important player in that run. The physical Oregon commit got two starts on the mound where he totaled 10 innings pitched giving up three runs on just three hits and struck out 13. Like  Schiefelbein, Christman moves super easy down the mound with a short/compact arm action that can run a FB up into the low 90’s. Christman had just as big an impact with the bat hitting .416 (5-for-12 ) with 3RBIs, four runs and two walks. At the plate he brings that same physicality where he swings it on an uphill path with advanced bat speed. With several scouts in attendance Christman definitely proved himself to be a high follow heading into the summer. 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE STATE DATE LOCATION
Rising Stars ID: Los Angeles CA 03/05 O'Malley Field
Rising Stars ID: Sacramento CA 03/12 McBean Stadium - Lincoln
Rising Stars ID: San Diego CA 03/19 Eastlake
Rising Stars ID: Inland Empire CA 04/16 Santiago High School
Rising Stars ID: Bay Area CA 04/23 College of San Mateo
SoCal Rising Stars Game CA 05/21  
CA FUTURE GAMES TRYOUT CA 06/03 Fullerton College
SoCal-NV-AZ-ProCase CA 06/04 University of Southern California - Dedeaux Field
NorCal Rising Stars Game CA 06/06 Islanders Field
OC State Games Open ID CA 07/11 Hart Park


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