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The 2025 California high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across California.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in their respective CIF Section Championship Game, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview these individual programs across California. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 25 rankings.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across California. Each week we will be releasing our Power 25, Players of the Week, Diamond Notes, podcasts, and much more.

Our 2025 preseason coverage continues today with a preview of the El Dorado Golden Hawks.

2025 TEAM OUTLOOK

High School: El Dorado Golden Hawks
Head Coach: Matt Lucas
CIF Section: Southern
Division: Division 1
2024 Record (Playoff Finish): 14-15 (Loss to Corona in Round 1)
Key Players Lost: Travis Maxwell RHP, Jack Fishel LHP, AJ Frausto RHP

+ No. Returning Positional Starters: 7
+ No. Returning Pitchers: 2
+ Team Strengths: Defense up the middle, starting pitching

ROSTER PREVIEW

+ Key Players:

Seniors:

+ '25 INF Jake Vanderzee 

+ '25 SS/2B Diego Gonzalez University of San Diego Commit

+ '25 OF Aiden McNaughton 

+ '25 OF Mason Kim 

Juniors:

+ '26 C Brady Abner 

+ '26 RHP/OF Logan Steenburgen 

+ '26 RHP Julian Rodriguez 

+ '26 RHP Jacob Alvarez 

+ '26 INF David Domingo 

+ Projected Starters: Jacob Alvarez 2026, Logan Steenburgen 2026, Julian Rodriguez 2026
+ Projected Relievers: Brandon Kubota RHP 2026 Sam Orozco RHP 2026 Justin Savellano RHP 2027

IMPACT UNDERCLASSMEN

+ '27 OF/RHP Justin Savellano 

BOTTOM LINE

We may have lost some prominent arms off our 2024 squad, but our pitching staff will continue to be strong and with a talented group of players up the middle defensively we are going to give ourselves plenty of opportunities to win games this spring. 

PREP BASEBALL CA STAFF’S TAKE

Despite having only two returning pitchers, the Golden Hawks have depth at the position and guys they like that will eat innings and be a team strength. With a quartet of junior arms, the learning curve for a few of them will need to be quick. This team showed some grittiness during the fall that has the staff optimistic about their potential should the offensive lineup do it's job. Led by Diego Gonzales, Brady Abner, Jake Vanderzee, David Domingo, and Aiden McNaughton, the foundation for a potentially strong offense is present. With contributions from a few newcomers El Dorado will once very likely be in the mix for another league title. - Les Lukach

Learn more about California’s 2025 spring season below:

+ Follow El Dorado on X: @EDHawksBaseball
+ Find more team previews on the Prep Baseball California Power 25 homepage

FOLLOW US THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball California on X
+ Prep Baseball California on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball California on Facebook
+ Prep Baseball California on YouTube

MORE 2025 TEAM PREVIEWS

Upcoming Events

Showcase	State	Date	Location
Orange County Preseason ID	CA	01/02/25	JSerra
San Diego Preseason All State (Invite Only)	CA	01/04/25	Maranatha Christian High School
Central California Preseason All State (Invite Only)	CA	01/05/25	Antelope Valley College
Central California Preseason ID	CA	01/12/25	Ventura College
North Bay Preseason ID	CA	01/25/25	Novato High School
Northern California Preseason All State (Invite Only)	CA	01/26/25	Ohlone College
East Bay Preseason ID	CA	02/01/25	Pittsburg High School

MORE PREP BASEBALL NEWS