The 2026 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 2026 preseason coverage continues today with the Cathedral Catholic Dons.

High School: Cathedral Catholic Dons
Head Coach: Gary Remiker
CIF Section: San Diego
Team Strengths: Athleticism, defense, speed, starting pitchers, and bullpen depth.
2025 Record: 19-12
Returning Starters: 7

 

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TOP RETURNING UNCOMMITTED PLAYERS

• C Luke Crysler (2026)
• LHP/1B Jose Partida (2027)

• OF Joshua Priest (2027)

• 1B Max Stewart (2027)

• OF Will Blanton (2027)

• LHP Cody Reynolds (2027)

• INF/RHP Donovan Sweeney (2027)

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TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

• UTIL Will MacInnes (2028)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

Cathedral Catholic heads into 2026 coming off a strong 19–12 season with a roster built to win in multiple ways. Head coach Gary Remiker returns seven starters and six pitchers from a group that already prides itself on athleticism, defense, and speed, while also featuring one of the deeper pitching staffs in the area. With both a reliable starting rotation and a bullpen that can help shorten games, the Dons should again be positioned to control tempo and consistently put pressure on opponents.

The lineup and defense are anchored by an strong 2026 class loaded with college-bound talent. SS Alex Harrington (Stanford), OF Hunter Harrington (Stanford), INF Trey Kotsay (Princeton), INF/RHP Kaden Kuhn (Cornell), RHP Shoei Darvish (UCSD), INF/OF/RHP Ty Daniels (Columbia), INF/RHP Jonas Nalu (Colorado School of Mines), OF Xavier Nady (NYU), and RHP/OF Nicholas Ruder (University of Chicago) give Cathedral Catholic a veteran core that can impact the game on both sides of the ball. Handling the pitching staff will be C Luke Crysler (2026), who provides a strong defensive presence, while the rest of the senior group gives the Dons the ability to play matchups throughout the season.

The next wave of Dons is equally intriguing, led by LHP/1B Jose Partida (2027), a two-way talent drawing interest from SEC and Big Ten programs, along with a group of highly athletic juniors in OF Joshua Priest (2027) and OF Will Blanton (2027), and 1B Max Stewart (2027), who brings legitimate power to the middle of the order. LHP Cody Reynolds (2027) adds another promising left-handed arm, and INF/RHP Donovan Sweeney (2027) has the tools to develop into a key two-way contributor. With good athleticism, depth on the mound, and a roster featuring several commits, Cathedral Catholic looks poised for another deep, competitive run in 2026.

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Quote from the Coach

“We return 17 players, including 13 seniors. We project to be one of the top teams in the San Diego Section, currently having seven seniors signed/committed to play college baseball and two more with the potential to sign in the spring.”

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Find more information on the 2026 Cathedral Catholic Dons program below:

+ @CCHSBaseball7
+ High School Previews

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