On January 11th, the Prep Baseball California team hosted the San Diego Preseason All-State at Maranatha Christian High School in San Diego, Cal. This was an invite-only event for high school classes (2026-2029), and gave our staff an ample look at the state's top prospects.

• To view the post-event content from the event, click here.
• To find the statistics from the event, click here.
• To view the full event roster, click here.

Today, we will we’re taking a look at all of the outfielders from the event, with a Top-5 ranking from the day:

TOP OUTFIELD PROSPECTS

1. Joel Vargas, Eastlake (CA), 2028
Positional Profile: OF/RHP Upside OF with advanced hit tool for age and present athleticism on both sides of the ball.
Body: 5-8.9, 160-pounds. Strong, athletic build with good coordination and quick-twitch movement.
Hit: RHH. Confident, athletic posture and a stable base in the box. The hands stay active with a small, natural rhythm before launch rather than sitting still. The load is simple and controlled, keeping the body centered and on time. The swing turns the barrel loose quickly, working with a strong rotational move through contact. The path stays direct and efficient with a heavy barrel to all fields. 73.4 mph bat speed with 15g of rotational acceleration.
Power: 98 mph max exit velocity (88 avg.); 351-foot max batted distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 83 mph. OF - 83 mph. Long arm action with accuracy out of hand. Keeps throws low and on-line. Whippy release with present athleticism.
Defense: CF profile with range to track down balls gap to gap. Aggressive movements with intent through the baseball.
Athletic Testing: 6.63 runner in the 60-yard dash.
Vizual Edge: 51.16 Edge Score.