Junior, catcher, Saint Francis
The Skinny: Gino Cappellazzo has the mentality of gunslinger. It's a confidence – he's not brash or cocky, mind you – that if a baserunner dares to creep too far off a base, the Saint Franics junior is going to pick him off. "It's purely my call," he says. "If it works, we're not going to shut it down. I can see if I was throwing the ball into the outfield never giving me the green light again, but that's not the case." Lancers coach Erik Wagle has faith that his catcher – a Santa Clara University commit – is going to make the right call. It's one of the advantages to having one of the best catchers on the Peninsula. The Lancers can do a lot of things defensively that most schools can't. "Defense has become my main thing, I'd say," Cappellazzo said. "Locking down that position and becoming really confident in what I can do." And in case you were wondering, Cappellazzo also bats cleanup in a lineup that found its stride late in the year. "There's room for improvement, but I'm happy with the season I had."
Season Highlight: Faced with a tough first-round draw against a WCAL foe who had won its last six games against the Lancers, Saint Francis pulled off a 2-1 upset in the CCS-Division I quarterfinals behind the right arm of Nick Chow, who allowed just two hits and two walks in seven innings of work. "That was a big win for us," Cappellazzo said. "And Nick was on that day. He had a different look to him."
"Confidence matters. If you go in thinking you're going to get beat, you're going to get beat nine out of 10 times."
The Numbers Tell the Story: Cappellazzo had 28 hits and 25 walks for a team-leading .487 on-base percentage.
Eye-Popping Stat: Committed just three errors in 196 chances for a .985 fielding percentage.
What Others Say: "He put in the work to improve his catching skills and was undoubtedly the class of the area behind the plate. His advanced approach offensively made him the cleanup hitter and the anchor of our lineup. – Erik Wagle, Saint Francis coach.
Junior, catcher, The King's Academy
The Skinny: Nate Plata knows his numbers were good, definitely good enough to warrant a spot on the PAL Bay Division's first team, but in a season that saw Capuchino's Lucas Zayac and Sequoia's Logan Mathias have career years, Plata, who took home the Bay Division's player of the year honors a year ago, understands why he was relegated to second team. "Those guys had great years," he said. "Stats-wise, I was good. I do think I belonged there, too, but I understand." Plata said he "still could have been more consistent," particularly late in the season, but a deep dive into his numbers still shows a catcher who was everything advertised: solid defensively, an offensive force and a team leader. "He's our rock," said teammate Ethan Johnson, who batted behind Plate in the cleanup spot and earned player of the year honors this year. The trio of Plata, Johnson and Toby Trotter carried the Knights about as far as possible, but repeating as CCS champions wasn't in the cards this year. With a young team this year, the trio was called on for leadership, especially in the CCS. "We had to tell them that it was just another game," he said. "I was in the same spot, too. You can't really get upset about it. Everyone learns at a different pace. It takes time for everyone to get to the same point. He had a good group and we're going to be better next year for what we went through this year."
Season Highlight: Knocking off Menlo-Atherton, the eventual Bay Division champion on May 1 was big. Plata responded two days later with a home run and double off the centerfield fence two days later against the Bears, but way back when the season was young, he had a walk-off single up the middle as King's came from behind to beat Wilcox. "That was a great week. We were scrappy that night," he said of the semifinal win in the season-opening Tamone Tournament. "It was pretty cool having everyone run onto the field."
"I think I have to get stronger, so I look like other college guys. I want to start in my freshman year."
The Numbers Tell the Story: Plata collected 30 hits, walked 19 times and scored 22 runs. He had a .554 on-base percentage and a .620 slugging percentage for an OPS of 1.174.
Eye-Popping Stat: In 175 total chances, Plata committed just one error and had a .994 fielding percentage.
What Others Say: "On our team, Nate carried the heaviest weight – offensively and defensively. He hit over .400, a heavy .400 with lots of RBI and extra-base hits. He was a constant for us." – Ethan Johnson, senior utility player, The King's Academy.
Senior, first base, Archbishop Mitty
The Skinny: Coming off a CCS title season, Mitty had high expectations for 2025. And that all changed in a matter of days when the Monarchs lost their two best players – shortstop Waylon Walsh (thumb) and first baseman Grayson Munoz (foot) – at midseason. As it turned out, Munoz missed just three games, playing through the small fracture suffered while hitting a foul ball off his foot. "It sucked not being able to play," he said. "I wanted to be out there so bad." He got back to the lineup and was a difference maker. Yes, the Monarchs limped to the finish line, but Munoz had a career year in leading Mitty back into the CCS tournament. "Not making it deeper into the CCS was definitely a letdown," said the power-hitting first baseman who will play in the fall at the College of San Mateo. "But I was glad we even made it."
Season Highlight: The Monarchs went to Sacramento in mid-April for the Boras Baseball Classic in the throes of a six-game losing streak. Munoz made sure the skid ended immediately. In the opener, he hit a three-run homer against Granite Bay in the first inning and then came up with two on in the bottom of the seventh of a tie game. Another three-run homer – this one a walk-off – provided Munoz with something he'll never forget. "It was like a dream," he said. "Celebrating with all of my teammates was awesome. I remember being in shock, thinking, 'there's no way that just happened.'"
"The walk-off at the Boras tourney was hit hard and in a pretty big yard, but the ball I hit out at Riordan this year – against the wind – was definitely right there with it."
The Numbers Tell the Story: Munoz had 30 hits and a .478 on-base percentage. He slugged .716 and – an OPS of 1.194 — and was solid on defense, compiling a fielding percentage of .988.
Eye-Popping Stat: Munoz wrapped up a Mitty career that saw him collect 61 hits, drive in 46 runs, hit eight homers and bat .347.
What Others Say: "Grayson was the pinnacle of consistency throughout the highs and lows of our season, never compromising his work ethic or approach during games, which led to a monster season. We're proud of who he developed himself into as a player and a young man." – Brian Yocke, Mitty coach.
Junior, pitcher-first base, Sequoia
The Skinny: Morgan Winfield is more than a power-hitting first baseman. He's also an effective pitcher who plans to spend the summer training with weights and working on his mechanics to increase his velocity. The goal is to show that he can both pitch and be an everyday player at the next level. "I want to be a two-way option in college," he said. He showed himself to be one of the PAL Bay Division's top double threats this season in leading the Ravens to the CCS tournament. "I thought my pitching was pretty good. I've worked hard since last year on my craft and I think it paid off. I still have work to do with my velocity." As for the hitting, that seems to come more naturally for a kid who has the ability to drive a baseball with power.
Season Highlight: On May 16, the Ravens closed out the regular season with an 8-0 victory over Carlmont. Winfield tossed a two-hit shutout, needing just 74 pitches to spin his complete-game victory. "That was definitely my highlight," he said. "Everything was working. My slider was great and so as my sinker and my splitter." Oh, and in case anyone forgot, Winfield also hit two home runs and drove in four runs against the Scots that day.
"I have a few things I still need to work on to improve my game. My speed on the base paths is one of them."
The Numbers Tell the Story: Winfield had an on-base percentage of .510, thanks to 30 hits. He had a slugging percentage of .709 and an OPS of 1.219.
Eye-Popping Stat: Despite being one of the top power hitters on the Peninsula, Winfield struck out just 10 times this season.
What Others say: "Morgan has incredible power. It was fun seeing how hard he could hit the baseball." – Drew Ostrander, Sequoia senior infielder.
Senior, third base-pitcher, Serra
The Skinny: Just before the first pitch of the CCS-Division I championship game was thrown at San Jose's Excite Park, Serra third baseman Davis Minton looked to his left. Next to him stood shortstop Ian Josephson and nearby was second baseman Evan Bradshaw – just as they had been three years earlier on the Padres' freshman team. And digging deeper, centerfielder Tyler Harrison was playing first base back then, and catcher Jack Armstrong was also around. "We talked as freshman about playing on that field in the CCS and there we were doing it," he said. "It seemed so right." And Minton's storybook scenario came to a magical ending when Serra rallied from a two-run deficit to beat Valley Christian, 3-2, for the first CCS crown in 16 years. "Everyone put their heart and soul into it," he said. "The CCS was always the main goal." Minton hit third in Serra's pedal-to-the-metal offense and "solidified himself as one of the more dangerous hitters in our league," said Serra coach Mat Keplinger. "As he got healthy on the mound, he pitched in big games and was instrumental in our playoff push." A week after the CCS championship game win, Minton was on the mound when De La Salle rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with a 5-4 victory and a Northern California championship. "It didn't end the way we wanted it to," said the Chapman University signee. "There is a sour taste, but winning the CCS is a feeling I'll never forget. The dogpile in the middle of the field under the lights, that's a special moment. Celebrating with my brothers."
Season Highlight: The aforementioned dogpile is impossible to top for Minton, but there was a magical pitching performance that will stand out. On May 7, he threw his first high school no-hitter with 11 strikeouts in a WCAL-clinching victory over Riordan that was culminated with he and catcher Jack Armstrong hugging in front of the mound after the final out. Minton suffered an elbow injury last summer that made his pitching an uncertainty. He didn't make his first start until April and was on a pitch count all year. That changed against the Crusaders. "I felt like myself again," he said. "I was able to throw all of my pitches for strikes. I had been throwing bullpens, but bullpens aren't the same as doing it against another jersey."
"I am proud of the season I had. I struggled a lot at the plate in my junior year. I was disappointed with it. I felt like there was more I could have done. I think I was better this year."
The Numbers Tell the Story: Minton had 37 hits and an on-base percentage of .429. He struck out just four times.
Eye-Popping Stat: Davis and his brother Aaron Minton, just a sophomore, each had grand-slam home runs this year – the only sibling combination on the Peninsula to accomplish that feat in 2025.
What Others Say: "He was nails this year – super inspiring to everyone. We have been playing together since we were 9 or 10 and it was great to see the kind of season he had this year. – Ian Josephson, senior shortstop, Serra.
