Giants baseball seeks bounce back season following roster overhaul

By Nick Giannandrea
COS ATHLETICS
After finishing with the program's first sub .500 record in seven
years -- and only the fifth in 31 seasons under coach Jody Allen --
College of the Sequoias' baseball team has undergone a significant
roster overhaul, even by community college standards.
The Giants' 35-man squad features 24 players who weren't on the roster
last season.
Sequoias is looking to rebound after going 18-22 overall, 11-13 in the
Central Valley Conference and missing the Northern
California Regional playoffs in 2024 for the first time in the previous five
championship seasons.
"I really like the group. It's been one of the better groups in the
fall. Seems like the camaraderie is pretty good. The team chemistry
seems much better than last year," Allen said. "Last year was kind of
a toxic group and we feel like we kinda weeded out those guys, and
(that's) why we went out and got so many (new players). It's been a
real challenge having so many guys from all over the area to kind of
mesh that together. The guys have done a really good job with that.
We'll see how that pays off when it comes to wins and losses, but it's
a good group of guys."
Allen and his staff -- assistants Scott Laird, Jeff Sisk, Dana Gomez,
Ben Walkowiak, Logan Coughlin and Davis Beavers -- brought in 10
players who were part of different programs last season, including
five who hail from Canada.
Four of the five played prominent roles as the Giants opened the season by splitting two games against Allan Hancock, winning 7-4 on Jan. 24 and losing 10-9 on Jan. 25.
In the win, right-handed sophomore Tyson Kilbreath (Calgary) was the winning pitcher after allowing two earned runs over five innings with six strikeouts, while third baseman Walker Selley (Smiths Parish) went 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI.
Kilbreath transferred after playing last season at the University of British Columbia, and Selley came to Sequoias after attending but not playing for Grayson College in Texas last season.
During the loss, Selley went 2 for 5 with a home run, sophomore first baseman Ned Ceklic (Okotoks) went 2 for 4 with two runs, and freshman Hunter Jobs (Sherwood Park) went 3 for 3 with a double, three runs and two RBIs.
Ceklic hit .271 with four home runs and 34 RBIs for Dakota State last season, while Jobs was a redshirt at Saddleback College last season.
The other Canadian recruit is freshman left-handed pitcher Carson Hindmarsh (Saskatoon), a
potential impact starter who is working his way back after missing
last season with an injury.
Other transfers include sophomore infielder Caleb Cazares (Clovis
North/West Hills-Coalinga College), sophomore right-handed pitcher
Romeo Lopez (San Francisco/Laney College); right-handed pitcher Sam
Reynolds (Bullard-Fresno/York University), freshman outfielder Caleb
Catalano (Pacifica/Saddleback College), and freshman
outfielder/right-handed pitcher Payton Garcia (Fowler/Monterey
Peninsula).
Headlining Sequoias' group of returners are the catching duo of Alex
Lopez (Golden West High) and Nick Senn (El Diamante).
Lopez was named the Central Valley Conference's Freshman of the Year
after hitting .362 with six doubles, four home runs and 22 RBIs. Senn
hit .262 with four doubles, a homer and 11 RBIs. Both are sound
defensively with strong throwing arms.
"The catching side is our strongest suit. They are both top notch
catchers," Allen said. "Alex provides a lot of experience and did a
great job last year. So we're hoping he comes in and continues to
develop and have another great year. Nick is really good back there,
also, so we've got a good 1-2 punch.
It's a big advantage with those guys back."
Two other previous starters return in corner infielder Diego Sanchez
(Bakersfield Christian) and second baseman Zach Milhous
(Monache-Porterville). Sanchez hit .298 with six doubles and 31 RBIs
last season, while Milhous hit .269 with six doubles, a homer and 19
RBIs in 2023 before an injury led to a redshirt season in 2024.
The Giants also welcome back position players in first baseman
Jonathan Ortega (Golden West) and outfielders Noe Salazar (Kerman),
Evan Gonzalez (Redwood) and Matt Raygoza (Hanford), who all saw
limited action last season.
Returning pitchers include right-handers Aaron Prieto (Fowler) and
Javier Altamirano (Mt. Whitney), and lefty AJ Bekedam (Sierra
Pacific-Hanford). Altamirano went 2-4 with three saves last season in
29 1/3 innings, while Bekedam and Prieto each went 1-1 with a save in
32 1/3 innings and 25 1/3 innings, respectively.
Sequoias' 20-member freshmen class also includes outfielder Bryson
Leyva (Highland-Bakersfield), shortstop Manny Veleta
(Highland-Bakersfield), second baseman Aiden Medina (Fresno),
left-hand pitcher/outfielder Cruz Rodriguez (Redwood); left-handed
pitcher/outfielder Noah Gonzalez (Hanford), right-hand pitcher Hudson
Groh (Liberty-Madera Ranchos), right-handed pitcher Aiden Bryan (Mt.
Whitney), infielder Gannon Silva (Bullard-Fresno), right-handed
pitcher Zach Tackett (Kingsburg), catcher/outfielder Blake Crawford
(Tulare Western), left-handed pitcher Easton King (Tulare Western),
right-handed pitcher Chance Jasso (Redwood), infielder Kannon Silva
(Mission Oak) and right-handed pitcher Samuel Ciacccio (Tehachapi).
"I feel like we're more talented than we've been the last couple
years, but you know, talent is a nasty word if it doesn't go out and
play well, right?" Allen said. "I feel like this is a group that can
do some good things, whether it's a conference championship or make a
run in the playoffs. There is certainly enough talent there to do
that. I think the injury bug is important. We've got some guys that
are coming back and are they going to be healthy? But I think it's a
good group of guys that have a chance to have a pretty special season
if they go out and do the things they are capable of."
The key to a turnaround season for the Giants will be improvement from
a pitching staff that allowed a 7.49 earned run average and 8.3 runs
per game in 2024.
Allen said a clear-cut No. 1 pitcher hasn't emerged yet, but he
expects newcomers Kilbreath, Reynolds, Groh, Rodriguez and Noah
Gonzalez to start games early in the season. The Giants are counting
on growth from returners Altamirano, Prieto and Bekedam, and
contributions from newcomers Romeo Lopez, Bryan, Garcia, King, Jasso,
Tackett, Hindmarsh and Ciaccio.
"(Pitching) was a weakness last season and we're trying to turn that
into a strength," Allen said. "I like the guys we have on the mound. I
don't know if we're going to be great at the top end, but we've got a
lot of arms that can give us quality innings.
"Some of them are developing, some are returning from injury, some are
transferring in looking for a new start. But the pitching should be
much improved from where we were a year ago."
Offensively, the Giants hit .293 last season while scoring 6.5 runs per game.
Allen said this year's team has the potential to be just as good, if
not better, offensively than last season with one caveat.
"One of the things that's gonna be a challenge is if we put our best
offensive group in there, it's not our best defensive group," Allen
said. "And if we put our best defensive group, it's not our best
offensive group. We're going to kind of have to mix and match and see
what is most important and make sure that some of those guys that can
play defense, (also) hit real well. Or, do we sacrifice a little range
one game to get bats in the lineup? It will be interesting to see how
that plays out. But I think we have the potential to be pretty good on
the offensive side."
The Giants return to action at 2 p.m. Jan. 28 at Bakersfield. Their next home game is set for 2 p.m. Feb. 4 against Bakersfield.
Sequoias will play seven of its first 12 games at home before
launching CVC play at 2 p.m. Feb. 18 at home against Porterville.
Sequoias' first matchup against rival and reigning conference champion
Fresno City is scheduled for 2 p.m. April 8 at home.