Fresno Bee’s Best: Our list of All-Area baseball stars, including the Player of the Year
The Buchanan High baseball team was off to a hot start entering the Fresno Easter Classic and a matchup with Bullard.
That big game was nothing short of expectations. Buchanan, though, fell to the Knights 4-3.
It was a loss that stung the Bears some, but perhaps it served as a motivator.
“I think at that time we’re kind of like expecting to win and we didn’t play our best game and in the end we fell short,” catcher Austin Young said. “I think the Bullard game was a turning point. We all came together and got tighter after that game. We wanted to have each other’s back.”
Young did his part rallying the team which won the next 16 games en route to a Central Section Division I championship. He finished the season hitting .389 and driving in 25 runs, section historian Bob Barnett said. In 90 at-bats, Young crossed the plate 38 times and had 35 hits, seven doubles and two home runs.
Young, a Fresno State walk-on, is The Bee’s Player of the Year.
“Austin is a fantastic young man with tremendous character,” Buchanan coach Brad Fontes said. “A tireless worker on and off the field. He’s a leader on the field and in the clubhouse. He caught every game for us this year, which required him to really commit to his strength and nutrition program. He’s a really tough kid that competes his tail off. It has been a pleasure to watch him grow into the young man he’s become.”
Young understood the Bears always have targets “on our backs” and realizes they will get each opponent’s best effort.
He reminded his teammates about that during the season and it carried on the field.
He’s especially proud to see his teammates continue to push each other.
“I don’t think a day went by where we took the practice off,” he said. “Just being able to go out there and play with my brothers out on the field, it was awesome. It was a great experience. I’ve told the team this before: there’s no one else I would rather spend my senior year with. These guys were awesome and I love them so much.”
Coach of the Year: Brad Fontes, Buchanan
Fontes led the way for the Bears, compiling a 29-3 overall record and 14-1 in the Tri-River Athletic Conference. After the loss to the Knights on April 8, Fontes rallied his team. “Our coach talked to us just telling us we have to play our game and we have to know we’ll get everyone’s best,” Young said of his coach.
Other All-Area baseball honors
Large School Player of the Year: Tanner Sagouspe, San Joaquin Memorial, Sr.
The Cal Poly-bound outfielder was named the co-County/Metro Athletic Conference Player of the Year with teammate Eddie Saldivar. Sagouspe finished the season with 11 home runs, 48 hits and hit 490. He helped the Panthers to a 24-5 record and 13-2 in the CMAC.
Medium School Player of the Year: Devon Daniel, Kerman, Jr.
Had a dazzling year for the Lions going 7-2 with a 0.55 ERA and 105 strikeouts while walking just nine. Guided the Lions to a 21-3 record and 14-1 in the North Sequoia League. In May, he threw a perfect game and struck out 13 in the Lions’ 7-0 win over Firebaugh. At the plate, he batted .393 and drove in 11 runs.
Small School Player of the Year: Tyler Kiggens, Washington Union, Sr.
Had a big season for the Panthers: .441 batting average, 45 hits, 24 stolen bases and 38 RBIs. He was named the Hitter of the Year in the NSL. Helped the Panthers to a Central Section Division V title. Kiggens threw a no-hitter in the Southern California Regional Division V-A semifinal game against Orange Glen.
All-Area Team
JP Acosta, Buchanan, Soph.; Diego Ambriz, Lemoore, Sr.; Gustavo Andrade, Monache, Jr.; Jack Anker, Tulare Western, Jr.; Mick Backowski, Clovis, Sr.; Nathan Baeza, Clovis West, Jr.; Temo Becerra, Buchanan, Sr.; Alexis Bedolla, Granite Hills, Jr.; Mikey Bell, San Joaquin Memorial, Jr.; Austin Beno, El Diamante, Sr.; Max Bernal, Buchanan, Jr.; Kaleb Brett, Immanuel, Jr.; Jackson Brooks, Exeter, Sr.; Dakota Brown, Redwood, Sr.; Raymond Bustos, Mission Oak, Jr.; Jesus Cabanyog, Monache, Sr.; Christian Casas, Farmesville, Sr.; Chris Clement, Hanford, Sr.; Caleb Compton, Fresno Christian, Jr.; Jacob Conti, Yosemite, Sr.; Quaid Copher, Liberty-Madera Ranchos, Sr.; James Corral, Tulare Western, Soph.; Jackson Correia, Firebaugh, Sr.; Jacob Costa, Tulare Union, Sr.; Ryan Cronk, Sierra Pacific, Jr.; Derrick Cruz, Clovis North, Jr.; Cameron Cunnings, Bullard, Sr.; Clay Curutchet, Chowchilla, Sr.
Devon Daniel, Kerman, Jr.; Cameron Demaria, Caruthers, Sr.; Adam Delgado, Kerman, Fr.; Matt Dudley, Yosemite, Sr.; Ethan Enns, Kingsburg, Jr.; Lee Esparza, Selma, Jr.; Christian Farias, Exeter, Sr.; Jacob Flores, Strathmore, Sr.; Eddie Frias, Lindsay, Sr.; Carsen Fusi, Washington Union, Sr.; Will Gagnon, Reedley, Jr.; Payton Garcia, Fowler, Soph.; Oscar Garza, Orange Cove, Sr.; Luke Giotta, Central Valley Christian, Jr.; Chase Gomez, Tulare Western, Sr.; Matthew Gonzales, Golden West, Jr.; Jayden Gonzales, Kerman, Jr.; Noah Gonzalez, Dinuba, Fr.; Triston Gray, Madera South, Jr.; Jayden Hartel, Clovis North, Fr.; Rider Hartman, El Diamante, Sr.; Holden Hirschkorn, Kingsburg, Fr.; Orin Hirschkorn, Caruthers, Sr.; Trever Jobinger, Minarets, Jr.; Aaron Jones, Dos Palos, Soph.; Colby Jones, Sierra Pacific, Sr.; Reese Kent, Clovis North, Sr.; Tyler Kiggens, Washington Union Sr.; Casey Lacroix, Fresno Christian Jr.; Eric Lemus, Lindsay, Jr.; Dawson Lieser, Fresno Christian, Jr.; Vincent Lopez, Fowler, Sr.; Julian Lopez, Fresno, Sr.; Herman Luna III, Corcoran, Sr.
Paul Marshall, Fresno; Ramiro Martinez, Sunnyside, Sr.; Nathan Mata, Jr., Mission Oak, Jr.; Dean McCurley, Central, Sr.; Derek McNary, Hanford, xx; Matt Laurean, Sierra Pacific, Sr.; Rafael Mendoza, Kerman, Sr.; David Mez, Woodlake, Sr.; Zac Milhous, Monache, Jr.; Noah Mitchell, Sierra, Soph.; Isaiah Monge, Madera, Sr.; Colton Montgomery, El Diamante, Sr.; Will Monteumurro, Dos Palos, Soph.; Charlie Monterrosa, San Joaquin Memorial, Jr.; Tiz Moreno, Sanger, Jr.; Elijah Moultrie, Edison, Jr.; Brandt Munger, Central Valley Christian, Fr.; Anfernee Murrietta, Lemoore, Sr.; Aidan Munoz, Chowchilla, Sr.; Alfredo Ocejo, Orange Cove, Jr.; Jaylen Oats, Strathmore, Jr.; Nathan Palacioz, Madera, Sr.; Trevin Paulson, Immanuel, Jr.; Landon Pendergras, Clovis East, Sr.; Andrew Perales, Central, Sr.; Syler Pillsbury, Minarets, Sr.; Mikey Ramirez, El Diamante, Jr.; Aviram Ramirez, Firebaugh, Sr.; Josh Rees, Central Valley Christian, Sr.; Aaron Rey, Clovis West, Sr.; Bo Rico, Redwood, Soph.; Mike Rios, Reedley, Sr.; Jayden Rivera, Kerman, Sr.; Julian Rocha, Minarets, Sr.; Exodus Rodriguez, Selma, Jr.; Makai Ruiz, Dos Palos, Sr.; Kanoa Ruiz, Dos Palos, Soph.
Eddie Saldivar, San Joaquin Memorial, Sr.; Tanner Sagouspe, San Joaquin Memorial, Sr.; Nevyn Santillan, Immanuel, Jr; Cameron Schneider, Bullard, Soph.; Jose Segura, Monache, Sr.; Dylan See, Exeter, Sr.; Bobby Shoals, Hanford West, Sr.; Christian Solano, Firebaugh, Sr.; Drew Smith, Buchanan, Jr.; McGuire Smith, Liberty-Madera Ranchos, Fr.; Christian Sweidy, Fowler, Sr.; James Thompson, Mission Oak, Sr.; Lee Trevino, Redwood, Sr.; Izaiah Varela, Hanford West, Jr.; Chris Vargas, Caruthers, Sr.; Jace Vargas, Central Valley Christian, Jr.; Bryce Walters, Chowchilla, Sr.; Christian Williams, Buchanan, Sr.; Hank Williams, Exeter, Sr.; Austin Young, Buchanan, Sr.; Kai Young, Fresno, Sr.; Brady Zavorek, Bullard, Sr.
