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Spring training is well underway, and it’s time to break out the yearly prediction of who wants to make a name for themselves in the coming college baseball season. We look at the players set to outperform their expected results and those who have burst onto the scene and blown away the competition.
Breakout players often share many similarities, which usually consist of having a high baseball IQ, the ability to adjust and adapt to different situations, excellent mental capabilities and tremendous physical skill. Players like these are often the reason teams are given such good Baseball Odds, as they take their attributes to the field and their team to glory. Here are five players to watch from Cerritos College baseball team.
Batting .208 (22-for-111), with 13 RBI and five doubles, Jason Givens has contributed to 33 games while playing for Cerritos College Baseball since 2022. Givens also stole eight bases during his season and, when playing against San Joaquin Delta College, went for 3-for-4, with two doubles and three RBI. In his game against Rio Hondo College, Givens went 3-for-5, with double and three runs scored. During the season, he did not make a single error, showing his true brilliance and why he is one of the expected Cerritos College baseball team stars. He had five multiple-hit games and four outfield assists.
While still at Santa Fe High School, Givens was voted Senior Athlete of the Year for his batting of .385, including six RBI and an outstanding .500 on-base percentage. This achievement was despite a condensed senior season owing to Covid-19. As a junior, Givens helped his team win the Del Rio League championship, receiving the accolades of 1st Team All-Area, 1st Team All-League and the league’s Offensive Player of the Year. During this season, he batted .443 with 12 RBI, 18 runs and an impressive .578 on-base percentage. In his sophomore year, Givens hit a .500, which helped the team scoop the league title.
With his athletic talents, Givens is no stranger to winning, and he ventures into other sorting areas, playing regular games on the basketball team. He is looking to transfer to California State Long Beach, Point Loma Nazarene or San Diego State universities, where he wants to continue playing baseball. Aside from that, Givens aspires to become a member of law enforcement in a SWAT team or K9 unit. Sporting abilities run in the family – both his brothers played football in their university days. At just 20, Givens is a bright star ready to build on his success at Cerrito College.
Dean Ormonde had a good time playing for Cerritos College Baseball in 2022, making 21 appearances and batting .200 (10-for-50), including two doubles and nine RBI. Ormonde also drew nine walks and went 2-for-4 against East Los Angeles. He was also 2-for-3 against El Camino College. The season game against Rio Hondo College saw a personal high of three runs. The 2022 season was a great one for Ormonde on the field, with just a single error committed and a .985 fielding percentage.
As a senior at Long Beach’s Millikan High School, Ormonde helped get his team to the CIF Division III championship. He achieved 1st Team All-CIF and 2nd Team All-Moore League, with a batting average of .351 and 27 hits. While at Long Beach, he was responsible for 10 doubles, one triple and one home run, and he drove in 10 runs. Although the season was cut short by the Covid-19 outbreak, his skills triumphed.
While playing for Brea Olinda High School, senior Manny Lopez was named 2nd team All-north Hills League after batting .280. Owing to Covid-19, Lopez did not enjoy a sophomore season but later earned the title of Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman in his team, with a batting average of .333. Lopez spent four seasons on the baseball team here.
One of Lopez’s most memorable baseball moments was when he pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts in a game at Angel Stadium. Lopez is looking to transfer to San Diego State University. He is the youngest player on our list but looks to have a bright future out of Cerritos College.
Since 2022, Mike Santos has been an established Cerritos College baseball team member, making 31 appearances with a batting average of .200 (19-for-95). During his time here, Santos completed two home runs and 11 RBI. When playing against Los Angeles Harbor College and Los Angeles Valley College, Santos completed consecutive 2-for-4 games and also had a two-hit game when playing against Compton College, where he ran a career-high three runs.
Santos was named the 1st team All-Trinity League at Servite High School in his senior season. His high school years saw him play on the baseball team for four seasons.
Santos wants to transfer to California State University with aspirations to become an investment banker. Baseball runs in his family, with his brother Bobby having played for Pacifica High and Golden West College. At just 20 years of age, there is still lots of hope for Mike Santos and his future baseball career.
Anthony Godfrey has shown great athleticism throughout his time at Millikan High School, playing on baseball and football teams. One of his most memorable moments at Millikan was when he scored the winning run in the CIF playoff game.
Looking to the future, Godfrey wishes to transfer to Arizona State University, California State University Long Beach, University of Oregon, USC or UCLA. Away from playing baseball, Godfrey would love to be a firefighter – one of the main reasons he is looking to join one of these three colleges. With the talent he has shown, Godfrey is set to be one of the standout stars to come from Cerritos College and expects to continue on his baseball journey for many more seasons to come.
