Skip to main content

Top 20 catchers in Southern Section high school baseball

There are many outstanding catchers in the Southern Section, but we've narrowed down the best of the best.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look at some of the top baseball players in the CIF Southern Section and we're starting behind the plate.

There are many outstanding catchers in the Southern Section, but we're trying to narrow down the best of the best! Tag us on Twitter or Instagram at @SBLiveCA and let us know about other athletes worthy of fans’ attention.

TOP 20 CATCHERS IN SOUTHERN SECTION HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL 

(The list is in alphabetical order)

Eric Aguayo - King - Junior

Aguayo's .346 batting average is second on King and his .414 on base percentage is first. He's also third on the team in hits. Those numbers are impressive, but Aguayo's best stat is his 4.0 GPA. 

Zachary Anderson - Temecula Valley - Junior

Anderson is committed to USC. So far this season, the junior leads Temecula Valley in batting average (.490,) hits (25) and RBI's (24). The Golden Bears are 12-6 on the season and sit atop the Southwestern League along with Vista Murrieta. Both teams are 6-1 in the league. 

Max Aude - Sherman Oaks Notre Dame - Senior

Aude is committed to Baylor. He's hit three bombs for Notre Dame this season, which is tied for the top mark on the Knights with teammate Madden Ocko. Aude is second on the team in RBI's with 22 and he leads the Knights in fielding percentage with a .982 mark. 

Blake Balsz - Santa Margarita - Junior

Balsz is a UCLA commit. The junior went 2-for-2 in a 2-1 win against Mater Dei last week. Earlier this season in a 7-3 win over JSerra, Balsz went 2-for-3 with two RBI's. 

Karson Bowen - Orange Lutheran - Senior

Bowen is second on Orange Lutheran in fielding percentage posting a .981 mark. The senior is committed to TCU. He's known as one of the top defensive catchers in the state. 

Jack Burke - Villa Park - Junior

Burke leads Villa Park with nine steals this season and he's second in fielding percentage on the team thanks to an impressive .980 mark. Burke is committed to USC. 

Dylan Fien - Great Oak - Sophomore

Fien is committed to UCLA. He's one of the top players nationally in the 2024 recruiting class. So far this season, Fien is batting .421 with a .500 on base percentage. Those marks are good for second and first on the Great Oak team respectively. 

Jackson Frankovich - Sherman Oaks Notre Dame - Senior

Frankovich's two home runs and four doubles this season each rank in the top three for Knights' players. The senior went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a home run in Notre Dame's 10-1 win over Chaminade two weeks ago. Frankovich is committed to the University of San Diego. 

Jacob Galloway - Harvard-Westlake - Senior

Galloway has verbally committed to Texas Tech. In addition to being one of the top defensive catchers in the region, Galloway is also a menace at the plate. He had two hits in a 6-3 win over Crespi earlier this season. 

Cole Hansen - Norco - Sophomore

Hansen's hitting .390 with a .471 on base percentage this spring. He also leads Norco with four home runs and is second in hits (23) and RBI's (20). The sophomore is committed to Oklahoma. 

Kehden Hettiger - Sierra Canyon - Junior

Hettiger is committed to Oregon. The junior hit a home run in Sierra Canyon's 6-2 win over Simi Valley on March 19th. The Trailblazers are 18-0 so far this season. 

Nolan Johnson - Westlake - Sophomore

Johnson's .358 batting average is second best on the Westlake team and his .453 on base percentage is number one. He also leads Westlake in runs (13) and hits (19). The sophomore is committed to the University of Miami. 

Andrew Lamb - JSerra - Junior

Lamb is committed to USC. In JSerra's 2-1 win over Orange Lutheran this season, Lamb scored the game-winning run. In addition to playing catcher, Lamb also plays third base at a high level for the Lions. 

Luke Lavin - Santa Margarita - Junior

Lavin is a Stanford pledge. In a 6-2 win over JSerra this season, the junior went 2-for-4 with two RBI's. Lavin was also named MVP of the Perfect Game California Tournament this year after going 8-for-13 in Santa Margarita's four wins. 

Nick Montgomery - Cypress - Sophomore

Montgomery is an Arizona State commit. He went 2-for-3 in Cypress' 8-2 win over Alemany in the first round of the National Classic this week. In Cypress' 8-5 win over Ayala last Saturday, Montgomery went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI's. 

Andrew Pyle - La Mirada - Senior

Pyle is hitting .394 this season with an on base percentage of .545, which leads the team. He also leads the Matadors in stolen bases with eight. Pyle is a Long Beach State pledge. 

Matt Quintanar - Hart - Senior

Quintanar has earned his reputation as a both a top offensive and defensive catcher in Southern Section high school baseball. The Pepperdine commit hit a dinger in Hart's 12-1 win over Castaic last week and then a two-run home run in Hart's 7-1 victory over Chatsworth a day later. 

Luke Scherrer - Yucaipa - Junior

Scherrer is committed to Cal Poly. He's been a major contributor for Yucaipa this season, the No. 2 ranked team in SBLive California's latest statewide high school baseball rankings. On March 16th, he hit a two-run home run in a 4-1 win over Cajon. 

Josh Springer - Corona - Sophomore

Springer is a stud. The Long Beach State commit hit a walk-off single in the Panthers' 5-4 win over Temescal Canyon last week. He also hit a three-run home run in Corona's 12-11 win over Capistrano Valley earlier this season. 

Jared Snyder - Citrus Valley - Senior

Snyder leads Citrus Valley in fielding percentage with a .980 mark as well as RBI's with 12. The senior is committed to Long Beach State.