2023 SBLive Sports All-North Coast/Oakland Sections baseball squad

June is almost up. The season has been over for nearly a month. Most media outlets have offered their postseason awards.

Here is ours:

SBLive Sports 2023 All-North Coast Section baseball squad

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

OF Tanner Griffith (De La Salle)

The Spartans normally match their behemoth roster size (this year approaching 40) with a long line of big, physical, imposing players. This season they went the more diminutive route to another banner season — a sixth straight North Coast and second straight CIF Northern California Division 1 title — with Griffith acting (and delivering) as the poster child. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound senior outfielder led the Spartans (27-5) in batting average (.435), on-base percentage (.557), runs (41), hits (40), doubles (14) and home runs (four). He was sensational in the playoffs, reaching base 20 of 30 plate appearances with 14 runs, 10 RBIs, three doubles and a home in seven straight wins, extending the team’s remarkable playoff win streak to 30 since 2016. He’s headed to St. Mary’s College. SEE STORY

PITCHERS

Carson Dillon (Windsor)

The North Bay League Pitcher of the Year went 9-0 with a 1.39 ERA. He struck out 66 in 65.2 innings and allowed 51 hits.

Mason Lema (Cardinal Newman)

The UC Davis-bound senior led Northern California’s No. 4 ranked Cardinals with a 9-0 record and 1.41 ERA. Newman finished 28-2 on the season. Was SBLive Sports first-team All-State, striking out 106 in 84.1 innings.

Joshua Morano (Granada)

The Arizona bound senior went 8-2 with an 0.53 ERA. He shut out De La Salle 6-0 in the East Bay Athletic League playoffs, allowing two hits and striking out six.

RJ Meyn (De La Salle)

The junior left-hander went 10-0 with a 2.20 ERA for Northern California’s No. 1 team. He is committed to Santa Clara.

Austin Steeves (Casa Grande)

The top junior prospect went 10-3 with 0.39 ERA, leading the section with 158 strikeouts. Was SBLive’s state Pitcher of the Year allowed just one run over a 15-game stretch. The 6-foot-1 left-hander struck out 40 in a span of 19.2 innings during one stretch. 

CATCHERS

Connor Harrison (De La Salle)

The Bay Area News Group Player of the Year hit .404 with a team-best 36 RBI. A senior, Harrison is brother of Giants’ top prospect Kyle Harrison.

Ryder Helfrick (Clayton Valley Charter)

A top Bay Area prospect, the senior didn’t rest on his lofty reputation after hitting .510 with five home runs, earning Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division MVP honors.

INFIELDERS

Leo Asfar (Berkeley)

The WACC Foothill Player of the Year was the San Francisco Chronicle’s East Bay Player of the Year after the 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior hit .372 with 32 hits, 25 runs and 25 RBI. He had seven home run, including one with four RBI in a 12-10 loss to De La Salle.

Cody Collins (Fortuna)

The MVP of the Big 5 led Fortuna not only to its first league title in 47 years, but he also helped the Huskies win the North Coast Section Division 4 title with a 5-4 win over Justin-Siena. It was Arcata’s third NCS title since 2016 after never winning one to that point.

Landen Rota (Cardinal Newman)

A terrific infielder and pitcher for the 28-2 Cardinals, Rota hit .350 with a .473 on-base percentage. On the mound he was 8-0 with a 1.38 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 56 innings.

Hideki Prather (Campolindo)

Played infield and catcher, hitting .461 with five home runs and 27 RBI for the NCS Division 3 finalist.

Carl Schmidt (Marin Catholic)

The senior shortstop and Texas A&M commit was the Marin County Athletic League Player of the Year after hitting .452 with 38 hits, 27 RBIs, six doubles, seven triples and six home runs. He also had a 1.66 ERA in 12 pitching appearances and was named SF Chronicle’s North Bay POY.

OUTFIELDERS

Tanner Griffith (De La Salle)

The senior was NCS overall Player of the Year after leading Northern California’s best team in almost every offensive category. Also a tremendous right fielder.

Nate Niehaus (Cardinal Newman)

The 6-foot-5 senior hit .391 with 36 hits and 15 stolen bases.

Anthony Potestio (Heritage)

All-Bay Valley Athletic Leaguer hit .464 with 37 RBI and scored 30 runs runs. Also played the infield.

Kai Smith (De La Salle)

Batting third all season for the Spartans, the senior hit .408 with 38 runs and four home runs while earning first team All-East Bay Athletic League and first-team All-Metro for SF Chronicle.

Myles Watson (Clayton Valley)

The Sacramento State signee hit .431 with 27 runs and 14 stolen bases. Constantly on base, Walton walked 15 times for the 22-7 Eagles who made the NCS D1 finals.

UTILITY

Cole Ayala (Fortuna)

A catcher, third baseman and pitcher, was runner-up in the Big 5 MVP race while helping the Huskies to their first league title in 47 years. The Montana State signee hit two home runs in his final two at-bats to give Fortuna a thrilling comeback win over Eureka to clinch the league title

Tyler Dimmick (St. Bernard’s)

The senior second baseman and pitcher led the Crusaders (20-9) to a NCS D6 championship by leading the team with a .380 batting average (24 hits, 24 RBI, 26 runs). He also went 9-2 on the mound with a 0.63 ERA, 11 strikeouts and just 35 hits allowed in 67 innings.

Nick Goff (Liberty)

The infielder and pitcher was the Bay Valley Athletic League MVP after hitting .411 with 30 hits to go along with eight stolen bases. He also committed just two errors all season.

Rory Minty (Redwood)

The senior pitcher and first baseman went 10-2 with a 1.28 ERA, striking out 82 in 82.1 innings. He also had 16 hits, 11 RBI and stole four bases.

Matt Moore (University)

The senior first basemen, outfielder and pitcher led the Red Devils to the NCS and NorCal D5 finals. He led the team with 36 hits, 33 RBI and 32 runs while hitting .383. He had five doubles, six triples and a home run. He was 2-0 on the mound with a 1.48 ERA. 

Joseph Salazar (Skyline-Oakland)

The senior first baseman, outfielder and pitcher did it all for the Oakland Section champions, who finished 17-5. Salazar hit a team best .560 (28 for 50) with 29 runs and four home runs. He also was 6-1 on the mound with 54 strikeouts in 39 innings.