WATSONVILLE — Gio Gonzalez did not know what to expect entering his junior year of baseball. He had spent the time in the weight room during the offseason and done everything Watsonville High head coach James Gomez had asked of him in the preseason. Yet he still had doubts that he would succeed as the Wildcatz’s top pitcher.
All of that uncertainty was thrown out the window in a couple of hours.
Gonzalez tossed a complete-game, no-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts in Watsonville’s Monterey Bay League Pacific division opener against Seaside High.
“That brought out a little spark,” Gonzalez said. “Getting that on day one motivated me. It made me believe that all the time in the weight room worked.”
Almost all of Gonzalez’s league starts went that way.
Over 51 2/3 innings against MBL-P competition, Gonzalez posted a ridiculous 0.68 earned run average, allowing just 13 hits and five earned runs, according to stats provided by Gomez. He also had 60 strikeouts to 19 walks and finished with a 6-1 record.
“During league, he was just dominant,” Gomez said. “We had a chance to win every time he stepped on the mound.”
The coaches from the MBL-P recently honored Gonzalez for his overpowering tosses, naming him the league’s Pitcher of the Year.
“From the beginning of the year, I didn’t think I had a chance at this,” Gonzalez said. “It’s a great honor. I didn’t see myself competing for this award when the season started. There were so many great players out there.”
Along with his season-opening no-hitter against Seaside, Gonzalez also no-hit North Monterey County High and could have recorded a third no-hitter against North Salinas had he not reached his pitch limit after six hitless innings.
Gomez said he was not surprised that his pitcher won the honor, explaining that Gonzalez, who sparingly saw the field for the Wildcatz last season as a sophomore, was nearly voted league MVP.
“He really grew this year,” Gomez said. “To see him blossom like he did, was really awesome. From last year to this, to see the improvement, especially in the mental department with his confidence, was big.”
And, Gomez said, he’s still got plenty of room to grow into his slender 5-foot-11-inch frame. The coach is trying to help Gonzalez develop a steady changeup to go along with his fast ball and curve. Gonzalez said he also wants to add in a fourth pitch — possibly a slider — over the summer break.
“I love the fastball, no doubt about it,” said Gonzalez, who topped out at 84 mph this season, “but I want to keep getting better and add some other stuff in.”
Gonzalez, an incredible athlete who threw down two-handed slams in the winter for Watsonville’s basketball team, was also solid with the bat. He hit .340 and led the team in stolen bases (15) over the Wildcatz’s 18-game league slate.
Gonzalez also earned a spot on the MBL-P First Team with teammates James Gomez Jr. and Ryan Rivera. Gomez Jr., a senior infielder, hit .419 with six doubles, one home run and 14 RBIs in league action, while Rivera, a junior infielder, hit .474 with 14 runs, five doubles and 14 RBIs.
The trio helped Watsonville finish in a tie for second place in the MBL-P with a 14-4 record. The Wildcatz also made their fourth Central Coast Section playoff appearance over the last five years.
Alisal High senior Ruben Gomez was named the MBL-P Most Valuable Player and Graham Santiago earned Coach of the Year honors after leading the Trojans to the league championship.
Pajaro Valley High junior Davian Quintana and North Monterey County sophomore A.J. Valdez were named to the MBL-P First Team.
Watsonville senior JoJo Vargas and sophomore Maximilian Ramirez III, North Monterey County seniors Josh Garcia and Adrian Soto and Pajaro Valley’s Jesus Medrano were all named to the MBL-P Second Team.
Nine locals earned honorable mention: seniors Zion Lopez (North Monterey County) and Lorenzo Torres (Pajaro Valley), juniors Jason Garza (Watsonville), Clayton Galassi (Watsonville) and Gabe Miranda (North Monterey County) and sophomores Jordan Larva (North Monterey County), Dylan Vargas (Watsonville), Rocky Ramirez (Pajaro Valley) and John Ramos (Pajaro Valley).
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MBL-GABILAN
Monte Vista Christian senior infielder Jackson Collins was recently named to the MBL-Gabilan division First Team.
Collins, a three-year member of the varsity team that will play baseball and football for University of Redlands next season, had a huge final campaign for the Mustangs. He led the team in batting average (.452), hits (28), runs (20), RBIs (30), doubles (7) and home runs (5), according to stats kept on MaxPreps.
Collins helped the Mustangs finish fifth in the MBL-G, automatically qualifying them for the CCS playoffs.
Palma High junior pitcher Sam Stoutenborough was named the league MVP.
San Benito High senior Tyler Triano earned Pitcher of the Year honors and coach Billy Aviles won Coach of the Year after guiding the Haybalers to the league title.
Monte Vista Christian senior pitcher and shortstop Dylan McPhillips and senior outfielder and pitcher Tyler Clark both made the MBL-G Second Team.
