Palo Alto baseball set for championship play on the diamond

The Palo Alto baseball team was primed for good things in 2020 when the season was terminated after six games by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Strong as that team appeared to be, it was young with only two seniors on the roster. So the 2021 team had the potential to be even better.

When the 2020 season was shut down everyone involved felt a sense of profound disappointment, but shared in the notion that it was a one-time event and everything would be back to normal by the time the next baseball season rolled around.

Unfortunately, as we are now only too aware, that turned out not to be the case. The pandemic caused all fall and winter prep sports to be cancelled and was still in effect when spring sports were to begin. As restrictions began to ease, the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League’s decision to implement a three-sport calendar for the remainder of the school year further delayed the start of baseball.

The Vikings waited and waited until now, when they finally have the opportunity to play their season opener, Monday at Paly, against Gilroy.

It’s a shame a full season is not available because this is a team loaded with talent and slotted as high as second in the Central Coast Section and third in the Bay Area in preseason rankings.

Three players on the team have already accepted offers from NCAA Division I programs: catcher/infielder Aidan Berger (UCLA), shortstop Zander Darby (UC Santa Barbara) and center fielder Henry Bolte (Texas).

The pitching staff is as deep as you will find at the high school level. In a recent interview coach Pete Fukuhara rattled off the names of players he can call on to take the mound: Callum Olsen, Ryan Harvey, Ritter Amsbaugh, Danny Peters, Rowan Felsch, Darby, Jack Haight, Josh Donaker, Colin Thibault, Tommy Hall and freshman Charlie Bates.

Harvey, who has committed to Lewis & Clark, and Felsch are left-handers. Peters is currently playing quarterback and Felsch receiver for the Paly football team.

Multi-positional players allow for flexibility. For example, Amsbaugh will play shortstop on the day Darby pitches and also on the following day so Fukuhara can give Darby’s arm time off from playing shortstop to rest and recover. Darby will be back at shortstop when Amsbaugh pitches.

“Both can make some incredible plays at shortstop,’’ Fukuhara said.

Fukuhara characterized Bolte and infielder Xavier Esquer as five-tool players. Bolte received minimal playing time as a sophomore in the shortened 2020 season, but his performance at summer camps resulted in the scholarship offer from Texas. He was clocked in 6.46 for the 60 yard dash, in baseball uniform and cleats on dirt, at one showcase.

Esquer, the son of Stanford coach David Esquer, is penciled in at second base.

“He can play anywhere,’’ Fukuhara said. “He’s a gamer, one of the hardest working guys on the team. He used to go over to Stanford and hit for a couple of hours every day before he got kicked out because they didn’t want the liability.’’

Bowman Wingard will do a large part of the catching in the early going while Berger, a four-year starter, plays mostly in the field due to a minor injury.

Hayden Jung-Goldberg will flank Bolte in the outfield.

“Hayden has tremendous potential,’’ Fukuhara said. “He’s got all the tools, is just a little raw.’’

Hall will play right field and first base when not pitching. Gunn transfer Andre Hyrkin provides depth in the infield. Freshman Zach Hayward is another left-handed bat in the outfield.

The SCVAL’s De Anza Division is traditionally very strong in baseball.

“We’ve shared or won the league championship the last six years,’’ Fukuhara said. “Los Gatos, Los Altos and Wilcox will be in the mix. I like our chances, wouldn’t bet against our guys.’’