Lonnie Kauppila will likely generate a great deal of attention during his senior season with the Burbank High baseball team.
Having already signed with Stanford, college coaches are no longer hounding the senior shortstop. Instead, it’s the professional scouts that have been coming out of the woodwork to take a look at Kauppila.
“We have a lot of scouts at some of our games,” Burbank Coach Bob Hart said. “I think one day we had half of the American League looking at him.”
Recently, Kauppila was tabbed as No. 88 in Baseball America Magazine’s Top 100 Prospects for 2010.
“What Lonnie is trying to do more this season is be a leader,” Hart said of the 2009 All-Area Baseball Player of the Year. “He wants to be a leader on this team not only with his bat, but with his actions.”
Along with being named a first-team all-league selection, Kauppila was selected on the All-CIF second team and named an All-State selection by Cal-Hi Sports.
Along with a .545 batting average, he also had 25 runs batted in, scored 27 runs and belted 12 home runs for a 1.169 slugging percentage. In addition, he had 15 walks and only struck out five times.
Kauppila proved just as talented with his glove. Along with a .929 fielding percentage, he had just six errors in 85 chances and helped turn seven double plays.
Kauppila is not the only talent that can be found this season with the area teams. Here is a look at how the programs are shaping up.
BURBANK
The Bulldogs (11-11-1) are coming off a season in which they finished third in the Pacific League. Seven starters from that squad have returned.
“We should have good power and pretty solid pitching,” Hart said.
Handling the pitching duties will be all-league seniors McCauley Taylor (4-4 with a 3.08 earned-run average last season), and Chase Mersola (3-3, 2.66 ERA), along with newcomer sophomore Daniel Starkhand.
When not pitching Taylor will play first, along with transfer Pooh Jenkins, and Mersola will be at second when not on the mound.
Vying for the third-base spot is senior David Goldberg — who will also see time at designated hitter — junior Ryan Favor and freshman Dylan Mersola, who could see time at a variety of positions. Doing the catching is senior Greg Koll.
Handling the outfield duties will be seniors Brandon Zepeda, Jeff Earle and Dylan Murphy.
In league competition, Hart said he thinks his Bulldogs can compete for a championship.
