In recent years, Santa Barbara has emerged as a hotbed for high school baseball talent.
Plenty of that talent have taken their skills to the collegiate level, but as of late Santa Barbara area locals have been rising through the professional ranks and even into MLB.
With the 2024 MLB season now underway, here is a look at the former local high school stars who are now competing at the highest of levels.
Ian Churchill – Toronto Blue Jays
Churchill, 25, is a San Marcos graduate who spent his college years at three different stops: Santa Barbara City College, the University of Arizona and the University of San Diego.
Now, the left-handed reliever is a member of the Toronto Blue Jays organization and was invited to the 2024 big league Spring Training camp after a strong 2023 campaign.
With the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays and the High-A Vancouver Canadians last season, Churchill posted a dominant 0.89 ERA across 40 ⅔ innings pitched while punching out 52 batters.
Churchill will have a legitimate shot at rising up the ranks in the minor leagues in 2024 if he can replicate his production from a season ago, and he will start at the Double-A level for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
Isaac Coffey – Boston Red Sox
Coffey attended Dos Pueblos and earned a spot at Oral Roberts, where he spent the entirety of his collegiate career.
The right-handed pitcher, 23, was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2022 and put together a solid 2023 season while playing for the High-A Greenville Drive and the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs.
The former Charger started 22 games and went 11-6, earning a 3.37 ERA, a WHIP of 1.10 and striking out 155 batters in 117 ⅔ innings.
Coffey will begin the 2024 season in Double-A once again but is a strong candidate to be called up to Triple-A if he proves to be a consistent arm in the rotation.
Danny Duffy – Texas Rangers
Duffy, 35, is the most seasoned veteran when it comes to Santa Barbara area locals in the professional levels, as he was a 2007 draftee after playing high school baseball at Cabrillo High.
The lefty signed a minor-league contract with the defending champion Texas Rangers in the offseason and was invited to the big league Spring Training camp with an opportunity to make the club.
He has struggled with injuries as of late, and he has not pitched in a Major League game since 2021 when he was with the Kansas City Royals and registered 2.51 ERA, his best when pitching 50 or more innings.
The starter with a 3.95 career ERA did not crack the Opening Day roster, so he will begin the 2024 season playing for the Triple-A Round Rock Express.
Kevin Gowdy – Los Angeles Dodgers
Gowdy is a Santa Barbara High alum and was one of the most highly-touted prospects in the history of the program. After being drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016, he was traded to the Rangers in 2021.
The now-26-year-old signed a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers in January 2023 and appeared in 31 games in relief last year, ending with a 4.93 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP.
Most recently, Gowdy was invited to Spring Training with the Dodgers and appeared in the annual exhibition Freeway Series against the Angels, earning a save after tossing a scoreless ninth inning.
The right-hander has been assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers for the beginning of the 2024 season, just one step away from the big league club.
James McCann – Baltimore Orioles
McCann, who went to Dos Pueblos, is one of three Santa Barbara area locals to make an Opening Day roster in 2024 and will be backing up Adley Rutschman for the Baltimore Orioles this season.
Now in his 11th season in the big leagues, the catcher is coming off a 2023 season where he appeared in 69 games and hit .222 in 226 at-bats.
The 33-year-old was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the second round of the 2011 draft after a very successful college career at the University of Arkansas.
After his time with the Tigers was up in 2018, McCann spent time with the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets before settling in with the Orioles ahead of last season.
Jeff McNeil – New York Mets
McNeil is another local product at the big-league level in 2024, starting as a utility player for the New York Mets.
The 31-year-old grew up in Santa Barbara and played at Goleta Valley South Little League before moving north and attending Nipomo High School.
He is now in his seventh season in the big leagues, all with the Mets. He has put together a strong career that has included a pair of All-Star game appearances and a Silver Slugger.
McNeil will look to help the 2024 Mets team, which has the highest payroll in baseball, back to the postseason after missing out last year.
Cole Schoenwetter – Cincinnati Reds
Schoenwetter, 19, is the latest local product to reach the professional ranks, as he was drafted by the Reds out of San Marcos in the fourth round of the 2023 draft.
The right-handed pitcher did not make any appearances last season and spent most of the year working out at the team’s Spring Training facility in Arizona.
In his last game action, Schoenwetter was a dominant force on the mound for the Royals on his way to a Channel League MVP and the program’s first-ever CIF-SS title game appearance.
At his young age, Schoenwetter will likely serve his first full season with the organization in the lower ranks. However, his stuff is special and he will have plenty of chances to turn some heads in 2024.
Gabe Speier – Seattle Mariners
Speier, also a Dos Pueblos alum, is the third Santa Barbara area local to grace a Major League roster in 2024, operating as a relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners.
Speier, 28, is now in his sixth season at the big league level and his second with the Mariners. The first four years of his career were spent with the Kansas City Royals.
The left-hander was drafted out of high school by the Boston Red Sox in 2013 and jumped around with the Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks before reaching the biggest stage in Kansas City.
In 2024, he will look to build off a 2023 season with Seattle where he had a 3.79 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP in 54 ⅔ innings and 69 total appearances.
Derek True – Houston Astros
True graduated from Santa Barbara High in 2019 and was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 18th round last year following a strong career with Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
The right-handed pitcher appeared in just two games last season for the Rookie Ball affiliate of the Astros, striking out three batters in 1 ⅔ total innings pitched.
In his final year as a Mustang, True tallied a 3.90 ERA in 32 ⅓ innings while operating as a high-leverage reliever.
True was named to the Single-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers roster to begin the 2024 season.
Bryce Warrecker – New York Yankees
Warrecker rounds out the Santa Barbara area locals in the pros, as the Santa Barbara High alum was also drafted last season after a standout career with the Cal Poly Mustangs.
The New York Yankees took Warrecker in the 20th and final round of the 2023 MLB Draft, and the 6-foot-8 righthander did not appear in any game action last season.
However, he did make one appearance for the big league club in Spring Training this year and he struck out the one batter he faced in relief.
After he was not named to any of the A-level minor league affiliates to begin the year, Warrecker will begin the season with the Yankees’ rookie ball club.