It would be fair to say that the Valley Christian baseball program had been waiting for the arrival of Jonathan Cymrot. Cymrot, after all, has attended the school since he was in kindergarten, someone that long-time coach John Diatte referred to as a “lifer.” This spring, he met all the expectations and then some, immediately breaking into the Warriors’ starting infield group, but also hitting cleanup for not only the top team in the state, but arguably in the country.

The 6-foot-1 freshman started his high school career in solid fashion, collecting a hit, a walk, and driving in a run as Valley Christian opened the season with a 5-0 win over Leigh. He was walked twice by Los Gatos in the following game, and two games later, earned his first multi-hit game. The next game, however, was when he really opened eyes around the region. Facing three-time defending SJS champion Elk Grove, Cymrot went 3-for-3 with a double, collecting three of the four Warriors’ hits in a game that finished tied after 10 scoreless innings. The early reputation only continued to grow.

“We had been hearing about him for a while, with all the accolades he received at a young age,” Diatte recalled. “We weren’t sure where he would play in the field, but he ended up shoring up first for us, and he was a bonus on the mound. But he’s very special with the bat in his hands.”

In the very next game, Cymrot drove in one of Valley Christian’s two runs in a 2-0 win over Mitty, but a week later, facing the Monarchs again, he showed that his talents went far beyond hitting and playing first base. In his first high school start on the mound, Cymrot tossed four shutout innings against Jesuit-Carmichael, holding them to two hits and striking out six. In the second meeting against Mitty, he showed the WCAL what the next four years could entail, going another four scoreless innings with only two hits allowed as the Warriors picked up a 1-0 victory.

Cymrot’s pitching remained consistent in his limited opportunities on the mound, tossing five and one-third shutout innings in a 3-0 win over Monte Vista Christian, and then allowing just three hits and one run in a 5-1 win over Cypress at the Hard 9 National Classic in Fullerton. Meanwhile, he just continued to produce at the plate as well, especially during a three-game stretch against elite competition, pounding out seven RBIs in wins over Santa Cruz, Servite-Anaheim, and Corona, the latter two games coming as part of the National Classic tournament.

Following a short patch of games where the WCAL pitchers seemed to keep the standout freshman at bay, he finished the year as once again a beacon of consistency for the Warriors. Cymrot hit safely in the final seven games of the year, driving in runs during all three WCAL playoff games, and then again scoring runners on base in the final two games of the year, wins over San Benito and Los Gatos to capture the CCS Open Division title for the second straight year.

For the year, Cymrot hit .350 with one home run, 10 doubles, and 21 RBIs. He also walked 17 times and was hit by a pitch on nine other occasions, giving him a .491 on-base percentage. In the field, as the Warriors’ starting first baseman, he committed just two errors all year. Those numbers would be excellent for any player who had to face the opponents on Valley Christian’s schedule, and they are almost unheard of for a freshman.

For his efforts throughout the season, we are pleased to recognize Jonathan Cymrot as the Prep2Prep Central Coast Section Freshman of the Year.

Other players considered include More’s Anthony Cortese, Los Altos’ Aaron Parker, and Willow Glen’s Ty Ostrowski.

NOTE: We would like to thank our media partners, coaches, parents, players and fans for contributing photos for our all-section features. We salute all of the players that have made this a wonderful season of CCS baseball.