The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
When the puzzle pieces of the 2025 Wilson baseball team came together, the picture painted the Bruins’ first Moore League championship since 2017—one they ultimately had to share after dropping their final regular-season matchup against Millikan.
But a new year presents a new puzzle for longtime Wilson coach Andy Hall, who has plenty of fresh pieces on his 28-man roster as he looks to put together another successful season in 2026. That large roster is the product of Wilson’s tight-knit baseball community, and it gives Hall the flexibility to consistently field his best lineup.
“The chemistry that our kids have, the kids up and down the roster get along really well,” Hall said. “The nice thing about having depth is that I don’t think there’s anyone on this team that feels really good with where they’re at. If you aren’t making plays or you’re not performing on campus, there’s somebody that will come in and play your spot.”
Much of the Bruins’ success last year came from the arm of Ben Howard on the mound, a role junior Cooper George will be filling after spending most of his sophomore season in the outfield. The 6-foot-3 lefty has already begun drawing serious college attention after his sophomore campaign and also provides some key pop at the plate.
George is expected to draw the starts in Wilson’s biggest games on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field, but Hall plans to take a wider approach than last year. The junior will have strong support from right-handers sophomore Cesar Castro and senior Cole Mountain, and behind them is an infield Hall believes will play a key role in determining Wilson’s success.
“If I have any real concerns it’s in our defense. Can we play enough defense to support the pitching staff that we have?” he said. “Like any good pitcher we’re going to give up some contact and we have to be ready to make some plays for whoever’s on the mound. So we’re still moving guys around on the infield and figuring things out.”
Junior Shane Guy has been a consistent presence in the infield at first base alongside senior James Mirabile at second, and Hall had high praise for both. Guy has been especially impressive as both a hitter and a fielder, while Mirabile has continued to develop into an athletic presence on the field and hit a handful of home runs during the fall.
Rounding out the infield will likely be Penn Peters at shortstop, with sophomore Cesar Castro at third base. Cade Miller will make the start at catcher but could also see time in the infield if needed, along with sophomore Nico Thiem, who has come along nicely as a utility player wherever he’s been needed.
In the heart of Wilson’s outfield will be senior Eddie Becker, who Hall thinks might be the best defensive center-fielder in the Moore League. Becker also brings some power at the plate and has had a busy off season as he gears up for a big senior campaign.
“For me, I’ve just been in the gym,” Becker said. “Our whole team has been focused this offseason, putting in work with our strength coach, Coach Young, and we’re feeling more physical. We’re returning a lot of guys this year, and we want to come back and win the Moore League.”
Becker posted an impressive .304 batting average last year, collecting 17 hits while driving in 11 runs. Hall described Becker as the team’s emotional leader and said he carries a lot of weight at the plate.
“When he’s hot, he’s pretty hot at home plate,” Hall said of Becker. “He can run the bases and beat you in a couple different ways. I told him earlier this week that this team is really counting on him and I’m counting on him to be the guy that he wants to be. He wants to play college baseball next year and he brings a lot to this team.”
Joining Becker in the outfield will be junior Desi Whelan in left field and captain Russell Centanni in right, where he has also been an important presence at the plate. When he’s not on the mound, George will likely get the start in the outfield.
Hall also highlighted Adrian Orozco as an important senior presence and said he went out of his way to name him one of the team’s captains early in the lead-up to the season.
“I don’t do that very often, but it’s just because of his character and his work ethic,” Hall said. “We’re playing a scrimmage the other day and he’s in the dugout not only pulling for the batter on his team, but also the pitcher on the other team.”
Wilson won 11 straight Moore League games en route to its season finale against Millikan last year, while outscoring its opponents a combined 103–9 during that stretch. The Bruins lost that final matchup 7–2 on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field, a loss that still stings for returning players like Becker. The last time Wilson won an outright Moore League championship was in 2005.
“Tying for the Moore League left a really bad taste in our mouths so we really want that,” Becker said. “We’ve been emphasizing that this year. It’s an honor to face a lot of the top guys like Daunte Bell (Millikan) and Ryan King (Long Beach Poly), and we respect the competition and embrace those types of matchups. We love the big games and we’re looking forward to the big nights at Blair Field.”
Hall knows better than anyone how challenging the Moore League schedule can be in any given year and emphasized the difficulty of several matchups, including the meetings with Millikan right-hander Bell. Wilson will get its first matchup with Millikan on Mar. 20 before facing Lakewood on Mar. 27 and Poly on April 2.
“Last year, we caught [Bell] on a day off and it was a big difference in us winning a league championship or not,” Hall said. “So I think Millikan is obviously the favorite with him, and then Lakewood and Poly are always going to give us fits. The challenge is to not stub our toe against Cabrillo or Jordan.”
The Bruins’ non-league schedule includes tough matchups against Canyon, Arlington and Los Alamitos before opening Moore League play against Cabrillo on Mar. 13.
Projected Starting Lineup:
P – Cooper George, Jr. / Cesar Castro, So. / Cole Mountain, Sr.
C – Cade Miller, Sr.
1B – Shane Guy, Jr.
2B – James Mirabile, Sr.
SS – Penn Peters, Jr.
3B – Cesar Castro, So.
LF – Desi Whelan, Jr.
CF – Eddie Becker, Sr.
RF – Russell Centanni, Sr.
