The562’s coverage of Jordan Athletics is sponsored by former LBUSD superintendent Chris Steinhauser and the Timu Foundation.
The 2026 Jordan Panthers are a team on a mission.
With a young and talented core, J-Town is hoping this is the year they finally break through. In each of the last two seasons, the Panthers have been painfully close to a playoff spot, but hope springs eternal that this will be their year.
In 2024, they were eligible for at-large consideration thanks to their 12-9 record, but they were not selected. A year ago, the Panthers finished 12-14-1, losing their final game of the regular season by a score of 18-17 in nine innings, dropping them out of playoff contention.
The sting of those results has stuck with the Panthers and head coach Phillip Berman, who is hell-bent on getting his alma mater back to the postseason.
“This has been the longest off season I’ve ever had to endure,” said Berman. “I feel like it’s been five years. But we have a quiet confidence about ourselves this year. I think the last two or three weeks, we’ve really just buckled down and kind of gotten over the ending to last season, and we’re so ready to go right now. All I can say is we’re excited.”
Berman says the attitude around the team is different, and the coaching staff is stressing the importance of improving constantly to reach their ultimate goal. The disappointment from last season stayed with the team, but since returning from Winter Break, Berman says the team has been locked in and ready to work.
“There’s been some maturing with a lot of our guys, and they’re just such gamers,” said Berman. “Their practices have been good, but they’re champing at the bit to play. And these guys know what they’re doing, so there hasn’t been a ton of treating them with kid gloves.”
The 2026 team only has to replace two seniors off last year’s roster, and there’s belief they can challenge for a playoff spot not just with a .500 record, but with a challenge for fourth place in the Moore League.
In the second half of league play last season, the Panthers nearly earned a road win over Lakewood, coming up short, 9-8, on a Lancers walk-off. A different outcome there would have left Jordan tied with the Lancers for fourth place and the league’s final guaranteed playoff berth.
There will be just two seniors in the starting lineup this season for J-Town, and five underclassmen. And while this team is built for the future, there’s confidence that they’re ready to win now.
One of the seniors is veteran center fielder Sam Dixon, who Berman believes is a game-changer in the outfield with his ability to cover ground and help out his pitching staff.
“He can track down any ball,” said Berman of Dixon. “He’s gonna hit lead off for us, and when he gets on, he changes the game with his speed. He’s a guy that’s been through all the heartbreak the last couple years, and a guy that I want to experience getting over the hump with.”
Adrian Mendez is another four-year varsity guy who will DH and also play first for the Panthers, adding some pop in the middle of the order.
There’s more experience behind the plate, where junior Andrew Medina is a three-year starter at catcher. His experience and throwing arm will be invaluable for J-Town working with a young pitching staff and helping to control the running game.
Jordan’s ace on the mound is sophomore Julian Lopez, who got varsity experience as a freshman and is expected to be J-Town’s top arm for the foreseeable future.
“The guy is extremely competitive,” said Berman of Lopez. “He can throw three, four pitches for strikes. He can throw a breaking ball in for a strike in any count, and he’s going to be the guy that we look to in big games this year.”
Lopez says he’s “really excited” to compete this year, and will be challenging hitters with his fastball while also relying on a solid curveball and slider.
“We really want to get into CIF this year, hopefully win a ring, but we’ve been talking about making playoffs all year at practice,” Lopez said.
Freshman Jacob Macias is the second starter with a lot of potential and good size for a ninth grader. Sophomore Matt Alcala–a returning first team All-Moore League selection–will be the closer when he isn’t flashing the leather at shortstop.
Berman is also really high on Ethan Fragoza, who he says is one of the most talented freshmen he’s seen in his eight years of coaching. He fills out the scouting report, hitting for power, running the bases, and playing good defense at first. He’ll hit out of the No. 2 hole as well as pitch for the Panthers in his debut season.
Sophomore Talin Valazquez has a power bat at second base and was a first team All-Moore League honoree last season. Junior Adrian Lara will man third base and is expected to be a run producer for J-Town in the three hole.
The corner outfield spots will be handled by solid defenders Noah Sanchez in left and Luis Gonzalez in right.
Without a home field, the Panthers will host four non-league games on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field, starting with a game on Feb. 20 against El Monte. Jordan will also utilize the MLB Youth Academy in Compton as their home facility once again this season, where they will open Moore League action against Long Beach Poly on Mar.13.
J-Town also has a special trip to Catalina Island this year, where they’ll take on Avalon for a doubleheader on Apr. 7.
With an exciting influx of talent and a hungry squad looking to turn the corner, the Panthers are also hoping that a trip to the playoffs awaits them in May.
Projected Starters:
C: Andrew Medina (Jr.)
1B: Ethan Fragoza (Fr.) / Adrian Mendez (Sr.)
2B: Talin Velazquez (So.)
SS: Matt Alcala (So.)
3B: Adrian Lara (Jr.)
LF: Noah Sanchez (So.)
CF: Sam Dixon (Sr.)
RF: Luis Gonzalez (Jr.)
DH: Adrian Mendez (Sr.)
P: Julian Lopez (So.) / Jacob Macias (Fr.) / Ethan Fragoza (Fr.) / Matt Alcala (So.)
