Sports notes: Turlock products saw high school dreams become MLB debuts this week
Two of the best Stanislaus District baseball products turned dreams into reality over the past week, making their MLB debuts with their respective franchises within days of each other.
Pitcher and 2020 Pitman High graduate Kade Morris made his highly anticipated debut for the Athletics on Saturday, throwing four innings but giving up nine earned runs against the Houston Astros in the second game of the three-game set.
Morris’ call-up was first reported by the Turlock Journal and he joined the team for its three-game series in Chicago against the Cubs. While interest stirred about if he would make his debut at Wrigley Field, A’s manager Mark Kotsay elected to wait for the second series on the road trip.
Morris is the Athletics’ No. 12 prospect and the organization’s No. 5 pitching prospect. He was selected in the third round of the 2023 June Amateur Draft out of the University of Nevada, Reno. He was sent to the Athletics for Paul Blackburn in 2024.
Just three days later, another Turlock native made his Major League Baseball debut. Cole Carrigg, a 2020 Turlock High graduate, was awarded the first start of his career in the majors for the Colorado Rockies against the same team as Morris, the Chicago Cubs.
Carrigg wasted no time impressing the home crowd in Colorado, lining a hard-hit ball down the first-base line and flashing his speed, legging out a triple in his third at-bat of the game. He drew a walk in his final plate appearance of the 7-3 win. Two days later, he gave the fans more to cheer about, smashing a ball 418 feet over the right-field wall for his first career home run. The deep shot came in the fourth inning as part of a 2-for-4 outing.
Carrigg attended Pitman as a freshman before transferring to Turlock and playing his sophomore and junior seasons. His senior year, along with Morris’, was cut short due to the COVID pandemic. The Rockies selected Carrigg in the second round of the 2023 June Amateur Draft out of San Diego State University.
The Rockies and Athletics face off in a three-game series in Las Vegas starting Friday, and while it will not be a Morris-Carrigg reunion, another Turlock High product will take the field: A’s outfielder Tyler Soderstrom. The series runs from Friday to Sunday.
Delainey Everett enters transfer portal
The story of the softball Women’s College World Series quickly became local product Delainey Everett. The junior pitcher came on in relief during the Norman Super Regional and led Mississippi State to an upset in Game 1. Two games later, she earned the start and made history for the Bulldogs, sending them to their first World Series. Everett earned the Game 3 win, shutting out the mighty Sooners offense.
When the season ended, Everett announced on social media that she would enter the transfer portal. She spent three seasons at Mississippi State and battled through surgery to make 51 total appearances with 19 starts and three complete games. She tallied 126.1 innings pitched and maintained a sub-3.00 earned run average (2.55) with a 17-4 record and 95 strikeouts.
MaxPreps CIF-SJS softball team released
On June 10, MaxPreps released its All-Sac-Joaquin Section softball team for the 2026 season. Members of the team were from small and large schools from Fresno to the Sacramento area.
The team was highlighted by player of the year Ayla Tuua, who was dominant for undefeated and nationally ranked Destiny Christian. Tuua, a senior who will play at LSU, also was announced as the Gatorade softball Player of the Year for the second straight season.
Central Catholic’s Samantha Nichols took home one of the site’s major awards, earning the honor junior of the year after a dominant season. The Florida commit was named Valley Oak League MVP and led the Raiders to their first section title since 1995.
Here are the rest of the Stanislaus District players who made the list:
Junior of the Year
Samantha Nichols, Central Catholic, Junior
First Team
INF | Madison Babasa, Escalon, Senior
P | Kylie Tangney, Hughson, Junior
Second Team
OF | Ceriah Fitzhugh, Central Catholic, Junior
C | Madie Harrison, Central Catholic, Senior
Third Team
INF | Reese Donaldson, Oakdale, Senior
P | Stephanie Garcia, Central Catholic, Junior
INF | Arianna Velasco, Escalon, Junior
MaxPreps CIF-SJS baseball team released
St. Mary’s of Stockton pitcher/infielder Dax Hardcastle headlines the list of honorees deemed the top baseball players in the Sac-Joaquin Section by MaxPreps. Hardcastle, named SJS player of the year, led the Rams to their second Division I section title in three seasons.
Central Catholic and Ripon Christian also reached section finals and had representation on the All-SJS team. The CCAL MVP from Turlock High also made the list.
Here are the Stanislaus District players who made the list:
First Team
OF | Chase Perino, Central Catholic, Senior
P/UTIL | Landon Schutte, Oakdale, Senior
Second Team
P/OF | Trenton Cloward, Ripon Christian, Sophomore
P/IF | Mason Hackler, Turlock, Junior
INF | Ethan Vander Platts, Ripon Christian, Sophomore
Third Team
P/IF | Jackson Howell, Ripon Christian, Senior
P/IF | Cam Kelley, Turlock Christian, Junior
P/IF | Kayden McHenry, Central Catholic, Senior
Honorable Mention
Tanner Ehlers, Hughson, Freshman
Ben Vilhauer, Pitman, Senior
MJC baseball sees players off to four-year schools
After a record-breaking season for the Modesto JC baseball team, the Pirates are sending a handful of players off to four-year universities.
The first Big 8 MVP in Pirates history, Troy Morrow, heads to Florida Atlantic University. Morrow will play in Boca Raton after just one year on the field for the Pirates. He was named MVP and freshman of the year after hitting .400 in conference play with 30 RBI.
Pitcher Braden Giardina goes from Modesto to Stillwater, where he will play for Oklahoma State.
Giardina was a First Team All-Big 8 reliever and went 6-0 as a multi-inning reliever. He pitched 19.2 innings and had 18 strikeouts to just four walks.
Former Enochs standout Kannon Sharpe will also play at the Division I level at Appalachian State University.
Sharpe is a back-to-back All-Conference First Team member who complied a 2.60 earned run average, 128 innings pitched and 105 strikeouts over his MJC career.
Other MJC baseball players to sign include:
Troy Morrow, Florida Atlantic University
Kannon Sharpe, Appalachian State University
Ryan Silva, Cal State San Marcos
JR Bedford, University of San Francisco
Caleb Hendricks, Cal State Bakersfield
Chase Knight, Old Dominion University
Braden Giardina, Oklahoma State University
MJC men’s basketball sends players to next level
After another successful season for the Modesto JC basketball team that included a 23-5 overall record, a 12-4 record and a first-round bye in the NorCal Regional playoffs. Sophomores from that team will continue to play at four-year universities.
Leaving out
Tyler Rattler, Pacific University Oregon
Prince Oseya, Biola University
Daniel Huerta, Menlo College
Max Manfredi, Arizona Christian University
As players leave the area, others will look to continue the winning tradition that has come with the Pirates’ program recently. The overseas pipeline continues to run strong and local Northern California products aim to make the jump from high school to college basketball.
Coming in
Cole Martin, Modesto Christian
Rashod Cotton, Dougherty Valley
Ladji Kante, France/Northern Illinois
Fallou Dioum, Senegal/Nanterre (France)
This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 10:39 AM.
