As the Bonita Vista High School baseball team rounds third base and heads for the conclusion of the regular season and the upcoming San Diego Section playoffs, the Barons know they can count on their senior ace Ricky Reynoso.
Reynoso, whom BV coach Vincent Gervais calls “the best left-hander I have coached in my 10 years here,” has literally grown up on the pitcher’s mound. Back in 2009 when Chula Vista’s celebrated Parkview Little League made its remarkable run toward the Little League World Series championship, Reynoso pitched a gem for one of the three opposing playoff teams (Sweetwater Valley) that managed to defeat them.
Baseball has always been his favorite sport and his primary focus and it shows whenever Reynoso steps on the mound.
“Ricky is the most consistent player we have ever had in just about everything that he does,” Gervais said. “He gives his full effort at all times and he doesn’t take any time off. He has a tremendous work ethic and he leads by example. Every wind up and throw looks exactly the same. It is fluid and smooth. He has mastered three pitches — fastball, change-up and curve — and he alters his speed and location effectively to always keep batters guessing.”
A year ago, Reynoso led the Barons to their first ever CIF championship. Reynoso, the team’s player of the game, pitched flawlessly in the Division II title game against El Camino by hurling five scoreless innings and giving up just two hits in what was a 4-0 victory.
This season, he has been even better.
Reynoso has posted an 8-1 record in the Barons’ 21-6 start with 73 strikeouts and an ERA of just 0.56. Reynoso is hoping to close out what has been a brilliant high school career with another league and CIF championship.
Reynoso credits his parents for supporting his efforts on the baseball diamond. They are frequently found in the stands rooting him on.
“My dad played a little baseball growing up, but he was more of a basketball player,” the younger Reynoso explained. “My mom was a good softball player. They have been very supportive and always stressed making the most of my abilities.”
Inheriting athletic genes from his parents certainly has helped, but Reynoso’s dedication on the diamond and in the weight room has been equally important. He is always striving to improve.
“If I can increase the velocity of my fastball by a few miles per hour I think I will be a lot more competitive,” he said. “I think that will happen when I get bigger and more developed. I spend as much time in the gym as I can. I often head over there after games and practices.”
Reynoso is no slouch in the classroom either. He is sporting a 3.5 grade point average as he enters his final semester at BVHS. The combination of his athleticism and academic ability has earned him a baseball scholarship to the University of the Pacific.
“I am going to study sports medicine,” Reynoso said. “If I don’t land a career in (professional) baseball, maybe I’ll became a trainer or stay involved in the sport doing something along those lines.”
With the Major League Baseball amateur draft coming up shortly, Reynoso may have another option to consider.
