Spring marks a very special time in Arizona as it brings back America’s favorite pastime.

This rings true for Marcos de Niza as tryouts for the baseball team concluded this week and the coaches are solidifying roster spots.

First year head coach Matthew Courtney believes that the team is going to be very well-rounded and fun to watch this season.

“This team will definitely compete for the playoffs," Courtney said. "We play in a really tough section this year, which will make it a lot of fun to see the teams battle it out.” 

Courtney has coached with the Padres for 13 years, but this will be his first since being promoted to head coach.

Although the coaching position has seen a change, there will be many familiar faces from last year's team. According to Courtney, there are eight returning players, seven of whom were starters on the 2018 team.

Third-year assistant coach Jesse Chavez said that depth and versatility will be keys in the team’s ability to produce another winning season.

“We have three to four guys at every position and between those players, each of them can play multiple positions,” Chavez said.

Assistant coach Tim Hernandez is also very impressed by the flexibility they will have with the roster this upcoming season, but added that the team’s success will hinge on its strong pitching staff.

“We have guys that will overpower you with their stuff and guys that will confuse batters with their pitches,” Hernandez said.

Last year, the Padres pitching staff had a solid 4.25 combined ERA, which was second in their conference behind only Seton Catholic.

Marcos de Niza has made the playoffs in each of the past two years. However, this year will mark a different challenge for the Padres due to a change of teams in their region, which their coaches believe make this year’s schedule tougher.

Arcadia, Mesquite, Poston Butte and Saguaro joined the Desert Sky Region in place of Tempe, Higley, and Casa Grande. Although the change brings new challenges, the Padres coaching staff feels confident in their team’s ability to qualify for the playoffs.

“We have all the pieces needed to take this team deep in the playoffs,” Hernandez said. “This team is loaded with talent… We are solid all the way through.”

Courtney is very excited to coach this group of players and is looking forward to what he says will be a fun season. He says that the team this year is full of talent but also good people outside of the diamond.

The Padres have won the American Baseball Coaches Association national award for Team Academic Excellence three consecutive years, and have had their hands in many philanthropic efforts including adopting a child with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation.

“They are not just baseball players,” Courtney said. “Through baseball they are learning to become good human beings off the field as well.”