Harry Pelzman relished an interesting turn of events after his Area Code Games tryout last month.
Opening Aug. 6 in San Diego, the Area Code Games are a high-profile showcase event featuring the nation’s top high school prospects between their junior and senior years. Many a college and professional future are determined during the six-day event. And coming off his junior year at Woodside, Pelzman had a decent but unspectacular audition April 27 for the Area Code A’s at Islanders Park in Lathrop.
The left-hander pitcher got his big break a few days later, though, while playing for his NorCal U baseball club at a showcase tournament in Irvine. From there he was contacted by the coaching staff of UC San Diego. A whirlwind meeting led to his touring the UCSD campus a few days later. And before the Area Code Games rosters were even announced, Pelzman had decided to verbally commit to the NCAA Division I program at UCSD.
“They saw me throw at the Area Code tryout, and then I had a tournament later that week … and the pitching coach called me immediately after the game,” Pelzman said.
Pelzman officially committed to play for the Tritons last Wednesday, just days after the Area Code A’s announced their roster of 28 players. The left-hander did not receive an invitation to the Area Code Games.
“I’m not disappointed,” Pelzman said. “Yeah, it would be really cool to make it, but it’s not the end of the world. I’m just going to keep working hard to get better.”
He was not alone in being a San Mateo County athlete to get passed over. The Area Code A’s didn’t enlist a single player from the county for this year’s prestigious showcase on either their incoming senior roster, or their underclass roster of 26 players for those between their sophomore and junior seasons.
“Those guys still get noticed, and still get their love, but it’s a different class of baseball in the Area Codes,” Sacred Heart Prep baseball manager Sean McMillan said. “It’s just a different ballgame.”
Sacred Heart Prep had one player try out for the Area Code A’s underclass team, left-handed pitcher Devin Salzgaber. He attended the June 13 tryout at Islanders Field, along with incoming Serra junior Evan Bradshaw. Neither of them made the team.
Salzgaber is coming off Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division Pitcher of the Year honors. He is by no means a flamethrower, though, topping out at 77 mph during his Area Codes tryout, which consisted of one bullpen session, and a turn on the mound of the main diamond before an array of scouts.
“I was definitely a little bit nervous going against these big guys that throw a lot harder than me,” Salzgaber said. “But for my bullpen, I just have to focus on what I’m good at, using my location and throwing strikes. … I thought it went pretty well. I commanded the strike zone with my limited number of 15 pitches. I think I showed off all my pitches. I don’t think the [velocity] was there like it was with a lot of the other guys, but that’s not what I’m known for.”
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Pelzman said the sheer number of scouts sitting behind home plate with their radar guns is a stunning sight.
“As soon as you lift your leg up, you just see 30 or 50 guns lift up in the air,” Pelzman said. “It’s pretty crazy. You can feel the adrenaline … and it makes me just feel energized and alive.”
Perhaps the player with San Mateo County ties who had the best chance of appearing in the Area Code Games was San Bruno native Josh Hanson. Heading into his senior year, Hanson plays for the high school national championship program at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Hanson tried out for the Nationals Area Code team June 29 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Nationals were the last of the eight teams to announce their roster. Hanson did not receive an invitation to the Games, though two of his IMG teammates did — Jaydon Aukai Kea and Noah Franco.
“There’s a chance I may be added onto another team,” Hanson said via text message.
For Pelzman, his path to UCSD is one of fortuitous timing. The Tritons had long been a Division II program, but were promoted to Division I in July 2020, and joined the Big West Conference. It didn’t take them long to rise to the top of the conference, as they captured the Big West regular-season championship this year.
However, with the promotion to Division I comes a mandatory probationary period in which the program is barred from competing in the NCAA postseason. UCSD’s first year of postseason eligibility will be 2025, Pelzman’s freshman season.
Of the Area Code Games, Pelzman said the showcase series has such spotlight on it, just getting the chance to pitch in the tryout was a major boost to his recruiting path.
“Honestly, the tryout has a lot of exposure,” Pelzman said. “There’s already a lot of coaches there watching you.”
Only three players from the 650 area code were selected for the Area Code A’s roster — Charlie Bates, Palo Alto HS; Liam Barrett, Mountain View HS; and Luke Devine, St. Francis HS in Mountain View.
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