Baseball:

By Brian Reed-Baiotto

Over the last four years, Kody King has certainly done his share in contributing to the wealth of success that has been earned by the San Dimas baseball program.

In 2021-2024, the Saints had an overall record of 86-25.

That comes out to an impressive 77-percent success rate.

They went 38-2 in league and 6-4 in the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs.

SDHS secured Valle Vista League championships in 2021, 2023 and 2024 by going 30-0.

Since 2021 when King arrived on campus, and among the 30 programs this site covers, only Maranatha (88) has more wins than San Dimas.

King has competed alongside a number of NCAA Division 1 talents at SDHS, and he’s had the comfort and stability of playing for longtime successful coaches, Mike Regan and Mark Chiappelli.

Of the nine San Dimas seniors that are continuing their baseball careers at the collegiate level in 2025, King was the last to find a home.

It seems apropos, because just like a popular 1991 song, the 6-for-3, 200-pound King saved his best for last.

And that included being named the 2024 Valle Vista League’s Most Valuable Player after a stellar senior season.

In his first three years, King had 15 total hits, and he spent his freshman and sophomore campaigns as primarily a pitcher for the Saints.

But in 2024, King batted .345, with 29 hits, 20 runs, 31 RBIs, one double, three triples & three home runs.

He was third in hits to Landon White (35), and Vaughn Coleman (31).

King finished second in RBIs to White’s 38, and he tallied three of SDHS’ five triples.

Coleman (5), White (4) and King (3) accounted for 12 of the Saints’ 21 home runs.

On the mound, King went 5-1, with a 3.04 ERA.

He walked 15 and struck out 43 batters in 46 innings.

King was second to USC-bound Jude Favela in wins (nine) and strikeouts (59).

Favela also had a remarkable 1.33 ERA in almost 70 innings pitched.

The senior-led Saints went 25-5 this past season.

In their undefeated (10-0) run to a VVL title, SDHS outscored their league opponents by a combined margin of 103-14.

San Dimas defeated West Ranch (3-2) and Cypress (7-6) before falling to Harvard-Westlake, 5-4, in the quarterfinal round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs.

The Saints scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to stun Cypress, and they narrowly lost to a Wolverines’ program that finished as the D-1 runner-up to the No. 1 team in the nation (Corona).

It’s because of Kody’s contributions in San Dimas’ success and his growth as a person and a player that has allowed King to recently commit to play baseball for Cal State Northridge in 2025.

On the mound, King went 14-5 in his career with 47 walks and 126 strikeouts in 138 1/3 innings.

And talk about consistency.

Over the last two seasons, King had 43 strikeouts in 46 innings pitched in both 2023 and 2024.

With Kody’s emergence at the plate this year, in which he doubled his hit totals from the first three years combined, King became one of the SGV area’s elite players.

His teammates and rival coaches laud King for his artistry on the mound.

They describe him as someone who isn’t overpowering, but has a knack for keeping opposing batters off balance, and he has an ability to throw any pitch in any scenario for a strike.

Kody was blessed to get his athletic genes from his father (Kam) and the unconditional love and strength from his mom, Sheri King.

Kam King, 59, played three years of football and basketball at Glendora High, and he competed for two seasons for the GHS baseball program.

Mr. King was a three-year letterman at Cal in football after choosing the Bears over Stanford and Boise State.

His list of accolades at Cal included Most Improved Lineman, Most Improved Lifter, Offensive Line MVP, Strongest Bear Award and he served as a team captain.

Kam began a career in health and fitness as a trainer in 1988.

He’s owned King’s Fitness in Glendora since May of 1995.

This writer can remember in the early 2000’s when it was located in the Stater Bros shopping center.

Nearing his 40’s, King was known for basically completing a triathlon every weekday in which he’d ride the bike for what seemed hours at his gym, then Kam would head over to Citrus College to swim laps, and he finished it off with a long run.

Ironically, King’s is now located next to the Donut Man, so people who indulge can wait 30 minutes and jump on one of Kam’s treadmills to burn their guilty calories away.

From 2000-2007, Kam King actually worked with the late-great Reggie Miller and broadcast football games from the stands for Adelphia Cable.

Back to Kody King.

Kody is a big brother to 17-year-old Kamryn, who plays for the Glendora High girls volleyball program.

His little brother Kolt, 14, is a freshman baseball and basketball player at GHS.

Kody has been described by his father as “the typical older brother. He’s very protective in public. He more or less runs the show at home. He forges the way for them in many situations.”

Kody left SDHS with a 3.3 GPA, and he intends to major in Construction Management at CSUN.

It all came together recently and very quickly.

The owner of CBA (travel baseball organization) that helped King make contact with CSUN said that he had never seen someone get committed and admitted this quickly.

Kody pitched there last Saturday for the first time, and he should be admitted with classes, an apartment and baseball gear by Monday.

King is a great example of what can happen when one is patient, hard-working and has an unimpeachable character.

Lastly, I asked King to answer the following: How did your dad being a legit D-1 athlete impact you? Why did you choose baseball over football? What message do you have to your parents about all of their sacrifices they’ve made for you and your siblings? What is something you admire about them? What was your favorite team and favorite individual moment at SDHS? What impact did Coach Regan and Coach Chiappelli have on your career and what would you want to tell your teammates? What is your dream career?

Said Kody King: “My dad didn’t want me to play football because of the injuries he’s had, and my coach wanted me to play baseball only so I wouldn’t get hurt. I would just want to thank my parents and family a ton knowing how much they’ve sacrificed for me. The thing I admire the most about my mom is that she’s always there for me helping me with whatever I asked, and no matter how busy she was. I admire how committed my dad is to life. He gets up every day and grinds at 4am, and then he comes home and takes me to the field or helps me with baseball. Not a lot of people can do what he does.

My favorite team moment was Rocco Regan walking off Cypress this year in the playoffs. My favorite individual moment was a shutout I pitched against Bonita in our rivalry game during my junior year. Coach Regan was a huge help to me throughout my high school career with my growth as a player mentally and getting better at the game. Coach Chip saved my hitting career at San Dimas by having me go to a no-stride when hitting. Without him, I probably wouldn’t have hit close to what I did this year. And Coach Coleman was a huge help to me on the pitching side. I loved playing with each of my teammates and they will forever be brothers to me. My dream job would be a sniper for a swat team. That would be awesome.”

To view a photo gallery of Kody King through the years, click on the Facebook link here: Facebook

Quotable:

SDHS coach, Mike Regan: “Kody has been a four-year varsity starter and he has steadily improved each year, and that led to him having a fantastic senior year and earning Valle Vista league MVP. He played a huge role as a relief pitcher/spot starter earlier in his career and eventually he became our No. 2 starter. He was also an amazing defender at first base, and he climbed to the cleanup spot of our lineup towards the end of last year. Kody is calm, cool and he’s a laid-back young man, which helped him as a player in staying composed in big moments. Kody always gave us everything he had and he’s extremely competitive. He has a great attitude, and he was a pleasure to coach and be around over the years.

Kody greatly improved as a hitter his senior year and was a physical presence in our lineup. Kody and our ‘24 class were always at the gym. Most players would leave practice and head to King’s Fitness, Kody’s dad’s gym on a daily basis. Our 2024 class along with a handful of underclassmen were unique and special due to the amount of time and energy they would spend lifting, training and putting in extra work to continually better themselves. This group also spent most of their free time together, because they had the same goals and interests. These boys have a bond and brotherhood that started before high school in travel ball, continues now, and I’m guessing it will last quite a long time.”

Bonita coach, Ryan Marcos: “Kody King is a great athlete and I know he comes from a good family in Glendora. They are very athletic. He was a tough out for us his senior year. And the year before that, he beat us on the mound, and I was very impressed with his stuff. We struggled hitting against him.”

Northview coach, Dan Roddy: “Kody knows how to pitch. He’s not overpowering, but he understands how to keep hitters off balance, which is overlooked these days. He is a very good competitor.”

Former Charter Oak coach, Elias Chavez: “One word to describe Kody is ‘competitor.’ When he was on the mound, you knew he was going to attack the zone and throw any pitch for a strike. Then you had to deal with him at the plate. He was always a tough out.”

SDHS teammate, Landon White: “Kody didn’t care about who was on the other side of the field. He always came out and competed his best. The big names and commitments didn’t matter to him. Kody was a huge part of our success last year. He was our borderline ace and had his best year hitting. The thing I respect about Kody the most is he the fact that he doesn’t care about the big names and commitments he faces while pitching. He always goes out there with the biggest confidence.”

SDHS teammate, Kasen Khansarinia: “Kody’s competitiveness was unmatched in his own type of way. He wasn’t the type to be screaming or yelling, he would just go about his business and let his pitching do the talking. Off the field, he was always laughing and making jokes, but as soon as he got on the mound, he flipped that switch and competed his butt off every single pitch. His contributions were huge. As a two-way contributor, Kody was a vital piece of the puzzle for us. Every time he pitched, he threw a great game for us and to back it up, he really found his groove with the bat this year hitting in the heart of our order. We wouldn’t nearly be the same team if we didn’t have him. What I most respect about Kody is his composure. We could be in the biggest situation of the season, and it would look like Kody has been there a million times. Of course he was nervous, but you would never be able to tell.”

SDHS teammate, Rocco Regan: “Kody is a great teammate and has a dog mentality. He brings energy to the diamond every day. Every time he was on the mound, I felt like we were going to win that day. His contribution was even bigger this year, because of his great bat in the lineup. I respect Kody’s loyalty more than anything. He’s a great guy, who’s had my back and to me that goes way beyond baseball.”

SDHS teammate, Jude Favela: “Kody is a fierce competitor on the field. He has a relentless drive and determination that inspired all of us. His work ethic is secondary to none, and he pushes himself and his teammates to elevate their game. As a teammate, Kody is supportive and encouraging, always ready to offer advice or lend a helping hand. He promoted a positive team atmosphere. He wasn’t afraid to tell you like it is, and sometimes that was the most important advice. Kody has contributed significantly to San Dimas baseball since his freshman year on varsity. His ability to perform under pressure has helped the team secure important victories and several league titles. Kody has also contributed to the team’s culture, promoting hard work and dedication. What I respect most about Kody is his humility and willingness to learn. Despite his talent, he remains grounded and continuously seeks to improve himself. He’s open to feedback, which is a testament to his character. His passion for baseball and commitment to his teammates makes him an incredible individual on and off the field. To be frank, Kody should have committed a long time ago. The fact that it was in the 11th hour is baffling. Kody is a baseball player through and through. CSUN got a real one. Kody will make all the other schools that passed on or overlooked regret ever doing so.”

SDHS Records with Kody King:
2024: 25-5 overall, 10-0 in Valle Vista League & 2-1 in the playoffs
2023: 21-7, 10-0 & 1-1
2022: 20-7, 8-2 & 1-1
2021: 20-5, 10-0 & 2-1
Totals: 86-25 overall, 38-2 in league & 6-4 in the playoffs

** Valle Vista League champions in 2021, 2023 & 2024

** Valle Vista League’s Most Valuable Player in 2024

King’s Career Stats at SDHS:
2024:
Batting:.345 average, 29 hits, 20 runs, 31 RBIs, one double, three triples & three home runs
Pitching: 5-1, w/a 3.04 ERA, 15 walks and 43 strikeouts in 46IP

2023:
Batting: .129, eight hits, five runs, seven RBIs and one HR
Pitching: 6-2, 1.22 ERA, 14 walks and 43 strikeouts in 46 IP

2022:
Batting: .364, four hits, three runs and two RBIs
Pitching: 3-2, 1.13 ERA, 14 walks and 24 strikeouts in 31 IP

2021:
Batting:.429, three hits and two RBIs
Pitching: 0-0, 1.83 ERA, four walks and 16 strikeouts in 15 1/3 IP

2024 San Dimas Seniors & Their College Destinations:
Kasen Khansarinia: UCLA
Kody King: CSUN
Landon White: ASU
Jude Favela: USC
Rocco Regan: PCC
John Nauretz: Western Kentucky
Ryan Castro: UC Irvine
Matt Geller: Whittier College
Sergio Robles: PCC

Most Wins Among 210 Prep Sport Programs, 2021-2024:
Maranatha: 88
San Dimas: 86
South Hills: 84
Arcadia: 84
Bonita: 73
Ayala: 73
Damien: 73
Etiwanda: 68
Monrovia: 67
Rancho Cucamonga: 65
Marshall Fundamental: 64
Flintridge Prep: 63
La Salle: 62
Chino Hills: 61
Charter Oak: 58
Los Osos: 56
Northview: 52
West Covina: 50
San Marino: 49
Glendora: 49
Claremont: 49
Upland: 47
Covina: 46
St. Francis: 42
La Canada: 41
Pasadena: 38
Alta Loma: 37
Rio Hondo Prep: 34
Azusa: 33
Muir: 27