Baseball: Larson to Northridge

Tony Altobelli

Matt Larson, a former Corona del Mar High baseball standout, will

continue his athletic and academic career at Cal State Northridge after

playing two years at the community-college level.

“I’m excited to get back out there again,” Larson said. “It was

between Northridge, Loyola Marymount, North Carolina State and a couple

of other schools. I liked Northridge, the coaching staff and playing in

the Big West Conference.”

Last year, Larson transferred from Golden West College to Cypress

College and it wasn’t what he had hoped for.

“I didn’t get to throw nearly as much as I thought I was going to,”

Larson said. “I threw maybe 25 or 26 innings all season long. I threw

well when I did get to throw and I don’t know why I wasn’t used more.”

The lanky right-hander said he topped 94 mph on the radar gun and is

consistently in the 90-92 area, which is enticing to professional scouts.

After his freshman year at Golden West, Larson was drafted in the 26th

round by the San Francisco Giants, but didn’t sign. He wasn’t drafted

after this past season due to a lack of playing exposure. He was a

28th-round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles out of high school.

In addition to his fastball, Larson also possesses a changeup and

curveball. “I’ve been told I have a D-I caliber changeup, but I’m still

working on getting my curveball over for strikes more consistently,”

Larson said. “My fastball is mainly a four-seam, but I can throw a

two-seamer for better movement, too.”

Larson’s sophomore campaign was disappointing, especially after a

strong season with Golden West in 2000.

As a Rustler, Larson was 4-5 with a 7.63 ERA and was a second-team,

All-Orange Empire Conference selection. He was a workhorse for the

Rustlers, throwing 72 innings with a team-leading 56 strikeouts.

At CdM, Larson was a pitching and hitting machine. As a senior, he was

6-5 with a 4.61 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 71 innings. He also hit .353

with nine home runs and 41 RBIs in three varsity seasons, helping the Sea

Kings win the 1999 CIF Southern Section Division IV crown his senior

year.

“To be honest, I didn’t expect to get drafted this year,” Larson said.

“Every time the Giants came out, I wasn’t pitching and they hold the

cards right now. When I worked out with Northridge, they came out and

they liked what they saw, so I think they’re still interested in me.”

According to Larson, the Matadors are expecting Larson to come right

in and be a starting pitcher. “I know some of the guys on the team, so it

should be a fun situation to be in,” he said.