Prospect Camps Baseball

Head Coach: Tyler LaTorre

"Our baseball program will strive to build Christ-driven leaders that will serve others and glorify God. Through the game of baseball, our players will learn accountability, commitment, and belief in something greater than themselves. On the field, our team will be prepared and detail oriented. We will play with a competitive edge and a toughness that will influence excellence on the field, but do it with integrity and humility."

LaTorre comes to Westmont from Sacramento State where he served as the pitching and catching coach and recruiting coordinator for the past three seasons. During his tenure at the Division I school, three pitchers signed professional baseball contracts. Prior to his time in Sacramento, LaTorre served for two years at San Jose State where he was the pitching, catching and hitting coach in addition to the recruiting coordinator. Three of his Spartan players - two pitchers and a position player – were selected in the MLB draft. While at San Jose State, LaTorre was honored as both the 2018 San Jose Assistant Coach of the Year and the 2019 Fellowship of Christian Athletes Coach of the Year. LaTorre's coaching resume also includes a two-year stint at Division II San Francisco State where he was associate head coach, pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for the Gators. His work at San Francisco State will provide valuable experience as the Warriors transition into NCAA Division II membership.

La Torre played in professional baseball from 2006 to 2015 in the San Francisco Giants' and Milwaukee Brewers' minor league systems. He was also a catcher for the Italian National Team from 2012-2016. In his first year, the team won the European Championship, which was held in Amsterdam. The following season, he played for the Italian team in the World Baseball Classic.
 
LaTorre played his college baseball at UC Davis during the 2002-2006 seasons. A two-time captain and four-year member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, LaTorre was a member of the 2003 Aggie team that advanced to the NCAA Division II World Series.

Elijah Ontiveros began his coaching career at Westmont College, right after graduating from UC Davis in 2017. He is currently pursuing a Master Degree in Kinesiology at California State University, Northridge, specializing in biomechanics. Entering into his sixth season with the Warrior program and his first with Coach LaTorre at the helm. Elijah has been tasked with working with the catchers and leading the program’s recruiting efforts.

In his five years on staff, Ontiveros helped coach Westmont to four NAIA Opening Round Tournament appearances. In 2022, the team would break the single season winning streak by going on a 17-game winning streak and finishing tied for 1st in the Golden State Athletic Conference regular season. The Warriors would host nationally ranked opponents Indiana Southeast and Antelope Valley, as well as Olivet Nazarene. This Warrior squad would win the final game of the opening round against Antelope Valley with a final score of 12-0, claiming the programs first ever appearance at the NAIA World Series. While at the World Series the Warriors would face national powers Lewis and Clark State and Weber International. The team finished the season with a record of 45-13.

As a coach, Ontiveros said, “I try to create a stimulating environment that is constructive and challenging that allows for the players I work with to not only develop but learn and grow at the same time. My favorite part about the job is to see the players develop and grow not only on the field, but in the classroom and spiritually as well. I am grateful for the opportunity that I am given as a coach to see that growth and development take place.”

Greg Venzor started serving as an assistant coach in 2008. His primary responsibilities include working with the outfielders as well as coaching first base.

"We are fortunate to play the game and the gifts we are given are not ours, but are all on loan from God," said Venzor. "I want to help the team put God first and nurture the spiritual aspect of the game. I want to help bring stability to the program. I love the atmosphere and I love the campus. I love the fact that you can get a great education with a Christian background at Westmont. It is a privilege to coach here."

Rick Hubbard joins the Westmont staff after four seasons as the Director of Pitching Development with the NCAA Division I Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets under head coach Danny Hall. Over his six-year career, Hubbard has coached over 70 Major League Baseball draft selections.

While at Tech, the Jackets were two-time ACC Coastal Division champions (2019, 2021), and earned a place in three-straight NCAA Division I Regional Championships. The Yellow Jackets burst back on to the national scene in 2019 winning 43 games and earning the number three national seed, hosting the 2019 NCAA Atlanta Regional. In 2021 and 2022, Georgia Tech finished as NCAA Division I Regional runners-up to Vanderbilt University and top-seeded Tennessee respectively.

Hubbard has also served as pitching coach with the Santa Barbara Foresters for the last three seasons, winning three-straight National Baseball Congress World Series. Under Hubbard, the 2022 Forester pitching staff earned the Best Team Pitching Award for the third straight year and held the California Collegiate Leagues lowest ERA for an equal span. In 2022, nine former Foresters with Hubbard were selected in the MLB Draft.

Directions from South (Los Angeles)
Take 101 north and exit at Olive Mill Road. Turn right onto Olive Mill and then left onto Hot Springs Road. Turn right onto Sycamore Canyon Road and then right at Cold Spring Road. You may use the lower entrance on Cold Spring Road for the observatory and the athletic fields. For most other areas on campus, continue up Cold Spring Road, turn left on La Paz Road and drive through Westmont's main entrance. Map of campus and parking areas

Directions from North (Santa Barbara Airport)
Take 101 south and exit at #94B (Coast Village Road Exit - left exit). Turn left onto East Cabrillo Road, go through the roundabout and continue north on Hot Springs Road. Turn left onto Sycamore Canyon Road and right onto Cold Spring Road. You may use the lower entrance on Cold Spring Road for the observatory and the athletic fields. For most other areas on campus, continue up Cold Spring Road, turn left on La Paz Road and drive through Westmont's main entrance. Map of campus and parking areas