Much of Lindbergh’s success on the baseball field this season will rely on  four sophomores.

“They will play bigger roles this season, but they’re willing to take it on,” said Lindbergh coach Benny Benavides. “We’ll see how they come through for us.”

The quartet, Derrick Holt, Cam Callen, Matt Stuart and Craig Yamaguchi, all played extensively as freshmen last season. Benavides is hoping some of the growing pains the team went through last year will lead to rapid progression this year.

“We’re still really young,” Benavides said. “They look like they’ve had a good summer, but it’s so hard to tell, because we haven’t been able to get outside much.”

Last season Holt batted .519, Callen .366, Yamaguchi .281 and Stuart .371. Callen was also a whirlwind on the basepaths, stealing eight bases. He made all-league honorable mention.

Leading the sophomores along are seniors Bakari Davis, Lawrence Collado and Nikko Kis-Young. Benavides said those three are the only ones who will enter the season with set spots.

“We plan on spreading it around for most of the guys,” he said. “But those three are set. They’re not going to be moving around.”

Davis will start in center field. He batted .389 last season with 20 RBIs, 20 runs and a team-leading two home runs. Davis also made the all-league second team.

Collado will start in right field. He hit .290 with 11 runs and 10 RBIs last year.

Kis-Young will start at second base. He hit .433 with 11 RBIs and five doubles last season.

Juniors Billy Hernandez, Ryan White and Brett Love will play a lot. Where they will play is the real question.

“We have a mix of infielders who can play in the middle or on the corners,” Benavides said.

Hernandez knocked five doubles last year while hitting .391, making all-league honorable mention. White hit .343 and scored 16 runs.

On the mound the Eagles don’t have much experience. Stuart was second on the team in innings last year and will be the top starter this year, though Benavides said the team’s rotation will start off in flux.

“We’ve got an abundance of pitchers; it’s just a matter of who’s going to take charge,” he said. “We want to get them into game situations for three or four innings and use that scenario as often as we can.”

Benavides is going that way because of the team’s young pitchers. Shorter outings will give the coaches a chance to see everyone and avoid injuries.

Though much of the thought and questions are about Lindbergh’s young players, it’s the seniors who will ultimately determine how the season goes.

“My key this year is how far Bakari and Nikko as senior leaders take the ball and run with it,” Benavides said. “These guys are leaders and they want to see us go somewhere this year.”

LINDBERGH EAGLES

Coach: Benny Benavides

2010 record: 11-8

2010 scoring: 174 (4th in league) – 106 (3rd in league)

Key losses: Tommy Kawamura (SS)*, Devin Goods (C), Isaiah Williams (1B)

Key returners: Bakari Davis (OF)*, Nikko Kis-Young (2B), Billy Hernandez (UTIL)*, Derrick Holt (OF), Cam Callen (UTIL), Matt Stuart (P/1B)

Strengths: The Eagles have a ton of young talent that gained experience playing last season, along with strong senior leaders.

Weakness: Lindbergh doesn’t have much experience on the mound.

* – 2010 Seamount all-league team