Was 2011 haul best East County class?

EL CAJON —- Since the days of the defunct Daily Californian newspaper (1892-2000), the sports staff has taken pride in naming an annual All-East County, honoring the best ballplayers from the region since the mid-1970s.

This past season might someday be considered the best of the best, with a record five schools reaching CIF San Diego Section title games, including a record three schools raking home section championships, with two of the programs going on to claim crowns in the first-ever CIF Southern California regional tournaments.

Time will tell.

But for now, a new front-runner may be the All-East County Class of 2011, with no fewer than four first-team honorees — all right-handed pitchers — dotting the rosters among Major League Baseball clubs. Although it was for just a few days in late June, all four were in “The Show” at the same time.

The best-documented hurler, of course, is former Grossmont High standout Joe Musgrove, who became the first San Diego Padres pitcher to ever throw a no-hitter in the 53-year history of the franchise.

Making their debuts in the major leagues was a pair of relievers: Cody Poteet (Christian High), of the Florida Marlins, and Jake Reed (Helix), of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Poteet officially gained his All-East County designation as a third baseman, not a pitcher for the Patriots, while Reed was a combo pitcher and third baseman for the Scotties.

However, a fourth pitcher, who does not have his high school listed in the Baseball Reference register, has been discovered. Now in his third season, El Capitan graduate Kevin Ginkel is on the 40-man roster of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Although Ginkel has just optioned to the Triple-A Reno Aces and placed on the 7-day Disabled List, the 6-foot-4 right-hander pitched in 32 games for the D-Backs this season, eating up important innings for the struggling ballclub. He has logged 68 1/3 innings over parts of the last three major league seasons, making his major league debut on Aug 6, 2019, striking out the first batter he faced.

In 2011 with the Vaqueros, Ginkel was honored as East County Newcomer of the Year as a junior.