Without Kino Baseball League president Bill Leith, Southern Arizona youth and high school baseball would lack direction, development, and opportunities for recognition across all skill levels, from schools in 1A to 6A.
Leith annually stages various youth and high school tournaments in Tucson and also delves into progressing collegiate talent. He operates the Sun Belt College League, which will begin its 14th year of existence Saturday at Kino Sports Complex.
On Tuesday night, he staged the Southern Arizona All-Star Games at the Kino Sports Complex, an annual event that brings together more than 150 players from all high school classifications. He also added a 14U all-star game that comprises some of the best young talent playing with local club teams.
Leith was the president of Thornydale Little League and Bill Fronzaglio the vice president when they left that to create the KBL. Leith worked to attract teams and secure fields while Fronzaglio organized the umpires and did the scheduling.
Including the fall schedule in which more than 60 teams comprise leagues in 10U through 15U divisions, and the summer American Legion tournaments, Leith organizes competition for more than 100 teams annually.
“We wanted to do something that could help the high school programs,” Leith said in a recent interview. “I wanted to try to see if I could bring some unification to the high school programs here in Southern Arizona. Give them a venue. Give them the opportunity so they can develop and improve their programs.
“We also wanted to increase the visibility of the sport and get more kids playing it.”
Before Tuesday’s games began, we presented Leith a plaque made of license plates created by Levi Koenen. It reads: “Friend of Baseball.” He’s Southern Arizona’s most noteworthy friend of baseball.
CIENEGA’S KELLY JOHNSON STEPS DOWN
Cienega baseball coach Kelly Johnson threw out the honorary first pitch before Tuesday’s games after it was announced that Johnson will no longer lead the Bobcats’ baseball program after being involved the last two decades.
Johnson, the head coach since 2017, mentioned he will shift to becoming the boys golf coach at the school.
Cienega head baseball coach Kelly Johnson is stepping down but will remain at the school to be the boys golf coach. Johnson has coached the successful Bobcat baseball program over the last couple of decades, including as the head coach since 2017. One of the good guys. pic.twitter.com/TppkCtwKC5
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) May 28, 2025
“I don’t know if I could’ve ended on a better note than the team I had this year,” Johnson said, referring to his team that went deep into the 5A playoffs after winning the school’s first playoff game in 13 years.
“Can’t get much better than walking out from the final four with a great group of kids, great group of seniors, great group of underclassmen … Our golf coach retired this year. Once I saw that, it sealed my fate.”
TOMBSTONE’S DJ ELIAS COMMITS TO COLLEGE OF THE REDWOODS
Approaching Tombstone captain DJ Elias for an interview was difficult a few minutes after the Yellow Jackets lost in the 2A state championship game against Phoenix Christian. Elias, who was emotional after loss, mentioned at the time that his college plans were not solidified, which added to the angst.
Now, Elias is at peace. He knows Tombstone making the championship game is a tremendous accomplishment and he has a college offer.
The College of the Redwoods in Eureka, Calif., extended an offer last weekend and Elias accepted.
Tombstone multi-sport star DJ Elias recently led the Yellow Jackets to the 2A state championship game, and at that time, he was not certain about his college plans. Last weekend, College of the Redwoods in Eureka, Calif., offered and Elias accepted. Also a talented dual-threat QB… pic.twitter.com/JonlDRyVqj
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) May 28, 2025
“My hope is to build as a player and move on to the next level or be content with where I’m at with baseball and go work,” said Elias, who will study toward an associate’s degree in welding.
Elias was also one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the state and a productive guard for Tombstone’s basketball team.
PLAYER TO WATCH: FRANCISCO RIVERO
Canyon del Oro Class of 2026 prospect Francisco Rivero was one of many underclassmen who took part in the event, an element Leith added a couple of years after it was primarily a senior showcase.
Rivero emerged as one of the top players in the state after returning to Tucson following a few years attending school and training camps in Venezuela.
In Tuesday night’s exhibition, Rivero, a catcher, had a few hits, including a double.
Rivero has ambitions of being drafted by a MLB team or signing with a Division I program after his graduation next year. He will attend scouting camps this summer.
.@BaseballCDO Class of 2026 standout Francisco Rivero is a prospect to watch. He has a background of training with pro hopefuls in Venezuela in recent years before returning to Tucson this school year. He took part in the underclassmen game as part of the Kino Baseball League’s… pic.twitter.com/dQ4U2YmsVi
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) May 28, 2025
“There was a lot competition down in Venezuela,” Rivero said. “It’s something else, not like high school ball. You’re playing against guys preparing themselves for a professional level. You’re seeing pitchers throw 94 or 95 (mph) at 16 or 15 years old. You see people hit bombs.
“It’s just a different level of playing.”
Rivero was one of many in the all-star games who was part of the 2019 Sunnyside Little League team that came a game away from reaching Williamsport, Pa. Others who were part of that team who participated in the all-star games included Michel Muniz Jr. of Sunnyside, Izaiah Moraga of Salpointe, Juan Hernandez of Tucson and Jorge Zazueta of Desert View.
NOGALES’ BALDENEGRO BELTS FIRST HOMER OF SEASON IN ALL-STAR GAME
Legendary @ApacheBaseball1 coach OJ Favela gave his former first baseman Andy Baldenegro, who recently graduated, some good-natured grief about not hitting a home run this season but connecting on one deep to right field in the Kino Baseball League All-Star Baseball Games at the… pic.twitter.com/1nV6vaQ2Tw
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) May 28, 2025
Legendary Nogales coach O.J. Favela jokingly teased his former pitcher/first baseman Andy Baldenegro about connecting on his first home run of 2025 — not in season, but during the all-star games.
The blast cleared the right field fence in one of the Kino Sports Complex fields.
Baldenegro, who has good size at 5-foot-10 and 235 pounds, had one home run in his Nogales career last year as a junior. He is an effective gap hitter, accumulating 13 doubles in his four years at the varsity level with the Apaches.
He got the green light Tuesday night on a 3-0 count before belting the home run.
“As soon as I hit it, I kind of felt it, but thank you to my coach,” Baldenegro said. “As soon as I hit it, I had a feeling it was gone.”
Baldenegro has not yet signed with a college but plans to attend one and play baseball in California.
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator in 2016 and is presently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District.
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