Elias Hanley began the 2025 season for La Jolla Country Day School’s varsity baseball squad as a relief pitcher. But after he was called into the starting rotation, the freshman quickly established himself as one of the Coastal League-winning team’s most effective arms.
By the end of the campaign, the left-hander had put together a 1.83 earned run average, one of the best on the team. Opponents mustered only a .198 batting average against him.
He shined in the playoffs, too, throwing a complete-game gem against the Point Loma Pointers on May 21 to keep his team in the winners bracket of the CIF San Diego Section Division I tournament.
After a first-round victory over Scripps Ranch and the second-round win over Point Loma, the Torreys’ postseason run ended with losses to Cathedral Catholic and then to Point Loma in an elimination-game rematch.
In Hanley’s May 21 outing against the Pointers, he needed just 88 pitches to get through seven innings, and the only run against him scored as a result of an error in the field. The Torreys needed every clean inning they could get as they eked out a 2-1 win.
Hanley sports a four-pitch mix — fastball, change-up, slider and curveball. He said he had everything working in his May 21 outing, with his change-up particularly dialed in.
“It really induces weak and swings and misses,” Hanley said. “So if I ever need a quick out or I need a swing and miss — something to really stop any damage or stopping any runners from getting on base at all — that’s the main pitch I go to.”
Country Day finished the season with an 18-14 record, including a Coastal-winning 11-4 mark in league play.
Hanley was 5-2 in his 10 appearances and was the winning pitcher in head coach John Edman’s 400th career victory at La Jolla Country Day.
In that April 23 game against The Bishop’s School, Hanley tossed six scoreless innings, surrendering only three hits along the way.
The significance of the victory was not lost on Hanley.
“Four hundred is obviously a really big milestone,” Hanley said. “He’s been coaching for a lot of years, and not a lot of coaches get to do that. So being the starting pitcher for his 400th is really special.”
Edman began coaching at LJCDS in 1998. According to the school, 50 of his players have gone on to collegiate play and four played professionally, including his son Tommy Edman, a 2024 World Series champion with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Hanley described John Edman, who also coached him in a 12-and-under youth team, as “the best coach in the world.” In particular, Hanley cited Edman’s unique ability to walk players through the mental side of the game.
“From the leaders of the team and really all the coaches, they really taught me what it means to compete at a high level,” Hanley said. “You really have to be focused and you can’t let your emotions get to you.
“Something I really prioritize and … think about when I’m on the mound is really staying calm through every situation. Because there’s going to be ups and downs, and you just have to be willing to be fine with it.”
Hanley credited that poise and control for his success throughout the season.
“I obviously just throw strikes; that’s the main thing,” he said. “But getting the first-pitch strike … has been very important. And I’ve noticed a correlation there in of efficiency.”
However, Hanley said, his primary focus is not on his individual performance but rather his team’s success.
“Obviously, the main goal is to win,” he said. “So putting the team in a position to win when I’m on the mound is something I think about. I don’t see that changing obviously, so in the future I just want to continue to help my team win, whatever that takes.”
La Jolla Athlete of the Week features athletes from all sports in high school (La Jolla High, The Bishop’s School, La Jolla Country Day School) and other local youth sports. We’re looking not only for the stars of competition but also for student-athletes who set an example for teamwork, academic achievement and/or community involvement. Please email your nominations, and a way to reach your nominees, to Editor Rob Vardon at [email protected]. ◆
