Santa Barbara’s Di Maggio Brothers Blaze Their Own Paths to Baseball Acclaim

The Di Maggio name already holds a prominent place in baseball lore, but two Santa Barbara brothers of the same name are rising through the ranks and building their own legacy on the diamond.

Jesse Di Maggio is fresh off a highly productive sophomore season at Westmont College, and his younger brother Matti is a freshman superstar at Dos Pueblos High School; both have already garnered national attention. Although the Di Maggio brothers are on different developmental paths, the future is bright for both.

“Sophomore year of high school, Jesse realized how much work it was going to be, and he started to do the work because he really wanted to compete,” said the brothers’ father, Neil Di Maggio. “All on his own initiative, he started lifting weights, doing nutrition right, sleeping right, and figuring all of the different elements of what it takes. For us, that was an unfamiliar thing, so he really blazed the trail.”

“Matti has seen how that has benefited Jesse,” Neil continued. “He has been able to observe that and adopt the things that work for him.”

Family records allude to a distant relationship to New York Yankees legend Joe Di Maggio, with “Joltin’ Joe” reportedly a first cousin of Jesse and Mattias’ great grandfather. The link, however, has not been verified with DNA testing.

In his senior season at Dos Pueblos, Jesse became the most feared hitter in the Santa Barbara area. He finished the season with a batting average of .506. He also racked up 42 hits, 33 RBIs, 33 runs scored, and a school-record 10 home runs in 28 games. As a result, Jesse was named Channel League MVP.

“When he got to high school, you really got to see him develop each year as a baseball player,” said Dos Pueblos coach George Hedricks, who coached Jesse and now coaches Matti. “By the time he was a senior, there was not a single time he came up to bat that I didn’t think he was going to get a hit. He was that prolific.”

The decision to stay close to home and attend Westmont appeared to be a natural choice for Jesse, as the program was surging and transitioned from NAIA to NCAA Division 2.

As a freshman, Jesse made an instant impact and was named Pac West All-Conference third team after hitting .341 with ten home runs and 45 RBIs in 49 games. As a sophomore coming off of shoulder surgery, he hit .309 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs. Westmont is planning on using him at catcher next season in a move that will likely bolster his professional prospects.

“He is a wonderful young man. He is one of our hardest workers, and he is an absolute lover of the game of baseball,” said Westmont head coach Paul Sgvagdis. “There is a heavy expectation on that young man. Just the last name alone will do it to you.”

At 6′3″ and 185 pounds, Mattias is no ordinary freshman as he towers over the majority of his age group. But what really makes him stand out on the field is his smooth lefty swing and polished approach.

Prep Baseball Report has Mattias listed as the sixth-ranked freshman baseball player in the United States, and his stats back up his positioning as an elite prospect.

Mattias finished the regular season with a .500 batting average and smashed his tenth home run of the season in a May 2 matchup against Oxnard that tied Jesse’s school record. He hopes to break that record during the Chargers’ postseason run.

“A lot of my success was just trying to help the team win as much as I could and getting lucky along the way,” Mattias said. “It was really cool to have a community already built at [Dos Pueblos] ― a lot of guys played with Jesse. I was fortunate to know the coaches coming in and continue the Di Maggio legacy.”

Contrary to Jesse’s path, Mattias was introduced to the club baseball scene at a young age, and his success has led to opportunities to play with U.S.A. Baseball. “It’s a big blessing to be where I am, and it’s been so cool to see so many players from across the country and get that experience,” Mattias said. “It’s been great finding out how they succeed and competing at the highest level.”

At the plate, Mattias blends formidable power with an elite eye. His first high school strikeout came in the 21st game of the season, and even that was a questionably called third strike.

“I’ve had some really good talent in this program — I’ve been here a long time, 15 years, and this is not to take away from any other kid ― but he is special,” Hedricks said following a 6-2 victory over rival Santa Barbara on April 14. “He is still a freshman. You saw him grinding at the plate early in the game, but I’ll take him at the plate any day. He is not going to make the same mistake twice.”

Mattias has also contributed on the mound for Dos Pueblos, picking up four saves in limited action. Dos Pueblos will open postseason play in the CIF-SS Division 3 playoffs on Friday, May 15, against Burroughs of Burbank. With Mattias leading the way, the Chargers hope to replicate last year’s post-season magic that took them all the way to the CIF-SS Division 4 Championship game.