The Former Bulldog baseball player will succeed Hart as the program’s head coach and director
The Burbank High School baseball program has found its successor to Bob Hart, naming Paul Frias as its new head coach and program director. Frias, a former Bulldogs player who graduated in 2012, served as an assistant coach under Hart last season. He will now oversee a young Burbank team preparing to rebuild ahead of the 2027 season.
The Bulldogs finished 3-15-1 overall and 3-10-1 in Pacific League play during Hart’s final season as head coach. Frias was a member of Hart’s coaching staff before being selected to lead the program.In addition to coaching high school baseball, Frias serves as a travel-ball coach for the 818 Youth Baseball program.
Angel Villagran, who was also part of Burbank’s coaching staff last season, will return to work alongside Frias in 2027. Like Frias, Villagran is a former Bulldogs baseball player. The 2013 graduate was a member of Burbank’s Pacific League championship team. “I’m very excited for this opportunity to be the head coach of the Burbank High School baseball program,” Frias said. “I knew a lot of those kids from last year, and I can’t wait to get to work with them.”
Frias added that Coach Hart left the program in a good place and expressed his love and respect for the longtime Bulldogs coach. He credited Hart with teaching him valuable lessons both as a player and as an assistant coach. While Frias plans to build the program in his own way, he also hopes to make his former coach proud.
Players to watch under Frias include seniors Casey Peters and Carter Williamson, along with junior Luca Kuiper. Kuiper earned Pacific League honorable mention recognition last season.The Bulldogs will spend the fall preparing for the 2027 season. They are scheduled to open the season against de Toledo on February 16.
