Collegiate baseball doesn’t end with the College World Series in June. It’s only a starting point for the next season.
Summer leagues across the country — most notably in Alaska and Cape Cod — have long been popular destinations for offseason competition among college-age ball players who are trying to get a leg up on the competition.
San Diego can now boast a robust training league of its own.
The San Diego League wrapped up its second season with championship playoffs Aug. 6 at Christian High School in El Cajon as the Hooks defeated the Brewers, 10-6, for the 2020 title.
The championship game concluded a whirlwind schedule that saw the eight-team summer circuit log 89 games in a 52-day period.
The 2020 season boasted a significant increase in membership from the four teams in its inaugural 2019 season.
Yet, it was a season like no other.
The San Diego League mixed baseball with social distancing, hand sanitizers in the dugouts and daily temperature-taking amid the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
In a summer in which youth baseball teams were limited to sports day camp practices, collegians were able to step on the diamond, throw fastballs, hit home runs, make diving catches and chug around the basepaths.
“We had our own terminology—we created a bubble of normalcy,” San Diego League vice president Mark Rogoff told the Baseball America publication.
The league did not escape unscathed, however, as seven players and one assistant coach tested positive for the COVID-19 virus (all described as asymptomatic) in the final three weeks of the season.
The positive tests took teams temporarily off the field and players out of the lineup. But the league regrouped and finished the season despite the adversity, with six teams participating in the championship playoffs.
Batter up
The focus of the San Diego League, according to its website, is on “improving athletically, overall development and comprehending and applying the analytics.”
The league has attracted attention for its player tracking technology, especially swing-motion to maximize efficiency at bat and pitching that measures the impact of the spin of every ball to calculate its trajectory.
In a world that is being driven by changing technology, more information is always better.
Because some collegiate leagues were unable to operate this summer, it kept many players local and brought others in, which proved to the benefit of the San Diego League.
The league drew talent from not only the immediate San Diego County and Southern California regions but also nationwide.
Players descended on the league’s field of dreams from as far away as New York, Alabama, Virginia, Missouri, Washington, Texas, Oregon, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, Hawaii, Michigan, Florida, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Kansas, Oklahoma, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona.
Locals were extremely well represented, of course.
The player registry included participants from San Diego State University, the University of San Diego, UC San Diego, Cal State San Marcos, San Diego Christian College, Southwestern College, Grossmont College, San Diego Mesa College, San Diego City College and Palomar College.
Other California colleges represented included Menlo College, UC Berkeley, Providence Christian College, Long Beach State, Hope International University, Cuesta College, Santa Ana Community College, Cal Baptist University, San Francisco State University, University of Redlands, UC Santa Barbara, Cal State Fullerton, UC Davis, University of Southern California, University of the Pacific, University of San Francisco, Saddleback College, Fresno State University, The Masters University, Irvine Valley College, Mount San Jacinto College, Santa Clara University, Los Medranos College, Stanford University, Merced College, Cal State Northridge, Cerritos College, Asuza Pacific University, UCLA, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara City College, San Joaquin Delta College, Cal State Dominguez Hills, UC Riverside, Orange Coast College, Fresno City College, Loyola Marymount University, Pepperdine University, Westmont College, Biola University and La Verne.
It was a smorgasbord of talent assembled from throughout the Golden State.
Bonita Vista alum DiMaggio Cazares (Wagner College/New York) and newly minted Helix Charter grad Jordan Thompson (Louisiana State University) were Chula Vistans on the Hooks’ championship roster while Eastlake alum Octavio Sanchez (Southwestern) suited up for the runner-up Brewers.
College locals contributed in other ways. SDSU’s Mike Jarvis, along with three players from the University of San Diego — Tora Otsuka, Shane McGuire and Kevin Sim — figured prominently in the Hooks’ championship game victory by combining for 13 hits, including 10 in the final four innings.
The title game featured multiple lead changes, clutch hitting and a full nine innings to finally determine a winner.
The Brewers, who motored to a fast 14-2 start this season, led 5-3 heading into the eighth inning but the Hooks’ top four batters in the lineup rallied with four consecutive extra-base hits (doubles by Jarvis, Otsuka and Sim and a triple by McGuire) to put their team in position to win the game by taking a 7-5 lead.
The Hooks (14-10) added three more runs in the top of the ninth inning to balloon their lead to 10-5.
Jarvis, Otsuka, McGuire and Sim went 10-for-11 with seven RBI in their final three at-bats. Jarvis led the heavy-hitting quartet with four hits.
Dylan Pottgieser, who prepped at Foothill High School in Placentia and is now attending the University of the Pacific, started the game on the mound for the Hooks. He had not allowed an earned run all summer but coughed up four runs in six innings of work. Help from relievers Connor Kinney (Tufts University) and Brandyn Lee-Lehano (Hawaii-Hilo) preserved the championship game victory.
The Brewers (15-7) topped the Warriors, 7-6, in the semifinals while the Hooks surfed past the Waveriders by a score of 7-2.
Point Loma’s Michael Campagna (UC Davis) keyed the Brewers with three hits while Kyle Nevin (Baylor) and Ryan Cho (Hawaii-Hilo) each had two hits. The Warriors countered with three home runs — a solo round-tripper by SDSU’s Matt Rudick, a three-run shot by Kaden Hopson (University of Arizona) and a two-run blast by Jack Costello (USD).
The Hooks-Waveriders semifinal proved to be a pitchers-duel with the score tied 2-2 with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Carson Hamro (UCLA) started for the Hooks and did not allow a hit in the opening five innings, though he walked eight batters despite fanning seven hitters. Shane Telfer (Pepperdine) pitched five innings, striking out six batters while allowing just two hits for the Waveriders.
Otsuka paced the Hooks with two RBI.
The Warriors, riding the crest of a 12-hit attack, defeated the Wild, 9-3, in the opening round while the Waveriders (12-13) smashed the Long Boarders (9-12) on the rocks with a 12-5 victory.
Costello and Eastlake alum Brian Leonhardt (SDSU) led the Warriors (14-10) with three RBI apiece while Valhalla grad Joseph Ingrassia (SDSU) pitched four innings of scoreless ball, scattering four runs and striking out five batters against the Wild (10-12).
Gaige Howard (New Orleans) and Nate Webb (Riverside) smashed back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning to power the Waveriders to a 9-1 lead.
The Hooks and Brewers both received first-round playoff byes.
Locals only
South County locals also sprinkled through the league included Eastlake’s Michael Pietila-Wiggs (Santa Ana) and Grant Holman (Cal-Berkeley) on the Jets, Eastlake’s Ricky Tibbett (SDSU) and St. Augustine’s Angelo Peraza (USD) on the Sharks, and Bonita Vista’s Nate Nankil (CSU Fullerton) on the Wild.
Holman, who finished 2-0 with a 0.00 earned-run average with 15 strikeouts in eight innings, earned first team all-league honors.
The Cal redshirt sophomore clocked the top average fastball speed of 93 mph (his fastest at 96 mph).
St. Augustine grad Fisher Pyatt, who helped Chula Vista South win a Pony-13 World Series pennant, also earned first team all-league recognition. The SDSU incoming freshman hit .339 with 14 RBI in 19 games for the Wild.
Pyatt and Leonhardt were among eight players in the league to hit grand slams this summer.
Leonhardt hit .260 with three home runs and 14 RBI in 20 games.
Tibbett (2-2) finished the season with a 2.59 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 24.1 innings while Nankil hit .275 in 19 games.
Thompson hit one home run and drove in seven runs in 11 game appearances.
Sanchez finished 2-0 with four saves to go with a 2.63 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 13.2 innings.
Leonhardt, Holman, Tibbett and Thompson all participated in the league’s July 10 all-star game.
Name game
The San Diego League also gained notoriety for its stable of sons of former Padres: Quinn and Wyatt Hoffman (sons of Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman), Kyle Nevin (son of Phil Nevin), Cole Roberts (son of Dave Roberts), Tora Otsuka (son of Akemi Otsuka) and Garrett Bevacqua (son of Kurt Bevacqua).
Awards
Rudick earned selection as the league’s player of the year while Pottgieser earned recognition as the league’s pitcher of the year. Kyle Carr (USD) earned honors as the incoming freshman of the year while Paulshawn Pasqualotto (Cal-Berkeley) earned the nod as the incoming freshman pitcher of the year.
Junior college award-winners included Davis Heller (South Mountain-Alabama) as the player of the year and Jack O’Brien (Palomar College) as the pitcher of the year.
Rudick, a 2017 graduate of Scripps Ranch High School, won the league’s batting title with a .419 average while collecting four doubles, three triples, three home runs, 18 RBI and 22 runs scored in 16 regular season games for the Warriors. He went 5-for-10 in two playoff games, thus hitting safely in all 18 games he played.
“Matt is future big leaguer,” Warriors head coach Brett Seeburger, a graduate assistant at San Diego State, noted on the league’s website. “He has all the physical tools to swing the momentum of a game into his team’s favor. He can make any play in the outfield with his speed or his arm. His swing is one that scouts and coaches dream of. We have a nickname for him back at school: ‘Lil Tony. He’s earned that name as he goes about the game with the same commitment and respect that the great Tony Gwynn did, both on and off the field. It was a privilege to coach Matt this summer and look forward to watching his baseball career grow.”
Pottgieser posted a perfect 0.00 ERA in five regular season starts for the Hooks with 19 strikeouts in 17 innings on the mound.
“Dylan had a tremendous summer,” Hooks head coach Audie Afenir noted on the league’s website. “We were very happy to have him leading the staff. His 0.00 ERA is a hard stat to accomplish, especially as a starter. He’s a competitive player who works hard. He had a goal of gaining velocity on his fastball, as well as improving his slider for a put-away pitch. He has very good command and competes in the zone. It was a pleasure to have him on our side.”
2020 Season Standings
Land Division
Brewers 14-6
Warriors 13-9
Wild 10-11
Jets 8-11
Sea Division
Hooks 12-10
Waveriders 11-12
Long Boarders 9-11
Sharks 7-14
San Diego League
San Diego College Connections
San Diego State University
Matt Rudick (Scripps Ranch)
Ryan Orr (La Costa Canyon)
Joseph Ingrassia (Valhalla)
Nico Ryder (Cathedral Catholic)
Brian Leonhardt (Eastlake)
Deron Johnson (Poway)
Fisher Pyatt (St. Augustine)
Charlie Rhee (St. Augustine)
Maxwell Foxcroft (Newport Coast)
Wyatt Hendrie (Palmdale)
Noah Kaagan (Rancho Bernardo)
Ricky Tibbett (Eastlake)
Mike Jarvis (Clairemont)
Dylan Tanner (Trabuco Hills)
University of San Diego
Michael Davinni (Laguna Niguel)
Jake Miller (Newbury Park)
Jack Dolak (St. Augustine)
Caleb Ricketts (Newport Beach)
Grady Miller (Wenatchee, Wash.)
Kyle Carr (San Marcos)
Cole Colleran (Canyon Crest Academy)
Eddy Pelc (Huntington Beach)
Conner Thuman (Mesa, Ariz.)
Jack Costello (Simi Valley)
Max Jung-Goldberg (Palo Alto)
James Sashin (Oaks Bluffs, Mass.)
Jack Hyde (Grossmont)
Angelo Peraza (St. Augustine)
Ivran Romero (Poway)
Preston Miller (San Clemente)
Cody Jefferis (Valencia)
Tora Otsuka (Rancho Bernardo)
Michael Young (Francis Parker)
Kevin Sim (Torrey Pines)
Shane McGuire (Kent, Wash.)
UC San Diego
Logan White (Gilbert, Ariz.)
Tyler Weiner (Murrieta)
CSU San Marcos
Niko Diaz (Temecula)
San Diego Christian College
Adam Rodriguez (Yuma, Ariz.)
Keanu Walkush (Mill Creek, Wash.)
Peyton Berroth (Christian)
Cade Cabral (Foothills Christian)
Southwestern College
Octavio Sanchez (Eastlake)
Grossmont College
Jonah Sebring (Temecula)
Billy Tellous (Steele Canyon)
Brandon Scott (Patrick Henry)
Clay Fordham (Granite Hills)
San Diego City College
Justin Cervantes (Helix)
Santiago Gomez (Point Loma)
Jack Early (Point Loma)
James Teets (Ramona)
Dylan Vaughn (Point Loma)
Michael King (Granite Hills)
Nic Ayala (Vista)
Scott Wood (Grossmont)
San Diego Mesa College
Trevor Dean (Rancho Bernardo)
Palomar College
Parker Askergreen (Del Norte)
Jack O’Brien (Westview)
Nick Seamons (Rancho Bernardo)
Ethan Sakata (Sage Creek)
Anthony Gnaidy (Mt. Carmel)
Dylan Delvecchio (Mission Hills)
Jake Browne (Mission Hills)
James Benham (Poway)
Christian Lewis (Rancho Bernardo)
Adam Call (Vista)
SAN DIEGO LEAGUE ANNOUNCES 2021 SCHEDULE
The San Diego League released its 2021 schedule on Aug. 26, a slate that runs from June 5 to Aug. 7 and includes the third annual All-Star Game on July 17. Chief Operating Officer Connor Little made the announcement.
The eight-team league returns for its third season under the leadership of commissioner John Dolak. Opening Day is set for Saturday, June 5 with a rematch of the 2020 championship game (Brewers against the Hooks); the regular season runs through Saturday, July 31. The postseason takes place Aug.3-7.
All of the teams – Brewers, Jets, Warriors and Wild (in the Land Division) and Hooks, Long Boarders, Sharks and Waveriders (in the Sea Division) will play 32 regular-season games. They will play four games per week and have two organized team workout days a week as well. All Sundays are league-wide off-days.
The complete 2021 schedule can be found at https://thesandiegoleague.com/2021-schedule.
“We are just a few weeks into the off-season and the front office is already itching for summer ball to return,” Little said. “After completing an unprecedented and challenging 2020 season, we are ready to rock ‘n roll again. There is nothing better than a summer in San Diego except a summer in San Diego with summer ball.”
The 2020 campaign featured players and/or incoming players from 51 different Division I schools. There were 18 Division I conferences represented, including all in the Power Five of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac 12, and SEC. Twenty-one Division I schools in California were a part of the league, including all three in San Diego (San Diego State, University of San Diego and UC San Diego).
The 2021 calendar includes Surf Day on Thursday, June 24. All players and coaches in the league will enjoy a day at the beach with longboard surf instruction. The day will also include the inaugural three-on-three wiffle ball tournament. Three members from each of the eight teams, as voted upon by their respective teammates, will play in the three-round tournament. Surf Day includes volleyball, spikeball and cornhole as well.
San Diego is home to 70 miles of coastline on the Pacific Ocean and 19 beaches. It is also home to more than 90 golf courses, including Torrey Pines, site of the 2021 U.S. Open Championship from June 17-20.
San Diego League to return to Christian High School for 2021 season
NEIGHBORHOOD BALLPARK HOSTED 89 GAMES IN 52 DAYS DURING 2020 CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Summer collegiate baseball will remain an East County staple after the San Diego League announced on Sept. 10 that it will return to Christian High School for its 2021 season.
Chief Operating Officer Connor Little and Christian Unified Schools Chief Operating Officer Bryan Snow made the joint announcement.
Christian High School is on the campus of the Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, 20 miles northeast of downtown San Diego. It was home to the 2020 San Diego League season, which featured 89 games in 52 days from June 15 to Aug. 5 during the coronavirus pandemic.
The 2021 season is scheduled for June 5 to Aug. 7.
“Christian High School and Shadow Mountain have been the greatest partners you could ask for, especially during such a challenging time in our state,” Little said. “We shared a vision of finding a safe and responsible way to get student-athletes on the field doing what they should be doing. We executed the plan and we are forever grateful to Bryan and his staff for their unwavering support.
“The ballpark is perfectly nestled in a quiet area of campus. With the houses on the surrounding hillsides, it is truly a neighborhood ballpark. When fans are allowed to return to watch games next summer, we will have a family-friendly environment with various seating options for all to enjoy.”
“The San Diego League players, coaches, and staff brought much-needed energy and pageantry to our campus and the community during such a melancholy time,” Snow said. “We look forward to an even more vibrant environment in 2021.”
Christian High School is located 20 minutes away from Mission Valley, with a hub of hotels centrally located in the county.
The average temperature at the school during the 2020 season was 83.3 degrees. There were just seven days among the 52-day slate with temperatures in the 90s. There were no rainouts or rain delays.
Former Major League Baseball All-Star and current MLB Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark is an alumnus of Christian High School (1990).
