CCCAA Student-Athletes In the 2015 MLB Draft
CCCAA Student Athletes in the 2015 MLB Draft
California Community College baseball has a rich history of student-athletes in the MLB with this year's draft reflecting that. With so many student-athletes coming through the CCCAA it is possible that a few have been overlooked, but currently in the 2015 MLB draft a total of 51 current or former California Community College Athletic Association student-athletes were selected. Whether they came straight out of the CCC system or transferred to a four-year institution and were then drafted, the talent level of CCCAA athletes continues to be there. Leading the class this year was former Orange Coast College pitcher, David Hill. Hill was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round with the 107th overall pick.
Hill was a major contributor to the Pirates’ 2014 State championship run. In that season he posted an 11-1 record with a 1.67 ERA, allowing just 21 walks and 109 strikeouts in 113 innings. He helped lead OCC to a 36-9 record and the first of back-to-back state championships for the Pirates. Hill was named Co-Pitcher of the Year in the Orange Empire Conference and earned second-team All-American honors. In 2014 Hill transferred to the University of San Diego where he went 9-3 with a 2.33 ERA, being named the West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year.
The next former CCC student-athlete drafted was Santa Barbara’s Tyler Gilbert in the sixth round with the 174th selection by the Philadelphia Phillies. Gilbert played for the Vaqueros in the 2013 & 2014 seasons going a combined 15-7 and being among the league leaders in strikeouts both seasons. In the 2014 season Gilbert helped push the team through to round 3 of the regionals. Gilbert transferred to USC where he played the 2015 season going 5-2 with a 2.79 ERA for the Trojans.
Other Notables
Francis Christy – Christy was the third current or former player selected in the MLB Draft, going in the 7th round, No.196, to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Christy played catcher for Palomar College during the 2014 & 2015 seasons, having a solid career with the Comets but really standing out this past year. In 2015 Christy was named the Conference Player of the Year, Southern Ca Player of the Year, was on the ABCA/PAD All-American 1st team, had the third highest RBI’s (52) within the CCCAA, led the league in HR’s (11) and was among the league leaders in a number of other categories.
Cameron Leeper – San Joaquin Delta was the top seed in Northern CA throughout the 2015 season, led by their left handed pitcher, Cameron Leeper. As just a freshman, he anchored the Mustang’s rotation, helping to lead them to a second place finish in State. Leeper led the CCCAA in games started (16), wins (14), strikeouts (130), was second in innings pitched (114.1), all with an ERA of 1.89. He was named Conference and Northern CA Pitcher of the Year as well as to the All-American first team. Leeper was drafted in the 17th round by the San Francisco Giants.
Jacob Hill – Hill, like his brother David, played at both Orange Coast and the University of San Diego. He was drafted in the 32nd round by the Cleveland Indians. Hill helped lead OCC to a State title in 2014 earning a record of 11-0, good for third most wins within the CCCAA that year, and an ERA of 1.27. He was named to the All-American third team.
A complete list of CCCAA student-athletes in the 2015 MLB draft can be found below.
CCCAA Student Athletes in the 2015 MLB Draft
About the CCCAA
The California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) is the governing body providing oversight of intercollegiate athletics within the California Community College System. The single largest educational system in the world, with attendance in excess of 2.6 million students annually, the California Community College system serves one-third of all community college students in the United States. The CCCAA establishes the rules and regulations to administer the intercollegiate athletic activities of the student athletes attending California's community colleges. To view the latest news, information, and updates of all 24 CCCAA-sanctioned sports visit www.cccaasports.org.