California League reports

Official league website: www.calsummerball.com
2016 Summer Collegiate Top Propsect Index
California Collegiate League Top Prospect List (30)

The Santa Barbara Foresters further cemented their reputation as one of the best collegiate summer programs in history with their sixth NBC World Series championship since 2006. Bill Pintard’s club also won their 21st CCL championship, which is amazing considering that the league is only 24 years old. 

The CCL expanded to 12 teams this year and this league continues to grow in popularity. Blue blood Division I programs have consistently sent players to California and that includes schools from Texas and the southeast. In accordance with that theme, Bret Boswell and Kyle Johnston, both of the University of Texas, won Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year respectively. 

This league has also been a good showcase for West Coast junior college players looking to make a name for themselves. Two six-foot-and-under examples of this were All-CCL players Ernie De La Trinidad (Academy) and Clayton Andrews (Neptune Beach). De La Trinidad has moved on to UNLV while Andrews is committed to Long Beach State for the fall of 2017.


Year established: 1993
States represented: California
No. of teams: 12
Regular season Champion (best overall record): Santa Barbara Foresters (36-14)
Postseason Champion: Santa Barbara Foresters
No. 1 prospect, 2015: Lucas Erceg, 3b, Neptune Beach (Menlo College)
First 2015 player selected, 2016 MLB Draft: Lucas Erceg, 3b, Neptune Beach (Menlo College/ Brewers, 2nd round)

Player of the Year: Bret Boswell, ss/3b, Santa Barbara (Texas)
Pitcher of the Year: Kyle Johnston, rhp, Santa Barbara (Texas)

BATTING LEADERS

Batting average: Bret Boswell, ss/3b, Santa Barbara (Texas) (.392)
Slugging percentage: Bret Boswell, ss/3b, Santa Barbara (.715)
On-base percentage: Dillon Kelley, c/1b, Orange Country (Chico State) (.521)
Home runs: Chad Spanberger, of, Conejo (Arkansas) (11)
RBI: Martin Teague, 1b, Academy (Hope International) (51)
Stolen bases: Billy Wilson, of, Healdsburg (Loyola Marymount) (35)

PITCHING LEADERS

Wins: Korey Anderson, rhp, San Luis Obisbo (Western Carolina); Isaiah Campbell, rhp, Conejo (Arkansas); Joe Torres, rhp, Conejo (Glendale College, Calif. ); Tanner Lawson, rhp, Santa Barbara (Houston) (5)
ERA: Kyle Johnston, rhp, Santa Barbara (Texas) (1.89)
Saves: Reece Buska, rhp, Academy (El Camino College) (8)
Strikeouts: Tanner Murphey, lhp, Orange County (Undecided) (65)

BEST TOOLS

Best athlete: Matt Henderson, ss, Santa Barbara (Florida State)
Best hitter: Ernie De La Trinidad, of, Academy (UNLV)
Best power: Chad Spanberger, of, Conejo (Arkansas)
Best speed: Billy Wilson, of, Healdsburg (Loyola Marymount)
Best defender: Clayton Andrews, of, Neptune Beach (Cabrillo College)
Best velocity: Tyler Ivey, rhp, Menlo Park (Grayson CC)
Best breaking stuff: Kyle Johnston, rhp, Santa Barbara (Texas)
Best command: Connor Mayes, rhp, Santa Barbara (Texas)


TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. Kyle Johnston, rhp, Santa Barbara (Texas/JR in 2017)
Nothing is more Texas than a burly righthander with a big fastball and Johnston checks both of those boxes. The enigma is that Johnston has struggled mightily to throw strikes in his two seasons in Austin (5.82 walks per nine innings) yet his results have been statistically solid (3.16 ERA over 18 starts and 108 innings). Add a season of dominance to the resume as he led the CCL in ERA this summer. Johnston is technically an undersized power arm (6-foot, 220-pounds) but he offers three plus pitches with a fastball up to 95 mph and an out-pitch slider and changeup. When he throws strikes, the sky is the limit for this Longhorn.