By CCL Reporter, Kathryne Padilla —

The new general manager of the Walnut Creek Crawdads, Justin McCray, will be digging deep into his extensive baseball experience with the hopes of adding a minor league atmosphere to the Northern California summer collegiate baseball scene.

McCray first developed his love for baseball through his father, who played college and eventually professional baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers. McCray viewed himself a lot like his dad, someone who loved the sport so much so that it turned into a career.

Justin McCray would play in the minor leagues for a little over eight years with the Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, and the Milwaukee Brewers. His passion for the game then led him to become a Major League scout, which he has done for various organizations for 16 years and counting.

Close to 365 days out of the year, McCray would be traveling to various states around the country, but there was something he always missed the most – his family. Ultimately, when the opportunity for him to become the Crawdad’s general manager presented itself, he was more than eager to jump on the offer as it would not only keep him home, but also around the game he loved.

“When scouting full-time, I was gone all the time,” McCray said. “I wanted to keep doing something [that]…is in my blood. This would be an interesting opportunity where I don’t have to be gone.”

While McCray may have a long history in baseball, this will be the first time he is seeing an entirely different side of the sport from a business and logistics perspective. McCray is well-equipped, though, thanks to his experience and relationships with MLB managers to take the Crawdads to new heights. As an ex-player in the minor leagues, that quintessential atmosphere stuck with McCray. That is the environment he wants to create not only for Crawdads players, but also for the fans.

“It’s not just the game,” McCray said. “There’s a little bit of a show too; bringing the fun, bringing the kids…”

With the well-respected Brant Cummings leading the charge on the field as head coach, adding to the Crawdad’s fan experience will be the biggest goal for McCray in Summer 2022. To hit his target, McCray will primarily be focusing on maximizing attendance via promotions and other events.

“Every Saturday and Sunday we have home games, those are going to be our big promotional days,” McCray said.

While determining how to create this environment, McCray looked at other CCL teams he feels already provide this atmosphere. With new ideas spurring in his mind, he is hopeful he will be able to create an exhilarating energy all summer long.

“It’s a show; it’s entertainment, it’s fun, “McCray said. “So that’s the part I’m excited to try and do.”

McCray has a select team to help build his vision, and is hopeful he will be bringing on more staff members before the summer season begins.

Ryan Lovato, Kyle Taylor, Celine DeSaix, Allen DeSaix, and Austin Ota will all hold different responsibilities for the Crawdads. These talented individuals have already set a positive tone with McCray.

“…Especially when you’re young, well-motivated energy is always good,” McCray said.

Not only will McCray be sharing some of his knowledge with his staff this year, he hopes to be an inspiration to his players.

“Hopefully they sit up straighter when I walk into the park, right?,” McCray said with a grin.

McCray also plans to hold a Professional Scouting Day and invite scouts from across the MLB.

In the end, the Crawdads are looking to compete in the CCL and introduce a new fun and family-friendly atmosphere under McCray’s leadership. McCray emphasized, the ultimate goal is then to “win the CCL.”

By CCL Reporter, Kathryne Padilla —

A successful season with the Conejo Oaks doesn’t just lie in the hands of the athletes taking the field or the coaches behind them. Director of Operations, Rebecca Willson holds most of the success of the season on her back and contributes to the growing foundation of genuine relationships within the program.

Willson grew up in a baseball-oriented household where her dad was a coach, and her older brother played the game. At first, growing up she was not too fond of the sport, but it eventually grew on her and even played softball in her childhood.

“I love being around it. Obviously, I’m not coaching, and I don’t want to coach or anything like that. But I love being around baseball, and like the happiness, it brings people just like talking to the fans,” Willson said. “I like just being out there in the atmosphere of it.”

She was first introduced to the Oaks when her older brother was on the coaching staff. He initiated the conversation of Willson helping the team with game-day operations on some occasions if she was able to. Willson has a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality and was an event planner at the time, which made her a perfect candidate to help with operations.

At first, it started with helping with a few games, and then slowly she began to take on more responsibilities as she continued returning with the team.

“Every summer I kind of just added more things for myself to do. So now I just kind of do a little of everything and try to help coach out as much as possible,” Willson said.

This coming summer will mark her fourth season with the Oaks.

Preparation for the new season doesn’t begin a couple of months before, in fact, Willson feels like she gets a two-week break before having to begin planning and organizing the new season. Her long list of responsibilities includes but are not limited to housing athletes, transportation, providing food, marketing and social media, managing the intern program, ordering uniforms, and overseeing all daily operations.

“Every summer it’s something I love to do … one more thing gets added every summer and I think it’s great. I think more of it is just trying to build our program and make it bigger,” Willson said.

Last season, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant effect on how operations were run. Willson switched gears relatively quickly and still found housing for athletes. She even made several grocery runs to ensure the players had food but also kept their safety intact.

In her first initial interaction with the players, she is able to get a sense of who the players are as people. “Some of the times I can tell right from the get-go how they’re going to be, or you know how this is going to go if I need to whip any of them into shape,” Willson said with a grin.

The work that Willson does behind the scenes doesn’t go unnoticed. She does whatever it takes to relieve some of the stress for the coaches if needed, but it also contributes to the genuine relationships that the Oaks create with each of their players during the season.

The bond that is created with these athletes is one that Willson and head coach David Soliz have seen is long-term.

“It’s a two-month connection that just seems sometimes when you connect with a player, it’s so much longer than two months. It just feels like you’ve known them for a long time and it’s really cool,” Willson said.

Longtime coach for the Oaks, David Soliz, also feels the same that summers in the California Collegiate League is all about baseball, and so much more.

Soliz shared a moment when he saw Brandon Lewis (UC Irvine, Los Angeles Dodgers), an Oaks’ alumni, while attending an all-star game in Boise, where his brother was managing at the time.

“I see a player standing off and I’m like, is that him? That’s Lew. He’s standing, so I text him and I said something like, ‘make sure you stand up straight,’ and he texts me back, ‘Are you here?” Soliz said.

The following day, Soliz was able to greet Lewis and received a bear hug from the athlete which Soliz shared, “He didn’t have to do that, a couple of years later.”

Moments like the one Soliz experienced are the ones that keep himself and Willson returning.

Owner of the Conejo Oaks, Mike Scioscia, and General Manager, Randy Riley, built a program that revolves around genuine connections which creates such as positive and welcoming atmosphere

The duo has created an environment where athletes are able to not only focus on developing high-level baseball skills but building long-term relationships with all involved in the organization.

Soliz loves that Scioscia is hands-on with the Oaks’ players, coaches, staff, and interns and present during the summer. Scioscia has been at practices and on-field during workouts, but could also be found sitting in the stands at the Oaks’ games.

“He was at every single home game for the early work. He would do his drills, talk to the guys and the players loved it. Sometimes he would go home, change and come back and just watch the game in the stands; that’s how much he cares,” Soliz said.

Riley could also be found at Oaks games. His generosity and love for the organization plays a big part in the success of the Oaks.

“He does what is always best for the league and he’s always done what’s best for the team, and each player. There’s no player that goes without…[Riley]’s there [and] takes care of it,” Soliz said.

It is evident the Oaks has created a solid foundation that has continued to be the basis for the organization and has grown into something larger than life. While there are only two months during the summer season, it seems that the Oaks jam-pack years of relationships that ultimately continue for years to come.

By CCL Reporter, Kathryne Padilla —

In one of the several acres of Solano County, one could find a young Ryan “P” Adams on his home-built diamond perfecting the skills that would lead him to a rewarding baseball career. This journey now finds Adams back in his home county as the head coach for the Solano Mudcats — and it is everything he imagined.

Since he could remember, Adams had a competitive spirit and would describe himself as an adrenaline junkie. Having this in his nature would fuel his passion for baseball and contribute to many rewarding experiences throughout his life.

During his childhood, the support from his family was evident. His father, Gary, spent endless days with Adams taking him to practice after practice and game after game. Gary Adams eventually built a baseball diamond in the family backyard, not only for Adams, but also for the teams he was a part of.

“My dad was a sports enthusiast and he decided ‘Let’s build a field in the backyard,’” Adams said. “Ultimately, we had our travel practice out there … It was unique, the field wasn’t very big, but we got the job done.”

Growing up, Adams credits his mother, Stephanie, for his competitive spirit, and his two older siblings for supporting his love of the game.

“They’ve always been supportive of my endeavors, whatever it is … I always looked at them and admired what they do, and they’ve kind of created a path for me to kind of be my own person,” Adams said.

Adams also found motivation from his extended family when beginning his baseball career. Multiple members reached high levels in their respective sports.

“My uncle … played in the big leagues for several years,” Adams said. “I have cousins that played Division I baseball and I had a cousin who was one of the best wrestlers in the country.”

Though Adams had many role models to look up which contributed to his success, he often experienced the underdog role.

“People often tell me ‘Listen, you know, it’s unlikely that you’re going to make it to the Major Leagues,’ and I knew that it was just something that I was driven by. I was highly motivated,” Adams said.

With people doubting Adams, his passion for baseball grew. He played for two years at Solano College before transferring to San José State University. In his two years at Solano, he was a First-Team, All-Bay Valley Conference selection as a utility player and an All-State selection as a shortstop. In 2006, Solano College inducted Adams into its Hall of Fame.

During his time at San José State, Adams was a key contributor to a Top 25 team. In his senior year, the Spartans came in second in the Western Athletic Conference.

It was his time being coached by Sam Piraro that Adams would take away many of his coaching philosophies and incorporate them into his own life.

“His philosophy was doing whatever it takes, it was more of a defense-oriented [approach] you know … He was kind of old school, but it won games and he was a kind of great mentor and actually I take a lot of what his philosophy was … and use it [now],” Adams said.

Adams did not just stop at collegiate play, his passion led him to opportunities to play in minor leagues. He joined the Solano Steelheads following graduating college which gave him insight into a different form of play. Surrounded by professional athletes intimated the new college graduate, but it was a challenge he would not back away from.

“I started to build confidence … a lot of those guys were in the pro ranks for a long time. So, I kind of picked their ear … and it was a quick learning curve for me,” Adams said.

Adams would play with the Steelheads for one season as they disassembled due to financial complications. However, one more opportunity landed Adams in Kalamazoo, Michigan. While finishing his master’s program, balancing playing time and being homesick, something struck a chord in Adams. The thought of “where is this going to take me” settled in and Adams hung up his cleats.

“My older brother’s a special education teacher out in Pittsburgh, and he’s been doing that and so I said, ‘You know what, I love being around kids,” Adams said.

Adams began teaching and coaching in 2007 at Vanden High School. He holds over 200 wins with the baseball program and coached his team to section runner-up champions in 2015 and 2017.

Adams credits his wife, Marisa, and two children Myles (15) and Ryley (12) for allowing him to share his passion for the game with so many.

His collective experience would contribute to him being the number one candidate to become the head coach of the Solano Mudcats, one of eleven California Collegiate League teams.

Adams is not entirely new to the organization either; he played for the Mudcats when they were a semi-professional team. With the addition of Adams to the Mudcats’ staff, it is evident the competitive atmosphere has been increased due to what he provides as a coach. He wants his incoming student-athletes to view this as an opportunity to grow and improve on their craft, however, he also holds a high expectation for them.

“Here’s an opportunity to compete and so I want players that are just true competitors that are gritty, that will get down in the dirt and will do anything for the best interest of the team,” Adams said.

Adams has set a goal to emphasize on “getting bigger and stronger” through his players hitting the weight room more and focusing on nutrition. He will also be focusing on the mental side of the game.

The Mudcats have also focused on specific areas of recruiting such as bolstering their pitching staff in order to create a well-rounded team.

In the end, the Mudcats will not take any shortcuts this season, and that is something Adams has never believed in.

“My philosophy always has, and always will be, ‘You get what you put into this game. If you respect the game, the game will take care of you,’” Adams said.

[+ 2022 CCL Schedule]

LOS ANGELES, CA – The California Collegiate League (CCL) announced its 2022 summer schedule today. The CCL’s 29th season will kick-off in Southern California on Tuesday, June 7, as the MLB Academy Barons play host to the San Luis Obispo Blues at the MLB Youth Academy.

The Blues are coming off a celebration of their 75th anniversary season that included a runner-up finish in the 2021 CCL State Championship.

The CCL is now comprised of 11 teams, six in the south and five in the north. Action in the North Division begins on Wednesday, June 8. The Walnut Creek Crawdads travel to Solano to face the Mudcats led by new head coach and San Jose State alum, Ryan P. Adams.

Rick Turner completed his first season as CCL Commissioner in 2021 and is looking forward to the summer. “Our league office and each league member are diligently making preparations for the upcoming season,” said Turner. “On so many levels, I’m confident 2022 will be the league’s best.”

The upcoming CCL campaign features an expanded North Division thanks to the addition of the Sonoma Stompers. The Stompers play their first-ever CCL game at home against the Crawdads on Thursday, June 9, at Arnold Field.

The 2021 CCL State Champions, the Healdsburg Prune Packers, begin the defense of their crown on June 9 at Solano.

The nationally-ranked Santa Barbara Foresters square-off against the Barons, also on June 9.

The CCL Showcase Game, the league’s mid-summer classic, is scheduled for Wednesday, July 20 at the MLB Youth Academy.

At its October meetings, league members agreed that each CCL team will play 34 division games. The full CCL schedule including non-league and several interleague contests will be announced at a later date. Each team will begin league play by June 10. The South Division concludes league competition on July 31 followed by August 1 for the North Division.

This year’s CCL State Championship, a 5-team, double-elimination format highlighted by a winner take-all title game will wrap-up the 2022 season August 4-6 at a site to be determined.

Game dates and times are subject to change.

View // Bally Sports Broadcast // Showcase Game Roster Announcement

COMPTON, CA — The middle of July is always an exciting time for the sport of baseball, with the MLB Draft and All-Star Game showcasing some of the best talent in the world. On Wednesday night, July 14, the California Collegiate League held its annual Showcase Game at the MLB Academy, and the players put on a show for an audience across the country on Bally Sports and in front of scouts and fans in Compton. The South Division ultimately came out on top with a 6-2 victory, overcoming a 2-0 deficit in the 3rd Inning.

Los Angeles Dodgers legend, longtime Los Angeles Angels manager, and skipper for Team USA, Mike Scioscia, was in attendance for the game. A co-founder of the CCL’s Conejo Oaks and the Amateur Baseball Development Group (ABDG), Scioscia expressed his excitement about how the showcase evidenced the league’s advancement.

“We’re getting more national recognition for the caliber of players that are playing in our league,” Scioscia said. “These are very highly skilled players.”

Catcher Riley Lamb (Solano Mudcats, USC) won Offensive MVP honors, going 3-4 with two doubles. Third baseman Drew Cowley (Arroyo Seco Saints, Cal Poly Pomona) won Defensive MVP, making a tough play in the fifth to save two runs. Pitcher Cody Adcock (Conejo Oaks, Ole Miss) rounded out the award winners earning Pitcher of the Game, striking out two of four batters in 1.0 innings pitched.

In typical Showcase Game fashion, pitching was on display early in this one. Both South pitcher Adcock and North right-hander Matt Sox (San Luis Obispo Blues, Utah) threw shutout innings, striking out four batters combined in a scoreless first.

“It was awesome,” Adcock said. “I just soaked it up, and I’m enjoying it. I’m trying to have a good time, and it was fun tonight.”

Third baseman Tate Samuelson (Blues, Cal Poly SLO) led off the 2nd Inning with a single to left, and second baseman Trevor Haskins (Lincoln Potters, Stanford) worked a walk to get two runners on. Despite the early pressure, South Division pitcher Andrew Pogue (Orange County Riptide, Illinois) settled in and retired the next three batters to get out of the jam.

Chase Chatman (MLB Academy Barons, Florida Gulf Coast) and Heston Tole (Blues, Arkansas) pitched shutout innings for their respective squads in the 3rd Inning, with each pitcher logging a strikeout and keeping the game at zeros.

The North Division would get on the board first in this one, putting up a two-spot on pitcher Tommy Steier (Saints, Creighton). After Samuelson reached on an error, Trevor Haskins (Potters, Stanford) lined a single to center. Samuelson raced to third, and was waved home after the ball was mishandled in center field. He would later score on an RBI grounder by Jason Brandow (Potters, Cal State Fullerton) to give the North a 2-0 lead.

The South responded immediately, as Saints catcher Peyton Lewis (Texas State) got on base off a catcher’s interference. His teammate, Cowley, broke up the combined no-hitter in the next at bat, driving Lewis home in the process to cut the lead in half.

The North threatened to extend their lead thanks to catcher Austin Schell (Blues, Cal State Fullerton) knocking a double and outfielder Mason Holt (Potters, Louisiana Monroe) getting a walk with one out, but South pitchers Tony Robie (Riptide, Texas State) and Clay Rickerman (Oaks, Cal Lutheran) tag-teamed to earn the last two outs.

Singles from the Darrien McDowell (Barons, Pensacola State College) and Josh Cowden (Saints, Brigham Young), and a walk from Davis Diaz (Riptide, Vanderbilt). loaded the bases for the South. Jordan Williams (Barons, San Jacinto CC) reached on a fielder’s choice to tie the game entering the sixth.

Tied at two in the 6th Inning, Tristan Garnett (Saints, Cal State Dominguez Hills) entered to try and hold the lead, and did just that. Garnett struck out the first two batters he faced, and got an easy grounder to first base to end the inning.

The floodgates opened for the South at the bottom of the frame. Lewis got on base again via a walk, and he got around to third off a Grant Smith (Oaks, Incarnate Word) single.

The Saints catcher scored his second run of the day on a wild pitch to give the South their first lead of the night.

Tanner O’Tremba (Foresters, Arizona) and Kyle Booker (Riptide, Tennessee) combined to drive in three more runs in the following at-bats to give the South a 6-2 lead.

Looking for a shutdown inning, the South turned to pitcher Cole Reeves (Foresters, Dallas Baptist). He quickly retired the first two batters, but gave up a double to Riley Lamb his third hit of the game. That was all the North would get, as Reeves struck out his final batter to end the threat.

“I kind of just try not to think too much up there,” Lamb said. “Doesn’t matter really what pitcher’s up there for me. I just want to play my game.”

Miller Pleimann (Blues, Arkansas) came in for the North and tossed a one-two-three inning to end the 7th. Both teams would go down quietly in the eighth.

Gabriel Starks (Foresters, Arkansas) came in for the ninth inning and slammed the door on the North Division, striking out two and giving the South the 6-2 victory.

The second half of the summer season is now underway, with the 2021 CCL State Championship presented by Placer Valley Tourism slated for August 4-6 in Lincoln, Calif.

Contributors

– CCL Reporters Joe Pohoryles and Lucas Banks

– CCL Photographers Angie Martinez, Emily Sullivan, and Alina Nelson

– CCL Videographers Brandon Lin and Rhett Spenrath

July 10, 2021

California Collegiate League Commissioner, Rick Turner, and the Selection Committee have announced the participants for the 2021 CCL Showcase Game presented by the Amateur Baseball Development Group (ABDG).

2021 CCL Showcase Game

Presented by ABDG

Wednesday, July 14 // 7 pm PST

Watch on Bally Sports TV // Tickets may be purchased at the gate

MLB Academy Stadium // 901 E. Artesia Blvd, Compton, CA 90221

Player Combine // MLB Scouts & College Coaches // 4 pm PST

North Division Roster

Manager // Bob Miller, SLO

South Division Roster

Manager // Aaron Milam, AS

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Team Designations // MLB – MLB Academy Barons, AS – Arroyo Seco Saints, CON – Conejo Oaks, HLD – Healdsburg Prune Packers, LIN – Lincoln Potters, OCR – Orange County Riptide, SLO – San Luis Obispo Blues, SBF – Santa Barbara Foresters, SOL – Solano Mudcats, WCC – Walnut Creek Crawdads

COMPTON, CA – The California Collegiate League will host the 2021 CCL Showcase Game presented by ABDG on Wednesday, July 14 at 7 pm at the MLB Academy in Compton, Calif. The annual event is a celebration of the collegiate summer league’s most outstanding players. Sixty of the CCL’s top players—30 from the North Division and 30 from the South Division—will showcase their talents to a national audience on Bally Sports TV (formerly Fox Sports).

California Collegiate League Executive Director, Aaron Milam, is looking forward to the mid-summer event.

“I applaud our Board of Directors, general managers, coaches, and staff for making the CCL such a player-centric league,” said Milam. “The CCL Showcase Game is a great example of this, and everything we do both in and out of season is about putting our players in the best positions for success.”

New CCL commissioner and former MLB coach and front office executive for the Angels, Rick Turner, has first-hand experience working with MLB All-Star games and is excited to feature the league’s best. Turner said the league’s first priority is focusing on the competition on the field.

“Our CCL rosters are filled with players from the most competitive college conferences in the country,” said Turner. “We can’t wait for July 14—it’s going to be a fun night for everyone involved.”

2021 CCL Showcase Game

Presented by ABDG

Wednesday, July 14 // 7 pm PST

Watch on Bally Sports TV // Tickets may be purchased at the gate

MLB Academy Stadium // 901 E. Artesia Blvd, Compton, CA 90221

Player Combine // MLB Scouts & College Coaches // 4 pm PST

Players are nominated by team managers and selected by the CCL Showcase Selection Committee. Managers are chosen by compiling the two best winning percentages in league play as of July 9.

Angels radio broadcaster, Trent Rush, veteran baseball announcer, Wes Clements, and reporter Anna Connelly, will bring you all of the coverage live on Bally Sports. The replay of the game will be broadcast regionally in July and August. Check local listings for viewing instructions.

Showcase Game position players will begin the day at 4 pm PST by participating in a pre-game workout for MLB scouts and college coaches.

Tickets for the 2021 CCL Showcase Game may be purchased at the front gate.

Follow the action on social media using the hashtag #CCLBaseball.

—

Contributor // Emily Morton, CCL Reporter

The pinnacle of college baseball can be summed up in one word — Omaha. Look for CCL players and alumni competing in the 2021 NCAA College World Series in pursuit of college baseball’s top prize.

[+Download Release]

LOS ANGELES, CA – The California Collegiate League (CCL) is pleased to announce that Rick Turner, a longtime executive with Angels Baseball and former player and coach for the California Angels, has been selected as its new commissioner. The CCL’s Board of Directors unanimously approved Turner’s hiring at a February league meeting.

The Angels selected Turner in the 9th Round of the 1981 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft after an All-American catching career at UC Riverside. Turner spent three seasons in the Halos’ farm system, including one year in the Idaho Falls Rookie League under current Angels Manager Joe Maddon.

Turner would become the Angels bullpen catcher, followed by a two-year stint on Manager Buck Rodgers’ coaching staff.

Turner turned his sights to working in the front office after his playing career concluded. Since 2006, Turner has held national and regional corporate account executive positions with the Angels. Turner was responsible for cultivating partnerships with the team’s corporate sponsors and representing the Angels in the community during his 15-year tenure.

Turner proved to be a valuable asset to the franchise and left a lasting impression on some of baseball’s biggest names. The current president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and former vice president of communications for the Angels, Tim Mead, shared this:

“I would like to extend congratulations to everyone involved in the selection of Rick as commissioner of the California Collegiate League. I cannot think of a more outstanding individual to assume the responsibilities of this important role. In Rick, the CCL has found a gentleman whose passion for the game, the well-being of others, and overall respect towards those he communicates with, are among just a few of his outstanding qualities. Rick is an open-minded thinker who is detail-oriented in the present, but always with one eye on a vision of progression for the future. In our time together with the Angels, Rick was widely respected both inside and outside of the organization for his dedication, loyalty, business acumen, and communication skills. He is a true baseball man who has always maintained an enviable position of balance in his professional and personal life. I know how excited he is to join the CCL, and I also know many throughout the baseball community are going to be equally as excited for Rick.”

Turner will serve as the CCL’s chief administrative officer and be responsible for strengthening the league’s strategic partnerships. Turner will report to CCL Executive Director Aaron Milam:

“The CCL is a player-centric league and our primary focus is on their experience and development. Throughout the interview and hiring process, it was apparent that this commitment was paramount to Rick. I am confident our players, teams, and business partners will all benefit from Rick joining the CCL, and I am looking forward to leading this organization with him.”

Mike Scioscia, a three-time World Series Champion and head of the CCL’s Conejo Oaks, had this to say about Turner:

“We are very excited about the addition of Rick Turner to our CCL family. Our league has grown to be one of the best summer leagues in the country. Rick’s passion for baseball and his vast experience will help bring our league to an even higher level.”

Bill Pintard is a former Angels scout, current Yankees scout, and longtime head of the CCL’s nationally-ranked Santa Barbara Foresters:

“We are thrilled with the CCL’s choice of Rick Turner as the new commissioner of our league. His wealth of knowledge of our great game is unparalleled. His experiences as a professional player and as a member of the front office gives him a perspective that few have. This, coupled with his work ethic and communication skills, makes him an ideal choice. I, along with other league members, certainly look forward to working with him.”

Darrell Miller is a former MLB player and current vice president for youth and facility development for the Office of the Commissioner:

“I have known Rick Turner for more than 40 years. I am particularly excited to welcome Rick as the new commissioner of the California Collegiate League. Rick and I played professional baseball with the California Angels in the 1980’s and worked closely together when Rick was hired to be an MLB coach in the 1990’s. His ability to transition from a professional baseball player to MLB coach to a front office executive is a testament to his versatility. He values relationships and possesses a deep respect for the game of baseball. Rick’s leadership skills will be valuable to the CCL and to the players we serve.”

The CCL conducted a national search for the commissioner position that yielded nearly 100 applicants. A six-member committee reduced the candidate pool to four finalists. Turner was selected after multiple rounds of interviews.

“I am honored and excited to join the prestigious CCL. I am proudly following in the footsteps of dedicated individuals committed to providing opportunities for college players to hone, enhance, and showcase their talents. I am committed to providing a first-rate experience for families and fans, as well as community partners.”

Born and raised in Orange, Calif., Turner is married to his wife, Karen, and has three children.

About

Founded in 1993, the California Collegiate League is one of America’s premier college summer baseball destinations. Ten teams canvas the golden state of California. Each year, top college baseball players compete for the MLB Academy Barons, Arroyo Seco Saints, Conejo Oaks, Healdsburg Prune Packers, Lincoln Potters, Orange County Riptide, San Luis Obispo Blues, Santa Barbara Foresters, Solano Mudcats, and Walnut Creek Crawdads. Follow the CCL on Twitter.

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Athletes who play for the Orange County Riptide must fulfill all the typical criteria expected of a college baseball player, ranging from throwing velocity to batting technique. But the Riptide also requires another characteristic of players — the desire to play at the professional level. 

“Our big thing is we only recruit players that still have the dream,” said Moe Geoghegan, General Manager of the Riptide. “If a kid’s like, ‘I don’t really care about a future in baseball, I’m just playing through my college years,’ he’s probably not gonna fit in our organization.”

The Riptide’s desire for its players to aim higher speaks to the emphasis it puts not only on its winning record, but also on individual development and improvement for athletes’ future careers. 

Promoting that mentality has led to success for the Riptide, allowing it to make waves in the CCL playoffs and compete with any summer baseball team on the West Coast. While most sports teams take years to build a winning culture and win a championship, and many never accomplish those feats at all, the CCL’s Orange County Riptide achieved both objectives in just three seasons. 

—

Geoghegan’s coaching career got off to an atypical start when he was a baseball player at Glendale Community College. Following their first season of college ball in 1996, Geoghegan and his teammates decided to put together a roster of GCC athletes and players they knew from high school. They titled themselves the Scorpions. 

In 2000, Geoghegan moved the Scorpions to a new home in Orange County, after which they became an official member of the Western Baseball Association and won a league championship in their first season. The Scorpions flourished, besting some of best teams on the West Coast and winning the Western Regional Tournament in 2001. 

After back to back NBC World Series trips and having 18 players who were drafted, five of whom made it to the major leagues, Geoghegan decided to step away from coaching and baseball to focus on personal life and priorities.

He considered bringing his former summer club back every few years during his extended hiatus away from the dugout, but was hesitant to pull the trigger. 

In 2015, Geoghegan knew it was time to return to baseball. Though he had most recently served as a coach, he chose instead to become general manager of his new team, the Orange County Riptide. 

—

Geoghegan went into his first years as GM with a plan in place, but the Riptide’s first two seasons were as tenuous as the team’s namesake. 

The franchise spent its inaugural season as a member of the Southern California Collegiate Baseball League, sporting a lineup of mainly Division II and NAIA players.

The Riptide went on a win streak as the summer progressed, which earned them a spot in the playoffs and later the Championship series. Despite their newly found success, the Riptide had a tough loss in three games to Palm Springs in the Championship. 

“We had champagne on ice and everything and just couldn’t wrap it up,” Geoghegan said. “It was a great series, it was a tight series, it was a great experience.”  

While the loss was difficult to accept, Geoghegan realized that he needed to move his team in a new direction and into another league. The Riptide made the jump to the CCL in 2016 with the vocal support of Foresters head coach Bill Pintard and former CCL Commissioner Pat Burns. 

After making the switch, Geoghegan recruited several Division I players for his 2016 roster, but still found that the team did not progress as he had hoped after off-field issues bled into on-field performance. 

“‘16 was a learning experience,” Geoghegan said. “We took our lumps.”

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After two up-and-down seasons in the books, Geoghegan decided it was time for a change within the Riptide organization following its 2016 campaign. 

His first shake-up came in October when Tommy Bell, a player on the 2016 team, recommended Tyger Pederson as a candidate for the Riptide’s head coach opening.  

Pederson, a former minor leaguer and University of the Pacific alum, immediately introduced a new coaching philosophy to the club and was chosen to lead the team. Geoghegan was initially unsure about the Riptide’s new way of doing things, but quickly realized what a difference it made in the club’s performance. 

“Early on, I was skeptical about some of the way he was running the offense and stuff,” Geoghegan said, “but I was completely dead wrong.”

With a new head coach in place, Geoghegan set off to build his 2017 team. He took a more direct approach to recruiting than he had in previous seasons and began scouting early, building on his existing relationships with coaches at D1 Universities and other programs across the country. 

One of Geoghegan’s first targets was the University of Arkansas. Although he initially targeted the Razorbacks’ starting shortstop, who signed but ended up missing the summer due to academics, Geoghegan also included Dominic Fletcher as part of the package. Fletcher was from Orange County and a was highly recruited Freshman Outfielder who later became the CCL’s 2017 Most Valuable Player and the 75th-overall draft selection of the Arizona Diamondbacks.  

Another key addition to the team was Delta Junior College freshman Beau Philip, who had the strong backing of Pederson. Phillips was later drafted in the second round by the Atlanta Braves in 2019. 

The Riptide also had a strong rotation and bullpen. 

With so much talent on one team, the Riptide practically found it harder to lose than to win. 

“Some of the statistics were just crazy,” Geoghegan said. “We lost 11 games. We lost seven of those 11 losses by one run. We never lost the game by more than three runs all summer. I mean, we were in every single game, which is crazy.”

As the summer went on, the Riptide never lost momentum despite an accumulation of injuries and an opt-out from one of the team’s most important players. The team forged on with a “next guy up” mentality and a coach who “made every right move,” Geoghegan said. 

The Riptide sailed into the playoffs with a 32-11 record, the best in the CCL South. The team went on to beat the Healdsburg Prune Packers in the Championship game to take home the 2017 Championship title.  

Geoghegan was also awarded the CCL’s 2017 General Manager of the Year Award. 

“2017 was the dream season,” Geoghegan said. “That’s your one team that comes along once in a lifetime.”

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After having a “perfect summer in 2017” and winning a championship so quickly, Geoghegan admits he had his doubts about the team’s mission going forward. 

“And then 2018 rolls in, you know, and how do you duplicate it?” he reflected. 

The Riptide got off to a slow start in 2018, but won its final two regular season games on walkoff home runs and earned a spot in the playoffs. The team even managed to find its way back to the 2018 CCL Championship after struggling to develop a consistent strategy and lineup all season, but lost 6-2 to the Conejo Oaks. 

However, Geoghegan was satisfied with simply making a second consecutive Championship appearance and set his sights on new goals for the franchise. One of those objectives was finding a new field, and in 2019, the team found a new home base at the Great Park in Irvine. 

“That’s, I think, going to be the move that changes our organization forever,” Geoghegan said. “It has just opened up so many opportunities.”

He hopes to take full advantage of the new space once pandemic restrictions are eased and teams can allow fans into their facilities again. While the 2020 season was canceled for health and safety reasons, Geoghegan considers it a “blessing in disguise” since the organization will now have time to fully prepare for what it wants to do at the Great Park. 

Geoghegan also brought on Director of Baseball Operations Dave Lamm, Assistant General Manager Tim Brown and a full Executive Board to help grow the team and set the stage for future success. The Riptide’s internship program has expanded as well, helping with communications, operations and other parts of managing the club. 

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Geoghegan is looking forward to getting Riptide players back on the field after a nearly two year-long hiatus from CCL competition in Southern California. Geoghegan is particularly excited about the roster he constructed for this season, including players from Georgia, Arkansas, Texas, Colorado, Alabama and Illinois — the highest number of out-of-state athletes he’s ever had. 

“‘17 was a really good team, but this probably is the most exciting team,” Geoghegan said. “We’ll see what happens when they come together, but I’m pretty excited about the directions we’re going in.”

Regardless of how the pandemic and other factors impact baseball in 2021, Geoghegan hopes to continue working toward the Riptide’s three central goals. 

“Number one, we want to develop our players on and off the field,” Geoghegan said. “Number two, we want to send them back healthy, safe, and hopefully better than they were when they came. And number three, we’d like to see them go on to play some sort of professional baseball.” 

Geoghegan also wants the organization as a whole to continue improving, creating partnerships at universities around the country and making the Riptide a national name. 

“I feel like people in this league know the Riptide are pretty good on the field, we’re just trying to equal that off the field with operations,” Geoghegan said. “We’re always trying to expand with schools to try to get more pipelines and stability. But we want to be one of the teams that carries the flag for the league.”