Seven Men from the CCAA Selected in 2018 MLB Draft
Seven men from across the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) were selected in the 2018 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, conducted last week. UC San Diego had four players picked, tied with Colorado Mesa and Tampa for the most from an NCAA Division II institution.
2018 marks the fourth straight MLB Draft with at least seven selections from the CCAA (2017 – 8; 2016 – 10; 2015 – 13). Joe Ryan's selection in the seventh round is the highest pick of a CCAA player since 2015 when right-handed pitcher Cody Ponce of Cal Poly Pomona was nabbed by the Brewers in the second round, going 55th overall.
Read about the draftees >>>
Stanislaus State
Joe Ryan | CCAA Pitcher of the Year | Sr. | RHP | 2018 stats: 8-1; 1.65 ERA; 127 K; .190 OPP BA
Complete release
On his 22nd birthday, Joe Ryan became the highest draft pick in Stanislaus State baseball program's history as the right-handed pitcher was selected in the seventh round by the Tampa Bay Rays during the MLB First-Year Players Draft.
Ryan is the first Warrior to be drafted by a Major League Baseball team since 2015 when Marcus Mastrobuoni was picked by the Chicago Cubs. Ryan, the 210th pick in this year's draft, is Stanislaus State's highest draft pick. Rusty Kuntz (1977, Chicago White Sox) and Pat Ruth (1991, Philadelphia) were selected in the 11th round.
Cal State East Bay
Alex Vesia | Sr. | LHP | 2018 stats: 8-2; 1.94 ERA; 82 K; 78.2 IP
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The Miami Marlins selected Cal State East Bay senior Alex Vesia in the 17th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft on Wednesday, making him the 507th overall pick.
Vesia is the fourth CSUEB player selected -- and the highest pick -- in the MLB Draft since the program joined NCAA Division II and the California Collegiate Athletic Association in 2009, joining Devin Grigg (2010), Charlie Sharrer (2013), and Myles Babitt (2016).
"This has been a dream of mine since I was a sophomore in high school," Vesia said. "I am so thankful that the Marlins have given me this opportunity. I have to thank my coaches and East Bay, my family, and everyone who has supported me from the beginning. It has been an amazing journey these past four years at East Bay."
Cal State Dominguez Hills
Rigo Fernandez | Jr. | LHP | 2018 stats: 3-2; 12 starts; 80 K; 57.2 IP
Complete release
The Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball program saw an impressive streak of having a player taken in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft every year extend to a dozen after left-handed pitcher Rigo Fernandez was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 24th round (708th overall).
Fernandez completed his junior season making 12 starts and throwing 57.2 innings, going 3-2 with a 5.99 ERA. He boasted 80 strikeouts and held batters to a .229 batting average. He also averaged nearly seven strikeouts per outing.
UC San Diego
The Tritons had a program-record four athletes selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, in just the second time to ever have multiple selections.
Complete release
Tyler Durna | Jr. | 1B | 2018 stats: .333 AVG.; .547 SLG%; 68 R; 18 2B; 45 W; .993 FLD%
Tyler Durna was a unanimous All-West Region selection and All-CCAA First Team pick for the second straight year, leading the league with his 68 runs scored and 45 walks (tied), and second on the squad with a .333 batting average. In addition to his batting prowess, he proved himself to be arguably the best defensive first baseman in all of Division II, fielding at a .993 clip this season, making the spectacular look routine.
Cameron Kurz | Jr. | RHP | 5-1; 22 APP; 0.74 ERA; 63 K; 36.1 IP; .135 OPP BA
Kurz went from being left off the Tritons' 25-man NCAA West Regional and NCAA Championship rosters a year ago, to a lights-out 2018 and subsequent shot at a pro career. As a fourth-year junior, he went 5-1 with a miniscule 0.74 ERA and career-best nine saves, striking out 63 against a mere 11 walks for a 5.73 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and an incredible .135 opponents' batting average with no home runs allowed over 36.1 innings pitched and 22 relief appearances in all.
Mitch Hickey | Sr. | RHP | 7-3; 3.54 ERA; 83 K; 76.1 IP
Mitch Hickey was a one-year transfer from Division I power Oregon State, and as the Tritons' front-line starting arm for much of the season, went 7-3 with a 3.54 ERA and 83 strikeouts over 76.1 innings. He drew 13 starts among 15 appearances, with one save. UC San Diego won each of his seven starts after returning to the rotation following a pair of lengthy, effective relief outings in the middle of the campaign.
Ted Stuka | So. | RHP | 1-0; 3 SV; 37 K; 31.2 IP
Ted Stuka made 15 appearances on the mound, all in relief, and posted a 3.69 ERA with a 1-0 record and three saves of 3.0 innings or longer. The big 6-foot-7 right-hander with a powerful fastball fanned 37 over his 31.2 frames, combining on one of the Tritons' three shutouts on the year.
CCAA in the 2018 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft
| Round |
Pick |
Player (School) |
Team |
| 7 |
210 |
Joe Ryan (Stanislaus State) |
Tampa Bay Rays |
| 15 |
458 |
Tyler Durna (UC San Diego) |
Chicago Cubs |
| 17 |
507 |
Alex Vesia (Cal State East Bay) |
Miami Marlins |
| 18 |
532 |
Cameron Kurz (UC San Diego) |
Atlanta Braves |
| 24 |
708 |
Rigo Fernandez (Cal State Dominguez Hills) |
Chicago White Sox |
| 28 |
830 |
Mitch Hickey (UC San Diego) |
New York Mets |
| 39 |
1165 |
Ted Stuka (UC San Diego) |
Baltimore Orioles |