California Collegiate League

Last updated
The California Collegiate League
California Collegiate League Logo (2020).png
Classification Collegiate Summer Baseball
Sport Baseball
Founded1993
PresidentAaron Milam
CommissionerVacant
No. of teams8
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Most recent
champion(s)		 Conejo Oaks
Most titles Santa Barbara Foresters (21)
Official website calsummerball.com

The California Collegiate League (CCL), founded in 1993, is a collegiate summer baseball league headquartered in Moorpark, California, United States. [1] It is associated with both the National Baseball Congress [2] and National Alliance of College Summer Baseball. [3]

Contents

The CCL hosts a 40-game summer season including a north-vs.-south All-Star Game, televised nationally by Bally's Sports West. [4] Players use wooden bats and professional-level baseballs to further their development as potential professional ballplayers.

History

The League was formed in 1993 and seen many changes through the years. The only two original members who still exist are the Santa Barbara Foresters and San Luis Obispo Blues. The league is considered one of top 10 collegiate summer leagues in the country. The league is known for the location of its teams and for holding a nationally televised all star game every July.

Four new teams from Northern California joined the CCL in 2014 (Menlo Park Legends, Neptune Beach Pearl, Pacific Union Capitalists and Walnut Creek Crawdads). [5] Since 2014, the CCL has undergone significant growth and expansion, now chartering teams from Placerville to Orange County. Teams added to the league since the conclusion of 2013 postseason include, the Walnut Creek Crawdads, the Neptune Beach Pearl, the Menlo Park Legends (who have since left the league), and the Orange Country Riptide.

In 2015, the Texas Rangers, selected Dillon Tate with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, marking the highest a CCL alumnus has been drafted. [6]

In 2017, the California Collegiate League expanded to include the Rockville Rock Hounds, the Auburn Wildcats, the Long Beach Legends, and the Arroyo Seco Saints. This will bring the total number of teams from 10 to 14.

In 2020, the California Collegiate League implemented major changes to its structure, introducing a three-division format: North, Central, and South. The new Northern Division comprised four teams—the Healdsburg Prune Packers, Lincoln Potters, and Solano Mudcats, who transitioned from the former Affiliate Division to become full members of the league, and the Walnut Creek Crawdads, who joined as the fourth team. The Central Division included the San Luis Obispo Blues, Santa Barbara Foresters, and Conejo Oaks. The Southern Division consisted of the Arroyo Seco Saints, Academy Barons, and Orange County Riptide.

On October 16, 2021, it was announced that the Sonoma Stompers would be joining the CCL from the Pacific Association.

On December 18, 2023, it was announced that the Healdsburg Prune Packers, Solano Mudcats, and Lincoln Potters would be leaving the CCL to help form a new league: the Pacific Empire League.

Current teams

TeamFoundedJoinedCityStadiumCapacity
North Division
Menlo Park Legends 20112024 San Mateo, California College of San Mateo N/A
San Francisco Seagulls 20032024 San Francisco, California San Bruno Park N/A
San Luis Obispo Blues19461993 San Luis Obispo, California Sinsheimer Park 2,000
Sonoma Stompers 20142021 Sonoma, California Arnold Field 1,500
Walnut Creek Crawdads 20062020 Concord, California Monte Vista N/A
South Division
MLB Academy Barons 20072007 Compton, California MLB Youth Academy N/A
Arroyo Seco Saints 20042017 Pasadena, California Jackie Robinson Memorial Field 1,820
Conejo Oaks20062006 Thousand Oaks, California Sparky Anderson Field N/A
Orange County Riptide20152016 Orange County, California Great Park Baseball Stadium 1,500
Santa Barbara Foresters19911993 Santa Barbara, California Pershing Park 1,500
Affiliates
Alameda Merchants 20122024 Alameda, California Pat Bail Field N/A
San Diego Bombers 20232025 San Diego, California San Diego Mesa College 200
San Diego Waves 19952025 San Diego, California Traveling team N/A
Philippines Baseball Group 20212025 Los Angeles, California Traveling team N/A

Former teams

Champions

SeasonWinnerRunner-upResult
1993Santa Barbara Foresters
1994Santa Barbara Foresters
1995Santa Barbara Foresters
1996Santa Barbara Foresters
1997Santa Barbara Foresters
1998Santa Barbara Foresters
1999Santa Barbara Foresters
2000Santa Barbara Foresters
2001Santa Barbara Foresters
2002Santa Barbara Foresters
2003Santa Barbara Foresters
2004Santa Barbara Foresters
2005Santa Barbara Foresters
2006Santa Barbara Foresters
2007Santa Barbara Foresters
2008Santa Barbara Foresters
2009Unknown
2010Santa Barbara Foresters
2011Santa Barbara Foresters
2012Santa Barbara Foresters
2013Los Angeles BrewersSanta Barbara Foresters
2014Los Angeles BrewersNeptune Beach Pearl
2015Neptune Beach PearlLos Angeles Brewers
2016Santa Barbara ForestersConejo Oaks
2017Orange County RiptideHealdsburg Prune Packers
2018Conejo OaksOrange County Riptide
2019Santa Barbara ForestersHealdsburg Prune Packers
2021Healdsburg Prune PackersSan Luis Obispo Blues
2022Healdsburg Prune PackersConejo Oaks2-0 series
2023Healdsburg Prune PackersArroyo Seco Saints2-0 series
2024Conejo OaksWalnut Creek Crawdads2-0 series
2025Conejo OaksSonoma Stompers2-0 series

Notable alumni of current teams

While all teams in the California Collegiate League have combined for over 100 years of history, not all teams have played in the CCL throughout their history. The notable alumni of the current teams who have played in the CCL or in their respective teams' previous leagues include:

Academy Barons

Arroyo Seco Saints

Conejo Oaks

Orange County Riptide

San Luis Obispo Blues

Santa Barbara Foresters

Dylan Axelrod Dylan Axelrod 2012.jpg
Dylan Axelrod

Notable alumni of past teams

References

  1. ↑ "Leagues & Teams".
  2. ↑ "Leagues & Teams".
  3. ↑ "Member Leagues | National Alliance of College Summer Baseball".
  4. ↑ "California Collegiate League All-Star Game to be nationally televised on July 17". Think Blue LA. 15 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "CCL Accepts Petition from Four Bay Area Teams to Join League in 2014". Summer Baseball Insider. 8 October 2013. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016.
  6. ↑ "Alumni - Academy Barons". Academy Barons Baseball. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
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