National Exposure
Nineteen members of the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos baseball squad are currently dispersed across a dozen elite summer wood‑bat leagues that stretch from the Pacific Northwest to the Atlantic seaboard, from Canada to Cape Cod.
The migration reflects a deliberate strategy by the Gauchos to give their athletes exposure to high‑level competition and to prepare them for the upcoming collegiate season.
Among the standout performers is pitcher AJ Krodel, who last summer earned the California Collegiate League’s strikeout crown and was named the Santa Barbara Foresters’ Pitcher of the Year.
He will be joined on the Foresters staff by fellow Gaucho Calvin Proskey, while Raymond Olivas has earned a spot on the prestigious Cape Cod League’s Hyannis Harbor Hawks roster.
Outfielder Liam Barrett and southpaw Van Froling are also slated to wear the Harbor Hawks colors, adding depth to a team that has historically attracted top collegiate talent.
Other Gauchos are making their marks in different circuits: Rowan Kelly will don the Orleans Firebirds uniform, while Jack Haferkamp, Nico Libed and Xavier Esquer will see action in the Northwoods League.
Max Stagg, a returning veteran, is back with the Edmonton Riverhawks of the West Coast League, and nine Gauchos in total are slated to compete in that league this summer.
Meanwhile, Jordan Marian, Gavin Moran and Tyler Walton have teamed up with the Ridgefield Raptors in Vancouver, Washington, and players such as Colin Beazizo, Kole Laubach, Josh Jannicelli and Ryan Severns will represent the Gauchos in the Corvallis Knights and Bellingham Bells.
The breadth of participation underscores the Gauchos’ national footprint and highlights the program’s ability to develop talent across diverse baseball environments.