College Baseball:

Pictured L-R: Tyler Frazier and Omar Veloz

By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor

By all objective measures, the year 2020 has been a nightmare for the world.

There won’t be a single person in athletics that would dare compare their situation to the sickness and both lives and jobs lost thanks to COVID-19.

But in the world of local sports, it’s cost spring athletes in high school and college their season.

In many cases, it ended careers for players who weren’t going to move on to the next level.

The Mt. SAC baseball program doesn’t seem to have that problem.

In spite of seeing their season end after 21 games (13-8), the Mounties have 12 players extending their careers at the next level, and to put some icing on their cake, 11 of the 12 left Walnut with an Associates Degree.

Fourth-year Mt. SAC coach John Knott left Bonita in 2016 after tallying north of 250 victories, and that included a CIF-SS Division 3 championship in 2012 at Dodger Stadium.

He could not pass up the opportunity to coach college baseball, but it was not easy for Knott to leave a Bonita program and staff that he appreciates to this day.

Since taking over the reins, the program has extended the career of 46 players, which is an SCC best.

They also made a deep playoff run in 2018 to the final four, and Sac has notched a pair of SCC titles.

Knott’s assistant, Scott Zine, has been a remarkable asset in so many ways, including his recruiting skills, and Matt Silberman is his trusted pitching coach.

Knott has been incredibly successful at Bonita and Mt. SAC, and he credits his trio of ‘legendary’ coaches during his playing days as the men that helped pave the way for his ascension as both a player and coach.

They include Gladstone High’s Rick Remkus, as well as Citrus and APU legends, Skip Claprood and Tony Barbone, respectively.

Knott and Zine credit the rest of the SCC, including Long Beach, PCC, Rio Hondo and others for their fierce competition, because their battles help prepare the Mounties for postseason play each year.

They both feel the only conference that compares to the SCC would be the Orange Empire Conference.

Of the 12 players listed below, right-handed pitcher Tyler Frazier might be back in 2021.

The reason being that UC Riverside still isn’t sure if their athletics will be canceled, but if it is, Frazier will head back to Walnut and Knott, Zine and his teammates will welcome him with open arms.

Mt. SAC Sophomores Moving Forward:

(Name, position & college destination)

Diego Barrera (LHP) is headed to Loyola Marymount (Division 1)

Zach Bromstead (RHP) to Campbellsville University (NAIA)

Tyler Frazier (RHP) to UC Riverside (NCAA DI)

Kenny Garcia (INF) to Cal State San Marcos (NCAA DII)

Cedric Girard (RHP) to Cal State Dominguez Hills (NCAA DII)

Jacob Kampen (RHP) to University of the Cumberlands (NAIA)

Albert Luevano (INF) to Cal State Dominguez Hills (NCAA DII)

Tyus Santa Anna (C) to Azusa Pacific University (NCAA DII)

Omar Veloz (C/1B)to Cal State Fullerton (NCAA DI)

Cameron White (1B) to Cal State Dominguez Hills (NCAA DII)

Ryan Williams (SS/2B) to Cal State East Bay (NCAA DII)

Dylan Zavala (OF) to Chico State (NCAA DII)

Quotable:

Mt. SAC head coach, John Knott: “It’s been a challenging year for everyone and we’re really proud of the work ethic and the maturity in which the class of 2020 carried throughout their two years here. It is every junior college coach’s top priority to extend the careers of their players and we’re very proud and fortunate to have so many of our guys move on after spending time with us. My coaching staff and I do everything we can to emphasize the importance of being good people and solid students before anything that happens on a baseball field. I have a great coaching staff and this school and its success makes it possible to attract so many talented student athletes.”

Mt. SAC assistant coach, Scott Zine: “Our 2020 group was incredible when it came to their work ethic. We feel these guys set the tone in going about their business in the weight room, the classroom and on the field. The team GPA in the spring was 3.3 and 3.1 in the fall. Our whole purpose is to be a stepping stone for these young men to not only win games, but help prepare them to play at the next level. John (Knott) and I are a good mix, because there are things I’m not good at that he’s really good at doing and vice versa, so it works well.”

Mt. SAC right-handed pitcher/UC Riverside commit, Tyler Frazier: “It was an easy decision to make the drive from Corona to Walnut, because Mt. SAC produces Division 1 players and Coach Scott Zine had coached at Corona High School when I was playing for (Corona) Santiago and I knew and respected him. I still have a home at Mt. SAC if UC Riverside decides to cancel their athletic programs. I rode to school with Ryan Williams, so that made the drive a little more bearable. I bounced back from Oregon to go to Mt. SAC and our coaches and the program have a work ethic and mind set that I didn’t see at Oregon, so I really learned a lot from Coach Knott and his staff.”

Mt. SAC catcher/Cal State Fullerton commit, Omar Veloz: “I live near Occidental College, but I played travel baseball with the SGV Arsenal and most of my friends went to South Hills or Bishop Amat, so I was familiar with the San Gabriel Valley and its players, and it made the drive back and forth worthwhile. I went to Fresno State and things didn’t work out and I heard nothing but good things about Mt. SAC. I transferred at the break, and starting playing games two weeks in. I also had a 7:30 am class, so I had a lot of responsibilities to take care of.

But it’s all been worth it, because we have great coaches and our competition only makes us better. We really get after it at practice. Coach Knott and Zine are really organized and there is a purpose to everything we do. Coach Knott isn’t afraid to have those uncomfortable conversations where he’ll tell you what you need to hear, and I had three of them with Knott. But I took it in stride and it motivated me to work harder, because I knew it meant he cared and believed in me, and that he wanted me to be the best player, person and student that I could possibly be. I will always appreciate my teammates, coaches and my time at Mt. SAC.”

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