Cal League on Road to Majors

Expect to watch some of these JetHawks on television highlights. No, ESPN isn’t going to cover Class-A games, but California League players have an excellent record of breaking into the major leagues. There are 184 former Cal League players on National and American League rosters, or 24% of the players in the major leagues. The percentage has remained steady since the Cal League began keeping track 27 years ago. Every major league team has at least one former Cal League player.

Although the JetHawks are in only their third season, three former Lancaster players are in the big leagues--outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. (Toronto Blue Jays), pitcher Ken Cloude (Seattle Mariners) and pitcher Trey Moore (Montreal Expos).

Also in the majors are six alumni of the short-lived Ventura Gulls, a Toronto Blue Jays’ League affiliate in the Cal League which played only the 1986 season--outfielders Geronimo Berroa (Cleveland Indians) and Rob Ducey (Mariners), catcher Greg Myers (San Diego Padres), and pitchers Jose Mesa (Cleveland Indians), David Wells (New York Yankees) and Todd Stottlemyre (St. Louis Cardinals).

Six major leaguers from area high schools made stops in the Cal League as well--pitchers Rod Beck (Grant) and Steve Reed (Chatsworth), outfielder Garrett Anderson (Kennedy), catcher Bobby Hughes (Notre Dame) and infielders Jeff Cirillo (Providence) and Mark Loretta (St. Francis).