By Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information

College of the Canyons baseball is sending five players to four-year universities to continue their academic journeys and athletic careers following the 2024 season.

The sophomore squad consisting of Colin Yeaman (INF), Charlie Rocca (INF), Tyler Biggs (P), Domenik Cervantes (C) and Angelo Aleman (INF) have all committed their talents to the next level.

Yeaman is headed to UC Irvine to continue his career at the NCAA Div. I level. The Anteaters are a part of the Big West Conference (BWC) where they finished the 2024 season in second place after working for an impressive 43-14 record.

The Saugus High graduate played two years for the Cougars earning a spot on the All-Western State Conference (WSC), South Division team as a freshman after playing in 29 games. As a sophomore, the shortstop appeared in 18 games before being sidelined for the remainder of the season. However, in his 85 plate appearances Yeaman posted a .443 batting average along with a .541 on-base percentage and was slugging an admirable .900. He produced seven homers and just as many doubles, saw two triples and brought in 14 RBIs along with his 22 runs.

Aleman will next take the field at the University of Louisiana Monroe an NCAA Div. I level program competing in the Sun Belt Conference (SBC).

Arriving at Canyons for his sophomore season, the Maranatha High School alum earned First Team All-WSC, South Division accolades. Splitting his time between third base and shortstop, Aleman posted a .317 batting average across 39 games and led the Cougars with 12 home runs and 41 runs. He closed out the season slugging .604, the second highest mark on the team, and brought in a total of 31 RBIs on his 52 hits, including nine doubles.

Rocca has committed to the University of the Cumberlands located in Williamsburg, Kentucky. The Patriots compete out of the Mid-South Conference (MSC) and are an NAIA program, having completed an historic season with a 52-8 record in 2024.

The Verdugo Hills High alum, commanded second base for the Cougars the last two years and was named to the All-WSC, South Division Second Team his freshman year and achieved Honorable Mention recognition as a sophomore. Leading the team with 12 doubles, he sent the ball out five times and brought in 28 RBIs along with his 39 runs, good for second on the club.

Cervantes will continue his career at the NCAA Div. II level with California State University Dominguez Hills. The Torros play in the California Collegiate Athletics Association (CCAA).

Leading the Cougars from behind the plate in 2024, Cervantes supported 15 different Cougar pitchers throughout his 38 games. The sophomore out of Birmingham High School finished the season batting a .324, slugging a .493 and ranked second on the squad in doubles (11). Cervantes went deep on four occasions and notched 28 RBIs, 22 runs and 20 walks.

Biggs, a member of the Cougar staff for two years, will make his way to Shawnee, Oklahoma to continue his pitching career for Oklahoma Baptist University.

The sophomore, out of Valencia High, stood on the mound 16 times for the Cougars in the 2024 season, logging seven starts. He closed the season with a 1-4 record, recording a save and serving up 26 strikeouts throughout his 44 and 2/3 innings pitched.

Canyons finished the 2024 season with an overall record of 20-22, securing third-place in the WSC, South Division. The Cougars ended their season with a third straight post season appearance in the 3C2A SoCal Regionals vs. Palomar College, with the No. 2 seed Comets taking both games in the series.