Baseball bolstered its roster this offseason by signing 12 transfers from a combination of junior college and Division I programs.
The Broncos lost 14 players from last year’s team through graduation and the draft.
“If you look at our success, it’s being able to get a sprinkle of freshmen, some junior college transfers, and some Division I bounce backs, and that’s how we are able to be successful,” coach Randy Betten said.
Junior pitcher Austin Isenhart transferred from Division I University of New Mexico. Isenhart pitched two years in New Mexico, appearing in 17 games his sophomore season.
“It wasn’t the best fit for me to further my career, I was looking at other schools in the Southern California area and I decided that Cal Poly Pomona was the best fit for me,” Isenhart said.
Student-athletes who transfer from a Division I to another Division I school have to sit out a year.
That rule does not apply to Division I student-athletes transferring to a Division II program.
Six of the 12 transfers are pitchers, replacing among others, starters Jeff Bain and Kyle Dohy, who were drafted in last year’s Major League Baseball Draft.
“We needed more experience on the mound, so when we heard his name was available, we jumped at it. He’s an experienced player, played in the college level and can handle the rigors and duration of a season,” Betten said.
Recruiting coordinator Jenzen Torres’s pitch convinced junior infielder Angel Ortiz to sign with the Broncos after leaving Cypress College.
“Coach Torres made it feel like a good atmosphere, told me how the team would run and how they go about things and it’s been successful in the past and felt like a good fit,” Ortiz said.
Transfers not only have to adjust to new coaches and teammates, but also to a new school. Transfers might be lost, but the coaches and advisors have made it easier for players to transition.
The level of playing from a junior college to a university is another level of baseball. Some players have to adjust and take it up a notch in order to compete for spots.
“Cal Poly is a whole other level of baseball, you have to step it up and it’s a great experience to get pushed more by the level of players you play with in Division II,” Ortiz said.
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