Blinn College baseball is sending 13 players from its 2015 team to play at four-year universities, including 10 who will stay in the state of Texas.
The Buccaneers went 28-26 this season on the heels of the program's first Junior College World Series appearance in 26 years.
"This is a special class of players that helped get us to the NJCAA World Series in 2014 and is academically strong as well," coach Harvey McIntyre said. "Getting them ready academically and athletically for a four-year school is what it's all about and I am proud of them."
Blinn is sending a pair of pitchers and a catcher to Sam Houston State University as lefty Seth Ballew (Sugar Land) and right-handed pitcher Dakota Mills (Houston) signed to play at SHSU as well as catcher Robbie Rojas (Houston). Ballew struggled with injuries for Blinn and only started four games while Mills appeared in 12 games and finished with a 7-2 record and a 3.00 earned run average. Rojas hit for a .257 batting average in 101 at-bats and had 21 runs batted in.
Left-handed pitcher Kaylor Chafin (Sweeney) is heading to Texas A&M University as he led the Buccaneers in innings pitched (79) and strikeouts (68) while finishing with a 7-4 record. Middle infielder Cullen Jozwiak (Brenham) signed to play at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi after he led Blinn in at-bats (176) and finished with a .335 average while logging 12 doubles. Catcher Hunter Lehman (Kyle) signed on at Texas A&M-Kingsville as he hit .289 on the year with 25 RBIs.
Shortstop Jose Reyes (Houston) signed at the University of Houston after posting an on-base percentage of .336, and outfielder Stephen Stuart (Houston) signed at Stephen F. Austin University as he hit for a .304 average with 22 RBIs. Left-handed pitcher and utility player Christian Thames (Winfree) signed at Houston Baptist University after he hit for a .341 average and pitched 46 innings for the Buccaneers.
Right-handed pitcher Shane McCarley (Pearland) signed at McNeese State University. First baseman Ben Upton (Kingwood) signed with Mercer University as he hit for a .291 average and finished with 26 RBIs. James Barry (Kingwood) signed with Longwood University.
Outfielder Jager Toffan (Saskatchewan, Canada) signed with West Texas A&M University. Toffan led the Buccaneers with five home runs while batting for a .307 average while batting in 29 runs.
Two players from Blinn's 2014 Junior College World Series season are now heading to the 2015 College World Series. Nolan Brown, an outfielder at Texas Christian University, and Cullen Gassaway, an infielder at the University of Arkansas, both helped their teams through the NCAA Super Regionals to earn a spot in the CWC in Omaha, Neb. The College World Series begins June 13.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 32 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit: www.buccaneersports.com.
About Blinn College
A comprehensive community college committed to educational excellence and to individual and community enhancement, Blinn College has served its 13-county Central Texas region since 1883. With an enrollment of 19,317 students, Blinn ranks among the nation's leaders in transferring students to leading four-year universities and has received national recognition for affordable educational excellence.
Blinn offers job seekers the skills and credentials they need to succeed in the region's fast-growing industries, and partners with local businesses to provide skills development training for incumbent employees. Each year, Blinn programs and students make a $345.3 million impact on the local economy.
For more information about Blinn College and exciting student success initiatives such as Destination Success: First-Year Focus and the Blinn TEAM Program, visit: www.blinn.edu or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
