'Having fun and remembering why we play this game': How summer baseball helps college athletes and coaches alike

Summer baseball. 

The art of summer ball is alive for many players and coaches. The canvas, spread across multiple states and leagues, conveys a deeper meaning. It is much bigger than the dirt, grass and turf surfaces present within the painted white lines of the baseball field. 

The grueling schedule of summer ball, especially present in the California Collegiate League (CCL), gives these players another chance. For some, this is the final chance to live out a childhood dream in their final season. For others, a chance to showcase that they can bounce back from injuries. For most, it's a chance to show college coaches that they are worth playing and taking a chance on. 

However, discrediting the impact of summer ball for coaches cannot go unnoticed. Coaches use summer ball to help propel and elevate not just players, but themselves. It's their chance to showcase their knowledge, coachability, adaptability and connectivity with athletes. 

The Walnut Creek Crawdads coaches and players relish the opportunity and competition that summer ball brings. Most fall into some specific criteria, while others just relish the chance to play more baseball. 

Right-handed pitcher Alessandro Martinez has relished every opportunity thus far in the summer. Martinez views the summer as a chance to regain his confidence. After a freshman season at Concordia University Irvine, a Division  II program in Irvine, California, in which he believed he struggled, Walnut Creek gave him a chance to play more baseball while improving his craft and gaining confidence.   

"Honestly, having fun with the game," Martinez said. "I think sometimes we tend to forget that in spring, when we put so much pressure on ourselves to perform at a high level, which we need to do. But coming out here and hanging out with the boys every day is just about having fun and remembering why we play this game. It's not for anything else. It's a kids' game."

Then there are guys like Ole Miss outfielder Bryden Bull and Delta College outfielder Sutter Moss, who are returning from injury. The summer takes a different path for them. Granted, playing the game is a blessing to them, but summer ball allows them to get back to their routine. Giving them the repetitions they need allows Moss and Bull to play multiple games a week, rehab and work out the problems in time for the fall season. 

"I got hurt really early in the season," Bull said. "I redshirted and came here to get my reps in, so I can go back strong and healthy … It's really hard to play baseball in general, but then coming here and getting another extra 100 at-bats gives me another edge on everybody else to go out there and try to make a starting roster." 

For Moss, the feeling is mutual. 

"It's definitely taking some time, but it's great," Moss said. "I haven't played in a whole year, and anyone will tell you if you take time off, it's going to take you a while to get it. You need as many reps as you can get, because hitting in the cage off a machine is not live. You need someone out there competing against you, and being in an environment where you're competing. It's just a really good feeling and a good way to get better."

Junior infielder Alijah Ramos' summer ball path was slightly different. The former Cal Fullerton man saw himself at Cal State East Bay during the 2026 spring. Ramos, who has dealt with injury concerns in the past, showed out for the Pioneers last season. 

Ramos wanted to elevate his game and show coaches he could come back better than ever. In turn, Ramos, who entered the portal, recently committed to Cal State Bakersfield. Ramos dealt with a torn labrum, which guided him to Cal State East Bay for his sophomore season. While he got the reps he needed there, the summer has allowed him to showcase his ability to come back at full speed and at a high efficiency for four to six games a week. 

"I didn't know what was going to be in store for me in the next year or so," Ramos said. "So going to East Bay, showing that I still have that ability, and then coming here to play summer ball is a big part of that (journey) too. I play against good competition and I can show that I belong at that level." 

Some, like senior designated hitter Ryan Ellis, who has been a Crawdad for four years, use the summer to get ready for the fall and play some more baseball. Now, in what he said will be his final season with the Crawdads, he mentioned relishing every moment. Ellis, who now serves as a huge leader and almost an extra coach, looks to help those on the team, offering guidance, experience and friendship to those who'd like it. 

The current recruiting director at San Joaquin Delta College, assistant coach Gabe Rojas, has helped incorporate more analytics into the Crawdads' game, especially on the pitching side. For him, it's about making sure he's data-informed and not data-driven. 

Rojas' appreciation for summer baseball takes a slightly different route. While garnering reps as a pitching coach is vital, connecting with the players on a deeper level and honing his craft that way is what he says makes summer baseball special. 

"Summer ball is another opportunity for guys to continue to work on their craft," Rojas said. "Most importantly, for guys to come out and create a routine, and hopefully be in a good position to make a team when they get back to school in August and September. For guys who probably didn't play too much at their school, or maybe got injured and had to face some adversity in that aspect, they get to come out here and continue to work on their game, get live reps. It's the same for me as a coach. I'm using this as an opportunity to work on player interactions and my own philosophy as a coach and how I can be better for these guys." 

Summer ball is the way to rebuild and remind oneself who they are, whether you're a player or a coach. This year's Crawdads' team showcases coaches and players in many different places in their careers coming together to play the game they love and enhance their baseball acumen. 

"There are really no cons," Bull said. "You get to play the game you love extra. You get more at-bats, more experience, and the dudes you meet in summer ball are dudes you're gonna play against, you're gonna be with and are good guys. You are going against kids from the south, the west, it doesn't even matter. You get to meet new coaches and get great experiences in front of  college scouts. I don't really ever see why you wouldn't want to play."