Resourcefulness has given way to improvement for the Cal State Northridge baseball team.
Head coach Eddie Cornejo, who is entering his second year as head coach and fifth year overall with the program, is guiding the team through a cultural rebuild that emphasizes hard work and a sense of team.
“On paper, you don’t really look at our roster and names don’t really stick out to you,” outfielder Jakob Simons said. “I don’t think we have a physical, big team. But it’s all about being the best team.”
Simons helped lead the Matadors to a second-place tie, at 20-10, in the Big West last season and a 34-17 overall record. He was named to the 2024 Preseason All-Big West Team after holding the best OPS in the conference at 1.115 and the second-best slugging percentage at .665.
The graduate student hit first, third and sixth in the batting order last season, but he will likely be the leadoff hitter or third in the order this season.
Simons came to CSUN as a preferred walk-on, a position that Cornejo strategically offers to many players.
“I like recruiting players that everyone passes up on,” Cornejo said.
“Walk-ons will put a lot of pressure on themselves to succeed. They’ll feel like they don’t have anything secure on the team. So we’re able to get everything out of those guys as far as their effort and their attention and their willingness to buy in and be part of something special.”
CSUN’s outfield, with Simons in center field, looks to be a strength this season. Senior Andrew Sojka, sophomore Brandon Leon, junior San Diego Mesa College transfer Andrew Gauna and redshirt junior Kevin Fitzer will likely see time there.
Fitzer is also capable at first base, and Cornejo said he is the most underrated player in the conference and one of professional caliber due to his base-running, baseball IQ, ability to hit for power to opposite field and plate discipline. He slashed .339/.410/.537 last season.
The Matadors stole 69 bases out of 85…
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