Lancer alumnus Zachary Esquerra anxiously awaited a phone call during the 2013 MLB draft. Three days in, Esquerra was contacted by the Arizona Diamondbacks and drafted in the 24th round. Excitement, thankfulness and shock were the three emotions he used to describe the day.
During his last season at California Baptist University, Esquerra hit .382 with 17 home runs, the third highest for college baseball. He received 12 post-season honors, including Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association, National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II National Player of the Year, PacWest Conference Player of the Year and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II West Region Player of the Year. With the titles stacking up, Esquerra hoped he would be drafted.
“About a week before the draft you get an idea from scouts about what round you are going to go in,” he said.
Director of Athletics Micah Parker believes Esquerra’s draft has added onto CBU athletics’ growing reputation.
“It says that our baseball program can and will help those talented enough to make it to the professional level,” he said. “It also says that our coaches are recruiting the right talent. Zach took advantage of what we can provide for athletes here at CBU and, as a result, got better and better with each season.”
Esquerra signed June 13 and is currently playing for an independent team, Hillsboro Hops, a MiLB affiliate of the Diamondbacks. He is hoping to progress and gain the opportunity to make it to Double A or Triple A in the next few years.
