Merced College pitchers to pair up again. They and nine more headed to 4-year schools
Clayton Hall and Mark Sellers weren’t sure they were going to continue playing baseball after high school. After they decided to play at Merced College, the two friends soon came up with a plan to take their talents to a four-year school.
Hall and Sellers are sticking to the objective.
The pitchers recently signed national letters of intent to accept scholarships to play at UC Santa Barbara.
“To see our plan come to fruition is amazing,” Sellers said. “Both our parents have told us you guys don’t realize how lucky you are. I couldn’t have written it out any better.”
Hall and Sellers are two of 11 Merced College sophomores moving on to four-year schools, including 10 receiving scholarships. Even with the 2020 season cut short to 20 games because of the coronavirus, coach Nate Devine was still able to find four-year school destinations for his sophomores.
All 11 players will transfer as sophomores with the NCAA ruling spring athletes didn’t lose a year of eligibility because of the canceled seasons.
“We try to get all our sophomores signed somewhere if they want to continue to play,” Devine said.
Also recently receiving baseball scholarships are pitchers Chase Whitaker (University of Cumberlands), Brady Mello (Metropolitan State University of Denver), Blake Maddock (McPherson College) and Darren Makinen (Northern State University), outfielders Jake Williams (Metropolitan State University of Denver), Christopher Steeley (Cal State Dominguez Hills) and Colton Crow (Morningside College), and infielder Paul Gorget (Nebraska Wesleyan University).
Outfielder Daiya Katsu will attempt to walk-on at the University of Iowa.
Hall was a two-way player for Merced College, playing on the infield and also used as the Blue Devils closer out of the bullpen. The right-hander led the state with a 0.21 ERA as a freshman in 2019 when he surrendered one earned run in 42 2/3 innings. He set a school record with 11 saves.
Hall was 2-0 with three saves and a 0.56 ERA in 16 innings this spring for the Blue Devils.
“Clayton was one of the best pitchers in California last year and he repeated it again this year as a sophomore,” Devine said. “He’s been pretty dominant at this level and I think he can be just as dominant at the next level.”
Hall says he’s excited to see what he can do at Santa Barbara.
“I’m excited to focus on pitching,” said Hall, who played in high school at Merced High. “I’ve been doing it as a two-way player, which has been fun. It’s going to be fun to see what I can do now as a pitcher.”
Sellers, who stands 6-foot-6, was a basketball and baseball player at El Capitan. The right-hander was finding his groove this spring just before the season was canceled.
Sellers finished with a 4-1 record and a 2.79 ERA.
“Mark is a guy whose velocity and strength weren’t up there when he came to us,” Devine said. “He’s worked really hard to improve in those areas from his freshman to sophomore years. He was really turning the corner and his upside was starting to come out near the end of the season.”
Sellers says baseball became his top sport during his sophomore year of high school.
“That’s when I started taking baseball more seriously,” he said. “I didn’t play any basketball in the summer because I was concentrating on baseball. Getting to the Division I level became the goal.”
Sellers and Hall went through the recruiting process together. They visited UC Santa Barbara at the same time. They are both also playing on the same summer team.
Both fell in love with the campus and the location near the beach.
“It definitely makes things easier, going there with someone you know,” Hall said. “We both went on the visit together. We both loved it. After our visit, we both said if we get an offer that’s where we’re going to go.”
Merced College Baseball Players Moving on
Clayton Hall, UC Santa Barbara
Mark Sellers, UC Santa Barbara
Chase Whitaker, University of Cumberlands
Brady Mello, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Blake Maddock, McPherson College
Darren Makinen, Northern State University
Jake Williams, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Christopher Steeley, Cal State Dominguez Hills
Colton Crow, Morningside College
Paul Gorget, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Daiya Katsu, University of Iowa (walk-on)
