LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Saint Mary's Baseball Program had another player picked in the first 10 rounds of the MLB Amateur Draft when two-way player Christopher Campos was selected in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday.
 
Campos is the third pick in the first 10 rounds of the MLB Draft for the Gaels in the last two years, and their eighth since 2016.
 
The Hacienda Heights, Calif. native has played middle infield and pitched in late-inning, high-leverage situations for the Gaels in his time in Moraga, Calif. Collegiate Baseball Newspaper named Campos to their Preseason All-American Second Team as a utility player and was the only WCC player to receive mention in the publication's list. 
 
The two-way Gael hit .299 on the season with two home runs, four doubles, four stolen bases before an ankle injury sideline him in mid-April after 35 games and 134 at bats. He returned to the mound on the last day of the season and pitched an inning against CSUN allowing no earned runs and displayed the same velocity he had before the injury, sitting around 94 MPH on his fastball and able to dial it up to 97 MPH when he needed it.
 
He finished the 2022 campaign with a 2.16 and went 1-1 with one save, usually handling the eighth inning for the Gaels while allowing just eight walks to 23 strike outs.
 
Campos had an impressive freshman campaign in the shortened 2020 season, when he hit .310 with five doubles and 18 hits. In 16 games played he also pitched three innings. Playing injured for part of 2021 due to a collar bone injury, Campos truly emerged as a two-way threat that season hitting .270 with 10 doubles and 17 RBI in 30 games.  On the mound he recorded five saves, striking out 16 batters in 14 innings while posting a team-leading 0.63 ERA.
 
"Christopher's will to win separates him,'' said Head Coach Greg Moore. "His awareness on the field is what you see from the best point guards in basketball. CC got better each semester on campus. He has an explosive arm and knows how to play the game. He's as competitive and gritty as anyone on the West Coast."

Two-way player Christopher Campos drafted by his favorite team, the @Dodgers!

7th Round, Pick #225#GaelsRise pic.twitter.com/LqATwn1JiC

— Saint Mary's Baseball (@SMC_Baseball) July 18, 2022

The day-two draft pick was playing summer collegiate ball for the very successful Bellingham Bells squad in the West Coast League when he got the call. He had pitched six innings for the Bells as of Monday and hadn't allowed an earned run with nine strikeouts, five saves, and only one walk allowed. He was 18 for 72 (.250) with three doubles and a .333 on-base percentage with as many walks as strikeouts (6).
 
Campos is from Damien High School in La Verne, California, where he played for legendary high school coach Andy Nieto. He grew up a Los Angeles Dodgers fan and will now have the opportunity to play for his home-town team and quite possibly report to Low-A Rancho Cucamonga sometime this season or next.