The Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers will take the field today with the Dodgers leading the National League Championship series 2-0. Behind the scenes, former and current CCAA fans are watching with the knowledge that at least one CCAA alum is guaranteed to be playing for a World Series title next week.
 
The Dodgers' Alex Vesia and the Brewers' Jared Koenig completed their collegiate careers in the CCAA before working through the minors and independent leagues to become valuable pieces on the back end of the bullpen for their division-winning ball clubs.
 
Alex Vesia just finished his sixth MLB season and fifth with the Dodgers. The Cal State East Bay alum posted a 3.02 earned run average over 68 games and 59.2 innings. He struck out 80 batters and matched his career-high with five saves. In the postseason, he has gone 1-0 in five games and has not given up a run in his last four appearances. Vesia has already earned one World Series ring as he appeared in seven games during the 2024 playoffs. He did not allow a run over 5.2 innings and earned a save in the World Series against the Yankees. Vesia was originally drafted in the 17th round by the Miami Marlins in 2018. [Vesia's MLB Bio]
 
The 2025 season marked year number 3 for Jared Koenig, and his second as a member of the Brewers. After making his MLB debut for the Oakland A's in 2022, the Cal State Monterey Bay alum joined the Brewers in 2024 and became an anchor at the back of their bullpen. He appeared in 55 games last year (62.0 innings) and pitched in 72 games this year. Koenig went 6-1, with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 2025. He added 68 strikeouts in 66.0 innings pitched to finish with a 1.6 WAR. In the 2025 playoffs, Koenig has allowed only one run in four appearances, spanning 4.1 innings. He has a 0.69 WHIP, and opponents are hitting only .188 off the lefthander. Koenig was undrafted in 2016, but battled through independent leagues and the Australian Baseball League before signing with Oakland.  [Koenig's MLB Bio]
 
Over in the ALCS, fellow CCAA alum and former Cal State Dominguez Hills student-athlete, Kevin Pillar, had the honor of throwing out the first pitch in the sold-out Rogers Centre before the Blue Jays' second game of the ALDS against the New York Yankees. [Full Story] Pillar is a 13-year MLB veteran who played his collegiate ball at Cal State Dominguez Hills (2008-2011) and still owns the NCAA Division II hitting streak record (54 games). Pillar retired from the MLB earlier this season after playing in 20 games with the Texas Rangers. [Pillar's MLB Bio]
 
The Dodgers and Brewers series will continue with game 3 of the NLCS starting at 3:08 p.m.