Jake Steels

Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics

Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics

Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics

Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics

Jake Steels singled in his first game in more than two weeks.

Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics

Jake Steels singles in his first game at Cal Poly.

Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics

Height:
6-0
Weight:
185
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Santa Maria, CA
High School:
Righetti HS (Hancock College)

2023-- He complied a .318 average with 27 RBIs in 49 games, primarily as Cal Poly's leadoff hitter... His 13 steals (in 20 attempts) were the most at Cal Poly since Alex McKenna also stole 13 bases in 2017... late in the season went 14-27 (.519) in a seven game stretch with five RBIs and 12 runs scored... had 115 put outs and a fielding percentage of .967... season high three hits against Utah...

Hancock College -- Steels played two seasons at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria under head coach Chris Stevens ... after hitting .218 with 10 RBIs and five steals in 19 games as a freshman during the COVID-shortened 2021 season, exploded with a .416 average in 40 games as a sophomore with a .505 on-base percentage and .633 slugging percentage ... nine doubles, nine triples (second in the state) and three home runs with 33 RBIs and 27 steals (fifth in the state) ... his total for triples in a season and career (10) are Hancock College records while his 27 steals and 11 hit by pitches in 2022 are second in the record book ... Bulldogs were 21-19 in 2022 ... postseason honors include first-team All-Western State Conference, second-team ABCA/Rawlings Southern California All-Region for the Pacific Association Division, WSC Gold Glove and ABCA/Rawlings Pacific Coast Association Gold Glove awards (no errors in 90 chances in the outfield) ... elected to transfer to Cal Poly "because the academic and athletic programs are known throughout the country as being one of the top schools for personal development and career goals; I also liked that it was so close to my hometown" ... named to state all-academic team and earned team's scholar-athlete award ... has helped with youth sports clinics ... played summer ball for Kelowna Falcons in West Coast League, hitting .327 with 12 doubles, a triple, two home runs and 29 RBIs with 10 steals.

High School -- A 2020 graduate of Righetti High School in Santa Maria, Calif. ... was a dual-sport athlete as a member of the baseball and football teams ... earned first-team All-Ocean League honors during both his junior and senior seasons in baseball ... hit .354 as a sophomore and .287 as a junior ... was able to play in six games as a senior in 2020 after recovering from a football injury, batting .550 with 11 hits, nine runs scored and three doubles before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the season ... in football had seven interceptions as a junior en route to first-team all-league, All-CIF-Southern Section and third-team all-state honors as a defensive back before his senior season was cut short by a fractured ankle.

Personal -- Son of James and Barbera Steels ... father was a member of the San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, and San Francisco Giants from 1980 to 1992 and a standout baseball and football player at Santa Maria High School ... two sisters, Jaimi Starr and Janae Amaya ... wants to be a professional baseball player ... hobbies include going to the beach, playing video games and working out ... has traveled to seven different countries ... born in Santa Maria, Calif. ... majoring in interdisciplinary studies.