College of Marin baseball standout Alec Kenilvort was selected Saturday by the Colorado Rockies in the 15th round. He is the fifth College of Marin Mariners pitcher to be drafted into Major League Baseball in the last three years.
Kenilvort, the 443rd overall pick, has agreed to sign with the Rockies.
"Alec has really worked hard at perfecting his craft of pitching and dedicating himself to the work ethic and the commitment it takes to be successful pitcher," said Steve Berringer, head baseball coach for College of Marin. "I'm really proud of what he's accomplished."
The journey to the big leagues hasn't been easy. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound, right-handed pitcher, was a star pitcher at Drake High School. He graduated in 2011 and attended Sonoma College before coming to College of Marin. He was red-shirted for spring 2013 and struggled initially to improve his academic performance.
Last summer he played for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots in the Alaska Baseball League where College of Marin Pitching Coach Conor Bird manages the team in the summer. Bird worked closely with Kenilvort, whose two-seam "sinker" has been clocked at up to 93 miles. In addition to an overhand curve pitch, Kenilvort recently added a "slider" to his pitching repertoire. This year, he was the Bay Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year.
"Alec's story is one that is about perseverance and being able to overcome obstacles," Berringer said, noting that Kenilvort received the Student Athlete Achievement Award this year and has several invitations for scholarships.
Noting the string of Major League drafts in recent years, Matthew Markovich, College of Marin athletic director, said it is a testament to the coaching staff.
"Coaches Berringer and Bird are both such fantastic teachers," Markovich said. "They both spend a lot of time and effort getting to know the young men and helping them get to the goals they want to achieve. They spend a lot of time teaching about baseball as well as life."
Kenilvort's younger brother Brandon is a starter on the COM basketball team.
The College of Marin baseball program is considered one of the premier community college programs in Northern California. This year, the team ranked ninth in 2014 Preseason California Community College Athletic Association rankings and won the Bay Valley Conference title with 15-6 for the season.
The other four Mariner pitchers to be drafted in the last three years include:
• Will White, Miami Marlins (2013)
• Tyler Ihrig, Chicago Cubs (2013)
• Patrick John Conroy, Kansas City Royals (2012)
• Cory Bostjancic, San Diego Padres (2012)
"We are becoming a place where high school pitchers can go and have great success and achieve their dreams," Markovich said.
Berringer, who was named Bay Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2009, played shortstop in 1993-94 and as 3d baseman for USF for the COM Mariners in a championship year (1994). He has coached the team for 17 years, 15 years as head coach.