Northridge Baseball Academy
Eddie Cornejo enters his third season as head coach of the Matadors and sixth overall with the program in 2024-25. Cornejo is the 11th head baseball coach in Matador history.
With Cornejo on the bench, CSUN has accumulated a 127-87 record with a 74-56 mark in The Big West. The Matadors have also registered five-straight winning seasons for the first time in their Division I history.
In 2024, Cornejo guided CSUN to its third consecutive 30-win season, and second as a head coach, for the first time since 1996-98. Additionally, CSUN reached another benchmark in its history in 2024 with its fourth-straight winning conference record for the first time as a D-1 program.
Cornejo would lead the Matadors to their most wins and their best Big West finish in 21 seasons in his first year at the helm in 2023. After the Matadors were picked to finish seventh in The Big West prior to the year, Cornejo guided the team to a 34-17 overall record and 20-10 league mark, good enough for a second-place finish in conference, as CSUN came a mere tiebreaker away from an NCAA Tournament berth.
Under Cornejo’s direction, the Matadors led The Big West with a team .311 batting average in 2023, which also ranked 16th-best in the nation. CSUN topped the league with 69 stolen bases while the team finished second in runs (388), hits (552), RBI (360), slugging percentage (.472) and on-base percentage (.396). For the second-straight season, CSUN had the fewest strikeouts in the conference (.371).
Seven Matadors collected All-Big West honors in 2023 highlighted by a pair of First-Team selections. Outfielder Jakob Simons would also become just the second Matador and first in 21 seasons to be named Big West Field Player of the Year.
Cornejo succeeded Dave Serrano as head baseball coach after previously serving as associate head coach in 2022. He would join CSUN in 2020 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the program.
In 2022, the Matadors went 32-22 and 17-13 in the Big West, placing fourth in the league standings. Four Matadors were named to the All-Big West Team including three first-team honorees, the program’s most in 20 seasons.
Cornejo helped revamp a Matador lineup in 2022 that lost six position players due to graduation and the MLB Draft, as the Matadors finished in the top five in the league in a host of categories including batting (fourth, .270), doubles (fourth, 93), homers (fourth, 44), slugging (fourth, .404) and runs (fifth, 311).
In 2021, Cornejo helped coach the Matadors to a 21-19 record in a conference only season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CSUN finished fourth in The Big West, winning 15 of its last 21 games. The Matadors were second in the Big West in batting (.296) and on-base percentage (.388). Kai Moody would win a Big West batting title that season, hitting .392.
Cornejo’s first season saw the Matadors record their best start in 27 seasons by going 7-0 to begin 2020. In the shortened-season, CSUN went 10-5 with the second-best record in The Big West.
A nationally-recognized recruiter, Cornejo spent one season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at San Jose State in 2019 before joining the Matadors.
Prior to San Jose State, Cornejo served as the recruiting coordinator at UC Santa Barbara from 2012-18 where he helped recruit five nationally-ranked classes including the 2016 class which ranked No. 9 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball. D1Baseball.com recognized Cornejo as the Top Recruiter in the Big West Conference in 2016.
Cornejo helped coach the Gauchos to the 2013 and 2015 NCAA Regionals and team’s first-ever College World Series berth in 2016.
With Cornejo on the bench, the Gauchos broke their school record of wins against Division I opponents (40) and hosted their first-ever regional in 2015. A year later, he helped UCSB break its Division I win record again with 43 victories as the Gauchos marched deep into the postseason. In 2016, the Gauchos won the Nashville Regional before stunning Louisville with a two-game sweep in the Super Regionals.
He recruited and developed 39 Major League Baseball draft picks while with the Gauchos. The team set a new program record with 10 selections in 2015, which ranked second-best in the nation.
Cornejo also worked as an assistant coach at UC Riverside in 2011 and interim head coach at Riverside City College in 2010. He would guide the recruitment of all 10 sophomores to NCAA and NAIA schools while at Riverside CC.
Before venturing into coaching, Cornejo was an All-American shortstop at Riverside City College where he helped the Tigers win two-straight state titles in 2000 and 2001. He went on to play two seasons at the University of Oklahoma, earning All-Midwest Region and All-Big 12 Conference honors as a second baseman in 2003.
Cornejo was selected in the 13th round of the 2003 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Oakland Athletics. He went on to play six professional seasons in the Oakland and Colorado Rockies organizations, eventually advancing to the Triple-A ranks in 2008.
Cornejo has a master’s degree in education from Cal State San Bernardino and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Oklahoma.
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Eddie Cornejo enters his third season as head coach of the Matadors and sixth overall with the program in 2024-25. Cornejo is the 11th head baseball coach in Matador history.
With Cornejo on the bench, CSUN has accumulated a 127-87 record with a 74-56 mark in The Big West. The Matadors have also registered five-straight winning seasons for the first time in their Division I history.
In 2024, Cornejo guided CSUN to its third consecutive 30-win season, and second as a head coach, for the first time since 1996-98. Additionally, CSUN reached another benchmark in its history in 2024 with its fourth-straight winning conference record for the first time as a D-1 program.
Cornejo would lead the Matadors to their most wins and their best Big West finish in 21 seasons in his first year at the helm in 2023. After the Matadors were picked to finish seventh in The Big West prior to the year, Cornejo guided the team to a 34-17 overall record and 20-10 league mark, good enough for a second-place finish in conference, as CSUN came a mere tiebreaker away from an NCAA Tournament berth.
Under Cornejo’s direction, the Matadors led The Big West with a team .311 batting average in 2023, which also ranked 16th-best in the nation. CSUN topped the league with 69 stolen bases while the team finished second in runs (388), hits (552), RBI (360), slugging percentage (.472) and on-base percentage (.396). For the second-straight season, CSUN had the fewest strikeouts in the conference (.371).
Seven Matadors collected All-Big West honors in 2023 highlighted by a pair of First-Team selections. Outfielder Jakob Simons would also become just the second Matador and first in 21 seasons to be named Big West Field Player of the Year.
Cornejo succeeded Dave Serrano as head baseball coach after previously serving as associate head coach in 2022. He would join CSUN in 2020 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the program.
In 2022, the Matadors went 32-22 and 17-13 in the Big West, placing fourth in the league standings. Four Matadors were named to the All-Big West Team including three first-team honorees, the program’s most in 20 seasons.
Cornejo helped revamp a Matador lineup in 2022 that lost six position players due to graduation and the MLB Draft, as the Matadors finished in the top five in the league in a host of categories including batting (fourth, .270), doubles (fourth, 93), homers (fourth, 44), slugging (fourth, .404) and runs (fifth, 311).
In 2021, Cornejo helped coach the Matadors to a 21-19 record in a conference only season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CSUN finished fourth in The Big West, winning 15 of its last 21 games. The Matadors were second in the Big West in batting (.296) and on-base percentage (.388). Kai Moody would win a Big West batting title that season, hitting .392.
Cornejo’s first season saw the Matadors record their best start in 27 seasons by going 7-0 to begin 2020. In the shortened-season, CSUN went 10-5 with the second-best record in The Big West.
A nationally-recognized recruiter, Cornejo spent one season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at San Jose State in 2019 before joining the Matadors.
Prior to San Jose State, Cornejo served as the recruiting coordinator at UC Santa Barbara from 2012-18 where he helped recruit five nationally-ranked classes including the 2016 class which ranked No. 9 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball. D1Baseball.com recognized Cornejo as the Top Recruiter in the Big West Conference in 2016.
Cornejo helped coach the Gauchos to the 2013 and 2015 NCAA Regionals and team’s first-ever College World Series berth in 2016.
With Cornejo on the bench, the Gauchos broke their school record of wins against Division I opponents (40) and hosted their first-ever regional in 2015. A year later, he helped UCSB break its Division I win record again with 43 victories as the Gauchos marched deep into the postseason. In 2016, the Gauchos won the Nashville Regional before stunning Louisville with a two-game sweep in the Super Regionals.
He recruited and developed 39 Major League Baseball draft picks while with the Gauchos. The team set a new program record with 10 selections in 2015, which ranked second-best in the nation.
Cornejo also worked as an assistant coach at UC Riverside in 2011 and interim head coach at Riverside City College in 2010. He would guide the recruitment of all 10 sophomores to NCAA and NAIA schools while at Riverside CC.
Before venturing into coaching, Cornejo was an All-American shortstop at Riverside City College where he helped the Tigers win two-straight state titles in 2000 and 2001. He went on to play two seasons at the University of Oklahoma, earning All-Midwest Region and All-Big 12 Conference honors as a second baseman in 2003.
Cornejo was selected in the 13th round of the 2003 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Oakland Athletics. He went on to play six professional seasons in the Oakland and Colorado Rockies organizations, eventually advancing to the Triple-A ranks in 2008.
Cornejo has a master’s degree in education from Cal State San Bernardino and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Oklahoma.
Bobby Andrews enters his fourth season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator to the CSUN Baseball team in 2024-25.
Since Andrews has joined CSUN, the Matadors have registered a 96-63 overall record and 53-37 record in The Big West in three seasons.
With Andrews on the bench, CSUN has posted three consecutive 30-win seasons for the first time since 1996-98.
In 2023, the Matadors notched their most wins (34) and best Big West finish (second place) in 21 seasons. CSUN finished a mere tiebreaker away from an NCAA Tournament berth.
Andrews helped mentor a Matador offense that led the Big West in batting average (.311) as well in 2023. CSUN would pace the league with 69 stolen bases while the team finished second in runs (388), hits (552), RBI (360), slugging percentage (.472) and on-base percentage (.396). For the second-straight season, CSUN had the fewest strikeouts in the conference (.371).
In Andrews’ first season at CSUN, the Matadors posted a 32-win season and a 17-13 mark in the Big West, placing fourth in the league standings. The Matadors also finished in the top five in The Big West in a host of categories including batting average (fourth, .270), home runs (fourth, 44) and runs (fifth, 311). CSUN also struck out the least amount of times of any Big West team.
Andrews joined the Matadors after spending the previous two seasons at USC as the team’s volunteer assistant coach. Working under head coach Jason Gill, Andrews primarily worked with the Trojans’ outfielders and hitters. In two seasons, Andrews helped USC post a 31-25 overall record including a 10-5 mark in the shortened 2020 season.
Prior to USC, Andrews also worked for Gill at Loyola Marymount for seven seasons from 2013-19 in a variety of roles. Andrews began working as the team’s director of baseball operations before moving into a volunteer assistant coaching role in 2014. He was promoted to assistant coach in 2017 and spent his final three seasons in that position. Andrews helped guide LMU to the program’s first postseason appearance in 19 seasons in 2019 after winning the West Coast Conference.
Before his coaching career, Andrews played six years professionally including four years in the Baltimore Orioles organization. Andrews appeared in 327 career games at the pro ranks, reaching as high as the Double-A level. He produced 254 hits, 170 runs scored, 91 RBI, 84 stolen bases, 34 doubles, 10 triples and seven home runs in his professional career.
As a collegiate player, Andrews lettered three seasons with Cal State Fullerton from 2003-05 including two seasons when Serrano was a member of the coaching staff. Primarily playing in right field, Andrews was a starter on the Titans’ 2004 National Championship team. He batted .325 with 21 runs and 15 RBI that season. A year later, he would be selected in the seventh round of the 2005 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Baltimore Orioles.
Andrews was also a standout player at Rancho Buena Vista School. He helped his team win a Division I CIF championship in 2002. He was named High School Male Athlete of the Year as a senior.
Andrews earned a degree in communications with an emphasis in entertainment studies from Cal State Fullerton in 2010.
Jon Strauss enters his first season as an assistant coach and pitching coach to the CSUN Baseball team in 2024-25.
Strauss brings to CSUN nearly 30 years of coaching experience.
He completed a seven-year stint on the coaching staff at Baylor (2016-22), helping the Bears to three NCAA Regional appearances from 2017-19. In 2017, Strauss mentored a decorated pitching staff in All-American closer Troy Montemayor and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Montana Parsons. Strauss coached five pitchers to All-Big 12 honors, three of which were drafted in Cody Bradford along with All-Americans Kyle Hill and Luke Boyd. In 2018, Strauss earned recognition as one of the top assistants by D1Baseball as his pitching staff boasted the lowest ERA in the Big 12 while Bradford became the first Big 12 Pitcher of the Year in program history.
Strauss spent six seasons at Pepperdine (2010-15) as the team’s pitching coach and recruiting coordinator, helping the Waves to a pair WCC regular season titles, two WCC Tournament titles, three NCAA Regional appearances and one Super Regional berth while he developed 12 pitchers that were selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Prior to Pepperdine, Strauss completed three different stints at Long Beach State as an assistant coach from 1995-00, 2006 and 2008-09. He would help the Dirtbags to three Big West championships along with three NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighted by a third-place finish at the 1998 College World Series. In 2008, Strauss helped coached five pitchers that were selected in the first five rounds of the MLB Draft including Big West Pitcher of the Year Andrew Liebel while 65 total pitchers signed pro contracts.
Strauss’ coaching career also includes stops at San José State and LMU, and a head coaching stint at Glendale Community College where he compiled a 66-25 overall record and two league titles while being named Western State Conference Coach of the Year.
As a player, Strauss spent two seasons at the College of the Canyons before playing at catcher at Long Beach State for College World Series runs in 1993 and 1994. After college, Strauss spent a year in the New York Yankees’ organization.
Nate Esposito enters his first season as an assistant coach to the CSUN Baseball team in 2024-25.
Esposito comes to Northridge after serving as an undergraduate assistant coach at Oregon State from 2023-24. During his time with the Beavers, he worked with the team’s catchers and served as first base coach. With Esposito on the bench, the Beavers posted a pair of 40-win seasons and NCAA Tournament berths each season, highlighted by a Super Regional appearance in 2024.
As a player, Esposito lettered and played at catcher with Oregon State from 2012-14, playing in 41 games before concluding his collegiate career at Concordia-Portland.
Esposito was selected in the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Kansas City Royals as he went on to complete six years in professional baseball. In the Royals’ organization, Esposito played in 228 total games and advanced to the Triple-A level where he amassed 145 hits, 27 doubles, four home runs and 56 RBI over his career. Esposito retired from professional baseball after 17 games with Triple-A Omaha in 2021.
Prior to college and pro ball, Esposito was a standout prep player at Granite Bay High School where he was an all-league and all-city selection while he played in the 2010 Area Code Games. He was also drafted out of high school by the Oakland Athletics in 2011.
Brendan Brooks enters his first season as director of player development to the CSUN Baseball team in 2024-25.
Brooks joins CSUN after serving as an assistant coach at Riverside City College from 2023-24. He helped the Tigers post a 27-17 record this past season, advancing to the SoCal Super Regional round.
Brooks began his collegiate career at UC Irvine playing for head coach Mike Gillespie where he spent two seasons from 2018-19. He led UCI in batting as a freshman, earning All-Big West Honorable Mention accolades while he helped the Anteaters to consecutive 30-win seasons.
Brooks would finish his collegiate career at UNLV, playing his last two seasons with the Rebels. As a senior, he was awarded All-Mountain West First Team honors as a shortstop after batting .407 with five homers and 22 RBI. Brooks also led the Rebels in on-base percentage (.538) and walks in his final season.
A SoCal native, Brooks played prep baseball at Norco High School where he was a four-year all-league player at shortstop.
Freddy Smith returns to the CSUN Baseball staff in 2024-25 after previously spending two seasons with the Matadors as director of player development.
Smith has enjoyed success coaching in summer baseball over his career. He has spent three seasons as field manager of the Willmar Stingers of the Northwoods League from 2022-24. Smith was named Manager of the Year in 2023 where the Stingers posted a franchise-best 51-16 record and finished with a No. 1 seed. He also led the Stingers to breaking a team record in runs scored in each of his three seasons including 589 in 2024. In his three seasons in Willmar, the team has gone 144-64.
Smith spent the 2024 season at Georgia State University working as the team’s director of player development. On the year, Georgia State led the Sun Belt Conference with 105 home runs while ranking second in slugging percentage (.507).
Smith previously spent two seasons as a graduate assistant with Hawai’i from 2022-23. With the Rainbow Warriors, Smith primarily assisted with the infielders and hitters. In his two seasons on the bench in Manoa, Hawai’i posted a 57-44 record while the Bows posted single-season bests since joining The Big West in home runs (36), doubles (100), runs per game (6.3) and slugging percentage (.416).
Prior to Hawai’i, Smith served as director of player development for CSUN Baseball under then head coach Dave Serrano from 2020-21. Over those two seasons, CSUN posted a 31-24 overall record including a 10-5 record in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. In 2021, the Matadors led The Big West in stolen bases (60) and walks (198) in conference play while posting their best on-base percentage (.388) in 19 seasons and their best batting average (.296) in 11 seasons.
Smith also served as an infield coach for the Waterloo Bucks of the Northwoods League from 2020-21. He worked as infield and hitting coach as the team went 70-38 and won the Minnesota and Iowa Division Championship in 2020. As a hitting coach for the Bucks, the team was first in batting average (.277), on-base percentage (.388) and runs per game (6.9) in 2021.
A CSUN alum, Smith spent two seasons with the Matadors from 2016-17 where he batted a career .291 with 134 hits, 65 runs, 48 RBI, 23 walks, 22 doubles to go with a .970 fielding percentage.
As a junior, Smith occupied the leadoff spot in the lineup and finished second in The Big West in hits (75) while he topped CSUN in batting at a .314 clip. He was especially difficult to strikeout during the year as he struck out just 22 times in 239 at bats in 2016. Smith would post a 21-game hit streak as well in his junior season. He capped off his CSUN career by starting every game at shortstop as a senior, totaling 59 hits, 31 runs, 29 RBI, 12 doubles and four homers.
Oscar Fernandez is in his first season as a team manager to the CSUN Baseball team in 2023-24.
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Who can participate in the Northridge Baseball Academy Camps?
Our camps are open to all baseball players, regardless of skill level, age, grade level, or gender. We welcome beginners looking to learn the game as well as advanced players seeking to enhance their skills.
What age groups do the Northridge Baseball Academy Camps cater to?
We offer camps that cater to a wide range of age groups, typically spanning from elementary school to high school. We ensure that each camp is tailored to meet the specific needs and skill levels of the participants.
What is the camp schedule like at Northridge Baseball Academy Camps?
The camp schedule may vary depending on the specific camp, but typically, each day is structured with a combination of development broken up by age, skill-building drills, game simulations, and friendly competitions. Rest assured, we create a balanced and engaging schedule to maximize the campers’ learning and enjoyment.
What should my child bring to the Northridge Baseball Academy Camps?
Participants should bring their own baseball equipment, including gloves, bats, helmets, and appropriate footwear. It is also recommended to bring sunscreen, a water bottle, and any necessary medications or allergy information.
What safety measure are in place during the Northridge Baseball Academy Camps?
The safety of our campers is of utmost importance to us. We maintain a safe and secure environment by adhering to all necessary health and safety guidelines. Our staff is trained to provide proper supervision and ensure that all equipment is in good condition.