RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Felician College graduate Aaron Brill (West Palm Beach, Fla./John I. Leonard) recently signed an independent professional baseball contract with the Pittsburg (Calif.) Diamonds of the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs.
Brill's signing with the Diamonds represents a second chance in pro ball. After helping lead the Golden Falcons to the 2014 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) championship, he joined the Quebec Capitales of the Can-Am League last July. But he hit just .139 with Quebec before needing offseason hip surgery.
"It was a long, arduous process this winter to get back into baseball shape," said Brill, 24. "But I was committed and worked very hard. It paid off as I have made a full recovery and was granted this opportunity with the Diamonds."
Brill was primarily a shortstop during his two years with Felician. As a senior, he was named the Daktronics NCAA Division II East Region Player of the Year and the CACC Player of the Year. Brill amassed 144 hits as a Golden Falcon, and is No. 5 at the school with a .357 career batting average. His 22-game hitting streak and 11 triples in 2014 are program records.
Brill played one season each for Division-I University of Maryland-Baltimore County and Kirkwood Community College before taking a "redshirt" season in 2012. He collected more than 200 collegiate base hits, and completed his BA in psychology at Felician in 2014. He is a 2009 graduate of John I. Leonard High of Greenacres, Fla.
Brill expects to see the majority of his time with Pittsburg as a second baseman. He is 2 for 11 on the season heading into next week's three-game series against the Sonoma Stompers.
"The plan is to keep working hard and getting chances to play," Brill said. "My goal remains to keep moving up and ultimately get a shot to play affiliated baseball."
The Diamonds were founded in 2014. They were known as the Pittsburg Mettle last season.
A list of former Felician players to sign professional baseball contracts can be viewed at www.felicianathletics.com/sports/bsb/archive/pros.
