Expected to start at first base or be Cal Poly’s designated hitter in his first season as a Mustang, Elijah Skipps could also play in the outfield.
At Cypress College he was a .333 hitter with 50 hits in 46 games as a sophomore. Skipps had 12 doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 35 RBI with three stolen bases. He compiled .462 on-base percentage and .510 slugging percentage. His eight home runs were eighth in the state and his 32 walks also were No. 8. He helped the Chargers to a 31-15 overall record and a spot in the California Community College State Championships, finishing 1-2. He has played for the summer league Pacific Union Financial Capitalists in 2015 and Bellingham Bells of the West Coast League in 2016 (.215, eight doubles, two home runs and 13 RBI).
While he attended Arizona — Skipps appeared in eight games with one start at Arizona in 2015, collecting one hit and driving in one run.
Skipps was a 2014 graduate of Cypress High School. He is a switch-hitter who throws right-handed and played under head coach John Weber. He earned All-Empire League honors three times, was named league MVP in 2014 and was named to the All-CIF-Southern Section Division 2 team. Skipps led the Centurions to a pair of Empire League titles and the 2013 CIF-Southern Section Division 2 championship. As a senior at Cypress, Skipps hit .360 with a .477 on-base percentage, three home runs, 29 runs scored and 17 RBI. He batted .337, with two triples, 13 RBIs and 17 runs scored. As a junior in 2013, he was named a 2014 Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American. Skipps played for the Miami Marlins scout team in Jupiter, Florida at the 2013 Perfect Game World Wood Bat Association (WWBA) Championship.
Skipps is the son of Van and Agnes Skipps and has one brother, Jeremiah. He chose to attend Cal Poly because of its “academics and baseball program’. He was born May 28, 1996, in Irvine, Calif. and is majoring in business administration.
