McAdoo arrived at San Jose State as a recruit from Walnut Creek, a Bay Area community east of Oakland. He could have stayed local and played at Diablo Valley, or Laney College, to continue building his skills against top junior college competition. Instead, he chose to bet on earning playing time with the San Jose State Spartans.
NorCal Baseball
What drove that decision? If McAdoo had spent a year at San Jacinto College in Texas, he might have attracted greater scouting attention and moved through professional baseball more quickly. The same argument could be made for a player coming through a powerhouse JUCO program in Florida such as Chipola College. Yet for reasons that remain unclear, Northern California junior colleges have historically received less attention than their counterparts in other baseball hotbeds.
Ultimately, McAdoo earned a starting role in San Jose State’s infield, and posted impressive power numbers, including 24 home runs and a .968 OPS through his junior season.
Despite lasting until the 13th round, he was selected, and signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023. Toronto later acquired him in a midseason trade involving Isiah Kiner Falefa in 2024. Since then, McAdoo’s power production has continued to command attention.
McAdoo’s Ceiling With The Blue Jays
The numbers do not lie. McAdoo has earned his opportunity in the major leagues. More broadly, his success may prompt a new realization. When it comes to California baseball, some of the state’s most valuable talent may be developing at programs such as St. Mary’s and respected junior college programs like DVC, Ohlone, or Fresno City College. People in these communities already know how good these players are. It is well past time for more Major League Baseball organizations to recognize it as well.
