Chris Joyce is in his first year as an assistant coach with the Lakeland baseball team.
Joyce is beginning his coaching career after playing at the high school, college and pro levels. Most recently he was in the Cincinnati Reds organization, playing at the rookie and high A levels in the minor leagues in 2011-12 as a left-handed pitcher. Most recently, he played for the Bakersfield Blaze of the class A California League in 2012, appearing in 31 games as a relief pitcher and posting a 4-4 record with 33 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings pitched.
Joyce signed to play professionally after spending three years at the collegiate level. He redshirted his freshman year at NCAA Division I UC Santa Barbara, then transferred to Central Arizona Junior College for his sophomore year, where he was named a junior college All-American and was eventually drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 29th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft. Joyce returned to college for another year, spending his junior year at Santa Barbara Community College, and once again received junior college All-American honors before being drafted by the Reds in the 19th round of the 2011 MLB Draft.
Joyce also played summer college baseball for the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Collegiate League from age 16 until signing professionally in 2011.
A native of Santa Barbara, Calif., Joyce is a graduate of Dos Pueblos High School. He also recently was named the bullpen coach of the Gary SouthShore Railcats of the American Association professional independent league, and along with fellow Lakeland assistant Sean Repay will serve as a coach there this summer.
