Chris Amaya enters his second stint with the Utica Blue Sox for the 2022 season, having been the pitching coach and then manager for the club when they were known as the Brewers from 2013-2015.

Amaya boasts 20 year of coaching experience all together. The Rancho Cucamonga, CA native has been able to avoid straying too far away from his hometown in the majority of his coaching experience, getting his start as an assistant at Etiwanda HS in 2003. He then made the move to his alma mater of Rancho Cucamonga HS in 2004 as an assistant. In 2007 he became the head coach for the Cougars, in a stint that lasted until 2011.

The 2022 season in Utica will be Amaya’s fourth in summer collegiate baseball. He was the pitching coach for the the North Adams SteepleCats in 2008, a season that ended in a NECBL Southern Division Championship. In 2012 Amaya spent some time as a coach for the Boston Red Sox Scout Team as well.

Amaya, a 1998 graduate of Rancho Cucamonga HS, was a three-year starter for the Cougars as a pitcher and catcher amassing two All-Mt. Baldy League selections and an All-Inland Valley selection during his career. He played with the Anaheim Angels scout team as a senior as well.

He went on to attend Cal-Poly Pomona, a DII school in the CCAA Conference. A three-time CCAA Conference Pitcher of the Week, Amaya was tabbed the Pitcher of the Year for the Broncos as a freshman in 1999. After his four years with the program, he left the Broncos with the 10th most pitching appearances in program history. Amaya graduated in 2002 with a B.A. in History.

For Amaya, coaching and teaching have gone hand in hand. He is now in his 20th year as a teacher and has been teaching History and Government at his alma mater of RCHS since the fall of 2003. He is also in his second year as the Assistant Athletic Director for the Cougars athletic department.

Amaya currently resides in his hometown of Rancho Cucamonga, CA with his wife of 18 years, Melany. They have three children, Bret and Colin (17), who are twins and play baseball for the Cougars, and Justin (14) who is a high-level guitar player.

Amaya on returning to Utica:

“I am absolutely thrilled to be back coaching in Utica. I am excited to be a Blue Sock under George’s leadership, to see how far the organization has come on and off the field since 2015 is a testament to his leadership and vision. I can’t wait to work alongside Doug and with the players to make 2022 the most successful season in Blue Sox history and bring home a PGCBL Championship for the first time.”