Engineering graduate training for MLB draft
Kerrington Cross was named Big 12 Player of the Year
Born in Hawaii and raised in Brownsburg, Indiana, Kerrington Cross found a love for baseball at just five years old. Throughout his childhood and into high school, he was dedicated to the sport, hoping to play at the next level. He received several college offers, but one thing made the University of Cincinnati stand out from the rest: its cooperative education program.
With a passion for engineering that nearly matched his love of baseball, Cross was determined to pursue both of his interests in college.
"UC allowed me to do both baseball and engineering," Cross said.
Now the Big 12 Player of the Year is hoping to hear his name called in Major League Baseball's draft on July 13-14.
Cross's baseball recruitment came at him fast in high school. After a standout weekend performance, the calls started rolling in. He participated in a couple of Prep Baseball Report showcases to get his name out there, eventually receiving offers from half a dozen universities. The connection he formed with the coaching staff made UC the right fit to continue his athletic career, and the academic programs at the College of Engineering and Applied Science made it the right fit for his academic goals.
When I came to UC, I loved the campus, I loved the coaches, and it made it really easy to fully commit
Kerrington Cross, UC College of Engineering and Applied Science
Kerrington Cross was named Big 12 Player of the Year. Photo/University of Cincinnati Athletics
And fully commit he did — from the moment he stepped on campus to the day he graduated with his chemical engineering degree.
"When I came to UC, I loved the campus, I loved the coaches, and it made it really easy to fully commit," Cross said.
Through UC's cooperative education (co-op) program, students alternate semesters between academic coursework and full-time industry or research jobs, applying what they've learned in the classroom to the real world. For many student athletes, the time committed to their sport can feel like a full-time job, making the addition of co-op experiences a unique challenge.
For Cross, discipline and time management were key to his overall success. He spent all of his co-op semesters working at L'Oreal's 24-hour manufacturing site in Florence, Ky., outside Cincinnati. The company offered him flexibility in his schedule, ensuring he would be on campus in time for practices, workouts, and team meetings.
"L'Oreal really put trust in me and helped me as a student athlete, and so did the team. My coaches made adjustments and worked with my schedule, even if it meant practicing and lifting by myself," he said.
Kerrington Cross (back row, second from right) completed all his co-op rotations at L'Oreal's manufacturing site in Florence, KY. Photo/provided.
At L'Oreal, Cross progressed through various roles, starting as a packaging co-op, where he worked on tasks such as package line analysis and floor renovations. He later worked as a quality engineering intern, developing packaging line covers and ensuring product torque, weight, and pressure quality standards were met. With each semester, he was entrusted with greater responsibilities and more opportunities to put classroom concepts into practice on co-op.
"My busy schedule is what directed me to succeed," Cross said. "As a student athlete in engineering, your work ethic has to be one step higher than the average person, and I love that aspect of it."
During semesters he was taking classes, he took measures to ensure he wouldn't fall behind. He would speak with his professsors at the beginning of the term, letting them know his baseball schedule. Often, he'd come to class early or stay late to complete exams and assignments. His classmates and group members offered help as well, catching him up on class notes while he was on the road for baseball.
Kerrington Cross was a Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist. Photo/UC Athletics.
Cross worked hard, setting his mind to succeeding both on and off the field, which didn't come without adversity. He shares that during challenging academic semesters, he wold channel that stress into his energy on the field, helpin him to deal with high intensity games. Baseball had its own challenges. During his freshman year, he redshirted and was initially not slated to travel with the team the following season, but he wasn't discouraged. Instead, he worked harder, proving himself to the coaches, and went on to play in every game that season.
In his senior year, Cross was named Big 12 Player of the Year after hitting .396 with 12 home runs, 50 RBIs, 65 runs scored, 50 walks, a .647 slugging percentage, and a .526 on-base percentage, finishing with a career ranking third all-time in UC history. One of the top third basemen in the country, Cross was a Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist. He made Bearcats baseball history, with his 219 career games played ranking eighth all-time at Cincinnati. He was also named a Second Team All-American by D1Baseball, the fourth All-American team he has earned a spot on.
"Finding out I was Big 12 Player of the Year was surreal," he said. "I never thought I would get it because I don't see myself as a standout. Even this season I excelled but didn't want to get my hopes up."
Kerrington Cross worked hard to ensure he didn't fall behind in his engineering classes. Photo/provided.
Cross's advice to other student athlete engineers is to remain disciplined, remain dedicated, and while it's difficult, it's worth it in the long run.
Since graduating from UC in May, Cross has been preparing for the MLB Draft, hoping to hear his name called, taking him to the next level.
"My time here at UC was much more than just baseball," Cross said. "My off-field experience made me who I am today, and the people I met here allowed me to thrive."
Featured image at top: Kerrington Cross made UC baseball history. Photo/Steven Distel/UC Athletics
Become a Bearcat
Whether you’re a first-generation student or from a family of Bearcats, UC is proud to support you at every step along your journey. We want to make sure you succeed — and feel right at home.
Related Stories
Engineering graduate training for MLB draft
June 26, 2025
Kerrington Cross, recent University of Cincinnati chemical engineering graduate, is one of the best third basemen in the country. When choosing where to go to college, he received several offers, but the cooperative education program at UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science made it stand out among the rest. Cross worked hard both on and off the field, and was named Big 12 Player of the Year his senior year.
UC growth continues as Big 12 newbie admits largest class
September 15, 2023
It's now official. The University of Cincinnati enrolled 50,921 students for the fall semester. Growth has been continuous with the student body increasing by 19% during the past decade.
UC's record graduating class prepares for next chapter
April 22, 2024
UC will confer degrees to 7,521 degrees to 7,391 students. (Some students are earning multiple degrees.) Both represent new records at UC for a single graduating class dating back two centuries.