Jeff Kaplan is in his sixth season as an assistant coach with the Irvine Valley baseball program and coach Kent Madole is happy to have the former Laser standout on his staff.

Kaplan played two seasons (2004, 2006) at Irvine Valley.

He was forced to sit out the entire 2005 season with an arm injury, but posted a 5-5 record with a 2.56 ERA as a sophomore in 2006, ranking fourth in conference in ERA and second in strikeouts (100).

He tallied an Irvine Valley College record of 100 strikeouts in 84.1 innings and held opponents to just a .196 batting average in 2006. Kaplan also set an individual game strikeout record (12) in a complete-game win over Santa Ana on Apr. 29, 2006. He was named to the 2006 All-Orange Empire Conference first team.

Kaplan received a scholarship to move on from Irvine Valley to perennial power Cal State Fullerton.

He was the team's most consistent starter in 2007, making 19 starts in 20 appearances.

Kaplan tied for 16th in the nation and ranked tied for 3rd in the Big West Conference with 11 wins. He was named to the All-Big West second team and was also named the Titans' Co-Most Outstanding Pitcher with Wes Roemer at the 2007 team awards banquet.

Kaplan was drafted by the New York Mets in the 11th round of the 2008 MLB June Amateur Draft.

He played from 2008 to 2012 in the minor leagues for the Mets and spent last season with an independent minor league team in Quebec, Canada.

Kaplan reached AA in 2011 and 2012 with the Mets.

Kaplan finished his minor league career with a record of 21-17 with a 3.55 ERA.

He also pitched with the Israeli national team during the 2013 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers.

Kaplan attended Dana Hills High and was a two-time all-South Coast League first team player. He helped the Dolphins to a 20-8 overall record in 2002, which was the best overall record in the school's history.