Selected in the 9th round (No. 273 overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees out of USC... signed with the Yankees on July 17, 2021... was prevously selected in the 38th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Angels but did not sign... traded by the Yankees with LHP T.J. Sikkema and RHP Beck Way to the Kansas City Royals for LF Andrew Benintendi on July 27, 2022.
Pitched three seasons a USC from 2019-2021... went 4-4 with a 5.06 and 69 strikeouts over 85 2/3 innings in his final collegiate season... appeared in six games for the Trojans in 2020 before the season was canceled by the Covid-19 pandemic... made 15 appearances as a freshman in 2019, striking out 32 in 45 innings... posted a 5-8 record with a 5.31 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 127 innings in college.
Prior to Southern California, Champlain attended Santa Margarita Catholic (Calif.) High School where he earned All-Trinity League honors each of his three varisty seasons... was named a 2017 Under Armour All-American… played for Team USA Youth National Teams from 2014-17… was the second-ranked pitcher, ninth-ranked player overall, in California for the class of 2018 according to Perfect Game and the 28th-ranked pitcher nationally… hit .387 his senior year and had 63 strikeouts in 58 innings on the mound... played travel ball for CBA Marucci... son of Robyn and Jay Champlain… his father, Jay, was a 1981 letterman on the USC football team and was a member of the Trojans’ 1978 National Championship squad… mother, Robyn, and brother, Jayson, also attended USC… majored in communications at USC… told USC his hobbies include surfing, fishing, golfing and spending time with friends… told USC he hoped to one day visit every MLB stadium