▁Marina ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Hun ting ton ▁Beach , ▁California ▁for ▁his ▁senior ▁year . ▁ ▁C resse ▁committed ▁to ▁attend ▁Louisiana ▁State ▁University ▁( LS U ) ▁to ▁play ▁college ▁baseball ▁for ▁the ▁L SU ▁Tig ers ▁baseball ▁team . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁teams ▁sh ied ▁away ▁from ▁draft ing ▁C resse ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁r ounds ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁D raft . ▁The ▁D od gers ▁selected ▁C resse ▁in ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁round . ▁He ▁rejected ▁an ▁offer ▁from ▁the ▁D od gers , ▁opt ing ▁not ▁to ▁sign ▁a ▁professional ▁contract ▁and ▁instead ▁ful fill ▁his ▁commit ment ▁to ▁L SU . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁s oph om ore , ▁C resse ▁hit ▁ 2 9 ▁home ▁runs ▁and ▁recorded ▁ 9 0 ▁runs ▁batt ed ▁in ▁( R B Is ). ▁However , ▁a ▁broken ▁b one ▁in ▁his ▁right ▁hand ▁limited ▁his ▁performance ▁during ▁his ▁junior ▁year . ▁As ▁a ▁senior , ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁Johnny ▁Ben ch ▁Award ▁as ▁the ▁top ▁colleg iate ▁catch er ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁College ▁World ▁Series ▁winner ▁L SU ▁Tig ers . ▁ ▁C resse ▁went ▁und raft ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁D raft . ▁He ▁was ▁draft ed ▁by ▁the ▁Arizona ▁Diam ond back s ▁in ▁the ▁fifth ▁round ▁( 1 5 9 th ▁overall ) ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁Major