Education
Cassel attended Chatsworth High School, where he set single season records in wins, strikeouts and shutouts.
Cassel attended Chatsworth High School, where he set single season records in wins, strikeouts and shutouts.
Prior to beginning his professional career, he played college baseball at the University of California, Irvine. Cassel has also competed for the United States national baseball team Cassel was named First Team High School All-American.
He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 30th round (902nd overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft, but he did not sign.
He went to college at University of California, Irvine, where he played college baseball for the University of California Irvine Anteaters baseball team in the Big West Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association"s (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division I.
Cassel was then selected by White Sox in seventh round (225th overall) of 2006 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his professional debut in 2006 with the Great Falls White Sox of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, receiving a promotion to the Winston-Salem Warthogs of the Class-A Advanced Carolina League.
In 2007, Cassel pitched for the Bristol White Sox of the Rookie-level Appalachian League and Winston-Salem. In 2008, playing for the Class-Associate of Arts Birmingham Barons, Cassel was named to the Southern League All-Star team
He pitched for Birmingham and the Charlotte Knights of the Class-American Automobile Association International League in 2009 and 2010.
In 2011, he made a total of nine appearances for Bristol, Winston-Salem, and Charlotte. He pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League after the 2011 season. Cassel played for the United States national baseball team in the 2011 Baseball World Cup and the 2011 Pan American Games, winning the silver medal.