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Post by chris webb on Nov 13, 2009 11:30:56 GMT -5
MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State baseball head coach Greg Beals announced the signings of seven players to national letters of intent Thursday during the early signing period. The seven players will join the Cardinals for the 2011 season.
Joining the Cardinals are Jacob Brewer (South Bend, Ind./St. Joseph), Cody Campbell (Muncie, Ind./Cowan), Derek Hannahs (Robinson, Ill./Robinson), Tyler Jordan (Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington South), Kenneth Mahala (Highland, Ind./Andrean), Mitch Overley (Zionsville, Ind./Brebeuf) and T.J. Weir (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo).
“I am very pleased to announce this year’s recruiting class as coach Stafford, coach Marconi and myself have worked hard to attract this group to Ball State University,” Beals said. “This class exemplifies all the characteristics we are looking for in student-athletes – a history of success in the classroom and on the field, hard working players with development on their mind and tough competitors
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Post by chris webb on Nov 16, 2009 12:39:05 GMT -5
DeKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois baseball program announced its
incoming class of 11 signees from the class of 2010.
“We are excited about this large group,” said Mathey. “With this
year’s group of seniors that will be graduating, we will have some
holes to fill. We feel this group will go a long way in doing that.
“Our coaches, Jocko [Steve Joslyn], Ray [Napientek], and Jason
[Smith], worked very hard on this class and, along with the entire
athletic department, did a great job in bringing these guys to the
Northern Illinois Baseball program. These kids have tremendous
character, great work ethic, are very good academically, and have a
strong desire to bring MAC baseball titles to our campus.”
The talented group of future Huskies ranks as head coach Ed Mathey’s
largest recruiting class during his tenure at Northern Illinois. The
class, which is full of large, athletic frames of raw talent, is
composed of eight players from the state of Illinois with one each from
Arizona, Minnesota and Missouri.
“That (the size of the class) was due in part to the number of
vacancies created,” said Mathey. “We want to have kids be able to
get used to the college game as we refresh the roster. I also think it
bodes well for NIU baseball when you have the quality and quantity of
guys that we signed. It speaks well for our reputation and what we have
to offer. I believe our fans and alumni will be excited and proud of
this group as they progress through our program.”
Below are bios on each of the 11 signees including a scouting report
from NIU coaching staff.
Eli Anderson
RHP
6-1, 200
Glenview, Ill./New Trier Township
High School Coach: Mike Napoleon
High School: Posted a 3-1 record with a 1.65 ERA, 30 strikeouts and
three saves in 29.2 innings over seven games during his junior season …
Saved the 4A State Championship Game for New Trier, who posted a 32-7,
12-2 record in the Central Suburban Conference.
Personal: Born June 18, 1992 … Son of Rick and Benita Anderson …
Intends to major in physical therapy … Named Honor Roll in six semesters
… Aspires to be a physical therapist … Volunteers at the Glenview Public
Library … Admires Jonathan Papelbon for his mental approach to pitching …
Played for the Top Tier program in the summer.
Coach Napientek: “Eli is a power pitcher with a lot of upside. He is
a big kid and has a good lower half with strong legs. He’s a hard
worker and comes from one of the best high school programs in
Illinois.”
Anthony Andres
LHP/OF
6-0, 185
Western Springs, Ill./St. Rita of Cascia
High School Coach: Mike Zunica
High School: Two-time varsity letterman at St. Rita of Cascia H.S. …
Named to second team All-Chicago Catholic League Blue for his junior
season … Hit at a .440 clip with 20 runs, three home runs and 21 RBI in
38 games, and was 5-0, with 39 strikeouts, one save, a 3.87 ERA in 38
innings over 13 games on the mound as part of the Illinois class 4A
state runner-up team in 2009 that went 35-7, 11-3 in league play … As a
sophomore, logged 54.1 innings over 13 games, posting a 7-2 mark with
three complete games, 65 strikeouts and a 3.09 ERA for a 29-8, 9-5
Mustangs squad.
Personal: Born May 5, 1992 … Son of Jim and Ann Andres … Intends to
major in business and minor in physical therapy … Aspires to play pro
baseball … Made Honor Roll at St. Rita of Cascia H.S. in two semesters …
Admires Derek Jeter because of his leadership … Won a bronze medal as
part of Team USA in the 2004 COPABE Pan-Am Games … Member of the 2008
Cangelosi Baseball Academy WWBA second place team … Played for Dave
Payton and Bill Copp with the Illinois Sparks Baseball Program.
Coach Napientek: “Anthony is a strike-throwing lefty that changes
speeds and locates the ball well. He is a tough competitor that has
already played against some good competition, and played for the
Illinois summer state championship team and the runner-up in the 4A
state spring championship.”
Coach Joslyn: “He has some potential with the bat as well, and could
possibly see time in the outfield.”
Bo Andrews
RHP/OF
5-10, 180
Roscoe, Ill./Harlem
High School Coach: Doug Livingston
High School: During his NIC-10 all-conference junior season, recorded
48 hits in 82 at-bats with 18 doubles, five triples, six home runs, 35
runs scored, 42 RBI, while also contributing a 5-2 record, two saves,
and a 1.85 ERA on the mound ... Had 44 hits in 80 at-bats with 30 runs,
four home runs, and 35 RBI in his sophomore season with a 4-1 pitching
record and 2.65 ERA ... Has collected two varsity letters for baseball
and one for basketball ... Participated in the Plainfield Showcase
All-Star Game as a junior ... Named team MVP for basketball sophomore
year ... Helped lead the Huskies to a 20-5 record, 16-3 conference
record and second place conference finish as a junior … Led Harlem to a
23-2 record, 19-0 in conference as a sophomore, winning the NIC-10
title.
Personal: Born May 5, 1992 … Intends to major in physical education
with a minor in coaching ... Son of Todd and Kristi Andrews ... Sister,
Mandi, attends Wisconsin-Parkside and plays softball and will graduate
in 2010 ... Stays involved in the community by helping families in need
of food and clothing ... Played for the Downers Grove Longshots travel
baseball team throughout high school, hitting three home runs in a game
once, batting over .400, and throwing a no-hitter … Made Honor Roll in
Fall of 2009 … Admires Ryan Theriot because he made it into MLB despite
his small stature.
Coach Napientek: “Bo has a strong arm and even though he is a little
raw, he has a lot of upside on the mound. He was a solid closer in high
school. Bo is a very good athlete and comes from the same program as
former Huskie Jeff Thomas and current Huskie Austin Smith.”
Joe Battaglia
C
6-2, 200
Westchester, Ill./St. Joseph
High School Coach: Jay Meath
High School: Three-time varsity letterman at St. Joseph H.S. … Twice
named team MVP and captain (Junior, Sophomore) … Scored 21 runs, hit
three home runs and had 24 RBI in 36 games as a junior to help the
Chargers to a Regional Championship … Hit .397 with 29 runs and 31 RBI
in 38 games as a sophomore … Hit .397 with 20 runs and 16 RBI in 35
games as a freshman … Participated in the 2009 Stevenson Showcase
all-star event … Named to East Suburban Catholic Conference
all-conference team for his sophomore season… Twice named to Westchester
Suburban Life all-area team (junior, sophomore).
Personal: Born November 21, 1991 … Son of Jeff and Donna Battaglia …
Intends to major in business … Aspires to own his own restaurant … Made
Honor Roll in seven semesters … Member of Leadership Board, National
Honor Society, and is editor in chief of the sports section for his
school’s yearbook … Admires Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols … His
high school coach, Jay Meath, is the grandson of NIU Hall of Famer Ray
Meath, who was a member of the 1950-51 baseball teams … Played for Rob
Rooney and Matt Rosenburg’s Longshot teams in the summer.
Coach Joslyn: “Joe is a solid catch-and-throw guy behind the plate.
He has great leadership skills, as well as a strong bat and a good,
athletic frame at 6-2, 200 pounds. Joe is a great all-around kid in
terms of academic and athletic ability. He’s a kid that has come to
our camps since his freshman year of high school, and has always wanted
to be a Huskie.“
Chris Divarco
IF
6-4, 218
Long Grove, Ill./Carmel Catholic
High School Coach: Joe May
High School: Batted .415 with 13 runs, three home runs and 15 RBI in 26
games during his junior year at Carmel Catholic H.S. … Named Athlete of
the Month by the National Collegiate Scouting Association in 2009.
Personal: Born May 3, 1992 … Son of Rich and Maggie Divarco … Intends
to major in business administration … Relative John Mitchell is
currently playing hockey at the University of Wisconsin … Admires Derek
Jeter … Selected to White Sox/Bulls Academy Elite Training Academy
All-Star Game at U.S. Cellular Field in 2008 … In 2009, helped Top Tier
club team take fourth place in CABA World Series in Ohio and won the IU
Best of the Midwest tournament.
Coach Joslyn: “Chris is another big kid with a powerful bat that will
continue to get better and more powerful as he grows into his frame.
Chris has a big, strong body at 6-4, 218 pounds. He comes from another
solid high school program, one of the top in Illinois.”
Tom Keating
IF
6-3, 210
Chicago, Ill./St. Laurence
High School Coach: Pete Lotus
High School: Batted .398 in his junior season with 23 runs, nine
doubles, six home runs and 37 RBI to help the Vikings to a Regional
Championship ... Has earned two varsity letters and will be a team
captain in his senior year ... Named all-conference first team and
all-area second team in his junior and sophomore seasons ... Led Vikings
to a Chicago Catholic League Conference Championship his sophomore
season, hitting .407 with 28 runs, 13 doubles, two homers and 34 RBI ...
Currently holds the school career record for doubles and is second on
the lists for RBI, home runs and walks.
Personal: Born March 6, 1992 … Son of Tom and Chris Keating … Intends
to major in business ... Made Honor Roll and was a Leader Scholar in six
semesters at St. Laurence H.S. ... Admires Chase Utley because he is
such a great athlete and is still a modest person … Has played for the
Illinois Sparks travel baseball club and the Los Angeles Dodgers’
Midwest Fall Scout League team.
Coach Joslyn: “Tom has a strong bat with power to all fields. Tom
has a great frame to work off of. He’s a hard worker and has a chance
to leave St. Laurence with a lot of school records, as he finishes his
senior season this spring.”
Alex Klonowski
RHP/IF
6-4, 170
Kearney, Mo./Kearney
High School Coach: Doug Starzl
High School: Three-time varsity letterman … Honored twice on 2009 first
team all-conference as both a pitcher and utility player … Named first
team all-area infielder in 2009 … Hit .348 with 23 runs, two home runs,
22 RBI and 11 steals in 27 games in his junior season with a school
record of only two strikeouts in 89 at-bats … Went 5-2 with four
complete games, a save, 41 strikeouts and a 2.53 ERA in 47 innings over
12 games on the mound as a junior ... Was the starting shooting guard on
varsity basketball team for two years … Named to honorable mention
all-conference and all-area as a junior for the Class Four Missouri High
School State Championship runner-up team.
Personal: Born April 1, 1992 … Son of Mike and Lori Klonowski … Intends
to major in chemistry and minor in accounting … Father Mike played
football at Clarion State University … Was the top student in his class
of 273 students with a 4.0 GPA … Member of National Honor Society and
National Association of Scholars Made Honor Roll in six semesters …
Volunteers for Kearney Recreation Youth Sports … Aspires to attend
medical school to specialize in radiology … Admires Derek Jeter … Part
of 2009 Kansas City Royals Elite Scout Team … Named to the
All-Tournament team in the ICE Wood Bat College Showcase tournament at
the University of Kansas in 2009.
Coach Joslyn: “Alex is a tall, athletic righty pitcher. He also
played hoops and is a great student. He has good hands and is a pretty
smooth fielder, along with being a very personable individual. When
Alex’s body starts to fill out, we are going to see some really good
things out of him.”
Trey Lange
RHP/OF
6-2, 210
Mesa, Az./Skyline
High School Coach: Michael Johnson
High School: Helped the Coyotes reach the second round of the playoffs
for first time in school history as a junior and team captain, hitting
.455 with 23 runs, nine home runs and 35 RBI in 32 games … Also threw
12.2 innings in five games as a junior, going 0-1 with 19 strikeouts and
a 2.21 ERA … Named team MVP, team Slugger of the Year and was an
honorable mention all-state selection as a junior … Named team captain
and won team Silver Bat Award as a sophomore, hitting .467 with 19 runs,
two homers and 27 RBI in 27 games … Was captain of the freshmen team, as
he hit .446 with 24 runs, a homer and 20 RBI in 18 games … Holds Skyline
H. S. records for slugging percentage (.875 in junior year) and home
runs (nine in junior year) in a season, while he was also the first in
program history to hit for the cycle.
Personal: Born May 18, 1992 … Son of Carl Lang and Candy Weinberg …
Intends to major in history … Aspires to be a college baseball coach …
Made Honor Roll in every semester at Skyline H.S. … Played for Legends
Baseball Academy … Was captain of Skyline Baseball Club team … Involved
with Paz De Cristo Homeless Shelter … Admires Tony Womack because he
hustled and played the game the way it is supposed to be played.
Coach Joslyn: “Trey attended our recent Top Dawg Camp, and is a good
athlete with a physical presence. He’s an exciting player that comes
from a great baseball hotbed. He will be the first Arizona recruit that
we’ve brought in. He has a chance to be a very good two-way player at
Northern Illinois.”
Jordan Rishavy
OF
6-2, 195
Rochester, Minn./John Marshall/North Iowa Area C.C.
Junior College Coach: Todd Rima
High School Coach: Terry Heiderscheit
Junior College: Earned all-region honorable mention in his freshman
year for his .337 batting average, 11 doubles, two triples, five steals
and five home runs.
High School: Two-time varsity letterman … Batted .477 with 34 runs, 10
doubles, five home runs, 10 steals and 27 RBI in 28 games during his
senior season on his way to being named first team all-conference and
earning all-state honorable mention Participated in Lions All-Star game
as a senior … Named team captain during on his senior year sectional
championship team … Was an all-state honorable mention wide receiver
during his senior year and was all-conference honorable mention as a
junior.
Personal: Born December 9, 1989 … Son of Jerry and Kim Rishavy …
Intends to major in business … Named to Dean’s List at NIACC in Spring
2009 … Admires Josh Hamilton because of what he has overcame to be a
great MLB player.
Coach Joslyn: “Jordan is another physically gifted kid. He has gap
power from the left side. He is playing at NIACC for Todd Rima, who
we’ve had a long line of front line players from, including Danny
Reed, Jesse Seykora and Chuck Lukanen.”
Kevin Sweeney
RHP/IF
6-2, 175
Chicago, Ill./Fenwick
High School Coach: Dave Hogan
High School: Earned varsity letters as a sophomore and junior and will
be a varsity team captain his senior season ... Helped lead Friars to
21-12 record his junior year, batting .308 with 24 hits, 17 runs and 12
RBI in 32 games ... Also pitched in 46.2 innings as a junior with a 1.80
ERA and 42 strikeouts with a 3-3 record in 46.2 innings over 10 games
... Batted .417 with 33 hits, 25 runs, eight doubles, 21 RBI, and 22
stolen bases in 25 games as a sophomore ... Also pitched 33 innings with
a 4-0 record, 32 strikeouts and a 1.91 ERA in six games as a sophomore
... Lettered three times on the varsity football team at Fenwick H.S.
Personal: Born December 31, 1991 … Son of Jim and Marilyn Sweeney …
Intends to major in engineering or business ... Brother Joe is a
sophomore pitcher at Illinois Wesleyan ... Admires Mark Buehrle because
he was cut from his high school baseball team twice and still made it
into MLB ... Volunteers in coaching grammar school football ... Made
Honor Roll in six semesters … Also plays summer baseball for the
Longshots program … Went to the same high school as former Huskie Mike
Santoro.
Coach Napientek: “He is physically gifted and will grow into a pretty
good frame. He is raw on the mound, but has a strong arm with a lot of
upside. Having played middle infield in high school attests to his
athletic ability.”
Jeff Zimmerman
IF
6-3, 210
Tinley Park, Ill./Victor J. Andrew
High School Coach: Dave DeHaan
High School: Earned a varsity letter for his junior season, helping the
Thunderbolts to a Regional Championship ... Batted .362 with 27 runs,
nine doubles, four home runs and 32 RBI in 35 games as a junior ... Was
named to South West Suburban all-conference first team ... Played in the
Plainfield Showcase, Pitch and Hit Showcase, and played for Team
Illinois during his junior season.
Personal: Born July 5, 1992 … Son of Greg and Loreen Zimmerman … Is
undecided on his major ... National Honor Society member and was a
three-year Honor Roll student ... Volunteers by assisting with area
baseball camps ... Admires Derek Jeter because he is a clutch performer
and a great leader ...
Brother Jake is currently a freshman at NIU, and both parents graduated
from NIU … Played travel baseball for the Tinley Park Bobcats for seven
years and won MVP of the 2009 WWBA Kernels Tournament as a member of the
Cincinnati Reds Midwest Scout Team … His summer league coach has been
Eric Welsh, a former Huskie and minor league player for the Cincinnati
Reds.
Coach Joslyn: “Jeff has a left-handed power bat. He was MVP of the
Perfect Game Kernel Classic this past summer, and that speaks well as to
what he is capable of. At 6-3, 210 pounds, Jeff is another physical
presence and projects to be a middle of the line-up hitter in time.”
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Post by chris webb on Nov 16, 2009 12:39:36 GMT -5
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Head Coach Tracy Smith and the Indiana baseball staff have signed nine players to continue their baseball careers at IU beginning in the 2010-11 season, the program announced today. Blair Betts (Cary, N.C./Athens Drive), Matt Dearden (Newberry, Fla./Gainesville), Dustin DeMuth (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte), Joey DeNato (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines), Ty Downing (Bowling Green, Ky./Greenwood), Eric Kartman (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead), Brian Korte (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder), Chad Martin (Lexington, Ky./Vincennes University) and Reed Reznicek (Vista, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista) have all signed on to join the Hoosier family.
“It is no secret that we lost a plethora of talent from last year’s team through the draft and graduation,” Smith said. “The 2010 class reminds me a lot of last year’s juniors that got drafted, in that we have some definite professional prospects in this incoming group. Because we lost four underclassman pitchers last year to the draft, we felt we needed to go heavy on pitching in this class, and we accomplished that.”
This marks the second year in a row that the Hoosiers have signed prospects from all over the country. After IU signed players from six states to NLIs a year ago, Indiana has seen six states represented in its signees again this season. This national draw has been due to both the Hoosiers’ NCAA Tournament appearance last year and the presence of the Big Ten Network.
“Once again, we were able to pull kids from all over the country to come to IU,” Smith said. “The exposure from the Big Ten Network is huge for us. We can literally pick up the phone and talk to a prospect anywhere in the United States and there is a good chance they have seen us play on TV.”
Betts joins the Hoosiers after posting stellar seasons both at Athens Drive High School and over the summer for the Cary Bulls. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound lefthanded pitcher struck out 76 batters in 49 innings for Athens Drive, while posting a 1.71 ERA to earn all-conference honors for his efforts. For the Bulls, he posted a 1.02 ERA and allowed just 13 hits in 34 innings while striking out 64. He was named team MVP after setting the single-season and career strikeout records.
Smith on Betts: “I had a chance to see Blair pitch last summer in the Tournament of Stars in Cary. The event showcases the top talent in the country. Blair stood out to me because of his ability to compete and his above-average breaking ball. He is a proven winner not only in high school, but also for one of the top amateur programs in the North Carolina under Coach Ron Powell. We are getting a talented left-hander that knows how to pitch.”
Dearden, a 6-foot, 190-pound righty out of Florida, signs with IU after earning two letters for Gainesville High School. The righty, who possesses a fastball in the low 90s, was named Pitcher of the Year, Rookie of the Year and earned his school’s Scholar Athlete Award. He also played for the Florida Hardballers, a select all-star team, and posted an ERA under 2.00 in 50 innings of work.
Smith on Dearden: “I can’t wait to hear the comments about Matt later this spring, because he was kind of flying under the radar this summer. He played a lot of infield for his high school team. He is still learning how to pitch. We saw Matt a couple of times, and both times he demonstrated a power arm. He has a chance to be a dominant pitcher at our level, not only because of his talent, but also his strong desire to get better every time he takes the mound.”
DeMuth joins the Hoosier family after being a three-sport star for LaPorte High School. The middle infielder hit .455 with two home runs and 28 RBI. He also struck out just three times in 95 plate appearances as he led the Slicers to a 21-10 record. He played quarterback for three years for LaPorte and also played basketball, earning all-conference honors in all three sports. His older sister, Jenny, was a two-time All-Big Ten basketball player for the Hoosiers.
Smith on DeMuth: “Dustin is no stranger to IU. His older sister, Jenny, played basketball for the Hoosiers from 2002-06. Dustin plays and excels at three sports now, and it will be interesting to see how he develops once he focuses on one sport in college. He is extremely gifted athletically, and does so many things well on the diamond. He will have a chance to play right away in our program.”
DeNato is a crafty lefthander that has displayed an outstanding breaking ball for Torrey Pines, where he teamed with current Hoosier Jerrud Sabourin for one season. DeNato posted 7-1 records in both his sophomore and junior seasons, and struck out 79 last year for Torrey Pines. He has been named First Team San Diego North County and conference Pitcher of the Year in each of the last two seasons, and was a first team all-California Interscholastic Federation selection as a junior.
Smith on DeNato: “Every time you ask someone about Joey, the first thing they would always say is, ‘He is a winner.’ Joey knows how to pitch and just keeps getting better and better. When we were recruiting Joey, I told him I wanted to see more strikeouts. So the next time I went to evaluate him, he struck out 16 hitters against a very good team. That’s what I love about him, he always plays with a chip on his shoulder.”
Downing is a 6-foot, 190-pound catcher out of Bowling Green, Ky. As a junior, he hit .367 with seven doubles, three triples and three home runs for a .592 slugging percentage. He also was a standout defensively, posting a .988 fielding percentage and catching six out of 14 runners who tried to steal on him. He earned all-state and all-district honors for his efforts and was chosen for the Junior East/West All-Star Team. A two-sport athlete, Downing has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards and 16 touchdowns so far this season.
Smith on Downing: “We felt we needed to add a quality catcher in this class, and we found one in Ty. He has a tremendous arm from behind the plate and very advanced receiving skills. His athleticism, as a standout football player as well as in baseball, and knowledge of the game are going to allow him to be successful very early in his career at IU.”
Kartman brings a tall, 6-foot-8 frame to the Hoosiers as a left-handed pitcher. The Fort Wayne native went 6-1 with one save in 40 1/3 innings for Homestead as a junior. He put up a 2.21 ERA and 59 strikeouts against just 15 walks a season ago, as Homestead posted a 23-4 record and won a sectional championship in 2009. It marked the first time in school history that Homestead has won 20 games in a season.
Smith on Kartman: “I love projectable pitchers. Eric fits this profile to a T. Right now he doesn’t possess the overpowering fastball, but he still misses a lot of bats with his ability and understanding of how to pitch. He also has a strong ability to spin a breaking ball. When he develops into his 6-foot-8 frame, he could turn into a top prospect.”
Korte joins the IU family after going 6-1 with a 1.95 ERA and three shutouts in his junior season. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound southpaw was named first team all-Cincinnati following the season after earning second-team all-city honors as a sophomore. He led Elder – which has the most wins all-time of any Ohio high school – to a district runner-up finish in 2009. The three-year letterwinner also played a year of basketball at Elder.
Smith on Korte: “Brian comes from one of the best programs in Ohio, and is a proven winner for them. He received a lot attention from schools because he is a polished lefthander. He has a plus breaking ball to go with his upper 80s/low 90s fastball. Because of that, he should get a lot of innings for us next year.”
Martin will join the Hoosiers as a junior in eligibility, as he is entering his second season for head coach Chris Barney at Vincennes University. The righty, who has a fastball in the low 90s, pitched in just six games a season ago due to illness but has returned to health this fall. The 6-foot-7 power pitcher played his high school baseball at powerhouse Paul Dunbar in Lexington, Ky., where they won a state championship and were ranked 11th in the nation in his senior campaign.
Smith on Martin: “Chad has the makings of a Big League body right now. He is 6-foot-7 and throws in the low 90s. Because Chad battled an illness last year, he didn’t get a lot of innings and therefore a lot of people didn’t know about him. However, I think people are going to hear his name quite often this spring because of his overpowering stuff. He has an above-average changeup and an impressive breaking ball to go along with his fastball.”
Reznicek joins the Hoosiers after a strong career for Rancho Buena Vista. The 6-foot-3, 197-pound righthander struck out 62 and posted a 2.05 ERA in 51 innings as a junior, and was named to the California Baseball Coaches Association North/South Team for his performance. He led Rancho Buena Vista to a San Diego Sectional runner-up finish as the team was ranked 60th nationally after the season. Reznicek was recently selected a 2010 Under Armour Preaseason All-American, and will play in the Preseason All-America Tournament in Tucson, Ariz., in January.
Smith on Reznicek: “I saw Reed totally dominate one of the top teams in southern California last spring. He features an upper 80s fastball with a very good slider. The best part about Reed is he is young, which means he has a lot of developing left to do with his body. That is why we are so excited about him, because he has so much upside.”
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Post by peachesromo on Dec 1, 2009 21:06:36 GMT -5
Any press release information on the University of Toledo and Wright State University 2010 baseball early signees yet?
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Post by chris webb on Dec 1, 2009 22:09:55 GMT -5
Nothing yet. I've sent an email over to Toledo but no response.
I'll have a Q&A with Coach Cooper at WSU coming soon, but forgot to ask about their signing class. Hopefully I can track that down for you.
Lastly, expect a release from BGSU in the near future on their class.
I'll clean up these posts and add the other Big Ten/MAC schools I have.
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Post by chris webb on Dec 3, 2009 16:09:24 GMT -5
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Post by peachesromo on Dec 3, 2009 18:41:45 GMT -5
Thanks Chris!! Appreciate the information!!
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Post by rollalongbaseball on Mar 31, 2010 19:40:43 GMT -5
This hasn't been updated in a while, but I thought I'd go ahead and throw Bowling Green's recruiting class in up here.
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- The back-to-back Mid-American Conference champion Bowling Green Falcon baseball team is at it again on the recruiting trail having announced the signing of six future student-athletes to the Falcon family for the 2011 season. Signing National Letters of Intent to play baseball for BGSU are Alex Davison (Grand Ledge, Mich.), Kevin Delapaz (Plymouth, Mich.), Brandon Howard (Cincinnati, Ohio), Chris Miller (Batesville, Ind.), Jeremy Shay (Garden City, Mich.) and Logan Walker (Petersburg, Va.).
Reigning MAC Coach of the Year Danny Schmitz and assistant coach Rick Blanc expressed their enthusiasm over the class of early signees. “We’ll be losing nine seniors after this year, so to get six quality young men like we are getting is huge for us,” said Schmitz. “We were trying to increase our team speed and with the acquisition of Brandon [Howard] and Alex [Davison] we feel we’ve accomplished that. We feel these were the best young men to fit our program and our team’s needs for the future.”
The Falcons will welcome two pitchers, one throwing from each side of the mound and four position players. Two of the four position players will help to solidify the middle of the infield as well as provide BGSU with depth at those positions. The Falcons also add another catcher and outfielder to the roster whose versatility hope to expose their value as additions to the Falcons.
Alex Davison - 6’2, 190, L/L, OF, Grand Ledge, Mich. - For the last two seasons, Davison has recorded back-to-back years with a .450 or better batting average for the Grand Ledge Comets. As a two-time all-conference selection, Davison posted great numbers from both the plate and the mound. As a sophomore, he hit .450 (54-for-120) with 16 extra base hits while scoring 34 times and stealing seven bases. Davison posted a 1.87 earned run average and an 8-1 record from the hill while hurling 41 strikeouts in 33.2 innings pitched. Last year as a junior, Davison’s bat was his biggest asset when he hit .495 with 39 runs scored and 19 extra base hits, seven of which were home runs. He also stole nine bases in 2009. In a year where he was also named to the all-district team, Davison threw 22.2 innings and accumulated a 4-1 record with 33 strikeouts and an earned run average of 1.85.
Schmitz on Davison: Alex is a young man with good size. He can hit for average with some power and he can run. He has a nice compact stroke. Most young guys just want to pull the ball, but Alex uses all fields when he is hitting. He puts a good stroke on the ball consistently. Alex also gets down the line well. He is a solid outfielder who covers ground. We’re excited about Alex coming in and will get an opportunity right away to battle for a job.
Kevin Delapaz - 6’1, 185, LHP, R/L, Plymouth, Mich. - Delapaz is a current three-year letterwinner for the Chiefs and has been a key contributor on the mound for Canton High School during that time. As a sophomore, Delapaz struck out 47 in 43 innings pitched. He accumulated an 8-1 overall record and a 2.93 ERA in the 2008 season. While at the plate, he hit .293 with a .478 on-base percentage and ten stolen bases. Last year as a junior Delapaz hit .309 (29-for-94) with seven doubles and another year with ten stolen bases. From the hill he sported a 1.22 ERA with 74 punchouts and only 26 walks in 57.1 innings of work. He finished 2009 with an unblemished 10-0 record helping the Chiefs to a district title and a regional final appearance. That season, Delapaz was named to all-conference, district and regional teams as a team captain and was named to the All-Observerland Newspaper First Team. While playing with the Michigan Indians summer baseball team, he posted six no-hitters in his six years with the team. He has spent the last two years as a member of the North Farmington-West Bloomfield (NFWB) Cobras.
Blanc on Delapaz: "Kevin can come right in and play a big role with us as a starter or out of the bullpen. He has three pitches that he can throw for strikes at any time and that is a big thing to have as a freshman."
Brandon Howard - 5’10, 165, INF, R/R, Cincinnati, Ohio - Howard will be entering his fourth year with the varsity team at Walnut Hills High School in 2010. As a sophomore at WHHS, Howard hit .288 and had an on-base percentage of .329 with nine steals during the 2008 season. His junior year, the shortstop hit .315 on the season and increased his on-base percentage over 100 points to accompany eight stolen bases with the Eagles. Howard played his summer baseball with the Playground All-Stars in Cincinnati (Oh.) and in 2009 hit .337 with a slugging-percentage of .461. His OBP of .432 helped him steal 40 bases during that season as well. Howard also played basketball for the Eagles where he was named to the First Team All-League as a junior when he led the league in assists.
Schmitz on Howard: Brandon is a slick fielding shortstop who is an outstanding athlete. He can hit for average. He is a plus runner who has a good arm. He shows great leadership qualities, a run the show type player. We expect Brandon to come in and compete right away."
Chris Miller - 5’11, 195, RHP, Batesville, Ind. - His lively arm was one of only two sophomores to play on the Batesville High School varsity squad where he posted a 1.20 ERA that year. Following his junior season, Miller was invited to participate in the Perfect Game USA Showcase Tournament where he was given an 8.5 player ranking indicating him as a potential middle round draft pick. Miller was also named to the BHS National Honor Society and is currently ranked eighth in his class with a 4.0 cumulative grade point average.
Blanc on Miller: "He has a power arm and has a great breaking pitch that is his ‘out pitch’ right now. He is a very big competitor and every time he goes out there he wants to win. He is a very hard worker on and off of the field and will come in to give us some quality innings as a freshman."
Jeremy Shay - 6’1, 195, C, Garden City, Mich. - The last name Shay should sound familiar to Falcon baseball followers. Jeremy is the younger brother of former award-winning Falcon infielder Ryan Shay. Last year, Shay hit a career-best .389 (39-for-103), scored 18 runs and collected 63 total bases as a junior. During his sophomore season, Shay hit .344 with 11 extra-base hits and 13 walks. As a freshman, he batted .350 going 17-for-51. He is a three-time All-City and All-District selection, won an All-League award during his sophomore season and added an All-Region accolade after his junior season. In addition to his baseball honors, Shay was also the captain of the Divine Child High School football team in 2009 and earned All-City and All-Catholic recognition as well.
Schmitz on Shay: "Jeremy is a young man that is big and strong and definitely has some power. He is versatile. When he is not behind the dish he can play a corner position. We expect Jeremy to come in and compete right away. Jeremy is from a great family and we’re excited that he is going to be a Falcon."
Logan Walker - 5’11, 170, INF, Petersburg, Va. - A true athlete, Walker has been an award-winning middle infielder in all three years he has played at Matoaca High School and a member of a nationally-recognized summer baseball travel team. He was a two-time First Team All-Central District, First Team All-Tri Cities, and Honorable Mention All-Region from 2008-09. Last year as a junior Walker hit .468 with 18 RBI and five extra base hits en route to his team winning the Central District Tournament. He was awarded Honorable Mention All-Region and All-Academic honors at the regional level. As a sophomore Walker hit .421 (20-for-53) with a career-high 28 runs scored, 22 RBI and six homeruns. In addition, his 14 extra-base hits on the season helped him garner Second Team All-Metro. After his freshman season, Walker was named to the Honorable Mention All-Central District playing second base and hitting .377 with 16 runs scored, eight RBI and five stolen bases. Walker is also an academic standout after being named to the Distinguished Honor Roll for four consecutive years, twice being named to All-Academic District and Regional Teams and has been a four-year officer for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Blanc on Walker: "He is a very gritty, blue collar player. He is definitely our type of guy. When we were watching him this summer, he was always the dirtiest guy on the field. He knows how to play the game and comes from a very good summer program in the Richmond Braves, which was a top-five program nationally. He was a starter for them in a league with a lot of tough competition. On top of all of that, he is a very versatile player. He can play a little of every infield position and even a little outfield too."
The Falcons are far from finished in finding talented players to be a part of the Bowling Green baseball team. “We still have some needs we would like to fill,” says Schmitz. “It is still early and there is much work to be done to find the talent we need to fill out our roster for the future.”
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Post by chris webb on Apr 1, 2010 17:00:07 GMT -5
Yeah, I was just using this thread for schools outside of Ohio.
I just posted an article and added the classes under the 2010-2011 NLI List under the features page for Ohio schools including BG.
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