NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team added both talent and depth to its roster as nine players signed to play for the Redbirds, beginning in the 2018 season, on National Signing Day Wednesday.
Illinois State head baseball coach Bo Durkac said he was pleased with the recruiting class, which includes eight high school seniors and one junior college transfer.
"I am excited to announce our newest class of Redbirds. By bringing in the right combination of talent and character, we coaches feel that this group will continue the upward trend of Illinois State baseball," Durkac said. "The bulk of the credit goes to Mike Stalowy, who has proven himself, in my opinion, to be one of the top recruiters in the Midwest. His tireless efforts on the recruiting trail have resulted in assembling a very talented incoming class. In addition, Michael Kellar has done an excellent job of evaluating and developing relationships with pitchers during the recruiting process.
"With continued development, I feel that these nine student-athletes will be major contributors to our team and high-level players in the Missouri Valley Conference."
The class includes (listed alphabetically):
Jack Anderson | RHP | 6-6 | 230 | R/R | Pulaski, Wis. | Pulaski HS
Durkac on Anderson: "Jack Anderson is what we want the majority of our incoming freshman pitchers to look like. He is tall, he has classic arm action, he throws strikes, and his mechanics suggest that he will throw significantly harder as he matures."
Tyler Carpenter | 1B | 6-3 | 210 | L/L | Boulder, Colo. | Fairview HS
Durkac on Carpenter: "Tyler Carpenter is the prototypical left-handed-hitting first baseman we tried to identify in the 2017 class. He has a smooth and aggressive swing with a feel for the barrel, and defensively, he is good around the bag. As his speed and arm strength improve, he could also contribute as an outfielder and as a pitcher."
Justin Diaz | SS/2B | 6-2 | 175 | R/R | Chicago, Ill. | Lake View HS
Durkac on Diaz: "Justin Diaz has everything we look for in a high school shortstop with his smooth actions, arm strength, footwork, soft hands and a fundamentally-sound swing. He has developed significantly over the past two years, and we are excited to work with him and to continue his development in August."
Tyson Hays | C | 6-0 | 190 | R/R | Denver, Colo. | Grandview HS
Durkac on Hays: "Tyson Hays possesses the intelligence, athleticism and toughness required of a high-end catcher. As a hitter, he has an advanced approach in the batter's box, and with added strength, he could develop into a legitimate middle-of-the-order hitter we see in the Missouri Valley Conference."
Jake McCaw | 3B/1B | 6-3 | 190 | L/R | Bloomington, Ill. | Normal Community HS
Durkac on McCaw: "Jake McCaw has impressed us as a hitter from the very first time we saw him. He has the rhythm, looseness and feel for the barrel that the best hitters have, and he has the size and frame to develop into a power hitter during his time here. As he continues to improve his speed, he could see time at all four corner positions."
Kyle Pauly | LHP | 6-0 | 185 | R/L | Glenview, Ill. | Glenbrook North HS | Southern Illinois | College of DuPage
Durkac on Pauly: "Kyle Pauly was a late addition to the fall recruiting class, but we expect him to be an impact pitcher next year. As a freshman in 2014, he was an All-Missouri Valley Conference Second-Team selection before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2015. He will bring talent, maturity and experience to a young pitching staff."
Connor Peplow | RHP | 6-1 | 155 | R/R | Plainfield, Ill. | Plainfield North HS
Durkac on Peplow: "Connor Peplow is the ideal 'stuff' guy that we look for on the recruiting trail. A wide receiver and kicker on a top-ranked Class 7A football team at Plainfield North, he is extremely athletic. His fastball has been as good as 91 mph, and when his slider is on, it's a very good one."
Johnny Ray | OF/RHP | 6-2 | 205 | R/R | Quincy, Ill. | Quincy Notre Dame HS
"Johnny Ray is a very talented pitcher whom we identified early in the fall of 2015. With a combination of both stuff and upside, he could earn major innings as a true freshman while becoming significantly better as he matures. Additionally, he has shown some talent offensively and could get some at-bats for us in 2018."
Donivan Williams | 3B | 6-0 | 190 | R/R | Oak Lawn, Ill. | Richards HS
"Donivan Williams is the highest-ranked hitter in the Illinois 2017 class for good reason. He runs, he throws and he can really hit. His athleticism and skills should allow him to make a smooth transition to the Missouri Valley Conference level. We expect Donivan to have an outstanding career here."
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