North Carolina State University Athletics
Baseball Inks 13 in Seventh-Ranked Early Recruiting Class
12/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. NC State head baseball coach Elliott Avent today announced that the Wolfpack signed 13 prospective student-athletes to national letters-of-intent during the November signing period. With associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday spearheading NC State’s recruiting efforts, the Pack signed one catcher, four infielders, four righthanded pitchers and one lefthanded pitcher, along with three two-way players. All three of the two-way players pitch righthanded. Two are infielders, one an outfielder.
Early returns are positive for the Wolfpack's recruiting class. Allan Simpson of Perfect Game USA ranked NC State's fall recruiting class seventh in the nation.
“We’re truly excited about our 2009 signing class,” Avent said. “Last year’s recruiting class was ranked No. 21 in the country and we believe that was an outstanding class. We think this class is definitely better. That would be two outstanding classes in a row, so we’re obviously very excited about this group. The credit should go to recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday, who is one of the best recruiters in the country, and to assistant coach Chris Hart, who played a huge role in scouting, recruiting and signing many of the players in this class."
The Wolfpack landed three in-state players, including Chris Diaz of Apex High School. Diaz is the younger brother of former NC State shortstop Jonathan Diaz, a crowd favorite at Doak Field at Dail Park during his Wolfpack playing days from 2004-06. In addition, the Pack landed highly regarded righthander Daniel Tuttle of Randlemann High School, ranked the No. 47 high school player in the country by Baseball America, and righthander Ethan Ogburn of Southwest Guilford High School.
Three of NC State’s signees Tuttle, outfielder/righthanded pitcher Terran Senay of South Park, Pa., and righthander Felix Roque of Miami Christian High School ranked among Baseball America’s top 100 national high school seniors.
NC State scored heavily in the state of Florida, signing eight players from the Sunshine State. Six are high school players, and two are highly regarded junior college players. Three of the high school signees from Florida were first-team all-state as juniors in 2008. Perfect Game USA lists five of the Pack’s signees among the top 50 high school prospects in the state of Florida for the 2009 Major League Baseball draft.
“We’ll probably lose a good deal of pitching to the draft and to graduation,” Avent said. “Immediate pitching help was a priority in this recruiting class. We think that with the quality pitchers we have in this class that we’ve filled that need. We also went into the recruiting season looking to add help at catcher and the middle of the infield. You can never have enough middle infielders, and Matt Bergquist and Chris Diaz are excellent high school infielders. In addition, we have a history of bringing in great high school catchers in this program. We’re hopeful that Marlon Mitchell and Daniel Canella can continue that tradition.”
NC State’s 2009 Baseball Signees
Matt Bergquist INF 6-0 180 R/R Eagle's
Batted .455 with 12 doubles, two home runs, 51 RBIs and 25 steals in 27 attempts in 33 games from the leadoff spot as a junior in 2008 ... Had a .556 on-base percentage ... Was a first-team 1A all-state selection by the Florida Sports Writers Association ... Helped lead Eagle’s View to its third state championship in four years ... Was an honorable-mention all-state selection as a sophomore in 2007 ... Played for Team Mizuno for the Perfect Game USA ... Rated the No. 47 prospect in the state of Florida by Perfect Game USA.
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “Matt Bergquist is a very strong defensive middle infielder. He can play either middle infield position, and will get a first look at shortstop. This is a national recruit. He stood out at the Perfect Game National Showcase and the East Coast Pro Showcase, two of the more select summer events.”
Daniel Canela 3B/C 6-0 210
Batted .400 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs as a junior in 2008 to earn first-team 3A all-state honors from the Florida Sports Writers Association ... Named first-team 4A-1A
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “Daniel Canela was one of the most talked-about hitters in south
Rey Cotilla RHP 6-4 195 Miami Dade CC Miami , FL
At Miami Dade: Went 5-1 with a 3-0 ERA for Miami Dade as a freshman in 2008 ... Made nine appearances and allowed 26 hits in 36 innings ... Struck out 29 and walked 16 ... Rated the No. 8 junior college player in Florida by Perfect Game USA.
MLB Draft: Taken in the 32nd round of the 2008 MLB draft by the Kansas City Royals ... Taken in the 15th round of the 2007 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates ...
High school and personal: Pitched at
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “Rey Cotilla is a power arm and probably the junior college guy in this class who will step right in and help to stabilize what should be a very young pitching staff next year. He’s hit 95 mph with a big-time slider, and should only get better. He should pitch in our weekend rotation next year.”
Chris Diaz SS 6-0 175 Apex HS Apex, NC
Batted .390 with 22 RBIs as a junior in 2008 to help lead Apex to a berth in the state 4-A playoffs ... Named all-conference in the 4-A Tri-Eight Conference in 2007 and 2008 ... Is the younger brother of former Wolfpack shortstop Jonathan Diaz.
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “Defensively, Chris is a guy who can play shortstop or second base. He’s the best defensive shortstop in the state of
Ryan Mathews INF 6-4 190 R/R Sante Fe (FL) CC
At Western Carolina (2008): Appeared in 54 of Western's 57 games, making 47 starts including 21 in right field, 17 in left field and nine as the designated hitter ... Finished the year just below the .300 batting average plateau at .297 with 57 hits in 192 at bats ... Ranked third on the team with 17 doubles, adding a triple and five home runs for a .474 slugging percentage ... Posted a career-long, 15-game hitting streak from mid-March through early April ... Opened his streak with a career-best 4-for-7 outing against Hartford, belting his first two collegiate career home runs and driving in a career-high four runs ... Legged out his first career triple against Wofford, driving in the game-winning run as WCU downed the Terriers, 5-3 ... Finished with 12 multiple hit games and nine multiple RBI games as a rookie.
Prior to WCU: Signed to play at Florida before the Gators went through a coaching change at the end of the 2007 season ... Transferred into WCU prior to the spring 2008 semester.
High school: Earned honorable mention all-state recognition in Class 3A at Boone High School as a senior in 2007 ... Batted .406 while playing first base and went 4-1 as a pitcher ... Played for coach Pete Post at Boone ... Earned All-Central Florida, All-Orange County and All-Metro Conference honors ... Was a second-team all-state selection as a sophomore after leading the 6A state runner-up squad in hitting (.429), runs batted in (36) and doubles (11) ... Sported a 5-1 mark with a 1.05 ERA on his way to first-team All-Central Florida, All-Orange County and All-Metro Conference honors ... Was also a member of Chet Lemon's Orlando Juice squad, which captured the World Wood Bat Association (WWBA) championship and was part of AAU national title teams in 1999 and 2002 ... Perfect Game USA ranked him the No.123 prospect in the nation in 2007 and the No. 36-ranked positional player.
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “We’re bringing in Ryan Mathews as an outfielder, but he can play first base, and he can close. He throws in the low 90s and will get that opportunity, Offensively he has tremendous power. He should fit into the middle of our batting order right away.”
Marlon Mitchell C B/R 6-2 190 Hillsborough HS
Ranked as the No. 26 player in the state of Florida by Perfect Game USA ... One of 34 players invited to the 18-under national team trials ... Went 2-for-9 for the PONY national squad at the invitational only Tournament of Stars at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary ... Batted .315 with two doubles, one triple and 10 RBIs in 18 games as a sophomore in 2007 ... Had a .397 on-base percentage.
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “Marlon Mitchell might be one of the three best catch-and-throw catchers in the country. His defensive skills are outstanding. He needs a little work with the bat, but he’s a major league prospect. We’ll be watching the draft anxiously to see where he goes this June.”
Jeff Nadeau LHP 6-3 175 Eastern Arizona JC
Named second-team All-Jefferson County League in 2007 by The Denver Post ...
Played for the Beverly Brewers of the New England Collegiate Summer League in 2008 and struck out 16 in 10 1/3 innings pitched ... Batted .286 with 10 RBIs in 12 games.
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “When I went to see Jeff Nadeau, he threw in the mid- to upper-80s, and I thought he had the perfect arm slot to be a lefthanded reliever. Then I found out he’s gotten stronger and his velocity has improved several mph to his fastball the last few years. So he might be more of a candidate to start. We’ll see. We’re hopeful that we’ve signed a lefthander on the upswing.”
Ethan Ogburn RHP 6-4 170 Southwest Guilford HS
Had a 1.69 ERA in 13 appearances and 29 innings as a junior in 2008 ... Struck out 38 and walked 16 ... Held opponents to a .165 average ... Competed in the 2008 Area Code Games at
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “He reminds me of Gary Gillheeney in high school. He throws 88-90 with an outstanding curveball, and should only get bigger and better as he matures. He figures to have a plus fastball and curve, and has a chance to be an outstanding college pitcher.”
Felix Roque RHP 6-5 200
Ranked the No. 98 high school prospect in the country in the preseason for the 2009 draft by Baseball America ... Rated as the No. 18 high school player in the state of Florida by Perfect Game USA ... Named first-team 2A all-state after going 9-5 with a 1.35 ERA as a junior in 2008 by The Miami Herald and the Florida Sports Writers Association ... Went 9-5 with a 1.35 ERA ... Recorded 128 strikeouts ... Also named to The Miami Herald’s 4A-1A first-team All-Dade team ... Had a 1.12 ERA and fanned 97 as a sophomore in 2007.
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “Felix Roque pitches from a three-quarter arm slot and gets tremendous movement on his fastball with great sinking action. He also throws a plus slider. At times he is outstanding. He could be a very high draft pick. He should be in our rotation as a freshman.”
Tarran Senay OF L/R 6-2 185
Ranked the No. 85 high school prospect in the country in the preseason for the 2009 draft by Baseball America ... Listed as the No. 3 high school player in Pennsylvania by Perfect Game USA ... Named to the WPIAL Class AAA Section 3 all-star team ... Batted .436 with four home runs, and struck out 53 in 41 innings on the mound ... Named to the PG South All-Stars by The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ... Batted .375 with nine doubles, three home runs and 28 RBIs in 23 games for the Steel City Wildcats of the Western Pennsylvania Elite Baseball League in the summer of 2008 ... Participated in the East Coast Pro Showcase camp at Lakeland, Fla. ... Played for the Richmond Braves National team in the Perfect Game USA and World Wood Bat Association championship series.
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “Tarran Senay reminds me of Jason Thompson, who played in the big leagues in the 1970s and ’80s. He’s a lefthanded power hitter who makes great contact. He stood out at the East Coast Pro Showcase. He’s another one who is expected to be a very high draft pick.”
Daniel Tuttle RHP/INF R/R 6-2 185 Randleman HS
Ranked the No. 47 high school prospect in the country in the preseason for the 2009 draft by Baseball America ... Rated the No. 3 high school prospect in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game USA ... Chosen to participate in the 2008 Aflac All-America game on August 9 at Dodger Stadium ... Batted .373 with five home runs, 20 RBIs and 10 steals as a junior in 2008 ... Pitched 14 innings and allowed one earned run for a 0.64 ERA.
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “Daniel Tuttle has a power arm. He throws 90-94 from a three-quarters arm slot with great run on his fastball and slider. He has a plus fastball and slider and has a solid changeup. He also has the ability to hit a a high level. Daniel stood out at the Area Code Games and was an Aflac All-American. He should be a very high draft pick. In fact, he could easily be the first high school pitcher in
Anthony Tzamtzis RHP/INF R/R 6-1 185 LaSalle HS
Batted .387 with four home runs, 25 RBIs and 19 steals as a junior in 2008 to earn honorable mention 3A all-state from the Florida Sports Writers Association ... Named first-team 4A-1A All-Dade County by The Miami Herald ... Chosen to participate in the 2008 BCAA Senior Baseball All-Star Game ... Selected as the 2008 BCAA MVP Player of the South ... Ranked as the No. 36 high school prospect in the state of Florida by Perfect Game USA ... Selected as an alternate for the 2008 USA Junior National Team ... Enters his senior season ranked second in school history in doubles with 18, RBIs with 65 and and stolen bases with 46.
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “Anthony Tzamtzis is an outstanding shortstop and pitcher. Scouts view him as a shortstop and third baseman, but he really caught everyone’s eye with his ability to pitch. We expect to play him on the infield and let him close. He’s an outstanding student.”
Dane Williams RHP 6-6 210 Archbishop McCarthy HS
Ranked as the No. 81 prospect in the class of 2009 by ProspectWire.com ... Listed as the No. 33 player in the state of
Recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday: “Dane Williams is listed as the 29th best prospect in the country by Perfect Game
