North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Baseball Welcomes 15 Newcomers
8/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. The Major League Baseball draft took seven players from the 2008 NC State baseball team, but the Wolfpack’s recruiting class for 2009 came through virtually untouched.
The Pack lost one of seven drafted recruits when righthanded pitcher Kyle Allen signed with the New York Mets in the 24th round, but the other six drafted recruits declined overtures from professional teams, and have reported to campus for classes, which begin on Wednesday, August 20. The six draftees join eight other recruits in a 15-man class that brings quality and depth to the NC State program.
“This was a strong recruiting class aimed at shoring up the immediate concerns of the program,” Wolfpack associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday said. “We weren’t sure what to expect from the draft, but we knew that a number of these players would be drafted. To get this many quality players through the draft and onto campus
makes this a very strong class.”
Five recruits are pitchers and one is a two-way player who pitches and plays the infield. Four of the five pitchers were drafted. High school pitchers Zak Sinclair, Cory Mazzoni, Greg Conver and Mike Russo all are very highly regarded prospects. Juco transfer John Lambert is a lefthander with upside. The new pitchers will join a strong returning nucleus of hurlers that includes draftees Alex Sogard and Sam Brown to form what could be a formidable 2009 pitching staff. Sogard and Brown both were drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Brown in the 18th round and Sogard in the 26th.
“Sam Brown and Alex Sogard played very prominent roles for us last year, and we’re extremely happy to get them back after they were drafted,” said Holliday, who also is the Wolfpack’s pitching coach. “It was very important for us to get those two guys back.”
Offensively, the Pack brought in one catcher, five infielders and four outfielders. Shortstop Kyle Wilson from Hill (Texas) Junior College, and first baseman Harold Riggins from Normal, Ill., both were drafted by Chicago teams, Riggins by the White Sox and Wilson by the Cubs and should play roles for the Wolfpack in 2009.
The Wolfpack also recruited well among in-state players. Outfielder Drew Poulk (West Carteret HS, St. Petersburg Junior College, one year at North Carolina) figures to start in the outfield. Infielder Cameron Connor from Fuquay-Varina, and infielder and righthanded pitcher Pratt Maynard from South Granville also are in-state signees.
Infielders Andrew Ciencin and Biss Larsen, and outfielder John Gianis are out-of-state recruits the Wolfpack.
Wilson, Poulk, Bello and Lambert are junior college transfers. The others are high school recruits.
Following is a complete list of NC State baseball’s newcomers for the 2008-09 school year:
Jr OF Chandler Gilbert (Ariz.) CC Fort Collins, Colo.
Andrew Burgess
Fr C Leanardtown HS Leanardtown, Md.
Andrew Ciencin
Fr INF Cranford (N.J.) HS
Cameron Connor
Fr INF/OF Fuquay-Varina (N.C.) HS
Greg Conver
Fr RHP American Heritage High School Margate, Fla.
John Gianis
Fr OF The Hun School of Princeton Princeton, New Jersey
John Lambert (36th round, Washington Nationals)
Jr LHP Santa Fe (Fla.) Community College Chesterton (Ind.) HS
Chris “Biss” Larsen
Fr 3B Viewmont HS Bountiful, Utah
Pratt Maynard
Fr INF/RHP South Granville HS Franklinton, N.C.
Cory Mazzoni (26th round, Washington Nationals)
Fr RHP Seneca Valley HS Pittsburgh, Pa.
Drew Poulk
Jr OF Morehead City, N.C. West Carteret HS North Carolina St. Petersburg College
Harold Riggins (35th round, Chicago White Sox)
Fr 1B Normal West HS Normal, Illinois
Mike Russo (49th round, Philadelphia Phillies)
Fr RHP The Hun School of Princeton Princeton, New Jersey
Zak Sinclair (34th round, Boston Red Sox)
Fr RHP West Alleghaney HS Imperial, Pa.
Kyle Wilson (31st round, Chicago Cubs)
Jr INF South HS, Crystal Lake, Ill., Hill (Texas) College
