Baylor Baseball adds 12 for the 2020 season
WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball adds 12 players for the 2020 season on Wednesday, adding to an already deep team coming off the Big 12 Tournament title and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.
The Bears add four pitchers, seven position players and one two-way player on 2018 National Signing Day. 10 are from Texas and two hail from California
“Coach Taylor and Coach Strauss did a great job putting together a class that we are really excited about,” said head coach Steve Rodriguez. “First and foremost, they are outstanding young men who fit our program and chose Baylor because it gives them to best opportunity to compete and develop as baseball players, students and men. On the field, this is a talented and well-rounded group that includes a mix of both right and left handed arms, along with dynamic position players, including two catchers. This group recognizes the steps our program has taken over the last few years and they will be great additions as we continue to build upon back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and a Big 12 Tournament title.”
Nicolas Balsano | Catcher | Colleyville, Texas | Colleyville HS | R/R | 6-1 | 185
Three-year varsity letterwinner at Colleyville Heritage High School … Named 2018 First-Team All-State … Won District Offensive MVP honors as a junior after hitting .465 … 2017 Second-Team All-District … Perfect Game Underclass All-American … Member of National Honor Society.
Cade Currington | Catcher | Kaufman, Texas | Kaufman HS | R/R | 6-0 | 210
Four-year varsity letterwinner at Kaufman High School … Earned 2018 12-4A MVP honors after posting a .402 batting average with five home runs and 40 RBI his junior year … Selected as 4A D-BAT Hitter of the Week on April 10 … 2017 First-Team Catcher on 12-4A All-District Team … 2016 Second Team Catcher on 13-4A All-District Team … Two-time Perfect Game Underclass All-American Honorable Mention.
Cody Freeman | Infielder | Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. | Etiwanda HS | R/R | 5-10 | 165
Four-year varsity letterwinner at Etiwanda High School … Three-time All-State infielder, earning First-Team honors in 2017 and 2018 … Won Baseline League MVP in 2018 as a junior hitting .452 with 47 hits and 26 RBI … Named Perfect Game California World Series MVP in 2018 … Earned All-Tournament Team honors for WWBA events in Florida and Georgia.
Ben Greer | Infielder/Outfielder | Perland, Texas | Shadow Creek HS | 6-1 | 175
Four-year varsity letterwinner at Shadow Creek High School … Named 2018 District Offensive Player of the Year after posting a .416 batting average with 24 runs scored, 23 RBI, 13 stolen bases, and one home run … Earned 2018 Perfect Game All-American High Honorable Mention honors … 2018 HABCA Junior All-Star … 2017 First-Team All-District shortstop after batting .449 his sophomore year … Also participated in marching band.
Jack Hattrup | Left-handed Pitcher | Plano, Texas | Plano West Senior HS | L/L | 6-4 | 200
Three-year varsity letterwinner at Plano West Senior High School ... Earned 2016 second-team All-District honors as a pitcher … Named 6-6A District Pitcher of the Year in 2017 after throwing 70 innings with a 1.20 ERA and 84 strikeouts … Member of the 2018 Perfect Game WWBA 17U National Championships All-Tournament Team … 2018 Rawlings/Perfect Game Underclass All-American … Two-time Rawlings/Perfect Game 2019 Top Prospect.
Jared McKenzie | Outfielder | Round Rock, Texas | Round Rock HS | L/L | 6-0 | 170
Two-year varsity letterwinner at Round Rock High School … Hit .267 with 31 hits, 14 RBI and one home run … Participated in 2018 Area Code Games in Long Beach, California and 2017 Area Code Underclass Games in Compton, California … Member of National Honor Society.
Kyle Nevin | Outfielder/First Baseman | Poway, Calif. | Poway HS | R/R | 6-4 | 165
Two-year varsity letterwinner at Poway High School … Named to Palomar League Honorable Mention Team after hitting .310 with a .367 on-base percentage … Represented Poway HS in Palomar League Junior All-Star Game … Member of All-Academic Team … Rawlings Preseason Underclass All-American … Son of former big leaguer and current New York Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin … Brother, Tyler, is in the Colorado Rockies organization.
Hambleton Oliver | Right-handed Pitcher | Corpus Christi, Texas | Calallen HS | L/R | 6-3 | 205
Four-year varsity letterwinner at Calallen High School … Named First-Team All-District as a pitcher in 2018 … Earned 2018 First-Team All South Texas and Second-Team All State honors as a pitcher … Recorded a 0.75 ERA with 128 strikeouts as a junior going 10-3, leading team to District 30-5A Championship … Also posted .291 batting average with 25 RBI in 2018 … Compiled a 5-2 record in first two years as varsity pitcher with 73 total punchouts … Named 2016 Perfect Game All-American Honorable Mention, 2017 Perfect Game All-American High Honorable Mention, and 2018 Perfect Game All-American High Honorable Mention … Selected to play in Junior National All-American Game in Fort Myers, Florida in 2017.
Will Rigney | Right-handed Pitcher | Waco, Texas | Midway HS | R/R | 6-5 | 210
Varsity letterwinner at Midway High School … Won District 8-6A MVP honors as a pitcher … Named Second-Team All-State … Preseason Underclass All-American ... Member of All-SuperCentex First-Team … Racked up 117 strikeouts in 2018 … Earned Perfect Game and Under Armour All-American honors ... Competed in the 2018 All-American Classic.
Rance Rosas | INF/OF | San Angelo, Texas | San Angelo Central HS | R/R | 5-10 | 170
Four-year varsity letterwinner at Central High School … 2018 First-Team All-District as a utility player … 2017 Second-Team All-District as a third baseman … 2016 Second-Team All-District as a second baseman … Career .380 hitter … Earned All West Texas Super Team honors … Also lettered in track and field.
Nolan Rodriguez | Outfielder/Pitcher | McGregor, Texas | Midway HS | L/L | 5-11 | 175
Varsity letterwinner at Midway HS ... Plays club ball for the Dallas Patriots ... 2017 & 2018 WWBA National Championship All-Tournament Team ... Patriot of the Year ... Helped lead team to Pathway Baseball National Title ... Patriots 11th Ranked by Perfect Game.
Kyle Stormski | Right-Handed Pitcher | Houston, Texas | Stratford HS | 6-7 | 190
Three-year varsity letterwinner at Stratford High School … Named 2018 First-Team All-District as a pitcher … 2018 VYPE Magazine North Houston Pitcher of the Year … Earned 2017 All-District Honorable Mention honors … Also lettered as a varsity swimmer ... Member of National Honor Society … Member of Academy of Science and Engineering.