OSU's Baseball Recruits Rank Highly

Baseball America ranked OSU’s class as No. 20 in the nation, while Collegiate Baseball rated the Beavers’ group as No. 39 among the 293 programs that play NCAA Division I baseball.

Photo courtesy: OSU Athletics

CORVALLIS - The recruiting class joining Oregon State’s baseball program for the 2006-07 academic year has been ranked among the nation’s best by both Baseball America magazine and Collegiate Baseball newspaper.

The rankings are for the group of players that entered OSU this fall and can play for the defending national champions during the 2007 season.

Complete rankings from both publications can be found on their websites at www.baseballamerica.com and www.baseballnews.com.

Oregon State’s recruits join a program that won the national championship at the 2006 College World Series, has earned back-to-back CWS appearances and has won the last two Pacific-10 championships.

Part of Baseball America’s assessment of the new Beavers reads: “Oregon State needed to plug a number of holes left by departing veterans, and this class should be just what the doctor ordered.”

A look at the members of the OSU recruiting class who have been participating in fall baseball over the past several weeks:

Joey Wong – IF – Salem, Ore. (Sprague HS)

As a senior, all-state first team, league Player of the Year, drafted in 46th round by Houston Astros

Batted .438 with 3 homers, 14 RBIs, 6 stolen bases

As a junior, all-state first team, all-league first team; USA Youth National Team

Batted .451, 2 homers, 4 triples, 7 doubles, 27 RBIs, 9 stolen bases

Scotty Berke – OF – Las Vegas, Nev. (Sierra Vista HS)

As a senior, all-state first team

Batted .429 with 5 homers, 18 doubles, 12 stolen bases

As a junior, all-state first team, all-area first team, all-league first team, division Player of the Year

Batted .341, 12 homers, 1 triple, 15 doubles, 46 RBIs, 16 stolen bases

Jackson Evans - IF – Vancouver, Wash. (Hudson’s Bay HS)

As a senior, all-state first team, all-region first team, all-league first team, male athlete of the year

Batted .374, 3 homers, 26 stolen bases

As a junior, all-state first team, all-region first team, all-league first team

Batted .376, 6 homers, 4 triples, 5 doubles, 18 RBIs, 15 stolen bases

Drew George – IF – Lebanon, Ore. (Lebanon Union HS/Lower Columbia CC)

As a sophomore, all-Northwest first team, division Most Valuable Player

Batted .367 with 1 homer, 3 triples, 10 doubles, 37 RBIs

As a freshman, all-Northwest second team, all-region first team; drafted in 44th round by Chicago White Sox

Batted .340, 3 triples, 8 doubles, 25 RBIs, 10 stolen bases

Tyler Graham - RHP – Shingle Springs, Calif. (Ponderosa HS)

As a senior, all-conference first team

Had 4-4 record, 2.79 ERA, 52.2 IP, 48 hits, 14 walks, 55 strikeouts; batted .400 with 4 homers, 14 RBIs

As a junior, all-Metro first team, league Most Valuable Player, all-league first team

Had 9-0 record, 1 save, 0.48 ERA, 70.1 innings, 23 hits, 13 walks, 87 strikeouts

Chris Hopkins – OF – Oakland, Calif. (Bishop O’Dowd HS/Sierra JC)

As a sophomore, all-conference second team

Batted .347 with 2 homers, 2 triples, 8 doubles, 37 RBIs, 25 stolen bases

As a freshman, drafted in 37th round by Milwaukee Brewers

Batted .291 with 4 doubles, 11 RBIs, 16 stolen bases

Blake Keitzman – LHP – Roseburg, Ore. (Roseburg HS)

As a senior, state Player of the Year, all-state first team, all-conference first team

11-0 record, 0.44 ERA, 148 strikeouts

As a junior, all-state first team pitcher, conference player of the year, all-conference first team pitcher

Had 11-3 record, 1 save, 1.01 ERA, 82 innings, 27 hits, 27 walks, 127 strikeouts

Jordan Lennerton – 1B – Langley, B.C. (Brockwood Secondary HS/El Paso CC)

As a sophomore, all-conference first team

Batted .416 with 10 home runs, 14 doubles, 63 RBIs, 7 stolen bases

As a freshman, all-conference honorable mention, drafted in 41st round by Milwaukee Brewers

(also drafted out of high school in 50th round by Toronto Blue Jays)

Batted .333 with 5 homers, 2 triples, 11 doubles, 24 RBIs, 1 stolen base

Chad Nading – RHP-1B – Anchorage, Alas. (East Anchorage HS)

As a senior, state Player of the Year, conference Most Valuable Player, drafted in 36th round by Detroit Tigers

Had 4-0 record, 0.75 ERA, 43 strikeouts; batted .649

As a junior, all-state first team at pitcher, first base

Had 3-0 record, 1 save, 2.33 ERA, 19.1 innings, 7 hits, 9 walks, 26 strikeouts; batted .633, 1 double, 1 triple, 14 RBIs

Ryan Ortiz – C – San Diego, Calif. (St. Augustine HS)

As a senior, all-state first team, all-section first team, league Player of the Year, team Most Valuable Player

Batted .420, 8 homers, 39 RBIs, 33 runs

As a junior, all-league first team

Batted .440, 4 homers, 39 RBIs, 29 runs, 5 stolen bases

Tyrell Poggemeyer – RHP – Pleasant Hill, Ore. (Pleasant Hill HS)

As a senior, all-state first team utility player, all-league first team utility player

Had 5-2 record, 0.83 ERA, 59.1 innings, 20 hits, 18 walks, 81 strikeouts; batted .397, 4 homers, 21 RBIs

As a junior, all-state first team utility player, all-league first team utility player

Had 3-1 record, 3.61 ERA, 33 innings, 33 hits, 52 strikeouts; batted .448, 4 homers, 2 triples, 10 doubles, 27 RBIs

Joe Pratt – IF – Monmouth, Ore. (Central HS)

As a senior, state Co-Player of the Year, league Player of the Year

Batted .480 with 4 homers

As a junior, all-state first team, all-league second team

Batted .484 with 4 homers

Jorge Reyes – RHP - Warden, Wash. (Warden HS)

As a senior, all-state first team, all-area first team, all-league first team

Had a 6-1 record, 0.32 ERA, 43.2 innings, 78 strikeouts

As a junior, all-state first team, all-area first team, all-league first team

Had 9-0 record, 0.40 ERA, 51 innings, 101 strikeouts

Kraig Sitton – LHP – McMinnville, Ore. (McMinnville HS)

As a senior, all-state third team, all-league first team

Had 9-2 record, 0.78 ERA, 77.0 innings, 36 walks, 106 strikeouts, opponents batted .175

As a junior, played junior varsity

Batted .451, 2 homers, 4 triples, 7 doubles, 27 RBIs, 9 stolen bases

Braden Wells – OF – Glendale, Ariz. (Brophy Prep HS/Dixie State JC)

As a sophomore, all-district first team, all-region first team

Batted .358 with 1 triple, 9 doubles, 31 RBIs, 24 stolen bases

As a freshman, drafted in 32nd round by Los Angeles Angels

Batted .331 with 1 homer, 2 triples, 4 doubles, 23 RBIs, 7 stolen bases

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