After signing four players during the fall signing period, head coach Jim Brownlee and his Illinois State baseball staff have signed three more players to play next season. Josh Eidt, Dan Spino and Jim VanSyckle will all be Redbirds in the 2004-2005 season.
Overall, I think this class meets all of our needs that we had, said head coach Jim Brownlee. It brings in some depth and athleticism to our middle infield and it brings in guys who will be able to fill holes in our pitching staff. Were very excited about whats going on in the program, because I think weve put together back to back outstanding classes.
Eidt (pronounced: EYE-t) will come to Illinois State from Brookfield, Wis., where he attends Brookfield Central High School. Eidt is a 5-11 175-pound left-handed pitcher. He did not pitch his junior year because of injuries and will not pitch until this summer. As a sophomore, Eidt was 9-2 with a 1.01 ERA. He was named first-team all-conference and all-district.
Josh can come in and pitch right away, said Illinois State assistant coach Seth Kenny. Every pitch he throws has good movement and his breaking ball is outstanding. Before he got injured, he was one of the better, if not the best pitcher in the entire state of Wisconsin. The bottom line with Josh though is that hes a winner.
Spino (pronounced: SPEE-no), of Gurnee, Ill., is a 6-foot, 185-pound outfielder at Warren Township High School. During his junior year, Spino hit .402 for Warren; en route to being named All-North Suburban Conference. He also received honorable mention all-area accolades.
Dans talent does not wow you at first, but the more you watch him play the more you realize how sound he is and what a good athlete he is, said Kenny. Hes got good speed, hes very good defensively in the outfield and he has a very good approach at the plate. He has the ability to come in and compete for a starting spot next year.
VanSyckle (pronounced: VAN-sick-ul) is a 6-6 215-pound right-handed pitcher from Palos Heights, Ill. The Shepard High School product has struck out 21 batters in 8 2/3 innings pitched in 2004, with a fastball approaching 90-mph.
Jim has a big upside, especially when you consider that with his frame hes already throwing in the upper-80s, Kenny said. He didnt play a lot as a junior but hes really started to come on over the summer and through the season. Hes developed into one of the better pitchers in the area and he should be a good draft out of our program in three years. If he comes in and has a good fall, he has a chance to pitch on the weekends.
The three new signees join incoming freshman Ryan Anetsberger (Wheaton, Ill. - R/R - SS), Lee Fisher (Orland Park, Ill. - R/R - INF), Michael Kelley (Bloomington, Ill. - R/R - P/INF) and junior college transfer Adam Swain (Evansville, Ind. - L/R - INF) as players already signed to play next year.
