June 9, 2008
NORMAL, Ill. -
The Illinois State baseball team added two talented junior college transfers to its 2008 recruiting class, as Hutchinson, Minn., native Evan Kohli and Bryan Earley of Cincinnati, Ohio, have signed National Letters of Intent (NLI) to continue their educations and careers at Illinois State. Both signees are currently teammates on the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League, and will join the Redbirds for the 2009 season.
A National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Third Team All-America pick at Madison (Wis.) Area Technical College (MATC), Kohli will see time at both first base and on the mound for the Redbirds. Kohli was second on the team in batting average (.375), slugging percentage (.514), hits (54), and doubles (15) during his sophomore season at MATC. As a pitcher, Kohli made a team-high 10 starts, while posting a 5-3 record to go along with a 3.46 earned-run average (ERA).
Kohli helped the Wolfpack claim their 17th-straight WTCC title with a perfect 10-0 league slate, as well as their second-straight NJCAA Region XIII championship. The Hutchinson High School product was an All-Wisconsin Technical College Conference (WTCC) pick, in addition to receiving NJCAA All-District and All-Region XIII honors.
"Evan will be a two-way player for us, but we think that he will help us the most on the mound," said Illinois State head coach Jim Brownlee. "He has a lot of upside to him, and our staff feels that he has a chance to be very good. He's a left-handed pitcher, and he's got a build similar to (former Redbird) Tyler Cox. Evan has also got some pop in his bat and will provide some power in the middle of the lineup, which is something that we have been lacking."
Earley, a product of Elder High School, posted a 2-2 record and a 3.44 ERA in 34.0 innings of work this past season at Lincoln Trail College (Robinson, Ill.). The right-hander allowed only 13 earned runs on 34 hits, while he struck out 25 and walked 19. Originally drafted out of high school by the Seattle Mariners in the 44th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, Earley has a professional bloodline, as he is the son of former big-league pitcher Bill Earley (St. Louis Cardinals).
In two starts with the Mallards this summer, Earley is 1-1 with a perfect 0.00 ERA. He has given up only three runs (none earned) on four hits, while striking out 10 and walking five in 11.1 innings of work.
"Bryan is a power pitcher who comes from a great bloodline," said Brownlee. "His father was a pitcher in the big leagues, and he is a fierce competitor on the mound. The biggest attribute he will bring to the team is his competitive nature, as he also has a great upside to him. He will be able to compete right away for a spot in the weekend rotation, and he also has the stuff to be a closer."
Kohli and Earley's signings represent the fifth and sixth members of the 2008 recruiting class. The pair will join Ryan Camp, Jake Thornton, Matt Mirabal and Landinn Eckhardt on the Redbird roster next season.
