NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State head baseball coach Bo Durkac announced the signing of eight recruits today, the first day of the early-signing period.
"First of all, I want to acknowledge assistant coaches Mike Stalowy and Michael Kellar for their efforts on the recruiting trail," Durkac said. "Despite having joined the coaching staff only in July, they worked tirelessly to evaluate, to develop relationships with, and to get commitments from the top available talent in the 2015 class in a very short amount of time.
"A good baseball team must be strong in the middle of the field, and with four pitchers, a catcher, a shortstop, a centerfielder and a pitcher/catcher, I feel that these eight signees reflect that trait. The focus of our first recruiting class was mostly on high school seniors, but we were also able to sign a junior college transfer who brings some immediate physicality to the team. I am extremely pleased with the makeup of the class, and we coaches are excited to get these talented ballplayers on campus in August and to watch their development in our program."
Illinois State received National Letters of Intent from:
Nick Alvarado | RHP | 6-7 | 210 | Grain Valley, Mo. | Grain Valley HS | Ticket Solution Tigers
Durkac on Alvarado: "Nick has the height, the build and the arm action that we look for in high school pitchers. At 6-foot-7, he creates tremendous downhill action on his fastball – with good control – and he has
also shown flashes of a good breaking ball. With continued development, we expect Nick to be a key component of our pitching staff over the next four years."
Brian Driskell, Grain Valley HS Head Baseball Coach, on Alvarado: "Though Nick is still in some ways very raw, he has the tools and ceiling to become a very special player."
Tim Atchity, Ticket Solution Tigers Head Coach, on Alvarado: "I have had Nick on my summer team since he was 14 and it has been rewarding to see him mature into a fine young man who possesses all the qualities to be an outstanding pitcher at the next level. With the advanced training and coaching he will receive at Illinois State, I expect him to refine his explosive stuff and become a solid component of the pitching staff for the next four seasons."
Payton Hartbank | OF | 6-1 | 190 | Mattoon, Ill. | Mattoon HS | Mattoon American Legion
Durkac on Hartbank: "Payton has all the size, speed, strength and bat speed you look for in a high school outfielder. The fact that he is a left-handed hitter made him a high-priority recruit for us. Having played
with current Redbird freshman infielder Ryan Hutchinson in high school, Payton had some familiarity with our program. We expect big things from him right away."
Mark Jackley, Mattoon HS Head Baseball Coach, on Hartbank: "Payton Hartbank has been a starting outfielder for us the last two seasons. Both seasons he has been first team all-conference. Payton had a breakout season his junior year, hitting over .500 a majority of the season. He was our leading base stealer with 25. Payton has the rare combination of being able to hit for average and steal bases. He is also an excellent defensive outfielder. Payton has many tools that give him the opportunity to be successful on the next level."
Jason Badman, American Legion Post 88 Head Coach, on Harbank: "As a junior, he played a key role as one of our leaders with Post 88 Baseball. He was always helping our younger players to identify strengths and weaknesses of our opponents. Before and during a game,? his leadership role was instrumental in helping his team get back into a game or stay up to bring home the win. Payton's pregame talks, his ability to stay calm during pressured situations, and his gift to light the spark with a certain play at a critical time in the game, are some of his many strong attributes."
Owen Miller | SS | 6-0 | 175 | Fredonia, Wis. | Ozaukee HS | Hitters Baseball
Durkac on Miller: "In our opinion, Owen is the best shortstop in the entire Midwest in the 2015 class. Defensively, he has an innate feel for the speed of the game, which should allow him to make a smooth transition from high school to the Missouri Valley Conference. Offensively, Owen is extremely talented in the batter's box. He seems to have the sense of timing and barrel-awareness that good hitters have and that is nearly impossible to teach. We think he will have an impact in our program immediately."
RJ Fergus, Hitters Baseball Head Coach, on Miller: "Owen Miller is one of the top players ever to come out of the Hitters program. Owen Miller was born to play high-level baseball, and someday we all will be watching him play on TV in the big leagues. I truly believe this."
Isaiah Ketterhagen, Ozaukee HS Basketball Coach, on Miller: "Owen is one of the hardest-working young men that I have been able to coach and teach here at Ozaukee. He has a competitive fire within him, which he uses to excel in and out of the classroom. He is a very talented individual who is so versatile that he not only excels in baseball, but was a first-team all-conference point guard in basketball as a junior, and has the potential to be Player of the Year in the Central Lakeshore Conference for hoops this year."
Travis Neubeck | RHP/C | 6-2 | 196 | Hugo, Minn. | Indian Hills CC | Hill Murray HS | Minnesota Blizzard
Durkac on Neubeck: "Travis brings a very versatile and unique skillset to our program. He has the ability to help us on the mound, behind the plate and in both batter's boxes. He is a bright and disciplined ballplayer who understands the commitment needed to play at a high level."
Cam Walker, Indian Hills Head Baseball Coach, on Neubeck: "Travis has an ideal frame to develop as a pitcher and possesses a sound base of mechanics. He has an up-tempo delivery with some effort and electric stuff. When he is in sync, his fastball has good life and his breaking ball is sharp. Travis has a fresh arm with very few innings on it as he has spent most of his short career as a switch-hitting catcher, and a good one at that. Travis has a bright future in baseball and it will be fun to watch him develop at Illinois State University."
Adam Barta, Minnesota Blizzard Head Coach, on Neubeck: "Travis has been one of the greats I have had the pleasure to coach in the past 10 years. He has one of the top arms ever to come out of our Blizzard program, and I see great things for him at Illinois State in the next two years. He is a standout leader and his presence will be felt just as much off the field as on it."
Brad Parchutz | RHP | 6-2 | 200 | Marengo, Ill. | Marian Central Catholic HS | Elite Baseball
Durkac on Parchutz: "Brad pitched on Duffy Bass Field in June of 2013, and he made a great first impression. He showed a good fastball, a great delivery and a competitive mentality. When he is at his best, he has the look of Missouri Valley Conference power arm. Another positive with Brad is that he has both the stamina of a starter and the stuff of a closer, giving us the ability to use him in multiple roles."
Benji Winkelman, Marian Central Catholic HS Head Baseball Coach, on Parchutz: "Brad has excellent mechanics for a player of his age. He spends countless hours studying and trying to perfect his craft. He is truly a student of the game."
Rich Ruffolo, Elite Baseball Head Coach, on Parchutz: "Brad Parchutz is a power arm with heavy sink. Brad is the ultimate competitor on the mound that will give you his heart and soul out there. He is a young man that will earn instant respect with his work ethic both, on and off the field."
Tyler Paulsen | RHP/1B | 6-5 | 210 | Channahon, Ill. | Minooka HS | Team DeMarini
Durkac on Paulsen: "Tyler is a legitimate two-way player who has huge upside at both positions. Going back to the summer of 2013, we have seen Tyler pitch and play multiple times, and he keeps getting better and better. We expect his improvement curve to continue during his time here. With his size and athleticism, the sky is the limit for Tyler."
Jeff Petrovic, Minooka HS Head Baseball Coach, on Paulsen: "Tyler is a terrific kid with a tremendous upside. He is a raw talent on the mound, and I expect great things for him. I'm very proud of Tyler and will miss him a ton. Everyone in our program wishes Tyler the best of luck."
Jared Koutnik, Team DeMarini Head Coach, on Paulsen: "As a physical, 6-foot-5, strong-bodied pitcher with a fresh arm, Tyler has come a long way in a short period of time on the mound after just being converted to a pitcher in the winter of his junior year. He has a huge upside with a projectable body and arm."
Jack Rettig | LHP | 6-2 | 175 | Mahomet, Ill. | Mahomet-Seymour HS | Phillies Scout Team
Durkac on Rettig: "Jack is the classic strike-throwing lefty who can mix his pitches and keep hitters off balance. The intriguing thing about Jack is his size and athleticism. With our pitchers' development plan and a commitment in the weight room, he could conceivably add several miles per hour to his fastball during his time here, while still maintaining his overall feel and command."
Nic DiFilippo, Mahomet-Seymour HS Head Baseball Coach, on Rettig: "Jack Rettig is a young man that has amazing potential. Jack's hard work ethic in and out of the season has put him at the elite level. Jack has been our No. 1 pitcher the last three years. We expect Jack to be a leader again for us on the mound and at the plate. We expect Jack to continue to achieve greatness at the next level. Bulldog Baseball is proud that Jack is becoming a Redbird and playing for the best baseball program in the state of Illinois."
Jon Goebel, Team Mizuno Head Coach, on Rettig: "I started coaching Jack when he was 16-years-old. In that time, I have watched him develop into a quality left-handed pitcher with a three-pitch mix. I believe Jack has a very high ceiling and the best is most definitely yet to come. Jack is consistently willing to put in the work needed to achieve ones potential."
Nick Zouras | C | 6-1 | 190 | Prospect Heights, Ill. | Hersey HS | Athletic Barn
Durkac on Zouras: "Nick has the tools and the mental makeup that we look for in a catcher. He has the size, arm strength and hard-nosed nature that all good catchers possess. Nick might have been under the radar because of an injury in his junior spring, but we still feel we are getting a top-flight catcher who has a chance to be a huge part of our program moving forward."
Robert Huber, Hersey HS Head Baseball Coach, on Zouras: "Nick always possessed a high skill set and now has the work ethic and leadership skills to match. It has been fun to watch his progression and maturation as he has become one of the most well-rounded athletes I have ever coached. In addition to his outstanding work ethic, he has taken on a leadership role that serves and benefits our entire program. I am a firm believer that our best players have to be our hardest workers and Nick certainly is that. He is the first in the weight room and the last one to leave; he will take extra practice reps and has worked hard to develop a rapport with our pitchers to enhance their success. In a word, Nick loves the game and works hard at improving himself as well as the team, each and every day."
Tom Barnard, Athletic Barn Head Coach, on Zouras: "Nick offers ISU a skill set that will compete very well in the Missouri Valley Conference. With the instruction at ISU and the competition offered in the Missouri Valley, Nick's goal and chance at playing the next level will be reached."
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