NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State baseball head coach Steve Holm and his coaching staff have announced 10 signees to play for the Redbirds starting in the 2020 season. The list includes Ryan Cermak, Reagan Klawiter, Trey Krause, Erik Kubiatowicz, Damon Maynard, Tanner Peterson, Will Roguske, Micah Yonamine, Nolan Young and Jake Zenger.
Coach Holm on his first recruiting class…
"First I'd like to thank each and every one of the players and their families that made the decision to be Redbirds. This is obviously our first class and these young men decided to spend the next four years with us and we are glad they did. Secondly, I'd like to thank our coaching staff. Both Wally and Dane put in countless hours assembling this class in a matter of months. We basically did not get started till July 1 and I asked them to do a years' worth of work in four months. We look forward to getting these young men on campus and in a Redbird uniform!"
About the signees (Listed alphabetically):
Ryan Cermak | SS/RHP | 6-1 | R/R | Riverside-Brookfield HS | Riverside, Ill.
Coach Holm on Cermak: "Ryan is a shortstop and pitcher who continues to make strides. He recently hit as high as 93 MPH on the mound and his offense has made a similar jump. We look for Ryan to have a chance to impact us on both sides of the ball as a freshman."
Reagan Klawiter| LHP | 6-0 | L/L | Verona HS | Verona, Wis.
Coach Holm on Klawiter: "Reagan is a left-handed pitcher from Wisconsin with a big breaking ball. He has a projectable frame and we can see him throwing harder in the future. He has pitched in some big games and we look for him to continue that trend."
Trey Krause| LHP | 5-11 | L/L | Burlington HS | Burlington, Wis.
Coach Holm on Krause: "Trey is a guy we have known about for quite some time. He is a left-handed pitcher who has a plus breaking ball. We look for Trey to provide immediate depth to the pitching staff."
Erik Kubiatowicz| RHP | 6-3 | R/R | North St. Paul HS | Oakdale, Mnn.
Coach Holm on Kubiatowicz: "Erik was a guy that popped up late this summer. He is a four-sport guy from Minnesota that has a body that really projects. His fastball is already in the low 90s with a chance to make a big jump. Once we get him to focus solely on baseball, the sky's the limit."
Damon Maynard | C | 5-11 | R/R | Greenwood HS | Greenwood, Ind.
Coach Holm on Maynard: "Damon immediately caught our eye with his arm strength. Once he arrives on campus, he will put fear in opposing base runners. He is a teammate of Nolan Young and they both are tremendous young men."
Tanner Peterson | OF | 6-1 | L/R | Wilmot HS | Salem, Wis.
Coach Holm on Peterson: "Tanner is a left-handed hitter who has a chance to step in and have an impact as a freshman. He has proven to be one of the better players in his entire state. His brother is a freshman, who is already a Redbird, and we look forward to getting both young men on the field at the same time."
Will Roguske | C/RHP | 6-2 | R/R | New London-Spicer HS | Belgrade, Minn.
Coach Holm on Roguske: "Will is a right-handed pitcher out of Minnesota, whom we were lucky to obtain. He has a high level of pitch ability, something that we are seeking. He has a fastball that tops out at 91 with a plus changeup."
Micah Yonamine | C/IF | 6-4 | R/R | 'Iolani HS | Honolulu, Hawai'i.
Coach Holm on Yonamine: "Micah was a great get for us. Micah is one of the few Redbirds in our great history who have ever been from the state of Hawai'i. Micah carries a big bat with plus power. Micah's bat has a chance to have him play immediately and we can't wait for him to get here."
Nolan Young | UTIL | 5-10 | R/R | Mississinewa HS | Marion, Ind.
Coach Holm on Young: "Nolan is a guy we identified early this fall. We felt that he has a real chance to come in and help us in the infield right away. We loved the way he competed on the field, but he's also a great young man off the field."
Jake Zenger | RHP | 6-1 | R/R | Lawrence Free State HS | Lawrence, Kan.
Coach Holm on Zenger: "Jake and his family have a lot of history with the Redbirds. His father is a former Athletic Director here and Illinois State was at the top of Jakes list, because he fell in love with this place as he grew up. Jake is a side arm right-handed pitcher that can be extremely tough on right-handed hitters. We expect him to be a relief guy who can come in and get right-handed hitters out."
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