TAMPA, Fla. (Dec. 6, 2006) ? The University of South Florida baseball staff has signed 15 recruits to National Letters of Intent for the 2007-08 academic year, head coach Lelo Prado announced Wednesday.
Prado's first recruiting class at USF is made up of nine pitchers, three infielders and three outfielders. The class of 2007-08 includes: Chris Jones, (LHP), Gaither High School, Tampa, Fla.; Randy Fontanez, (P), Oviedo High School, Oviedo, Fla.; Junior Carlin, (P), Riverview High School, Riverview, Fla.; Yoandy Barroso, (OF), Miami Springs High School, Miami, Fla.; John Koscso, (3B, OF), Jesuit High School, Tampa, Fla.; Zach Pietrzyk, (P), Bloomingdale High School, Valrico, Fla.; Kevin Quackenbusch, (P), Jesuit High School, Tampa, Fla.; Garrett Trezona, (P), Gulliver Prep High School, Miami, Fla.; A.J. Regoli, (OF), Palm Beach Central High School, Wellington, Fla.; Efrain Nieves, (P), Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School, Caguas, Puerto Rico; Stephen Hunt, (1B/LHP), Jesuit High School, Tampa, Fla.; Derrick Stultz, (RHP), Wharton High School, Tampa, Fla.; Todd Brazeal, (IF/OF), Chamberlain High School, Tampa, Fla.; Denny Almonte, (OF), Florida Christian High School, Miami, Fla. and Rey Navarro, (SS), Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School, Caguas, Puerto Rico.
“This recruiting class fills all of the needs that we have here at USF,” Prado said. “It's the best recruiting class we've ever had. We've got great pitching, great power, great arms, and we are very excited about the group we have coming in. Along with the guys we already have here right now, these are the kind of guys we want in our program.”
Coach Prado, along with assistants Lazer Collazo and Bryant Ward have inked 13 players from the state of Florida and two from Puerto Rico.
“The job that Lazer and Bryant did after getting here in mid-July, with the signing period right around the corner, was great,” Prado said. “They convinced these players that what we are going to build here is going to be special, and that we have the dream of going to Omaha.”
Within the class are five players from the 2007 “Baseball America High School Top 300, including two in the top 100. Outfielder Regoli and right-handed pitcher Quackenbusch are listed in the top 100 at No. 65 and No. 78, respectively. Third baseman Brazeal is the 112th-best in the country while short stop Trezona is ranked at No. 121. Almonte, an outfielder and short stop, earned the 291st spot on the national list.
“On paper, this is the best recruiting class I have ever signed as a head coach, now they have to come here and do their job,” Prado said. “Our ultimate goal here is to recruit the best players, and Lazer and Bryant have done a great job of being out on the streets, to make sure this happens. I think any baseball guy in this state and around the country is talking about USF baseball and what is going on here.”
“Hard-nosed players are the type of players we are looking at right now,” Collazo said. “They could be either good or outstanding, it doesn't matter to us. It's the hard-nosed players that we are looking for to play at USF, the ones who are going to take us to the next step, which is Omaha.”
