University of Minnesota Athletics
Anderson Announces Nine Signees
12/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Minneapolis, Minn. - University of Minnesota head coach John Anderson and the coaching staff have announced the signing of nine student-athletes Wednesday.
Easton Bertrand, Josh Culliver, Ryan Duffy, Patrick Fredrickson, Jacob Hitz, Charles "Bubba" Horton, Max Meyer and Sam Thoresen all signed National Letters of Intent while Danny Kapala inked an Acceptance of Admission.
The 2017 class features seven pitchers, one outfielder and one infielder. Six of the incoming student-athletes hail from Minnesota and the other three are from the states of Illinois, Nebraska and Washington respectively.
"I am excited about the make-up of the 2017 recruiting class," Anderson said. "It reflects the exceptional work and leadership of Assistant Head Coach, Rob Fornasiere, the contributions of new assistant Patrick Casey and our support staff. It represents an impressive class of pitching arms that was the main focus of this class. Add the two talented right-handed hitters that we need to off-set our strong line-up of left-handed hitters, and we have a talented foundation of players that make for a bright future starting with the 2018 season. The staff and I are extremely excited about this class of exceptional young men, their understanding and believe in our "Why". They have a strong desire to wear the "M", the talent and make-up that will translate to optimal, consistent performance in the Big Ten Conference. I am convinced they will add to our long and proud tradition of excellence in the classroom and on the field of play."
Easton Bertrand (Manteno, Ill./Manteno HS) OF | 6-3, | B/T: R/R
Bertrand is the No. 16 ranked prospect in Illinois according to Illinois Perfect Game and the No. 61 ranked outfielder in the Prep Baseball Report Rankings. He has been named all-conference and all-area twice. Bertrand has also been named a 2016 Perfect Game All-American Honorable Mention and a 2017 Under-Armour Pre-Season All-American. He has won local honors such as 2016 Manteno High School Most Outstanding Athlete and 2015 Best Defensive Glove Award. In 2016, Bertrand hit three home runs with eight doubles and three triples. He had a .500 on-base percentage and a .797 slugging percentage.
Fornasiere: "Easton is a physical outfielder with a strong arm, above average speed and power. He will help balance out our hitting with his right hand bat. He is a dynamic athlete with limitless potential."
Bertrand: "My goal throughout the recruiting process was to find the best fit for growth in the classroom and development on the baseball field. Minnesota baseball is a program rich in tradition and success because of an outstanding coaching staff. I knew on my first visit to Minnesota it was the right fit for me and I'm very excited to become a Gopher!"
Josh Culliver (Omaha, Neb./Creighton Prep HS) RHP | 6-1 | B/T: R/R
Culliver is ranked the No. 2 prospect in Nebraska according to Prep Baseball Report. In his junior season, he had a 7-0 record with a 1.31 ERA and 41 strikeouts. Over the summer, Culliver posted a 10-1 record with 64 strikeouts and a 1.13 ERA for his American Legion team.
Fornasiere: "Josh is a proven big game pitcher with a huge upside. He plays in a storied high school and legion program in Omaha. He was an integral part of his legion team going to the Legion World Series in 2016. Josh is athletic and has a smooth effortless delivery."
Culliver: "I chose the University of Minnesota because it felt like home away from home during my visits. I remember that the hardest part for me was leaving. The University of Minnesota is a place of opportunity where I could grow not only as an athlete but as a young man. The University of Minnesota has given me confidence in their coaching staff, due to the stability and have done an amazing job. I chose the University of Minnesota because of their outstanding academic performance, and the opportunities they give to the students. I take pride in knowing that the coaching staff will take our talents to the next level on and off the field. I chose Minnesota because of the winning tradition and rich history of the program."
Ryan Duffy (South St. Paul, Minn./South St. Paul Secondary) LHP | 6-2 | B/T: L/L
Duffy is ranked the No. 2 prospect in the state according to Prep Baseball Report. He was named Rawlings Perfect Game All-American Honorable Mention, all-conference five times for wrestling, twice in football and once in baseball. Duffy was also a five-time Academic All-Section, six-time letter winner in wrestling, four-time winning in football and baseball. Was high school teammates with current Gopher Sam Bridges.
Fornasiere: "Ryan is a terrific all-around athlete competing at a high level in Football, Wrestling and Baseball. He has a power arm and is very athletic. He plays QB for South St. Paul and finished No. 2 in his weight class in the 2016 State Wrestling Tournament."
Duffy: "I chose the University of Minnesota because I have always been a diehard Gopher fan. It's also a big deal to be able to play in front of my friends and family at every home game. Getting a quality education and being able to stay close to home is a dream come true."
Patrick Fredrickson (Gig Harbor, Wash./Gig Harbor HS) RHP | 6-7 | B/T: R/R
Fredrickson is the No. 3 ranked prospect in Washington according to the Perfect Game Rankings. Was named to the Kansas City Royals Area Code Team in the summer of 2016. He was named all-conference second team his junior season with a 2.23 ERA in 54 innings.
Fornasiere: "Patrick is a very physical power pitcher. He performed very well with his club team (Narrows Baseball Club) and the Area Code Games in California. He has a huge upside with a downhill fastball, sharp curveball and is developing a changeup."
Fredrickson: "The reason I chose Minnesota was because of the great baseball program. The solid coaching staff and positive energy from the players felt like something I wanted to be a part of. Academically it is a great school and a degree from Minnesota will set me up with great success after my baseball career."
Jacob Hitz (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake HS) IF | 6-1 | B/T: R/R
Hitz is the No. 23 ranked prospect in the state according to Prep Baseball Report. He is a two-year starting shortstop for the Prior Lake Lakers. He had a .435 batting average with five doubles, seven runs and two stolen bases for the Minnesota Prospects in the winter of the 2015. Hitz was also the starting quarterback for the Lakers where he helped lead Prior Lake to the state tournament.
Fornasiere: "Jacob is an athletic infielder with a strong arm and pop in his stick. He is a multi-sport athlete at Prior Lake as he is the quarterback on the football team. He projects as a pure shortstop."
Hitz: "It has been a dream of mine to be a Gopher since the day I went to my first Gopher football game when I was 10 years old. Growing up, I always thought that football would be the way I would get to suit up in a Minnesota Golden Gopher uniform. As I started to enter the recruiting process I realized baseball was my calling instead. I am very excited to become a part of the Golden Gopher Family next year. Coach Anderson is definitely someone who you want to give your all for and I plan to do so. "
Charles "Bubba" Horton (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove HS) LHP | 6-2 | B/T: R/L
Horton is ranked the No. 3 ranked prospect in the state according to Prep Baseball Report and the No. 49 left-handed pitcher in the nation in the Minnesota Perfect Game rankings. He was invited to the Team USA National 18-U Training and Development program in the summer of 2016. Horton was named all-conference, all-area and all-section the past two seasons. Last season Horton had a 1.49 ERA with 77 strikeouts. As a batter he had a .407 batting average and three home runs.
Fornasiere: "He is an athletic left handed pitcher with a moving fastball and solid secondary pitches. Bubba is a strike thrower and he is also a very good first basemen and hitter. He plays on Maple Grove basketball team which went to the state tournament in 2016. Bubba is a superior student who has interest in engineering. His father played football at Minnesota under Lou Holtz."
Horton: "The University of Minnesota was the complete package for me. Other schools had campuses tucked away in their own cities or towns, or maybe had sent more players to the draft but none had everything I was looking for. Minnesota has the best and most trustworthy coaches in the NCAA, a campus that boasts everything you could think of, fantastic educational opportunities, and a great team environment (who happens to be pretty good). The University of Minnesota has been my dream school for as long as I can remember and I can't wait to move in next fall."
Danny Kapala (Eagan, Minn./Eastview HS) LHP | 6-3 | B/T: L/L
Kapala is the No. 18 ranked prospect in the state according to Prep Baseball Report. He posted a 4-1 record his junior season with a 1.41 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 43.7 innings. As a hitter, Kapala had a .381 batting average. He also earned the Excel Leadership award and is a part of the National Honor Society.
Fornasiere: "Danny is a lanky, athletic left hander with movement on all pitches. He has huge upside in his developing frame and skill set. Danny plays for former Gopher, Mark Groebner, at Eastview and Tom Buske with the Minnesota Mash Club team."
Kapala: "I chose The University of Minnesota because it offered everything I wanted in both academics and Baseball. The coaching staff is very well respected and were very welcoming every time I was on campus. Academically, the school is very prestigious and had my major of intention. I also really liked the campus area feel and all the surrounding opportunities outside of school and baseball. Overall I look forward to becoming a Minnesota Gopher."
Max Meyer (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury HS) RHP/IF | 6-0 | B/T: L/R
Meyer is a two-year starter for the Woodbury Royals. He is ranked the No.4 prospect in the state according to Prep Baseball Report. He was the only junior to be named to the Star Tribune All Metro Second Team in 2016. He had a .350 batting average for the Royals with 28 hits, five doubles, two triples, two homeruns, 22 RBIs and 15 runs scored.
On the mound he was amongst the best pitchers in the state with a 10-1 record. In 62 innings pitched, Meyer had 72 strikeouts and posted a 0.79 ERA with four complete games and two shutouts. He helped lead Woodbury to the state tournament and defeated top-ranked Burnsville to reach the State 4A semi-finals throwing 6 1/3 innings pitched with one hit, seven strikeouts and no walks. Meyer was named to the Minnesota State High School All-State Team, Suburban East All-Conference, First Team All-Dick Siebert Fall League, All-District in American Legion and was a finalist for Pioneer Press East Metro Player of the Year. He was also a two-year starter for Woodbury Royals Hockey team. Assistant women's hockey coach, Joel Johnson, is Max's uncle.
Fornasiere: "Max is a very athletic pitcher and infielder with two-way potential in Division I. He has a plus fastball with a very good slider. Strong hitter and a smooth shortstop at Woodbury. He played on the Metro East Club Team that won the Siebert Fall League in 2016."
Meyer: "I chose the University of Minnesota because it is a great school and it just felt right being on campus. The coaching staff is well respected, the athletic facilities are great and they have so much to offer education wise."
Sam Thoresen (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka HS) RHP | 6-3 | B/T: R/R
Thoresen is ranked the No. 6 prospect in the state according to Prep Baseball Report. Was named all-conference in 2016 and team captain in 2017. Had a 1.13 ERA in 2016. Is on the A Honor Roll. His uncles Brian Thoresen and Jeff Teal played hockey for Minnesota from 1978-82.
Fornasiere: "Sam is a physical pitcher with a hard slider and a moving fastball. He is a strike thrower with swing and miss stuff.
Thoresen: "I chose Minnesota because it is a great school and it has been my dream to play for the Gophers my whole life. The coaching staff is highly respected and the University of Minnesota is a strong academic institution."
