University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Add Top National Talent for 2019-20
11/15/2018 3:07:00 PM | Baseball
MINNEAPOLIS – Head coach John Anderson and the Gopher Baseball team can announce the signing of seven student athletes to its incoming class following National Signing Day 2018. Each will step foot on campus in the fall of 2019 and don the Maroon & Gold for the 2020 season.
"I am extremely excited about this outstanding group of young men who are in the 2019 recruiting class. I strongly believe that they embody the values of our Team 'WHY' which closely aligns each of these young men with our program's purpose and mission," said Anderson. "Each of these players have a strong desire to wear the 'M' as well as the talent, internal motivation and the intangibles that will translate into consistent, optimal performance on the field, in the classroom and in the community. When they arrive on campus in the fall of 2019, I am confident that their daily actions will match the expectations that our long and proud tradition requires for members of the Golden Gopher Baseball family."
"I would like to recognize the work and exceptional leadership of assistant head coach Rob Fornasiere in this effort until his retirement this past July, along with assistant coaches Patrick Casey and Ty McDevitt and their impressive, consistent daily efforts identifying and securing commitments from this talented group of student athletes," said Anderson.
Will Anderson
| Position: LHP | Height: 6-0 | Weight: 180 | Bat/Throws: L/L Hometown: St. Michael, Minnesota | High School: St. Michael-Albertville Scouting Report: Emerging talent from the Minnesota high school ranks who burst into the national scene this spring flashing a quick arm |
One of three local products in this year's class, Anderson joins the Gophers after emerging as a top mound prospect for St. Michael-Albertville High School, leading the team to a Minnesota State Tournament appearance a season ago, where he finished 5-0 including a complete game victory to defeat Lakeville North in the Class 4A semifinals. He earned Mississippi 8 All-Conference, All-Section, and All-Academic honors in both his sophomore seasons while serving as team captain for the Knights. He played his travel ball for Gopher alum Tom Buske and Minnesota MASH, posting an 8-0 record the last two summers while going 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 12 innings this past season. His parents are Christina and Mark Anderson. He intends to study Kinesiology at Minnesota.
Prep Baseball Report named Anderson the no. 3 left-handed pitcher and the no. 6 overall player in the state of Minnesota. Perfect Game calls him Minnesota's no. 3 left-handed pitcher and no. 7 overall player while ranking him in the top 500 nationally and tabbing him as a 2018 Underclass High Honorable Mention entering his senior campaign.
Schools Also Considered: Stanford, Duke, Creighton, Milwaukee
Anderson on why he chose Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because of the great balance between athletics and academics. The campus made me feel at home and the players and coaches were very welcoming."
Assistant Coach Ty McDevitt on Anderson: "An exceptional left-handed pitcher that will bolster our pitching staff immediately. He has accumulated an impressive resume at St. Michael-Albertville which includes leading his team to the 2018 State Tournament and a Mississippi 8 Conference crown last spring. Within the last year, William has emerged as one of the top left-handed pitchers in the Midwest with his quick arm and pedigree on the mound. Coming from a hometown Gopher family, Will did not hesitate in his commitment to put on the Maroon & Gold and wear the Minnesota "M". William will remind Gophers fans of Phil Isakson with his competitive drive and pitch-ability. We are excited to add a fierce competitor to our staff and keep such a talent in the state of Minnesota."
Kyle Bork
| Position: 1B/OF | Height: 6-5 | Weight: 190 | Bat/Throws: R/R Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia | High School: St. Francis Scouting Report: Highly talented right-handed hitting first baseman/outfielder from Atlanta who is starting to break through with his immense ability level |
Bork heads north to join the Gophers after playing his prep baseball for St. Francis High School in Georgia and head coach Brandon Bates. Currently a three-year starter for the Knights, Bork broke out as a junior hitting .441 with five home runs, 11 doubles, 25 runs, and 42 RBIs to earn First Team All-Region honors. This summer, he was named the MVP of Perfect Game's 2018 Super 25 Georgia Super Qualifier after hitting .533 with four extra-base hits, seven RBIs, and two stolen bases. He plays his travel ball for DRB Elite and head coach Paul Meade, where he earned WWBA-Jupiter All-Tournament Team and SE Qualifier All-Tournament Team honors in 2017. He is the son of Lisa and Brian Bork, cousin of Gopher Baseball alum Michael Handel, and nephew of Golden Gopher Fund Associate Athletic Director Randy Handel. He intends to study sports management or business/marketing at Minnesota.
Prep Baseball Report named him the no. 33 outfielder and no. 166 overall player in the state of Georgia as well the no. 310 outfielder. Perfect Game named him the sixth-best outfielder in the state and 38th overall player, as well as the no. 407 overall player in the country entering his senior season.
Schools Also Considered: South Carolina, Missouri, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Columbus State, Georgia Gwinnett
Bork on why he chose Minnesota: "Having grown up in the south, I wanted to have a different college experience. After my second visit to the University of Minnesota, I realized I found the perfect fit to further my academic, baseball and life goals. The combination of an outstanding coaching staff, Big Ten baseball and the traditions of Gopher Baseball made it an easy decision. Having met my future teammates and evaluated all the University has to offer, I can't wait to be a Gopher."
Assistant Coach Patrick Casey on Bork: "One of the most exciting offensive players in the country with an immense upside, Kyle is athletic, versatile and will provide an immediate impact upon his arrival to the University of Minnesota. Kyle is capable of playing both corner infield and outfield positions and has shown the ability to dominate the competition at the amateur level in one of the most competitive states in the nation. Not only is Kyle a high-end performer on the field, but he possesses special leadership qualities while excelling in the classroom and in the community. Kyle's play and ability level will remind Gopher fans of Jason Kennedy ('99-02). We are extremely excited for Kyle and his family to join the Golden Gopher Baseball family."
Michael Gurka
| Position: RHP | Height: 6-3 | Weight: 205 | Bat/Throws: R/R Hometown: Clarendon Hills, Illinois | High School: Joliet Catholic Academy Scouting Report: Talented, athletic right-handed pitching prospect from one of the best high school prep programs in the country |
Gurka arrives in Minnesota after a career as a three-sport letter winner for Joliet Catholic Academy, competing in baseball, football, and golf. He earned All-State honors from Prep Baseball Report while helping lead the Hilltoppers to a JCA Regional Championship in 2018. He also plays for the Midwest Cincinnati Reds Scout Team. He played his travel ball for Top Tier Americans and head coach Griffin Phelps. With a 1.58 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 34 innings last summer, Gurka broke out in the summer scene to earn All-Tournament Team honors at WWBA, WWB, Kernels, and the Perfect Game World Series. Off the diamond, he is an Academy Rotary Club Community Youth Ambassador, a Habitat for Humanity Youth Leader, Young Life Youth Leader & Ambassador, and National Honor Society member. His parents are Kristen and Michael Gurka. He plans to major in sport management with a minor in business administration at Minnesota.
Prep Baseball Report ranked him the no. 27 right-handed pitcher and no. 70 overall player in the state of Illinois. Perfect Game ranked Gurka as the no. 19 right-handed pitcher and no. 57 overall player in Illinois as well as the no. 450-ranked right-hander in the nation. The same organization named him a 2017 Underclass All-American and 2018 All-American All-Region entering his senior season.
Schools Also Considered: Missouri, Creighton, Illinois State, Xavier, St. Louis, Air Force, Memphis, Kansas State, and Florida Atlantic
Gurka on why he chose Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota because it felt like home. The coaching staff treated me like family and the winning culture in the Big Ten is definitely something I want to be part of. The mix of great academics along with elite competition is what I was looking for in the next four years of my life."
Coach McDevitt on Gurka: "Michael is everything you look for in a high school pitching recruit. His body, powerful arm and sharp breaking ball project for a successful collegiate career. Pitching for the highly touted Top Tier Americans, Michael has pitched effectively in some of the most competitive tournaments throughout the country. In the competitive Chicagoland area, he has emerged as one of the fastest-rising talents in the state of Illinois with immense upside. Michael's arm action, delivery and over-powering stuff is reminiscent of Gopher great Scott Matyas. We expect him to make an immediate impact on our staff as a freshman in the fall of 2019."
Sam Ireland
| Position: RHP/1B | Height: 6-3 | Weight: 195 | Bat/Throws: R/R Hometown: Highlands Ranch, Colorado | High School: Mountain Vista Scouting Report: Highly regarded two-way talent out of Colorado high school powerhouse program Mountain Vista in Highlands Ranch, Colorado |
Ireland joins the Gophers following his career as a two-way player for Mountain Vista and head coach Rob Quintana, earning All-Area, All-State, and All-District honors for the top-ranked high school team in Colorado which finished the 2018 season at 26-1 with a CHSAA State Baseball Championship and a no. 8 ranking in the nation. He earned Player of the Year honors as a junior from CHSAA, PBR Colorado, USSA Today, Mile High Sports Magazine, and the Continental League. On the mound, Ireland tossed a pair of no-hitters on his way to a season to 77 strikeouts over 72 innings with a 2.72 ERA. At the plate, he batted .400 with 11 big flies, eight doubles, 22 runs scored and 43 RBIs while playing at both corner infield positions. He played his travel ball for the Mountain West Slammers and head coach John Cronican, where he led the team in batting average in all three seasons. His parents are Mary and Kevin Ireland, and his sister Katie is a standout setter for the volleyball team at Cal State East Bay. He intends to study sport management at Minnesota.
Prep Baseball Report tabbed Ireland as the Player of the Year in 2018, ranking as the no. 1 first baseman and no. 3 overall player in the state of Colorado, and no. 10 first baseman nationally (no. 380 overall player). Perfect Game named him the top first baseman and no. 8 overall player in Colorado while also tabbing him the no. 22 nationally ranked first baseman, a top-500 overall player, and a 2018 Underclass High Honorable Mention All-American entering his senior campaign. USA Today named him the All-USA First Team while the same publication and Max Preps both named him Colorado's Player of the Year. MaxPreps also named Ireland a Postseason Underclass All-American.
Schools Also Considered: New Mexico, Utah, Tulane, Kansas State, South Alabama, Northern Colorado, Dayton, Cincinnati
Ireland on why he chose Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because once I stepped on campus I felt that the academics and college experience would be the perfect fit for me. The culture that Coach Anderson has created is unmatched and will develop me as a player and as a person."
Coach Casey on Ireland: "An outstanding all-around talent and one of the top two-way players in the nation following an unprecedented junior season, Sam is not only one of the best hitters in the country, but also one of the top pitching talents. At the plate, he has power to all fields, an advanced approach and projects as a middle-of-the-order force in the Big Ten Conference while his high-end athleticism allows for him to play anywhere on the diamond. On the mound, sits anywhere from 88-92[miles per hour] with 'plus' secondary pitches and high-end pitch-ability. His two-way talents are reminiscent of the program's immense success developing players on the mound and at the plate dating back to Dave Winfield and as recent as Matt Fiedler. Sam will significantly impact the program upon arrival while excelling both on and off the field. We are very excited to add Sam's talents and leadership skills to the Golden Gopher Baseball family next fall."
Steve Jamroziak
| Position: OF | Height: 6-3 | Weight: 185 | Bat/Throws: R/R Hometown: Muskego, Wisconsin | High School: Muskego Scouting Report: Physical and multi-tooled outfielder that hails from western Wisconsin and rates as one of the top outfielders in the country |
A native of western Wisconsin, Jamroziak joins the Gophers after competing in four sports for Muskego high school: football as a wide receiver, basketball as a forward, cross country, and, of course, baseball. He played his travel ball for the Rawlings Hitters and head coach R.J. Fergus, posting a team-leading .395 batting average last season with 45 hits, six doubles, four triples, 26 RBIs, 29 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. The past three summers, he's amassed 48 total steals. He earned All-Conference honors for the Warriors. His parents are Cindy and David Jamroziak. Jamroziak also helped lead Muskego to its first State Football Championship in 24 years as the team went 13-0 with the receiver hauling in six touchdowns this fall. Off the field, he's part of the National Business Honor Society and plans to study business marketing at Minnesota.
Prep Baseball Report ranked Jamroziak as the no. 2 outfielder and no. 9 overall player in the state of Wisconsin, as well as the no. 62 outfielder nationally. Perfect Game named him Wisconsin's top outfielder and no. 10 overall player as well as the no. 210 outfielder nationally and a top-500 overall player in the country. The same organization named him an Underclass Honorable Mention in 2017 and Underclass High Honorable Mention in 2018 entering his senior season.
Schools Also Considered: Oklahoma, UConn, Xavier, Bradley, Illinois State, Illinois, Purdue
Jamroziak on why he chose Minnesota: "When I went on my first visit, the atmosphere of the campus was incredible and got my attention right away. The coaching style and player culture of the team was another eye-opener that made me want to join, along with the new Athletes Village and a great business school. One of the most important things to the coaches is players' success beyond their college careers whether it's professional baseball or a good occupation, which stood out to me and said a lot about the culture being built."
Coach Casey on Jamroziak: "One of the most heavily-recruited outfielders and upper-echelon athletes in the 2019 class, Steve comes to Minnesota after a standout prep career at Muskego where he excelled in the classroom and in four different sports. Steve's combination of size, strength, speed, athleticism, talent, and most importantly, character are going to play immediate factors for the program. Steve has the ability to play all three outfield positions, as well as infield, and his bat is one that projects to be in the middle part of the order quickly in his collegiate career. A very exciting player with five-tool ability, Steve's right-handed bat and skill-set will remind fans of Gopher greats Vince Palyan ('87-89) and Justin Gominsky ('09-11). We couldn't be more happy to add a talent, and a person, like Steve to the Gopher Baseball family."
Trent Schoeberl
| Position: RHP | Height: 6-5 | Weight: 190 | Bat/Throws: R/R Hometown: White Bear Lake, Minnesota | High School: White Bear Lake Scouting Report: Projectable and physical right-handed pitcher with a very high ceiling and ability level |
Schoeberl heads to campus after starting each of the last three seasons for the Bears. This past spring, he led the Bears in both ERA and strikeouts, finishing with a 3.69 ERA and 24 punch-outs in 24 innings and posting a 3-3 record. During his career, he earned all-conference honors in 2017 and all-section selections each of the last two years. He played his travel ball for the Minnesota Blizzard and head coach Adam Barta as well as Complete Game baseball for coach Matt Faulken. Off the diamond, he is a member of the White Bear Lake Leadership Academy. His parents are Kaylene and Jeff Schoeberl. He intends to major in business with a sport management minor at Minnesota.
Prep Baseball Report tabbed Schoeberl as the no. 4 right-handed pitcher and no. 10 overall player in Minnesota. Perfect Game ranks him the no. 3 right-handed pitcher and no. 5 overall player in the state, as well as one of the top 500 players nationally, including being the no. 263 right-handed pitcher. The same organization named him a 2018 Underclass High Honorable Mention entering his senior campaign.
Schools Also Considered: Iowa, North Dakota State
Schoeberl on why he chose Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota because of the opportunities the university provides both academically and athletically. The coaching staff put a large emphasis on the academics and how their goal is to prepare us for life so we are more than just a baseball player. The team has a great tradition I would love to be a part of. Overall, being able to represent my home state and earn a degree from the University of Minnesota made my decision extremely easy."
Coach McDevitt on Schoeberl: "Trent possesses two of the most sought-after attributes of amateur pitchers: height and the ability to sink the fastball. Spending the last two years with the Minnesota Blizzard program, Trent has competed on the national stage against some of the best competition in the country. With his natural arm action, 'plus' breaking ball and developing body, we expect Trent to blossom into a power arm with the ability to sink the baseball and get collegiate hitters out very early in his career. Trent will remind fans of Gopher great Ben Meyer."
Bennett Theisen
| Position: RHP | Height: 6-3 | Weight: 185 | Bat/Throws: R/R Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota | High School: Minnehaha Academy Scouting Report: Hard-throwing and athletic right-handed pitcher with physical presence and deceptiveness on the mound |
Theisen rounds out the class, joining the Gophers after a three-sport prep career at Minnehaha Academy, competing in football as a linebacker, basketball as a forward, and baseball as a two-way player, winning four Minnesota State Championships (two each in basketball and baseball). Theisen helped lead Minnehaha to the 2017 State 2A Championships while posting a 1.89 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 48 innings, earning All-Tournament, All-Conference, and Rookie of the Year honors. He then followed that up with a 1.39 ERA and 66 punch-outs in 45 innings last year, earning All-Conference honors while also leading the team offensively with a .350 average, 24 RBIs, seven stolen bases, and 18 runs scored. He played his travel ball for the Minnesota Blizzard and head coach Adam Barta. Off the diamond, he is a member of National Honor Society. His parents are Jennie and Pete Theisen, and his mother performed on the dance line for the Maroon & Gold. He intends to major in business at Minnesota.
Prep Baseball Report ranked Theisen as the no. 3 right-handed pitcher and no. 7 overall player in the state of Minnesota. Perfect Game ranked him the no. 5 right-hander and no. 10 overall player, as well as the no. 437 right-handed pitcher nationally. The same organization named him a 2018 Underclass High Honorable Mention entering his season.
Schools Also Considered: Iowa, Northwestern, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Xavier, St. Louis, Valparaiso, Milwaukee, Illinois State
Theisen on why he chose Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because it is both a top-ranked academic university and baseball program. Additionally, the coaches' integrity and commitment to their players really stood out to me. I have always wanted to be a Gopher since I was a little kid going to football and basketball games, along with attending summer baseball camps."
Coach McDevitt on Theisen: "Bennett is a hard-throwing right hander with a deceptive delivery, three-quarters arm action and high upside both on and off the field. His repertoire on the mound, which includes a mid-to-high 80s fastball with movement, adds difficulty for hitters and allows his stuff to play up at the next level. A captain in three-sports (baseball, basketball and football) excelling across multiple seasons, he brings to our program an unprecedented level of leadership and the ability to contribute not only on the field but in the classroom as well as the community. Bennett is the classic example of the type of person, and player, that we are after. We are very excited to have him a part of the Golden Gopher Baseball family for the next 50 years."