TEMPE, Ariz. – Boasting yet another exceptional recruiting class, the Sun Devil Baseball program's 2016 haul was chosen as the nation's best on Monday, according to Collegiate Baseball's annual evaluation of NCAA Division I baseball classes.
It marks the Sun Devils' fourth national recruiting title and first since 2008, having also earned the nod in 1995 and 1983, respectively.
The Sun Devils originally had 11 members of the signing class signed in the Professional Baseball Draft in June, with five of those electing to forgo a Major League contract to attend Arizona State. The Sun Devils brought in three transfers who have all been drafted in their careers – bringing the total number of draft picks in the signing class to eight, the most since Florida signed the same amount in 2013.
The highly-touted Sun Devil class features 15 freshmen, four junior college transfers and one 4-year college transfer, spanning 10 states including Arizona, California, Illinois, Nevada, Wisconsin, Texas, Florida, Iowa, New Mexico, and Utah.
"It is a really superb class," said Arizona State Head Coach Tracy Smith. "Sun Devil Baseball has always attracted top-talent from all around the country. Being here only a short time it is easy to see why. This place is special."
After initially signing 14 players in the fall – six of which elected to sign professional contracts following the MLB Draft in June -- Smith and company added six signees during the spring singing period.
"In our original recruiting class heading into the Draft last June, we expected to lose three players," noted Smith. "When we lost six to pro signings, we suddenly had a lot of work to do."
"Historically, I don't go after junior college players very often. Fortunately, we recovered and signed some quality junior college transfers in RHP Jake Godfrey (N.W. Florida St. who was previously drafted in the 21st round in 2014), INF Taylor Lane (N.W. Florida St. who was drafted in the 40th round in 2014) and INF Jackson Willeford (Cypress C.C., 12th round pick in 2012)."
The 2016 Sun Devil class features nine signees who participated in the 2015 Area Code Baseball Games, an invitation-only elite baseball event held annually, and four who played in the Tournament of the Stars - a showcase hosted by USA Baseball.
Two competed competed in the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park, three who played in the Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field, two who were a part of the 40-man provisional roster for the 18U National Team Trials and and four were ranked in ESPN.com Keith Law's latest Top 50 MLB draft prospects.
In garnering Collegiate Baseball's highly-regarded recruiting title, Arizona State becomes the first non-Southeastern Conference program to earn the nod in seven years.
The 34-year publication factors into its evaluation drafted players and the round they are chosen, All-Americans, All-State selections and All-Conference picks.
Collegiate Baseball also gives points for Conference Players of The Year, State Players of The Year and National Players of The Year.
2016 NCAA Div. I Recruiting Results
By Collegiate Baseball
1. Arizona State
2. Mississippi
3. North Carolina
4. Arizona
5. Auburn
6. Florida
7. Louisiana St.
8. Texas Christian
9. U.C. Santa Barbara
10. Washington
List of Sun Devil Signees:
Hunter Bishop – OF, San Carlos, Calif. / Junipero Serra High School
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Hunter is a rare blend of speed and strength. He is one of the top position players in the country. As good as Hunter already is as baseball player, we feel that he is just scratching the surface of his potential. In addition, he comes from the same high school as Sun Devil legend Barry Bonds."
Accolades: Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and Perfect Game Second Team All-Region in 2016
Rankings: Keith Law, ESPN.com: #44 MLB Draft Prospect
Frank Dickson – LHP, Scottsdale, Ariz. / Desert Mountain HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Frank, another local LHP, is an excellent competitor and has shown the ability to locate multiple pitches in the zone. We love the way he competes every pitch and every inning. We think Frank has a chance to come in and pitch for us right away."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #2 left-handed pitcher in Arizona
Jacob Godfrey – RHP, New Lenox, Ill. / Providence Catholic HS / Northwestern Florida State College
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "We are excited to bring in a power right-handed arm in Jake Godfrey. We feel that he has the potential to compete for a spot in the weekend rotation immediately. No stranger to top-level competition, we love Jake's bulldog mentality on the mound."
Accolades: Perfect Game First-Team All-American and First-Team All-Region in 2014
College Career: Served as both a reliever and starter for Louisiana State University during the 2015 season and appeared in 21 games with nine starts and posted a 7-1 mark in 54.2 innings. Transferred to Northwestern Florida State College for the 2016 season and has appeared in nine games with one start, and has a 2.29 ERA in 39.1 innings.
Rankings: Perfect Game - #8 overall junior college prospect and #5 junior college pitcher in 2016
Ethan Skender – INF, Metamora, Ill / Metamora HS/ State College of Florida
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Ethan brings athleticism, versatility, and a strong bat to our infield. We love his makeup and the way he competes on the diamond. We expect Ethan to be an impact player from the day he steps on campus."
Accolades: Prep Baseball Report First Team All-State in 2015; Perfect Game Third-Team All-American and First Team All-Region in 2015, and Perfect Game Second-Team Underclass in 2014.
College Career: Accumulated a .369 batting average with seven home runs and 42 RBI in 30 games this season as both an infielder and outfielder at State College of Florida.
Rankings: Perfect Game - #69 overall junior college prospect and #11 junior college shortstop in 2016, #1 high school shortstop in Illinois and #26 high school shortstop in nation in 2015.
Tanner West – LHP, Albuquerque, N.M. / Volcano Vista High School
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "In Tanner, we feel that we have the top 2016 LHP in New Mexico. Tanner brings an upper 80s fastball with a good slider and has shown feel for a changeup. Similar to others in this class, we feel Tanner's best days are in front of him."
Accolades: Three-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclassmen All-American; USA Today All-USA New Mexico First Team in 2015.
Rankings: Perfect Game - #5 overall player in New Mexico
Mikey York – RHP, Henderson, Nev. / Basic High School / College of Southern Nevada
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "We feel Mikey is a premium junior college arm, including an electric fastball that tops out in the mid-90s. We feel he has the ability to be a front-line arm in the Pac-12."
Accolades: 2014 First Team All-Conference, All-Region and All-State
College Career: Recorded 45 strikeouts in a little over 35 innings pitched. Put together a 21.2-inning scoreless streak across five outings at College of Southern Nevada.
Carter Aldrete – INF, Monterey, Calif./Monterey HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Carter is an extremely athletic infielder with good actions and good feet. He is an instinctual player and a tremendous competitor. His athleticism is off the charts. You take Carter's physical tools and couple them with the baseball background he is coming from and we think we have a special player."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #3 shortstop and #12 overall player in California, #23 overall shortstop and #93 overall player in the nation.
Bo Bichette - INF, Tierra Verde, Fla./Lakewood HS?
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Bo is one of the top rated right-handed hitters in the nation in the 2016 class. He consistently hits the baseball hard to all fields and is a versatile defender capable of playing multiple infield spots. Bo should make an immediate impact in the middle of our line-up"
Rankings: Perfect Game - #2 shortstop and #4 overall player in Florida, #5 overall shortstop and #26 overall player in the nation
Nick Cheema – C, Weatherford, Texas/Aledo HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "We are excited to add a physical catcher, who happens to pitch. Nick has power potential in his bat and an above average throwing arm. His fastball has been up to 91 mph. He is a proven defensive catcher who has caught some of the best arms in the state of Texas. We love the toughness he brings to the field and look forward to seeing how his bat projects in our program."
Rankings: Perfect Game - Top 500 overall player in the nation
Myles Denson – OF, Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Myles is an athletic outfielder who brings speed and defense to our team right away. We love his baseball skill set and his projectable body. With added strength and experience, we feel he has a chance to develop into an everyday player during his career at ASU."
Rankings: Perfect Game - Top 500 overall player in the nation
Sam Ferri - C/RHP, Norridge, Ill./Notre Dame College Prep
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Sam is a two-way player at catcher and right-handed pitcher - a rare combination where he was one of the best in the country. He has an impressive fastball-slider combination, but primarily we see him behind the plate as we think he is one of the most advanced defensive catchers in the country. He plays with energy and has an ability to shut down the running game. This guy is the type of player and personality you feel good building a program around."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #2 catcher and #7 overall player in Illinois, #16 overall catcher and #134 overall player in the nation
Sean Keating – LHP, South Jordan, Utah/Bingham HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Sean is a guy who excites us. He is a tall, lanky left-handed pitcher. Hailing from Utah, Sean is already touching 90 mph and has a good feel for both a breaking ball and a change-up. One of the better left-handed pitchers in the Four Corners area, Sean is also a wonderful young man from a great family and should he should compete for innings immediately."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #3 overall player in Utah, #38 overall left-handed pitcher and #326 overall player in the nation.
Reggie Lawson - RHP, Adelento, Calif./Victor Valley HS?
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "We think we have one of the most accomplished and celebrated right-handed pitchers in the country in Reggie. The list of accomplishments for him up to this point in his career is staggering: He was on the mound for the USA 18U National Team when they won the gold medal in Japan this past summer, he started the Perfect Game All-America Game at Petco Park in San Diego, and he threw in the Area Code Games in California. Even better than that, Reggie is one of the nicest and most humble young men you will ever meet. We feel he has a chance to be one of the best to ever come out of Arizona State."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #1 right-handed pitcher and #4 overall player in California, #4 overall right-handed pitcher and #9 overall player in the nation.
Accolades: Member of the 18U National Team and the 2015 Perfect Game All-American Classic.
Gavin Lux – INF, Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trail Academy ?
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Gavin is a slick-fielding, left-handed hitting infielder with a 6'2" frame. He exploded on the national scene this summer. He has an advanced understanding of the game and, like other players in this class, he comes from a baseball family. His baseball tools are exceptional, but they are secondary to the qualities he possesses as a person."
Family ties: His uncle, Augie Schmidt, was second overall pick in the 1982 MLB Draft after he won the Golden Spikes Award at the University of New Orleans.
Rankings: Perfect Game - #2 player in Wisconsin, #7 overall shortstop and #29 overall player in the nation.
Accolades: 2015 Perfect Game All-American Classic
Alec Marsh – RHP, Milwaukee, Wis./Reagan College Preparatory
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Alec, in our minds, is a hidden jewel. Hidden, however, only because the weather in Wisconsin has limited his exposure. Not only will we benefit with his addition to our team, but we can't wait to hear the reaction from scouts when they see him on a consistent basis at ASU. He is a talented right-hander who currently pitches 88-91 mph. He has a good feel for three pitches, is an ultra-competitive and a gifted athlete. He also intrigues us with his ability to swing the bat. "
Rankings: Perfect Game - #5 overall player in Wisconsin, #87 overall right-handed pitcher and #273 overall player in the nation.
Chad McClanahan – INF, Scottsdale, Ariz./Brophy College Prep
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Chad is one of the best hitters in Arizona. We saw Chad when we first arrived in Tempe and liked him. When we saw him again in the latter part of the summer, it was clear to us that he has an above average left-handed swing that is going to develop into one of the best in the country over the next couple years. What sold us on Chad beyond his baseball skills was his passion for ASU."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #1 third baseman and #1 overall player in Arizona, #15 overall third baseman and #188 overall player in the nation.
Chaz Montoya – LHP, Glendale, Ariz./Centennial HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Chaz is a local left-hander from Centennial High School in Glendale, Ariz., and is one of the best pitchers in the state. What we love about Chaz is his will to win. It is rare and it is special. He throws three pitches for strikes, and has the potential to be a starter, closer or main guy out of the pen right away. When people see this guy compete, he will be a fan-favorite."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #1 left-handed pitcher and #8 overall player in Arizona, #51 overall left-handed pitcher and #446 overall player in the nation.
Jordan Roberts – LHP, Euless, Texas/Trinity HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Jordan is a big-bodied, left-handed pitcher out of Texas whose current stuff is good enough for him to be a potential weekend starter in the Pac-12 his first year on campus. He commands a fastball that reaches 93-94 mph that is complemented with a power breaking ball. He broke onto the national scene late in the summer and continued to impress us each time we saw him. He is a wonderful young man and we are excited about his ability to be an immediate impact arm for us."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #1 left-handed pitcher and #7 overall player in Texas, #14 overall left-handed pitcher and #95 overall player in the nation.
Zane Strand – RHP, Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Zane is a right-handed pitcher from Chandler Hamilton. We're excited about Zane because he was a little bit of a late bloomer; he's always had an ability to pitch, but his velocity has continued to climb over the spring and summer to become the most dominant right-handed pitcher in the state. Zane should make an immediate impact on our program from the day he steps on campus, and we think he will be one of the top arms in the country down the road."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #1 right-handed pitcher and #2 overall player in Arizona, #83 overall right-handed pitcher and #264 overall player in the nation.
Spencer Van Scoyoc - LHP/OF, Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Thomas Jefferson HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Spencer is one of the top two-way players in the nation. He has proven to be one of the best left-handed pitchers in the Midwest who we believe has the potential to be a middle of the order bat in the Pac-12. He already commands one of the most advanced left-handed breaking balls in the 2016 class in the country. He has the potential to become a front-line pitcher and hitter in the Pac-12.
Rankings: Perfect Game - #1 left-handed pitcher and #1 overall player in Iowa, #7 overall left-handed pitcher and #60 overall player in the nation.
It marks the Sun Devils' fourth national recruiting title and first since 2008, having also earned the nod in 1995 and 1983, respectively.
The Sun Devils originally had 11 members of the signing class signed in the Professional Baseball Draft in June, with five of those electing to forgo a Major League contract to attend Arizona State. The Sun Devils brought in three transfers who have all been drafted in their careers – bringing the total number of draft picks in the signing class to eight, the most since Florida signed the same amount in 2013.
The highly-touted Sun Devil class features 15 freshmen, four junior college transfers and one 4-year college transfer, spanning 10 states including Arizona, California, Illinois, Nevada, Wisconsin, Texas, Florida, Iowa, New Mexico, and Utah.
"It is a really superb class," said Arizona State Head Coach Tracy Smith. "Sun Devil Baseball has always attracted top-talent from all around the country. Being here only a short time it is easy to see why. This place is special."
After initially signing 14 players in the fall – six of which elected to sign professional contracts following the MLB Draft in June -- Smith and company added six signees during the spring singing period.
"In our original recruiting class heading into the Draft last June, we expected to lose three players," noted Smith. "When we lost six to pro signings, we suddenly had a lot of work to do."
"Historically, I don't go after junior college players very often. Fortunately, we recovered and signed some quality junior college transfers in RHP Jake Godfrey (N.W. Florida St. who was previously drafted in the 21st round in 2014), INF Taylor Lane (N.W. Florida St. who was drafted in the 40th round in 2014) and INF Jackson Willeford (Cypress C.C., 12th round pick in 2012)."
The 2016 Sun Devil class features nine signees who participated in the 2015 Area Code Baseball Games, an invitation-only elite baseball event held annually, and four who played in the Tournament of the Stars - a showcase hosted by USA Baseball.
Two competed competed in the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park, three who played in the Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field, two who were a part of the 40-man provisional roster for the 18U National Team Trials and and four were ranked in ESPN.com Keith Law's latest Top 50 MLB draft prospects.
In garnering Collegiate Baseball's highly-regarded recruiting title, Arizona State becomes the first non-Southeastern Conference program to earn the nod in seven years.
The 34-year publication factors into its evaluation drafted players and the round they are chosen, All-Americans, All-State selections and All-Conference picks.
Collegiate Baseball also gives points for Conference Players of The Year, State Players of The Year and National Players of The Year.
2016 NCAA Div. I Recruiting Results
By Collegiate Baseball
1. Arizona State
2. Mississippi
3. North Carolina
4. Arizona
5. Auburn
6. Florida
7. Louisiana St.
8. Texas Christian
9. U.C. Santa Barbara
10. Washington
List of Sun Devil Signees:
Hunter Bishop – OF, San Carlos, Calif. / Junipero Serra High School
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Hunter is a rare blend of speed and strength. He is one of the top position players in the country. As good as Hunter already is as baseball player, we feel that he is just scratching the surface of his potential. In addition, he comes from the same high school as Sun Devil legend Barry Bonds."
Accolades: Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and Perfect Game Second Team All-Region in 2016
Rankings: Keith Law, ESPN.com: #44 MLB Draft Prospect
Frank Dickson – LHP, Scottsdale, Ariz. / Desert Mountain HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Frank, another local LHP, is an excellent competitor and has shown the ability to locate multiple pitches in the zone. We love the way he competes every pitch and every inning. We think Frank has a chance to come in and pitch for us right away."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #2 left-handed pitcher in Arizona
Jacob Godfrey – RHP, New Lenox, Ill. / Providence Catholic HS / Northwestern Florida State College
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "We are excited to bring in a power right-handed arm in Jake Godfrey. We feel that he has the potential to compete for a spot in the weekend rotation immediately. No stranger to top-level competition, we love Jake's bulldog mentality on the mound."
Accolades: Perfect Game First-Team All-American and First-Team All-Region in 2014
College Career: Served as both a reliever and starter for Louisiana State University during the 2015 season and appeared in 21 games with nine starts and posted a 7-1 mark in 54.2 innings. Transferred to Northwestern Florida State College for the 2016 season and has appeared in nine games with one start, and has a 2.29 ERA in 39.1 innings.
Rankings: Perfect Game - #8 overall junior college prospect and #5 junior college pitcher in 2016
Ethan Skender – INF, Metamora, Ill / Metamora HS/ State College of Florida
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Ethan brings athleticism, versatility, and a strong bat to our infield. We love his makeup and the way he competes on the diamond. We expect Ethan to be an impact player from the day he steps on campus."
Accolades: Prep Baseball Report First Team All-State in 2015; Perfect Game Third-Team All-American and First Team All-Region in 2015, and Perfect Game Second-Team Underclass in 2014.
College Career: Accumulated a .369 batting average with seven home runs and 42 RBI in 30 games this season as both an infielder and outfielder at State College of Florida.
Rankings: Perfect Game - #69 overall junior college prospect and #11 junior college shortstop in 2016, #1 high school shortstop in Illinois and #26 high school shortstop in nation in 2015.
Tanner West – LHP, Albuquerque, N.M. / Volcano Vista High School
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "In Tanner, we feel that we have the top 2016 LHP in New Mexico. Tanner brings an upper 80s fastball with a good slider and has shown feel for a changeup. Similar to others in this class, we feel Tanner's best days are in front of him."
Accolades: Three-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclassmen All-American; USA Today All-USA New Mexico First Team in 2015.
Rankings: Perfect Game - #5 overall player in New Mexico
Mikey York – RHP, Henderson, Nev. / Basic High School / College of Southern Nevada
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "We feel Mikey is a premium junior college arm, including an electric fastball that tops out in the mid-90s. We feel he has the ability to be a front-line arm in the Pac-12."
Accolades: 2014 First Team All-Conference, All-Region and All-State
College Career: Recorded 45 strikeouts in a little over 35 innings pitched. Put together a 21.2-inning scoreless streak across five outings at College of Southern Nevada.
Carter Aldrete – INF, Monterey, Calif./Monterey HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Carter is an extremely athletic infielder with good actions and good feet. He is an instinctual player and a tremendous competitor. His athleticism is off the charts. You take Carter's physical tools and couple them with the baseball background he is coming from and we think we have a special player."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #3 shortstop and #12 overall player in California, #23 overall shortstop and #93 overall player in the nation.
Bo Bichette - INF, Tierra Verde, Fla./Lakewood HS?
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Bo is one of the top rated right-handed hitters in the nation in the 2016 class. He consistently hits the baseball hard to all fields and is a versatile defender capable of playing multiple infield spots. Bo should make an immediate impact in the middle of our line-up"
Rankings: Perfect Game - #2 shortstop and #4 overall player in Florida, #5 overall shortstop and #26 overall player in the nation
Nick Cheema – C, Weatherford, Texas/Aledo HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "We are excited to add a physical catcher, who happens to pitch. Nick has power potential in his bat and an above average throwing arm. His fastball has been up to 91 mph. He is a proven defensive catcher who has caught some of the best arms in the state of Texas. We love the toughness he brings to the field and look forward to seeing how his bat projects in our program."
Rankings: Perfect Game - Top 500 overall player in the nation
Myles Denson – OF, Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Myles is an athletic outfielder who brings speed and defense to our team right away. We love his baseball skill set and his projectable body. With added strength and experience, we feel he has a chance to develop into an everyday player during his career at ASU."
Rankings: Perfect Game - Top 500 overall player in the nation
Sam Ferri - C/RHP, Norridge, Ill./Notre Dame College Prep
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Sam is a two-way player at catcher and right-handed pitcher - a rare combination where he was one of the best in the country. He has an impressive fastball-slider combination, but primarily we see him behind the plate as we think he is one of the most advanced defensive catchers in the country. He plays with energy and has an ability to shut down the running game. This guy is the type of player and personality you feel good building a program around."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #2 catcher and #7 overall player in Illinois, #16 overall catcher and #134 overall player in the nation
Sean Keating – LHP, South Jordan, Utah/Bingham HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Sean is a guy who excites us. He is a tall, lanky left-handed pitcher. Hailing from Utah, Sean is already touching 90 mph and has a good feel for both a breaking ball and a change-up. One of the better left-handed pitchers in the Four Corners area, Sean is also a wonderful young man from a great family and should he should compete for innings immediately."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #3 overall player in Utah, #38 overall left-handed pitcher and #326 overall player in the nation.
Reggie Lawson - RHP, Adelento, Calif./Victor Valley HS?
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "We think we have one of the most accomplished and celebrated right-handed pitchers in the country in Reggie. The list of accomplishments for him up to this point in his career is staggering: He was on the mound for the USA 18U National Team when they won the gold medal in Japan this past summer, he started the Perfect Game All-America Game at Petco Park in San Diego, and he threw in the Area Code Games in California. Even better than that, Reggie is one of the nicest and most humble young men you will ever meet. We feel he has a chance to be one of the best to ever come out of Arizona State."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #1 right-handed pitcher and #4 overall player in California, #4 overall right-handed pitcher and #9 overall player in the nation.
Accolades: Member of the 18U National Team and the 2015 Perfect Game All-American Classic.
Gavin Lux – INF, Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trail Academy ?
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Gavin is a slick-fielding, left-handed hitting infielder with a 6'2" frame. He exploded on the national scene this summer. He has an advanced understanding of the game and, like other players in this class, he comes from a baseball family. His baseball tools are exceptional, but they are secondary to the qualities he possesses as a person."
Family ties: His uncle, Augie Schmidt, was second overall pick in the 1982 MLB Draft after he won the Golden Spikes Award at the University of New Orleans.
Rankings: Perfect Game - #2 player in Wisconsin, #7 overall shortstop and #29 overall player in the nation.
Accolades: 2015 Perfect Game All-American Classic
Alec Marsh – RHP, Milwaukee, Wis./Reagan College Preparatory
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Alec, in our minds, is a hidden jewel. Hidden, however, only because the weather in Wisconsin has limited his exposure. Not only will we benefit with his addition to our team, but we can't wait to hear the reaction from scouts when they see him on a consistent basis at ASU. He is a talented right-hander who currently pitches 88-91 mph. He has a good feel for three pitches, is an ultra-competitive and a gifted athlete. He also intrigues us with his ability to swing the bat. "
Rankings: Perfect Game - #5 overall player in Wisconsin, #87 overall right-handed pitcher and #273 overall player in the nation.
Chad McClanahan – INF, Scottsdale, Ariz./Brophy College Prep
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Chad is one of the best hitters in Arizona. We saw Chad when we first arrived in Tempe and liked him. When we saw him again in the latter part of the summer, it was clear to us that he has an above average left-handed swing that is going to develop into one of the best in the country over the next couple years. What sold us on Chad beyond his baseball skills was his passion for ASU."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #1 third baseman and #1 overall player in Arizona, #15 overall third baseman and #188 overall player in the nation.
Chaz Montoya – LHP, Glendale, Ariz./Centennial HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Chaz is a local left-hander from Centennial High School in Glendale, Ariz., and is one of the best pitchers in the state. What we love about Chaz is his will to win. It is rare and it is special. He throws three pitches for strikes, and has the potential to be a starter, closer or main guy out of the pen right away. When people see this guy compete, he will be a fan-favorite."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #1 left-handed pitcher and #8 overall player in Arizona, #51 overall left-handed pitcher and #446 overall player in the nation.
Jordan Roberts – LHP, Euless, Texas/Trinity HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Jordan is a big-bodied, left-handed pitcher out of Texas whose current stuff is good enough for him to be a potential weekend starter in the Pac-12 his first year on campus. He commands a fastball that reaches 93-94 mph that is complemented with a power breaking ball. He broke onto the national scene late in the summer and continued to impress us each time we saw him. He is a wonderful young man and we are excited about his ability to be an immediate impact arm for us."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #1 left-handed pitcher and #7 overall player in Texas, #14 overall left-handed pitcher and #95 overall player in the nation.
Zane Strand – RHP, Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Zane is a right-handed pitcher from Chandler Hamilton. We're excited about Zane because he was a little bit of a late bloomer; he's always had an ability to pitch, but his velocity has continued to climb over the spring and summer to become the most dominant right-handed pitcher in the state. Zane should make an immediate impact on our program from the day he steps on campus, and we think he will be one of the top arms in the country down the road."
Rankings: Perfect Game - #1 right-handed pitcher and #2 overall player in Arizona, #83 overall right-handed pitcher and #264 overall player in the nation.
Spencer Van Scoyoc - LHP/OF, Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Thomas Jefferson HS
Head Coach Tracy Smith: "Spencer is one of the top two-way players in the nation. He has proven to be one of the best left-handed pitchers in the Midwest who we believe has the potential to be a middle of the order bat in the Pac-12. He already commands one of the most advanced left-handed breaking balls in the 2016 class in the country. He has the potential to become a front-line pitcher and hitter in the Pac-12.
Rankings: Perfect Game - #1 left-handed pitcher and #1 overall player in Iowa, #7 overall left-handed pitcher and #60 overall player in the nation.