TEMPE -- Sun Devil Baseball announced the addition of three new members to the 2018 signing class as part of the Spring signing period, as released by head coach Tracy Smith.
In a class that already features a slew of exceptional pitchers, ASU added three more right-handers in the Spring signing period – including two junior college transfers and one high schooler out of California. The addition of the trio brings the 2018 Signing Class to 12 members.
The signing class includes Blake Burzell (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach HS), a Perfect Game All-American and one of the top prep players in two sports out of California, Tyler McKay (Blue Springs, Mo./Howard College/Kansas State), a former Big-12 pitcher and previously one of the top high school players out of Missouri, and Darius Vines (Ventura, Calif./Yavapai College/Oxnard College), a two-time MLB Draft selection and one of the top pitchers in Region 1 at the NJCAA level.
Blake Burzell
RHP | 6-6 | 210 | Laguna Beach HS | Laguna Beach, Calif.
Notes: Is 5-0 in 2018 with a 2.12 ERA with 38 strikeouts to just 12 walks…Struck out over 60 batters in both his sophomore and junior seasons…Led Laguna Beach to the quarterfinals of the 2017 CIF Southern Section Division 2 tournament…Guided the Breakers to a 2016 CIF Southern Section Division 4 title in a tournament where he faced off against fellow 2018 ASU signee Darius Vines of St. Bonaventure in the semifinals – a 5-4 victory in extra innings for Burzell's team… Has a career 2.74 ERA at Laguna Beach with 193 strikeouts and 24 career wins to just 8 losses…A very successful two-sport athlete, averaging over 20 points per game for Laguna Beach for his career and finished as LBHS's all-time leading scorer with over 2,300 points…Led the Breakers to a 26-4 record this season and a No. 2 seed in the 2018 CIF Southern Section Division 3AA Tournament…Struck out nine in 3.0 IP at the 2016 PG/EvoShield National Championship…
Rankings: Rated the No. 7 RHP in the state of California and the No. 17 overall player in the state, according to Perfect Game…Perfect Game ranks him as the No. 43 RHP in the country and No. 123 player overall…
Honors/Showcases/Tournaments: 2018 Rawlings-Perfect Game All-American (third team) – California All-Region First Team…2017 Perfect Game Underclass All-American (Second Team)…2016 Perfect Game Underclass All-American (High Honorable Mention)…2017 All-American Classic…2017 Area Code Games…Has appeared in six national showcases in his career…2017 Perfect Game All-American Classic All-Tournament Team…Was named First Team CIF as a basketball player in 2018 and MVP of the Orange Coast League…
Tyler McKay
RHP | 6-6 | 185 | Blue Springs South HS (Kansas State/Howard JC) | Blue Springs, Mo.
Notes: Has 49 strikeouts in 34.1 IP to just 13 walks this season at Howard College in Texas with four wins…Appeared in nine games (all relief appearances) during his freshman season at Kansas State with a 3.72 ERA and no record ... Yielded four earned runs in 9 2/3 innings with 11 walks and 11 strikeouts ... After surrendering three earned runs in his first career appearance, did not allow another earned run until his final outing of the season… Attended Blue Springs South High School in Blue Springs, Missouri … Earned all-state recognition his junior and senior years ... First Team All-District in 2015-16 ... 2016 Examiner Pitcher of the Year and 2016 All-Star Game starter ... In his senior season, tossed a pair of no-hitters on his way to a 6-3 record with a 2.83 ERA and 63 strikeouts ... Went 5-0 with 33 strikeouts and a 1.50 ERA in his junior season ... Member of 2015 state championship basketball team.
Rankings: Ranked as the No. 69 collegiate prospect in 2018 by D1Baseball.com…Rated the No. 12 RHP in Missouri out of high school in 2016 and the No. 48 overall player in the state…Rated the No. 11 RHP in Missouri by Prep Baseball Report and No. 23 overall player in the state…
Honors/Showcases/Tournaments: Academic All-Big-12 Rookie Team…Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll…
Darius Vines
RHP | 6-1 | 180 | St. Bonaventure HS (Oxnard College/Yavapai College) | Ventura, Calif.
Notes: Has a 3.23 ERA in 10 appearances with Yavapai College this season with six victories…Has struck out 65 batters in 61.1 innings pitched to 22 walks…Has two saves to go along with three complete games…Played multiple positions as a freshman at Oxnard College, posting a 1.24 ERA (12th among all junior college players) in 83.2 innings pitched…Struck out 95 batters, good for 6th in the country… Also batted .277 as a shortstop in 40 games…Posted a career 2.00 ERA in 84.0 innings pitched at St. Bonaventure High School in Ventura, Calif…Had a 1.24 ERA during his senior season with a 3-1 record and a save, striking out 31 and allowing just eight earned runs all season while he helped his team advance to the semifinals of the 2016 CIF Southern Section Baseball Tournament…
Honors/Showcases/Tournaments: Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 27th round of the 2017 MLB Draft after his freshman season at Oxnard and by the Houston Astros in the 32nd Round following his high school career in 2016…
In a class that already features a slew of exceptional pitchers, ASU added three more right-handers in the Spring signing period – including two junior college transfers and one high schooler out of California. The addition of the trio brings the 2018 Signing Class to 12 members.
The signing class includes Blake Burzell (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach HS), a Perfect Game All-American and one of the top prep players in two sports out of California, Tyler McKay (Blue Springs, Mo./Howard College/Kansas State), a former Big-12 pitcher and previously one of the top high school players out of Missouri, and Darius Vines (Ventura, Calif./Yavapai College/Oxnard College), a two-time MLB Draft selection and one of the top pitchers in Region 1 at the NJCAA level.
Blake Burzell
RHP | 6-6 | 210 | Laguna Beach HS | Laguna Beach, Calif.
Notes: Is 5-0 in 2018 with a 2.12 ERA with 38 strikeouts to just 12 walks…Struck out over 60 batters in both his sophomore and junior seasons…Led Laguna Beach to the quarterfinals of the 2017 CIF Southern Section Division 2 tournament…Guided the Breakers to a 2016 CIF Southern Section Division 4 title in a tournament where he faced off against fellow 2018 ASU signee Darius Vines of St. Bonaventure in the semifinals – a 5-4 victory in extra innings for Burzell's team… Has a career 2.74 ERA at Laguna Beach with 193 strikeouts and 24 career wins to just 8 losses…A very successful two-sport athlete, averaging over 20 points per game for Laguna Beach for his career and finished as LBHS's all-time leading scorer with over 2,300 points…Led the Breakers to a 26-4 record this season and a No. 2 seed in the 2018 CIF Southern Section Division 3AA Tournament…Struck out nine in 3.0 IP at the 2016 PG/EvoShield National Championship…
Rankings: Rated the No. 7 RHP in the state of California and the No. 17 overall player in the state, according to Perfect Game…Perfect Game ranks him as the No. 43 RHP in the country and No. 123 player overall…
Honors/Showcases/Tournaments: 2018 Rawlings-Perfect Game All-American (third team) – California All-Region First Team…2017 Perfect Game Underclass All-American (Second Team)…2016 Perfect Game Underclass All-American (High Honorable Mention)…2017 All-American Classic…2017 Area Code Games…Has appeared in six national showcases in his career…2017 Perfect Game All-American Classic All-Tournament Team…Was named First Team CIF as a basketball player in 2018 and MVP of the Orange Coast League…
Tyler McKay
RHP | 6-6 | 185 | Blue Springs South HS (Kansas State/Howard JC) | Blue Springs, Mo.
Notes: Has 49 strikeouts in 34.1 IP to just 13 walks this season at Howard College in Texas with four wins…Appeared in nine games (all relief appearances) during his freshman season at Kansas State with a 3.72 ERA and no record ... Yielded four earned runs in 9 2/3 innings with 11 walks and 11 strikeouts ... After surrendering three earned runs in his first career appearance, did not allow another earned run until his final outing of the season… Attended Blue Springs South High School in Blue Springs, Missouri … Earned all-state recognition his junior and senior years ... First Team All-District in 2015-16 ... 2016 Examiner Pitcher of the Year and 2016 All-Star Game starter ... In his senior season, tossed a pair of no-hitters on his way to a 6-3 record with a 2.83 ERA and 63 strikeouts ... Went 5-0 with 33 strikeouts and a 1.50 ERA in his junior season ... Member of 2015 state championship basketball team.
Rankings: Ranked as the No. 69 collegiate prospect in 2018 by D1Baseball.com…Rated the No. 12 RHP in Missouri out of high school in 2016 and the No. 48 overall player in the state…Rated the No. 11 RHP in Missouri by Prep Baseball Report and No. 23 overall player in the state…
Honors/Showcases/Tournaments: Academic All-Big-12 Rookie Team…Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll…
Darius Vines
RHP | 6-1 | 180 | St. Bonaventure HS (Oxnard College/Yavapai College) | Ventura, Calif.
Notes: Has a 3.23 ERA in 10 appearances with Yavapai College this season with six victories…Has struck out 65 batters in 61.1 innings pitched to 22 walks…Has two saves to go along with three complete games…Played multiple positions as a freshman at Oxnard College, posting a 1.24 ERA (12th among all junior college players) in 83.2 innings pitched…Struck out 95 batters, good for 6th in the country… Also batted .277 as a shortstop in 40 games…Posted a career 2.00 ERA in 84.0 innings pitched at St. Bonaventure High School in Ventura, Calif…Had a 1.24 ERA during his senior season with a 3-1 record and a save, striking out 31 and allowing just eight earned runs all season while he helped his team advance to the semifinals of the 2016 CIF Southern Section Baseball Tournament…
Honors/Showcases/Tournaments: Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 27th round of the 2017 MLB Draft after his freshman season at Oxnard and by the Houston Astros in the 32nd Round following his high school career in 2016…