TicketsBaseball Signs Six Prep Standouts
Class includes a pair of Cincinnati-area products
Contact: Shawn Sell
11/10/2004
Head Coach Brian Cleary signed six prep standouts during the early signing period. |
CINCINNATI, Ohio---A total of six high school standouts, including a pair of local products, have signed National Letters of Intent to join the University of Cincinnati baseball team for the 2006 season, head coach Brian Cleary announced on Wednesday.
The local products include Kyle Meeker of McNicholas High School and Dan Osterbrock, a Colerain High School student-athlete. Joining the Cincinnati-area players are Steve Blevins (Louisa, Ky./Lawrence County), Cory Hodskins (Lexington, Ky./Henry Clay), Jon Niese (Defiance, Ohio/Defiance Senior) and Adam Yeager (Huntington, W.Va./Huntington).
"Without question, this is the best class that we have ever signed during the early period," Cleary stated. "We have been involved with many elite players from Ohio and nationally and we have been able to attract some of the nation's top players. (Recruiting coordinator) Brad Meador did a great job of identifying players that fit our needs and have the right character to play for us. Clearly, his hard work has put us in position, with this class, to enter the BIG EAST in great shape."
Meeker, a right-handed pitcher was an all-conference selection as a junior. Last spring, Meeker helped McNicholas to conference and district championships.
Osterbrock is one of the nation's top left-handed pitchers, being ranked by Teamonebaseball.com as the 31st player at his position nationally, as a junior at Colerain. He was a first-team all-conference pick last spring, while also garnering all-city honors.
Blevins, a right-handed pitcher and infielder, has started on the varsity team since the eighth grade at Lawrence Central. He has earned four all-conference selections and was tabbed by Street and Smith's as one of the top five juniors in the state. He has a 25-7 career record as a pitcher and a .404 batting average in his four seasons.
Hodskins, a three-year starter in the infield was named the team's top defensive player last season, while hitting over .300 offensively. His play helped Henry Clay to a third place ranking in the state of Kentucky last spring.
Like Osterbrock, Niese is also ranked as one of the nation's top left-handed pitchers. Teamonebaseball.com has Niese listed as the 13th best southpaw in the country as a junior at Defiance Senior High School. Niese was also a member of the USA Baseball Junior National Team. He was honored as the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year and was an all-state selection for Defiance.
Yeager is a left-handed hitting middle infielder who hit .412 with 20 RBI and 31 stolen bases last year at Huntington High School. His play has garnered him a spot on Teamonebaseball.com's national top 100 middle infielders list. As a junior, Yeager was an all-state selection in both baseball and basketball.
The Bearcats open the 2005 campaign Feb. 11 at Florida Atlantic. UC's home opener is set for March 4 against Cleveland State.
UC's 2004 Class of Signees
Steve Blevins
Louisa, Ky./Lawrence County
RHP/INF
High School: A four-time all-conference first team selection at Lawrence County High School ... has been a starter on the varsity team since eighth grade ... selected for the Perfect Game National Showcase and was one of the top five juniors as selected by Street and Smith's ... projected to be a top-25 round draft pick and above average college prospect by Baseball America ... a top Division I prospect and a potential top 10 round draft pick by Perfect Game ... has a 25-7 career record with 220 strikeouts ... a career .404 hitter with 135 RBI ... has thrown three career no-hitters ... a National Honor Society member.
Cory Hodskins
Lexington, Ky./Henry Clay
INF
High School: Named team's top defensive player as a junior at Henry Clay High School ... started all three years of career, hitting over .300 in each of the last two ... helped team to a third place ranking in the state during junior season ... projected as a potential midround pick and definite Division I prospect by Perfect Game ... has also lettered three years in golf ... National Honor Society member.
Kyle Meeker
Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas
RHP
High School: An all-conference honorable mention at McNicholas High School ... led team to conference, sectional and district championships as a junior.
Jon Niese
Defiance, Ohio/Defiance Senior
LHP
High School: Earned second team all-state and was the Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year as a junior at Defiance High School ... member of the USA Baseball Junior National Team ... ranked as the 13th best left-handed pitcher in the nation by Teamonebaseball.com ... projected to be drafted in the top 10 rounds by Baseball America ... rated as a top Division I prospect by Perfect Game ... named conference player of the year as a junior ... helped squad to district championship as a sophomore ... also an all-state selection and three-year letterwinner in soccer.
Dan Osterbrock
Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain
LHP
High School: A first team all-conference selection at Colerain High School ... ranked as the 31st best left-handed pitcher in the nation by Teamonebaseball.com ... pitched in two Cincinnati Showcase All-Star Games ... a first team all-city pick.
Adam Yeager
Huntington, W.Va./Huntington
SS/2B
High School: A first team all-state selection as a junior at Huntington High School ... hit .412 with 20 RBI and 31 stolen bases as a junior after batting .382 with 11 steals during sophomore season ... named one of the Top 30 players at Team One's South Scouting Showcase ... ran the fastest 60-yard dash at the Team One South Showcase ... also named one of Team One Baseball.com's national Top 100 middle infielders ... led team to sectional championship as a sophomore ... also an all-state honorable mention in basketball ... National Honor Society member.