Baseball Announces Nine-Player Signing Class
12/17/2007 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
Dec. 17, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland baseball coaching staff was looking to fill needs in the pitching staff, middle infield and right-handed-hitting power in the 2007 recruiting class and it feels it accomplished just that with the signing of nine talented players in the 2007 early signing period.
Of the nine signees, the Terps nabbed three projected starting pitchers in Sander Beck (Severna Park, Md./Severn), Jesse Beal (Lorton, Va./South County) and Matt Fullerton (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport Area). The Terps also added five new infielders, including middle infielders Alfred Rodriguez (Vienna, Va./Oakton), Matt Murakami Fairfax, Va./Paul VI) and Logan Welch (Tampa, Fla./Plant). Joining them in the infield are first baseman Zach Helgeson (Roanoke, Va./Hidden Valley) and catcher Tyler Bennett (Federalsburg, Md./Col. Richardson). Maryland added one outfielder, Taylor Buran (Richmond, Va./Benedictine). Buran could also pitch for the Terps.
Maryland head coach Terry Rupp was quick to praise pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Jim Farr and the rest of the staff for their recruiting efforts. Farr, who was previously the head coach at William & Mary and an assistant at Old Dominion seems to still have connections in Virginia as the Terps inked five of the top players from the Commonwealth State.
"I think coach Farr and the rest of the coaching staff did a great job with this recruiting class. This was a very important class for us simply because we are losing some solid seniors at the end of this year and we need to replace them with quality student-athletes," Rupp said. "I think this class really addressed those needs for the next couple years. I think this class is deep in athleticism, power and arms that could immediately develop into front-line starters for our pitching staff."
A look at the 2007 signing class
• Alfred Rodriguez (MIF/6-feet, 170 pounds) - Rated the seventh-best prospect in Virginia by Perfect Game and No. 1 among shortstops and 37th in the nation for middle infielders...ranked 24th in Virginia by IMPACT and fifth by Virginia Preps...four-star prospect according to Baseball America...will participate in 2008 Perfect Game National Showcase...has started since freshman year of high school...hit .338 with 13 stolen bases in junior season, making only four errors in 100 chances at shortstop...lead-off hitter for Orioles Scout team in fall 2007, hitting .387 as the starting shortstop...could play right away for the Terps...recruited by most ACC programs.
• Zach Helgeson (1B/6-feet-4-inches, 215 pounds) - Rated 19th among Virginia players by IMPACT...Big-hitting first baseman...hit .460 with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs in high school ball last season...dominated American Legion ball, hitting .500 and belting five home runs in only 13 games...First-Team All-District and All-Region performer and Honorable Mention All-State...made the USSSA World Series All-Tournament Team...exceptional student, rated No. 1 in his academic class.
• Jesse Beal (RHP/6-feet-6-inches, 215 pounds) - Rated as the 11th-best college prospect in the state of Virginia by IMPACT...finished 8-4 with 70 strikeouts and 15 walks in 67 innings last year as a junior...First-Team All-Patriot District and Second-Team All-Northern Region...part of back-to-back Patriot District championship teams.
• Logan Welch (MIF/6-feet-3-inches, 190 pounds) - Excellent athlete from Tampa, Fla. Powerhouse Plant High School...aside from playing shortstop on the baseball team, Welch also played varsity football and basketball...possesses good speed and power potential...excellent student with weighted GPA over 4.0...recruited by most Ivy League, ACC and SEC schools, but Terps won out thanks to coach Rupp's Tampa ties.
• Taylor Buran (OF/RHP/6-feet-5-inches, 210 pounds) - Fifth-best prospect in Virginia according to Perfect Game and ninth by IMPACT...projected corner outfielder with great power, hitting 27 home runs between high school and summer ball...fastball in low 90s...recruited heavily by ACC schools.
• Sander Beck (RHP/6-feet-3-inches, 185 pounds) - All-MIAA-B player and Most Valuable Player and a Second-Team All-Anne Arundel County selection in 2007...threw no-hitter as a sophomore...plays for nationally-ranked Maryland Select summer team...great student...member of National Honor Society and National Latin Honors Society.
• Tyler Bennett (C/6-feet-2-inches, 200 pounds) - Strong right-handed-hitting catcher...great athlete, starring in football as a captain and First-Team All-Conference selection at outside linebacker and punter in 2007...MVP of the baseball team as a junior, hitting .443 with 12 doubles and six home runs...good student, in National Honor Society and has won numerous academic awards.
• Matt Murakami (MIF/6-feet-1-inch, 170 pounds) - Solid-fielding second baseman....970 fielding percentage as a junior...hit .268 with two home runs, six doubles, three triples and 31 RBIs as a junior...Third-Team All-Conference pick...fantastic student, maintaining a 3.9 GPA...in top 10 percent of academic class...Academic All-State selection.
• Matt Fullerton (LHP/6-feet-4-inches, 215 pounds) - The 2006 Most Valuable Pitcher for the Orioleanders showcase team...struck out 110 batters to only 17 walks in 2007 Big League season while pitching to a 3.29 ERA...highly-recruited by several ACC schools.
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