Dec. 1, 2010
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Head baseball coach Erik Bakich announced on Wednesday that six student-athletes have signed national letters-of-intent to attend the University of Maryland next fall.
The Terps signed four players from Maryland, three of which are ranked in the top-5 in the state.
William Bouey (RHP | Sherwood HS | Olney, Md.), Shane Campbell (LHP | Kenwood HS | Baltimore) and KJ Hockaday (RHP/3B | John Carroll HS | Joppa, Md.) are the third, fourth and fifth-ranked prospects in the state, respectively, according to Perfect Game USA.
Maryland also added Andrew Amaro (2B/OF | William Penn Charter School | Bensalem, Pa.), John Brucker (SS/2B | Sparta HS | Sparta, N.J.) and Bobby Ruse (RHP | C. Milton Wright HS | Harford, Md.).
"Our staff did a great job of targeting and addressing some very specific needs for our program with this group," said Bakich. "We continue to recruit the best players in Maryland and the region, as well as on a national level, because it takes elite talent to win championships and that's exactly what we plan to do."
The Terps expect to make several additions to the class during the spring signing period.
Andrew Amaro | 2B/OF | William Penn Charter School | Bensalem, Pa.
Amaro has the ability to play outfield and second base and possesses great speed on the base paths. He batted .364 as a junior, stole 12 bases on 14 attempts and was a second team All-Inter-Ac selection. Amaro's brother, father and uncle all played college baseball, and his uncle, Ruben Amaro, is now the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.
William Bouey | RHP | Sherwood HS | Olney, Md.
The third-ranked player in Maryland, Bouey led his team to the Maryland 4A State Championship as a junior, going 7-1 and throwing a no-hitter at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium in the state semifinal. Bouey struck out 12 and walked two in the semifinal round to defeat Eleanor Roosevelt, which had entered the game 19-0 on the season. The 6-foot-3 right-hander has an upper-80s fastball that has topped out at 91, and also throws a curveball, changeup and sinker. Bouey received a 9.5 out of 10 rating at the 2010 Perfect Game National Showcase.
John Brucker | SS/2B | Sparta HS | Sparta, N.J.
Brucker is a left-handed hitting middle infielder and a four-year letterwinner at Sparta High School in New Jersey. As a junior, Brucker hit .441 and was named to the All-Area team by the New Jersey Herald. Brucker, who played for the New Jersey Twins last summer, also has a 3.75 GPA.
Shane Campbell | LHP | Kenwood HS | Baltimore
Standing at 6-foot-4, Campbell is a big lefty with great upside that is ranked as the fourth-best prospect in Maryland. Campbell was 5-0 with 57 strikeouts, posting a 0.47 ERA in 30 innings as a junior to earn first-team all-county honors. He also has a 3.69 GPA and is a recipient of the Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association's academic award.
KJ Hockaday | RHP/3B | John Carroll HS | Joppa, Md.
Hockaday is yet another great pitcher from Maryland, but also possesses the ability to be a positional player and is a strong, physical hitter. He was named the top prospect at the 7th Annual Mid-Atlantic High School Baseball Classic Combine, as well as the top power hitter.
Bobby Ruse | RHP | C. Milton Wright HS | Harford, Md.
Ruse went 8-0 with a 0.91 ERA as a junior and pitched a complete-game shutout in the state semifinal to lead C.M. Wright to a 2-0 win. Ruse was a key player for an unbeaten Mustang team that was ranked No. 1 for much of the season and went on to win the Maryland 3A State Championship.
