Baseball Announces Spring Signees
5/24/2010 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 24, 2010
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - University of Maryland head baseball coach Erik Bakich has announced the signing of 10 student-athletes during the spring signing period as the second part of the Terrapins' 2010 recruiting class.
The class is headlined by Chris "Cito" Culver, a top-100 prospect out of West Irondequoit High School in Rochester, N.Y. It also features a top-150 recruit in JaDamion Williams of Brooks-Debartolo Collegiate Prep School in Odessa, Fla., in addition to five more prep players and three junior-college transfers.
"This is a very talented group that will help Maryland Baseball become the perennial ACC and national contender it should be," said Bakich. "Our coaching staff has worked relentlessly in targeting and filling our needs to make sure we're competing for championships in the near future."
The Terps also signed the No. 3 RHP from Pennsylvania in Tyler Vail (Notre Dame Green Pond HS; Easton); as well as two other Pennsylvanians in OF John McAllister (Chestnut Hill Academy; Philadelphia) and catcher/infielder Greg Olenski (Holy Ghost Prep; Philadelphia).
The class consists of three more pitchers in RHP/INF Jacob Stinnett (Rancho Buena Vista HS; San Diego, Calif.); RHP Blaine O'Brien (Middle Georgia Community College; Scituate, Mass.); and RHP Jeff Crosswhite (Northwest-Shoals Community College (Alabama); Dayton, Md.).
In addition to O'Brien and Crosswhite, Maryland signed a third junior-college player in infielder Ryan Holland (Chattahoochee Valley CC (Alabama); John's Creek, Ga.).
The Terps, who signed the top two recruits from the state of Maryland in the fall, added another talented local recruit in catcher Austin Richards (Georgetown Prep; Kensington, Md.).
Three of the student-athletes signed in the spring period received Rawlings/Perfect Game High School Senior 2010 Preseason All-America honors: Culver (second team), Williams (third team) and Vail (honorable mention).
In all, Maryland has signed nine student-athletes to the 2010 class that received some form of All-America honors from Perfect Game. In addition to Culver, Williams and Vail, six fall signees received honorable mention honors: Alex Ramsey (Catcher; Severna Park HS; Millersville, Md.), Kyle Convissar (INF; Severna Park HS, Severna Park, Md.), Tim Kiene (1B; Avon Old Farms HS; South Windsor, Conn.), Austin Kilbourne (OF/RHP; Matoaca HS; Chesterfield, Va.), Patrick Leyland (Catcher; Bishop Canevin HS; Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Michael Montville (OF/1B; Portsmouth HS; Portsmouth, N.H.).
Maryland's coaching staff will announce the final additions to the class this summer. To view Maryland's fall signees, click here.
(Name | Position | High School/Junior College | Hometown)
Chris Culver | INF | West Irondequoit HS | Rochester, N.Y.
One of the most highly regarded recruits in the country, Culver is a five-tool player ranked as the No. 98 high school prospect in the nation by pgcrosschecker.com. Recruited to Maryland as an infielder, Culver is capable of doing it all. In addition to his primary position of shortstop, he also played outfield and pitched in high school, with his fastball hitting the low 90s. A Rawlings/Perfect Game High School Senior Preseason second team All-American, Culver is an outstanding athlete who switch-hits and will be able to contribute to the Terps immediately. At the 2009 Perfect Game National Showcase, Culver received a 10 out of 10 rating, classifying him as a top Division I prospect in the nation.
Jeff Crosswhite | RHP | Northwest-Shoals Community College (Alabama) | Dayton, Md.
Crosswhite will have three years of eligibility remaining when he arrives at Maryland after spending his freshman season at Northwest-Shoals Community College in Alabama. The Dayton, Md., native will miss the fall after having Tommy John surgery but should be ready to participate in spring practices. A 6-foot-1, 175-pounder, Crosswhite has a fastball that ranges in the high 80s/lower 90s.
Ryan Holland | INF | Chattahoochee Valley CC (Alabama) | John's Creek, Ga.
A left-handed hitting infielder, Holland hit .360 and led Chattahoochee Valley in RBI (62) and home runs (10) as a sophomore. Holland played shortstop for Chattahoochee Valley but has the versatility to play second or third as well. A John's Creek, Ga., native, Holland hit in the three-hole for the Pirates and was named National Junior College Athletic Association Player of the Week on April 27 after going 8-for-15 with three grand slams in four games. Holland will have two years of eligibility remaining at Maryland.
John McAllister | OF | Chestnut Hill Academy | Philadelphia
A two-sport star in baseball and football at Chestnut Hill, McAllister is a left-hander who will play outfield for the Terps. McAllister has played four years of varsity baseball and will provide Maryland with yet another threat on the base paths with his tremendous speed. He owns the school record at Chestnut Hill for career hits and steals and was a member of the first team Daily News All-City team as a junior.
Blaine O'Brien | RHP | Middle Georgia CC | Scituate, Mass.
Originally from Scituate, Mass., O'Brien is a 6-foot-7 right-hander who has spent the past two seasons at Middle Georgia Community College and will have two years of eligibility remaining when he arrives at Maryland. In two seasons, O'Brien has gone 14-2 with 94 strikeouts at Middle Georgia and provides Maryland with another strong right-hander.
Greg Olenski | Catcher/INF | Holy Ghost Prep | Philadelphia
A four-year starter at Holy Ghost, Olenski is a versatile athlete who can play a number of positions. Olenski was a catcher in high school and projects as a catcher/infielder for Maryland. He batted .508 as a junior at Holy Ghost and also plays with the Philly Bandits and the All-Star Baseball Academy.
Austin Richards | Catcher | Georgetown Prep | Kensington, Md.
Richards is a strong, athletic player and a solid defensive catcher. He is a four-year member of the varsity squad and a three-year starter at Georgetown Prep, the same prep school that current Maryland first baseman Gary Schneider attended. Richards was named to the All-Gazette second team and All-Interstate Athletic Conference as a junior.
Jacob Stinnett | RHP/INF | Rancho Buena Vista HS | San Diego, Calif.
Stinnett, who stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 200 pounds, had some setbacks after entering high school at 5-foot-10 and growing almost six inches his freshman season. That led to a growth-stress fracture, but Stinnett has turned into a physical player that Maryland recruited as a dual-athlete to pitch and play the infield. A good athlete with a solid arm and possessing a good curveball, Stinnett is also capable of playing outfield.
Tyler Vail | RHP | Notre Dame Green Pond HS | Easton, Pa.
The third-ranked RHP in Pennsylvania, Vail is also ranked No. 334 overall in the nation. Vail is a good athlete with a fastball that has good sink and ranges in the high 80s and low 90s. He was named to the Rawlings/Perfect Game preseason All-Atlantic Region first team, a region consisting of players from Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. He was also named an honorable-mention member of the All-America team.
JaDamion Williams | INF | Brooks-Debartolo Collegiate Prep | Odessa, Fla.
Ranked as the 145th-best prospect in the nation, Williams has blazing speed and will fit perfectly with Bakich's aggressive base-running philosophy. Williams is the 15th-ranked positional player in Florida, which has one of the deepest pools of baseball talent in the nation. Williams is the son of former major leaguer Reggie Williams, who played eight seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and then-Anaheim Angels from 1992-99. He is also a Rawlings/Perfect Game preseason third team All-American.
