ROCK HILL, SC – Winthrop head baseball coach Joe Hudak announced today the signing of eight players to play baseball for the Eagles in 2011.
Six signees will be incoming freshmen, while the other two are junior college transfers who will be sophomores. The class consists of two primary pitchers, an infielder/pitcher, two outfielder/pitchers, two infielders, and one catcher. The group comes from all over the east coast, with two players from South Carolina, two from Georgia, and one each from Connecticut, New York, North Carolina and Ontario, Canada. These eight players will be joined by junior Justin Hopper, a pitcher/outfielder who transferred this fall from South Carolina and is sitting out this year due to the NCAA transfer rule.
Hudak was pleased with the 2011 incoming class. “Once again, Coach Mike McGuire and Coach Kyle DiEduardo have brought in another outstanding class,” stated the Winthrop skipper. “The many miles they have traveled and the many hours they have spent on the road have produced a talented group of future Eagles.”
“We felt going into the recruiting process that we needed to address several areas,” Hudak continued. “We felt we needed to add a couple of left-handed hitters that could hit in the middle of our lineup. We also wanted another good defensive catcher, a couple of athletic middle infielders and 2 or 3 pitchers. We are comfortable that we were able to address each of those needs”.
The eight recruits, and Hudak's thoughts on each, are:
Josh Bowers (Left-handed Pitcher/Outfielder, Rock Hill, SC, Rock Hill HS)
Bowers is a 6'1, 155 pound left-handed pitcher/outfielder who helped lead Rock Hill to a 21-7 record and a region title. He was named Co-MVP of that team and was also named to the All-Area team. He hit .388 for the Bearcats, with eight doubles, three triples, three home runs and a team-leading 33 RBI. On the mound, Josh had a 3-2 record with one save and a sparkling 1.80 ERA. In 23 innings of work, he allowed only 15 hits while striking out 38 batters. He played summer ball for the Carolina Reds and the South Charlotte Panthers. Josh is the son of Jon and Teresa Bowers.
Coach Hudak on Bowers – “Josh is a player with a high upside. He has a good 6'1 frame, but only weighs 155 pounds. On the mound, he throws 82-85 with a good breaking ball. He is also a good line drive hitter. Once he gets in the weight room and gains some strength, we feel he will be able to compete for playing time as a pitcher and outfielder.”
Joseph Ciancola (Right-handed Pitcher, Orange, CT, Amity Regional HS)
Ciancola is a 6'0, 180 pound right-handed pitcher who compiled a 10-2 record with a 1.40 ERA as a sophomore in 2008. In 2009, he helped lead Amity Regional to the Housatonic League Championship by earning All-Area honors with a 1.20 ERA. He plays summer ball with the Connecticut Bombers. He was a teammate of current Eagle closer Tyler Mizenko on the 2008 Bomber team that finished 3rd in the Connie Mack World Series in New Mexico. He was named to the 2009 Perfect Game World Wood Bat All-Tournament Team. He maintains a 3.1 GPA and has been involved in various volunteer community service projects. Joey is the son of Michele and Joseph Ciancola.
Coach Hudak on Ciancola – “Joey is another outstanding pitcher that we have recruited from Connecticut, following Tyler Mizenko in 2009 and Tommy Lawrence in 2010. He is a hard throwing right-hander that throws 88-92. He also has command of two good off-speed pitches. He is a tremendous competitor. We feel he will make an immediate impact on our pitching staff.”
Leighton Daniels (Infielder, Charlotte, NC, East Mecklenburg HS)
Daniels is a 5'10, 160 pound middle infielder from nearby Charlotte. He has started at shortstop for East Mecklenburg High School since his freshman year. He hit .433 as a junior, which earned him first team All-Conference honors. He is a very good student who ranks in the top 10% of his class. Leighton is the son of Kevin and Amy Daniels.
Coach Hudak on Daniels – “Leighton is a player we have seen quite a few times over the past year. His summer teams have played at our place several times. He is not flashy defensively. However, the more you see him, the more you see him make every play at shortstop. He is a very hard worker and has tremendous instincts for the game. He will continue to improve, especially offensively, as he gets stronger physically.”
Mitchell Knox (Left-handed Pitcher, Appling, GA, Young Harris JC)
Knox is a 6'4, 190 pound left-handed pitcher from Young Harris Junior College. He redshirted in 2009 and will be a key member of the pitching staff. He helped Greenbrier High School in Georgia win its fifth state championship as a junior in 2007. As a senior, he threw 30 innings, striking out 29 and walking 11. Last summer, he pitched for the Augusta Nationals in the Great South League, throwing 42 innings, allowing 37 hits, and striking out 37 batters. He has improved at Young Harris under the guidance of former Winthrop star Jeremy Plexico. He is one of only two players in the Young Harris Honors Program, and is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Mitchell is the son of Phil and Terri Knox.
Coach Hudak on Knox – “Mitchell is kind of a late bloomer as a pitcher. He redshirted at Young Harris last year, and has really improved this fall. We saw him three times this fall. Plex (Jeremy Plexico) has done a great job with him. He throws 83-86 from the left side. He can throw his fast ball on either side of the plate, and has a good feel for a change. We feel he will be able to contribute right away to our staff. We also like the fact that he will have three years of eligibility left here at Winthrop. We feel his best days are definitely ahead of him.”
Reid Langdale (Infielder, Mount Pleasant, SC, Wando HS)
Langdale is a 6'3, 185 pound corner infielder from Wando High School. He has also had a good high school career on the mound. He is a three-year varsity letterman who hit .380 as a sophomore, and .408 as a junior. He was also 8-0 with a 2.55 ERA on the mound as a junior. He has been chosen a Co-captain for the 2010 season. He has played with the prestigious South Carolina Diamond Devils travel team since 2006. He is on the honor roll, and has been active in his church youth group and the FCA. Reid is the son of Joanne Langdale.
Coach Hudak on Langdale – “Reid is a young man who has gotten better and better as he has matured physically. As good as he is now, we feel his best days are definitely ahead of him and that he has a very high ceiling. He has a great baseball player's body. His athletic ability should allow him to play either corner infield position or either corner outfield position. We believe he will compete for playing time as a freshman.”
Matt Lobacz (Outfielder/First Baseman/Left-handed Pitcher, Acworth, GA, Young Harris JC)
Lobacz is a 6'2, 200 pound outfielder/first baseman/left-handed pitcher from Young Harris Junior College. He was slated to be the starting centerfielder in 2009 before a back injury made him take a medical red-shirt year. He was Blessed Trinity High School's Pitcher of the Year in 2008. He had a record of 6-1 with an ERA of 2.27 and 44 strikeouts. He also hit .367, with four home runs and 20 RBI. He received the Blessed Trinity Senior Athlete of the Year Award. Matt is the son of Larry and Jeri Lobacz.
Coach Hudak on Lobacz – “We feel Matt will be a legitimate two-way player for us. We believe he will hit for average and power, and is capable of hitting in the middle of our lineup. He is a good athlete who can play any outfield position as well as first base. Once he is fully recovered from the back problems, he should be able to pitch for us as well. We are excited that Matt will also have three years of eligibility here at Winthrop.”
TJ Olesczuk, (Infielder, Cortland Manor, NY, Hendrick Hudson HS)
Olesczuk is a 6'0, 175 pound infielder who has started at shortstop for Hudson HS since his freshman year. He has led his high school team in most offensive categories the past two years. As a sophomore, he led the team with a .458 average, 23 RBI and 18 extra base hits. As a junior, he led them with a .535 average, 41 RBI, 24 extra base hits and nine home runs. He earned All-Section and All-League honors both years and All-State honors his junior year. He is the starting point guard on the basketball team and also a starter on the soccer team. He maintains a 3.7 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. TJ is the son of Tom and Nancy Oleschuk.
Coach Hudak on Olesczuk – “TJ is a very good athlete who is a skilled starter in three sports. He is an excellent baseball player, who can hit for average and power. His athleticism and versatility give him the ability to play multiple positions. He is a very good infielder who could be a great outfielder as well. We feel he will develop into an even better player once he concentrates solely on baseball. He is hard-working, blue collar type of guy who plays the game the way it should be played.”
Chris Robinson (Catcher, Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada, Sinclair Secondary School)
Robinson is a 5'10, 180 pound catcher from Sinclair Secondary School in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada. He joins a long line of Canucks who have played at Winthrop. Chris was a member of the 2009 Canadian Junior National Team that played against United States and Cuban National Teams. He was a member of the Ontario Canada Cup team and was named to the Oklahoma Junior Sunbelt All-Tournament Team. This past summer, he hit .484 with 28 doubles, 78 RBI, 49 walks and only seven strikeouts. He threw out 23 of the 28 runners who tried stealing. Chris is the son of Tony and Lynne Robinson.
Coach Hudak on Robinson – “We knew going into the recruiting process that we needed to sign a quality catcher. We had a chance to see Chris several times at the Perfect Game event in Jupiter, FL. He is an excellent catch-and-throw guy. He has played on the big stage against teams like the U.S. and Cuban National teams and has done well. He is a very hard worker with great instincts for the game. We feel Chris will make a solid contribution as a freshman.”
Justin Hopper (Outfielder/Pitcher, Lexington, SC, University of South Carolina)
Hopper is a junior transfer who transferred to Winthrop from South Carolina this past fall. According to NCAA regulation, he must sit out the 2010 season. He saw action both as a pitcher and outfielder for the Gamecocks in 2008 and 2009. He was an outstanding pitcher/outfielder at Lexington HS. Justin is the son of Barry Hopper and Rita Young.
Coach Hudak on Hopper – “Justin is a kid we recruited very hard out of high school. He is a very talented athlete, both at the plate and on the mound. We felt he could be a legitimate two-way performer out of high school and still feel that way. On the mound, he throws in the upper 80's and will touch 90. He is a line drive hitter with occasional power. If he works as hard as he can during this redshirt year, he should be a major factor for us in 2011.”
Hudak also indicated that these eight were not the end of the 2011 recruits. “We have two additional commitments for 2010. We cannot release those names until all of the paperwork is completed. When you add those two to these nine, we feel the incoming 2011 class has a chance to be a very good one. Obviously, time will tell”.
