Seattle University head baseball coach Donny Harrel has announced that four student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent during the just-completed November signing period to attend the University and join the Redhawk baseball program starting in the 2013-14 academic year.
Brock Carpenter (Milton, Wash.) has been an infielder, a pitcher, and an outfielder for Fife High School. The 6-3, 195-pound player led the state of Washington in home runs last season with eight as he batted .373 with 36 runs batted in. He earned First Team All-State and All-Area recognition, plus he was named MVP of the South Puget Sound League.
"Brock has a chance to be a big-time player for us. This is a self-motivated individual that we have watched get better and better over the past two years. Brock can develop into a power hitter in the middle of the lineup and comes in as a solid defender," Harrel said.
Nick DiPaola (Lakewood, Colo.) is a 6-0, 170-pound righthanded pitcher entering his senior season at Mullen High School. He was a Second Team Academic All-State honoree and participated in the Arizona Senior Fall Classic All-Academic Game.
"Nick has shown a loose arm and the ability to control a breaking ball," said Harrel. "He was at our pitcher/catcher showcase camp and really impressed pitching coach Dave Wainhouse."
Sam Finfer (Bellevue, Wash.) will add depth at the catching position for the Redhawks. The 6-2, 190-pound player hit .486 last season for Interlake High School with 10 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 15 runs batted in, and 22 runs scored. He earned the Interlake Golden Spikes Award as the best offensive and defensive player on the team, plus he was named First Team All-KingCo.
"Sam comes in as another great signing for us behind the plate. What I love is that even with Brian Olson already here, Sam did not back away from the challenge of getting innings behind the plate. His defensive skill set will allow us to control the running game. He brings another lefthanded bat to our lineup and finds ways to put the barrel on the ball," said Harrel.
Michael McCann (Vancouver, Wash.) is a 6-2, 205-pound catcher/first baseman from Columbia River High School. A two-time First Team All-League honoree, he batted .360 last season with 10 doubles, 20 runs scored, and 19 runs batted in.
"Michael is a very versatile player who will do a little bit of everything for us," Harrel said. "His strength is his bat, as he can be a high-average and true power hitter for us in our lineup. He shows the ability right away to handle velocity and drive in runs. He has a workhorse mentality that will push our club on and off the field."
The Seattle University baseball team enters the Western Athletic Conference for the 2013 season and is eligible for the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The berth will be decided at the 2013 WAC Baseball Tournament May 22-26 at QuikTrip Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.