The Seattle University baseball program has announced that four student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent during the April signing period to attend the school and join the Redhawks starting in the 2015-16 academic year.
Logan Gillaspie (Bakersfield, Calif.) is a 6’2”, 195-pound switch-hitting catcher currently attending Frontier High School. He is 88th on Baseball America’s Top 100 list of high school prospects after hitting .409 in the 2014 season while throwing out all 15 would-be base stealers. Gillaspie was named to the USA 17U National Team Development Program in Cary, N.C., and he currently leads his high school conference in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in.
"Logan is a tremendous athlete that will give us plenty to talk about for many years to come. We plan on using him behind the plate for eight innings and then having him close in the ninth. He possesses a true closer mentality with a fastball that will sit 90-94 miles per hour. His innate ability to understand both sides of the battery, while also hitting for power, makes him a very sought-after MLB draft pick after his time here at Seattle University. We are excited for his future here in Seattle," Elliott Cribby, pitching coach and recruiting coordinator, said.
Jacob Prizina (Sparks, Nevada) is a 6’0”, 170-pound left-handed pitcher completing his senior year at Spanish Springs High School. He pitched a complete game shutout to help the Cougars advance to the regional semifinals in 2014. Prizina earned a 2.40 earned run average in receiving honorable mention all-league recognition during his junior season. He is also a second team all-league point guard for the varsity basketball team.
“We like our left handers here at Seattle U. Jacob is a true pitcher. He understands what it takes to get outs at the next level. He has a three-pitch arsenal and controls the running game very well, which bodes well for him in the future with us. Jacob's ceiling is very high as he continues to grow and mature into his body. He has won a lot of games throughout his high school career and we expect him to do the same here as a Redhawk,” added Cribby.
Chase Ridder (Lake Stevens, Wash.) is a 5’10” middle infielder currently attending Lake Stevens High School. During a home playoff game, he hit a home run in consecutive at-bats, plus he has gone 15-for-15 in stolen base attempts during a single season. An honor roll student, he received his team’s offensive MVP award during his sophomore year and the Most Dedicated award after his junior season.
“We found out about Chase a few weeks ago as he transferred in from South Carolina. After just watching a couple of games, what stood out to me the most is how hard he plays the game every pitch on both sides of the baseball. Chase's work ethic and respect for himself are a very rare combination to find these days. He will bring us competition immediately at the shortstop position. We are ecstatic to add an individual like Chase to the program," said Cribby.
Jake Taylor (Boise, Idaho) is a 6’1”, 180-pound third baseman at Timberline High School. After reaching the state tournament in 2012, he helped the Wolves win the 5A state championship in 2013, and his team is currently 17-1 this year. After batting .333 with two home runs during the 2014 high school season, he helped his American Legion squad win the state title and finish third in the regional tournament.
“Jake is a steady power bat for his high school team. Our plan is to work him at the hot corner and catch to bring some high competition to our returners. His bat will bring power to our already strong middle of the lineup. Jake's work ethic on and off the field will keep the Redhawks going in the right direction. We are very excited to have Jake be a part of the Redhawk family,” assistant coach Mike Nadeau said.
The four recent signees will join Max Modeste (Roseville, Calif.), Jeffrey Morgan (Auburn, Wash.), and Zach Wolf (Dana Hills, Calif.) as newcomers to the Seattle U baseball program next fall. Although the Redhawks will lose only six players to graduation, these players will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact as they create healthy competition for the returning players.
“We are very excited within our organization for adding these tremendous signees to our class that we inked in the fall. Jacob provides depth we need for left-handed pitching and continues to improve after having him up here in camp. Jake gives us instant offense and has the ability to play multiple positions for us, while Chase can come in and really add to the speed and depth of our ball club and provides excellent defense in the infield. We hope to keep Logan with all the attention he is getting from professional baseball, but if he does come to school, he shuts down the running game behind the plate and brings power to our lineup," Seattle U head baseball coach Donny Harrel said.
Seattle University (20-16, 11-1 WAC) welcomes North Dakota to Bannerwood Park for a three-game Western Athletic Conference weekend series, starting Friday, April 17, at 5 p.m. Live stats and live audio/video for all three games will be available on GoSeattleU.com.