The UCSB baseball team announced on Monday that it is bringing in an impressive nine players following the National Letter of Intent fall signing period.
Committing to play at UCSB are six full-time pitchers, a middle infielder, an outfielder and a player who is expected to both pitch and catch.
“To sign nine guys with this type of ability is exciting for the program,” UCSB head coach Bob Brontsema said. “The staff, with Coach Tom Myers and Coach Jason Lefkowitz, has worked hard to put this together. These are quality young men that get the job done in the classroom as well. We still feel that we will be adding to this class in the spring because we will surely be hit by the draft of our current players. But, this is a great day for Gaucho baseball.”
Right-handed pitcher Robert Anderson will join the Gauchos from Piedmont High, as the 6-foot-5, 200-pounder mixes three pitches and throws in the upper 80s. Anderson was an all-league player last season and part of a championship squad in 2008. Anderson was also named to the MaxPreps.com All-Bayshore Athletic League team. Duke, Bucknell, Harvard and Dartmouth also recruited Anderson.
“He has a loose arm with a projectable body and he has tremendous make-up,” Associate Head Coach Tom Myers said.
A.J. Berglund, a 6-foot-3 right-hander will come to UCSB from La Canada’s St. Francis High. A Third-Team All-American by Perfect Game, Berglund was also rated as the 36th best prospect in California and the 193rd best prospect in the nation, courtesy of Perfect Game Crosschecker. Berglund was recruited by UC Irvine, Fresno State, Oregon and UNLV.
“A.J. is a big, strong power arm with great upside,” Brontsema said. “We are hoping that he can come in and make an immediate impact.”
Cameron Cuneo currently pitches for Westlake High and chose UCSB over Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine and Arizona. The 6-foot-5 left-hander posted a 2.95 ERA in 54.1 innings as a junior, striking out 62 while allowing just 47 hits. He was the MVP of the Perfect Game Championship in Tucson, Ariz. in 2009.
“Cameron is a quality three-pitch pitcher who really knows how to compete,” Brontsema said. “I love the mentality that I have seen him pitch with.”
Zach Edgington comes from nearby Santa Barbara City College after posting impressive numbers. The left-hander went 5-2 with a 3.40 ERA in 50.1 innings, striking out 49 during his freshman season. Edgington, a 6-foot-1, 190-pounder was recently rated as one of the top left-handed pitchers amongst all Southern California community colleges and throws in the upper 80s with plus command. He was also being courted by Maryland and San Francisco.
“He is one of the top junior college left-handed pitchers in Southern California and he brings above-average velocity and a tremendous changeup,” Myers said.
Right-hander Zach Mercer will join the Gauchos out of Agoura High after leading his high school squad in wins, ERA, innings pitched and strikeouts as a junior. Standing 6-foot-3, Mercer was named to the 2010 Under Armour Pre-Season All-American team and was also recruited by Fresno State, Cal State Northridge and Loyola Marymount.
“Zach is an exceptional athlete who has a live arm and a competitive mentality,” Myers said.
A slick-fielding middle infielder with a big upside is Brandon Trinkwon, who will join UCSB out of Tustin’s Beckman High. Trinkwon, who was also recruited by UC Irvine, Fresno State, UC Riverside and Loyola Marymount, participated in the Perfect Game Nationals in Florida in 2009.
“Brandon is a versatile infielder with a great approach to hitting,” Brontsema said. “He had an outstanding junior year and should just keep getting better.”
Matt Vedo, a 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher from Yuba Community College in Marysville, Calif., chose UCSB over Cal Poly, UC Riverside, UNLV, Oral Roberts and Purdue. Vedo went 5-4 with a 4.21 ERA in 66 innings last season, striking out 48 while walking just 19 as a freshman. He was rated as the top power arm on the junior college circuit in Northern California, throwing in the low 90s with a power curveball.
“There is a lot of talk from the scouts up north about how good Matt is. When Coach Myers saw him, he called me and said ‘We need to get this guy,’” Brontsema said. “He should fit nicely into the weekend rotation next season.”
Outfielder Joe Wallace, currently at the College of San Mateo, was rated as one of the best power hitters in Northern California. Wallace, a 6-foot-4 right-handed hitter, played nine games as a freshman at the University of Nevada.
“Joe is an athletic and physical outfielder with raw power potential,” Brontsema said. “He fills a need for a power bat in the middle of the lineup. He reminds us a lot of former Gaucho (and All-American) Matt Wilkerson.”
Rounding out the eight-man class is catcher/pitcher Joe Winterburn, currently at Glendora High. An All-Sierra League selection, he chose UCSB over USC and Pepperdine and should fill in as a Gaucho both behind the plate and on the mound.
“Joe is a legitimate two-way player and is good enough to pull off the difficult double of pitching and catching,” Brontsema said. “He is a knowledgeable player as you would expect being the son of a coach.”
