Photos | @GoCamelsBSB | facebook.com/GoCamelsBSB
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell head coach Greg Goff announced his 10-member early signing class today. The group will join the Campbell Baseball program for the 2014-15 academic year.
The class includes Anthony Lopez (Vineland, N.J. / Cumberland County College), Ryan Malone (Maple Valley, Wash. / Bellevue College), Nick Thayer (Overland Park, Kan. / Iowa Western Community College), Dustin Krob (Justice, Ill. / Argo HS), Alex Yarem (Apex, N.C. / Apex HS), Matt Meyer (Palm Bay, Fla. / Bayside HS), Wes Noble (Lebanon, Ohio / Lebanon HS), JD Andreessen (Depew, N.Y. / Lancaster HS), Cole Hallum (Bakersfield, Calif. / Bakersfield College) and Devin Tomei (Manchester, N.J. / Manchester Township HS).
"I am very excited and thankful about this class of quality student-athletes than will be coming to Campbell," said Goff. "This group will make an immediate impact on our program and for years to come."
Anthony Lopez | INF | 6-0 | 185 | Vineland, N.J. | Cumberland County College
Anthony Lopez is an infielder from Vineland, N.J. who will come to Campbell from Cumberland County College in New Jersey. Lopez led NJCAA D3 in hits (72), runs (62) and triples (11), earning first team all-region honors as a freshman in 2013. Lopez added a .415 average with 43 RBI and 31 stolen bases. He is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and earned a criminal justice honor scholarship. The 6-foot infielder is coached by Keith Gorman.
"Anthony is an infielder that we have watched since he was a junior in high school, and always liked his athleticism," said Goff. "Over the last year and half he has matured physically, and grown into a very dynamic baseball player. His athletic ability and intense work ethic will be a very good fit for the future of our program."
Ryan Malone | INF/C | 6-1 | 190 | Maple Valley, Wash. | Bellevue College
Ryan Malone, transferring from Bellevue College in Washington, hit .296 with 10 doubles, 24 RBI and seven stolen bases in the wood bat NWAACC. Coached by Mark Yoshino, Malone was named All-NWAACC North Region as a utility player, leading the Bulldogs to a North Region Tournament Championship, and a third place finish in the NWAACC Tournament. The 6-foot-1 infielder and catcher from Maple Valley, Wash. was a two-time all-region performer at Tahoma High School.
"Ryan is another very good athlete, and strong hitter from the Pacific Northwest that we feel will immediately fit into our program, as so many other guys from that region have," said Goff. "He is versatile, with the ability to play all over the field, and even go behind the plate. He has a pro arm across the diamond, and a developing skill set at the plate that we are excited about."
Nick Thayer | RHP | 6-5 | 205 | Overland Park, Kan. | Iowa Western Community College
Another transfer, right-handed pitcher Nick Thayer comes to Campbell from Iowa Western Community College. Thayer where he posted a 3-0 record with a 1.95 ERA, 20 strikeouts, only 10 walks in 32 innings over 18 games. Thayer led the Reivers to a NJCAA Regional Championship while making the President's Honor Roll and the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, coached by Marc Rardin. The Overland Park, Kan. native was a two-time all-conference performer, First Team All-Kansas and National Honor Society member at Shawnee Mission West High School.
"Nick fits the mold of what we are looking for on the mound," said Goff. "He is a strike-thrower with command of multiple pitches, and he will be able to sink, and spin it effectively. He has a long lean body that will continue to make strides forward as he continues to get stronger. In addition, Nick is an outstanding student that takes both athletics and academics very seriously."
Dustin Krob | INF | 5-11 | 170 | Justice, Ill. | Argo HS
A Justice, Ill. native, Dustin Krob is an infielder with a career .423 average, adding nine home runs, 62 stolen bases and 74 runs scored. Coached by Greg Kolke, the Argo High School product is a four year varsity starter on the diamond, earning all-conference honors twice. The three-sport athlete was also all-conference in basketball. The high school defensive player of the year played for Longshots Baseball in the summer, and made Team Illinois. Perfect Game named Krob a "National High Follow". He is also a National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society member.
"Dustin is a really good example of the type of high school athletes that we are able to bring in to our program," said Goff. "He is a 6.6 runner with plus defensive skills and really good hands at the plate. He loves to play baseball, and is the dirt-bag type of young man that thrives in our program. He has a high ceiling, like all good athletes do in our system. He is also a very good student, which will help him tremendously when he gets to campus next fall."
Alex Yarem | RHP | 6-3 | 200 | Apex, N.C. | Apex HS
Another right-handed hurler, Alex Yarem has been a two-time all-conference and three-time academic all-conference selection at Apex High School while starting in each of the last three seasons on the Cougars' varsity squad. Yarem played with the elite EvoShield Canes organization in the summer, earning a 2012 Perfect Game WWBA All-Tournament nod while hitting .382 as a third baseman, also owning a 1.98 ERA over 48 innings pitched with 41 strikeouts and just 16 walks. Coached by Mike Valder, Yarem was a USA Baseball NTIS participant and was named a Perfect Game "National High Follow".
"Again, Alex is another great young man that fits Campbell and our mission as a program in so many different ways," said Goff. "He is a big-framed projectable arm on the mound that has a feel for three pitches, and a lot of upside. In addition, he is an outstanding student that takes the classroom very seriously. He will be a model student-athlete for our program."
Matt Meyer | LHP | 6-2 | 205 | Palm Bay, Fla. | Bayside HS
Matt Meyer, a 6-foot-2 left-handed pitcher, is a two-time all-conference selection and Senior League World Series Participant, playing for SCORE International in the summers. Meyer was named Perfect Game Underclass All-American Honorable Mention in 2013 and a "National Top 1000". The Palm Bay, Fla. native and a product of Bayside High School owned a 4-4 record with 1.73 ERA, 68 strikeouts and only 24 walks under Coach Brandon Sherrill.
"Matt is a strong-bodied left-handed pitcher that has the ability to be an immediate impact player on the mound for us," said Goff. "He has command of four pitches, and can throw the fastball to both sides of the plate effectively. I believe that he just continues to get better, and will flourish in our program while working with Coach Rick McCarty every day. He comes from a great baseball family, and we can't wait to get him to campus next fall."
Wes Noble | RHP | 5-11 | 170 | Lebanon, Ohio | Lebanon HS
Wes Noble is a righthander from Lebanon, Ohio and Lebanon High School who was named first team all-conference, all-region and First Team All-Cincinnati Enquirer under head coach Lance Links. With a career 10-2 record on the mound and 103 strikeouts, was ranked No. 433 nationally by Perfect Game and No. 8 in Ohio. The National Honor Society member was also a Perfect Game Underclass All-American High Honorable Mention in 2013, and was named to the 2012 Perfect Game WWBA All-Tournament Team. Noble is also an AP National Scholar, and a member of the Middletown Youth Orchestra as a gifted violinist.
"Wes is a quick-armed right-handed pitcher that was recruited by a lot of different schools across the country because not only is he a very good pitcher, but he is an exceptional student," said Goff. "He played for one of the best summer organizations in the country—Midland—and comes from a great area for high school baseball, Cincinnati. We believe that he will contribute immediately, and we are very excited about his future here in Buies Creek."
JD Andreessen | C | 6-0 | 190 | Depew, N.Y. | Lancaster HS
Catcher JD Andreessen is a Depew, N.Y. product who hit .512 with 12 home runs, 21 double and 77 RBI at Lancaster High School. Coach by Mark Dalfonso, Andreessen has been a two-time all-conference and all-region performer, earning 2013 conference defensive player of the year accolades. The High Honor Roll student will be a NY State Representative in the 2014 Power Showcase Home Run Derby in Miami, Fla. He played for the prestigious EvoShield Canes organization, and the East Coast Grays in the summer, earning a national No. 500 and No. 20 New York ranking from Perfect Game. Andreessen was also a 2013 Under Armour Pre-Season All-American and 2013 Perfect Game All-American High Honorable Mention.
"JD was one of our first commitments in this class, and it was important to continue to build our strength behind the plate, and we feel that JD is a perfect fit for that," said Goff. "He is advanced as a receiver and blocker that can throw with just about anyone in the country. He works very hard, and has some impressive tools at the plate that will continue to get better as he matures. He will not be overwhelmed at all when he gets to campus with the high level of competition he has faced playing with the Canes and the Grays."
Cole Hallum | OF/RHP | 6-2 | 195 | Bakersfield, Calif. | Bakersfield College
Cole Hallum is a two-way player, a 6-foot-2 outfielder and right-handed pitcher from Bakersfield College in California. Last season Hallum hit .301 with 11 doubles, three home runs, 27 RBI and nine stolen bases. The Bakersfield, Calif. native was an all-conference selection and league gold glove winner while being coached by Tim Painton.
"Cole comes from another program on the West Coast, Bakersfield College, that continues to produce quality players and people, and men that excel in programs like ours," said Goff. "He is a good hitter with some power potential, and he will play a very good outfield for us. In addition, even though he did not pitch as freshman, he will as a sophomore and will have a chance to be a power-type arm at BC. He has a good feel for three pitches and has the makings of either being a quality starter or a wipe-out back end guy for us on the mound."
Devin Tomei | RHP | 6-3 | 195 | Manchester, N.J. | Manchester Township HS
Rounding out the class is right-handed pitcher Devin Tomei from Manchester, N.J. Coached by John Musolf at Manchester Township High School, Tomei was 2-1 with a 1.68 ERA, 25 strikeouts and 10 walks in 26 innings on the hill. The two-year captain was an all-conference pitcher and honor roll student who played for the New Jersey 9ers in the summer. Tomei, a three sport athlete (football, basketball, baseball) who earned all-conference accolades as a quarterback, was named a "National High Follow" by Perfect Game, and ranked No. 45 in New Jersey.
"Devin is a three sport athlete that has a good, big, strong frame that will continue to develop as he gets to campus and locks in on just baseball," said Goff. "He has a fastball that he can command to both sides of the plate, and three secondary pitches that all have a chance to be very good at the collegiate level. We like Devin's competitive spirit and work ethic. He is another very good student that will fit well on campus both in the classroom and on the diamond."
The Camels finished 2013 with a school record 49 wins, claiming the Big South's Regular Season Championship and ending the year runner-up in the league tournament. The team was ranked No. 28 by Collegiate Baseball in the publication's final poll.
A school record nine Camels were named All-Big South, with Ryan Thompson as the conference's Pitcher of the Year, and Greg Goff as the Coach of the Year.
Four Camels earned All-America honors and three were named to the American Baseball Coaches Association's Atlantic All-Region team, both school records, and two were selected in the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft.
The team broke into the national rankings for the first time, and was among the nation's leaders in several categories. Ben McQuown led the nation in stolen bases and Ryan Thompson led the country in ERA.
Campbell returns 16 letterwinners from last season's record-setting team, including All-Big South performers Ryan Thompson, Elijah Trail, Heath Bowers and Clayton Brown. The Camels also welcome 17 newcomers to the fold.
