Baseball Signs 13 Student-Athletes
Wednesday, November 8, 2000 | Baseball
The University of Florida baseball program signed 13 student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent, head baseball coach Andy Lopez announced Wednesday. Wednesday marks the first day of the official fall one-week signing period for NCAA Division I baseball.
"I'm real excited about this group of athletes," Florida baseball coach Andy Lopez said. "There's not a young man on this list that hasn't been recruited by one of the top-15 schools in the country. Coach (Steve) Kling and Coach (Mark) Wasikowski have done a tremendous job. We are extremely pleased with this group."
As of 5 p.m. ET, the 2001 Gator recruiting class consists of five pitchers and eight position players. The class also has a national flavor as four different states are represented including Florida, California (two student-athletes), Maryland (one) and New Jersey (one). Nine players are from Florida.
The class includes three players rated among the top-100 Major League Baseball draft prospects by Rivals100 (No. 82-Wes Swackhamer, No. 86- Tommy Boss, No. 100- Mike Sweeney) and four players rated among the top-200 draft prospects by Baseball America (No. 82-Wes Swackhamer, No. 86- Tommy Boss, No. 100- Mike Sweeney, No. 142- Brian Stitt). The recruiting class also includes two junior college transfers- infielder Bobby Hicks (Keystone Heights, Fla./Santa Fe C.C.) and Brian Lockwood (Torrance, Calif./Los Angeles Harbor J.C.) along with 11 current high school seniors.
Florida concluded its 12-game fall baseball series Saturday. The Gators host their annual Alumni Game on Saturday, January 27 and open their 2001 season with a home game against Miami on Saturday, February 3 at 1 p.m. The game will be televised live on Sunshine Network and broadcasted on the Gator Baseball Radio Network.
2001 GATOR SIGNEE BREAKDOWN (as of 4 p.m. ET)
Total Players: 13 (11-High School Seniors; 2- Junior College Players)
States: 4 (Florida 9; California-2; Maryland-1, New Jersey-1)
Florida Metro Areas: Miami-4 (Miami-2, Wellington, Boynton Beach); Tampa-1 (Tampa)
2001 FLORIDA BASEBALL SIGNEE PROFILES:
STEPHEN BARTON
Second Base · 5-11 · 165 · L/R · Miami, Fla./Killian H.S.
Named All Miami-Dade County as a junior second baseman… Hit .413 with two home runs and 24 RBI last year as a junior… Helped lead Killian High School to a 30-5 record and helped team advance to Elite Eight last year as its No. 3 hitter… Miami Herald Player of the Week… Will conclude career as a three-year starter and letterwinner and two-year captain… Hit .378 as a sophomore starter and named All Miami-Dade County Second Team… Two-time Sarasota All Tournament pick… Played with Florida Bombers team this summer that won the USABF World Series title in San Diego, Calif… .Hit .408, started and played in all 50 games… Named to USABF World Series All Tournament team… Team One Showcase invitee… High school teammate of current Florida freshmen Matt Bomeisl and Matt Maley… Outstanding student.
TOMMY BOSS
RHP · 6-3 · 215 · R/R · Dunnellon, Fla./Dunnellon H.S.
Named First Team All State in Class 3A as a junior… Selected as Ocala Star-Banner Player of the Year, Ocala News Player of the Year… Concluded junior season with 13-1 record, 0.59 ERA and struck out 169 batters and allowed only 16 walks and 32 hits in 101 innings pitched… During one stretch, pitched 43 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run… Led team to 27-5 record and helped advance squad to Class AA final eight… Won 10 games as a sophomore… Career statistics include 29-7 record, 315 strikeouts and 49 walks in 239 innings pitched… Selected to All East team at Area Code Games… Also named Honorable Mention All Area Code team (top-25 players at games)… Rated No. 86 among the top-200 potential 2001 draftees by Baseball America… Rated No. 86 in the Rivals100 top-100 list of potential draftees… Outstanding student.
DANIEL BROOKS
Third Base · 6-0 · 192 · R/R · Tampa, Fla./King H.S.
Described as a pure hitter with a good arm and outstanding work ethic… Hit .430 with 26 RBI as a junior… Named First Team All Conference and All Area… Led King in hitting and was named team Offensive Player of the Year… Will be a four-year letterwinner and four-year starter at the conclusion of his senior season… Outstanding student.
JEFF CORSALETTI
Outfielder · 5-9 · 175 · L/R · Port Charlotte, Fla./Charlotte H.S.
Athletic centerfielder with speed… Named Second Team All State as a junior… Also selected All Area, All County and All Southwest Florida… Led team with .437 batting average in 97 at bats as a junior… Also finished with 11 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 26 RBI… Also stole 12 of 14 bases and had .621 slugging percentage and .545 on-base percentage… Helped lead Charlotte to 25-6 record in 2000… Enters third season on varsity baseball squad… Also plays quarterback on football team and threw for 2,000-yards as a senior… Played summer baseball with the Southwest Florida Eagles… High school teammate of UF signee Ryan Kennedy and played at same high school as current UF first baseman Jason Dill.
BOBBY HICKS
Infielder · 6-0 · 185 · L/R · Keystone Heights, Fla./Santa Fe C.C./Keystone Heights H.S.
Touted as the best hitter at the Florida junior college level… Enters sophomore season at Santa Fe and will enter UF next year as a junior… Hit .416 (62-149) with 10 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 41 RBI in 37 games started as a freshman… Also finished with 93 total bases (.624 slugging percentage), 21 walks and 18 strikeouts with a .480 on-base percentage and five steals… Named JUCO First Team All State and First Team All Mid-Florida Conference as an outfielder… Played at Keystone Heights High School and was named a High School All America as a senior… Also selected to All State squad.
RYAN KENNEDY
LHP · 6-1 · 178 · L/L · Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte H.S.
Lefthanded pitcher… Named Third Team All State as a junior… Also selected All Area, All County and All Southwest Florida… Has 18-1 career high school record… Finished 9-1 with a 1.67 ERA, struck out 74 batters and walked 29 in 54 innings pitched as a junior… Enters fourth season on varsity baseball team… Played summer baseball with the Southwest Florida Eagles where he finished 10-0… Rated a top prospect at East Coast Showcase… High school teammate of UF signee Jeff Corsaletti and played at same high school as current UF first baseman Jason Dill.
BRIAN LOCKWOOD
RHP · 6-2 · 170 · R/R · Torrance, Calif./Los Angeles Harbor J.C./Torrance H.S.
Righthanded pitcher… Touted as the best junior college arm in the nation… Enters sophomore season at L.A. Harbor and will enter next year at Florida as a junior… Projected 2001 preseason junior college All America and All California… Finished 8-3 with 3.67 ERA and struck out 98 batters in 81 innings pitched as a freshman at Los Angeles Harbor J.C.… Named First Team All Conference… Played high school baseball at Torrance High School where he pitched and played infield… Selected to All Area, All League and All CIF teams in high school… Two-time draftee… Drafted as the No. 556 player overall in 19th round by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2000 draft… Drafted in 42nd Round of MLB draft by Kansas City Royals as a high school senior… Played at same junior college as Florida head coach Andy Lopez, current UF senior Kevin Estrada, current UF junior Keith Ramsey and former Gator outfielder Derek Nicholson.
BRIAN STITT
RHP · 6-1 · 190 · R/R · Wellington, Fla./Wellington H.S.
Finished 10-0 with 0.89 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 56 innings pitched as a junior and was named First Team All State… Went 8-1 as a sophomore… Has career 18-1 record… Ranked among top leaders in Palm Beach County in strikeouts, innings pitched and winning percentage… Led Wellington to 30-2 record and national rankings of No. 4 (Baseball America), No. 11 (Collegiate Baseball) and No. 21 (USA Today)… Helped squad finish with 1.47 team ERA… Pitched in East Coast Showcase… Pitched in Area Code Games for East team… Rated No. 142 among the top-200 potential 2001 draftees by Baseball America… Pitched with first round draft pick Sean Burnett and Bobby Bradley at Wellington High School.
WES SWACKHAMER
Outfielder · 6-2 · 200 · L/L · Basking Ridge, N.J./Delbarton School
Named First Team All Conference and All Area after batting .471 with 32 hits, 26 runs scored, eight doubles, two triples and five home runs as a junior… Selected for Team One National Showcase… Selected to compete at Area Code Baseball Games and was named to Area Code All Star Team… Named to prestigious National Classic all tournament team… Rated No. 82 among the top-200 potential 2001 draftees by Baseball America… Rated No. 65 of the Rivals100 top-100 list of potential draftees… Also plays football and led team to 8-0 record as a receiver and defensive back.
MIKE SWEENEY
First Base · 6-1 · 190 · B/R · Chesapeake Beach, Md./Riverdale Baptist H.S.
Touted as one of the top two hitters in the United States… Switchhitter… Projected 2001 Preseason All America… Rated as the Top Hitting Prospect at Team One Nationals… Hit .596 with 18 home runs and 88 RBI as a junior… Broke Maryland high school state season records for home runs (18), RBI (88) and hits (84) and set high school batting average record (.596)… Currently has a 34-game hitting streak that will carry over to his senior season… Named Baseball America Second Team High School All America (one of two juniors) and USA Today Honorable Mention All America… Selected First Team All State, Washington Post All Metro team and Prince Georges County All Area… Led Riverdale Baptist to 43-4 record along with national rankings of No. 12 (USA Today), No. 13 (Baseball America) and No. 16 (Collegiate Baseball) respectively… School won fourth straight Maryland private school title… His 18 home runs helped team set state team record with 74… Played in Perfect Game Showcase Championship for Baseball America Team USA… Rated No. 87 in the Rivals100 top-100 list of potential draftees… Rated No. 100 among the top-200 potential 2001 draftees by Baseball America… Led Ohio Warhawks team to 18 & Under World Series title.
JON TUCKER
Infielder · 5-7 · 160 · R/R · El Sobrante, Calif./DeLaSalle H.S.
Speedy infielder with a great arm… Named All Conference player… Hit .366 with 16 RBI, 22 bases on balls and stole 22 of 24 bases during junior season… Made only four errors the entire season… Leadoff hitter and shortstop… Led Concord DeLaSalle to 26-1 record and national rankings of No. 10 (USA Today), No. 11 (Baseball America) and No. 18 (Collegiate Baseball)… Led team to CIF North Coast sectional title as a junior… Selected for Team One West in Area Code Games… Also is a wide receiver on the football team… Concord is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today in football with a 9-0 record… Intercepted two passes, totaled 130 yards and caught a 25-yard TD in 37-14 victory against Pittsburg this past weekend.
MARK WORRELL
RHP · 6-0 · 185 · R/R · Boynton Beach, Fla./John I. Leonard H.S.
Touted as the hardest thrower in Florida and one of the hardest in the nation… Named Second Team All State, First Team All Area and First Team All Conference as a junior… Concluded junior season with 11-2 record, 0.48 ERA and 139 strikeouts… Pitched a school record 37 straight scoreless innings… Led John I. Leonard to 26-10 record and semifinals of regional… Has played three years on varsity squad… Selected to play in the Team One national showcase… Also played in Area Code Games.
BEN ZESKIND
UTIL · 6-0 · 175 · B/R · Miami, Fla./Palmetto H.S.
Switchhitter… Can play several different positions including second base and leftfield… Two-time All Miami-Dade County honorable mention selection (junior and sophomore years)… Will conclude high school career this spring as a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter… Played with Florida Bombers team this summer… Hit .424 with 20 RBI… Helped lead the Bombers to the USABF World Series title in San Diego, Calif… .Played in Baseball America Perfect Games Series… Outstanding student… Nominated for Miami Herald Community Service Award… Silver Knight candidate for art.
