UF Baseball Announces 2007 Early Signing Class
Friday, November 16, 2007 | Baseball
Eight pitchers and six position players highlight the 2007-08 recruiting class for the University of Florida baseball program. Head coach Kevin O'Sullivan announced Friday that 14 student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent and will play baseball for the Gators beginning in the 2009 season.
"We are really excited about this first signing class that our staff has put together," said O'Sullivan. "It fits our needs and provides us with a great foundation for upcoming seasons. Ten of the 14 players signing with us today are from the state of Florida and six of them are ranked in the top 100 prospects' college commitments according to Baseball America, a figure that ties for the second-highest in the nation. We feel as though we have found the right mix of student-athletes who value their college education and have the physical abilities and mental toughness to help the Gators on the road back to Omaha."
Florida added right-handers Anthony DeSclafani (Freehold, N.J./Colts Neck), Will Jolin (Guilford, Conn./Guilford), Greg Larson (Longwood, Fla./Lake Brantley), Juan Carlos Sulbaran (Davie, Fla./American Heritage) and Ryan Weber (St. Petersburg, Fla./Clearwater Central Catholic). The trio of southpaws that signed with the Gators include Nick Maronde (Lexington, Ky./Lexington Catholic), Alex Panteliodis (Tampa, Fla./Alonso), and Zach Parks (Pinecrest, Fla./Miami Palmetto). The position players set to don the Orange and Blue are catcher Ben McMahan (Windermere, Fla./Bishop Moore Catholic), infielder Mike Mooney (Loxahatchee, Fla./Royal Palm Beach/Palm Beach C.C.), catcher/outfielder Daniel Pigott (Ormond Beach, Fla./Seabreeze), outfielder Tyler Thompson (Tequesta, Fla./Jupiter), first baseman/outfielder Preston Tucker (Tampa, Fla./Plant) and infielder Jerico Weitzel (Ridgway, Pa./Ridgway).
Right-Handed Pitchers
During his junior season at Colts Neck High School, DeSclafani helped the Cougars and head coach Mike Yorke to a single-season school-record 22 wins. Colts Neck won its first Shore Conference Tournament title in school history and also captured the Class A North public title, their first division title in school history. DeSclafani finished 8-2 with a 1.73 earned run average, five complete games and notched 84 strikeouts in 60.2 innings. He fired a complete-game five-hitter in an 8-2 win over Christian Brothers Academy that gave the Cougars their first Shore Conference Tournament title and twirled a two-hit shutout in a 3-0 win over top-seeded Toms River North in the SCT quarterfinals.
Entering his senior campaign, DeSclafani holds the school's career records in strikeouts (222), wins (18) and lowest ERA (1.46). He went 5-2 with two saves and a 1.01 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 48.1 innings as a sophomore. The righty was ranked No. 1 at the 2007 Sunshine Northeast Showcase held in Fishkill, N.Y., in June and is No. 75 among the Top 100 High School Prospects produced by Baseball America. Chosen to the 2007 All-Area Code Team, DeSclafani took home an award for "Best Control" at the event.
"Anthony is a highly-recruited pitcher from the Northeast who has a fastball in the upper 80's, low 90's and can also throw a slider and a change-up," O'Sullivan said. "He will get better as he becomes bigger and stronger but what impresses our coaching staff is how he makes the ball move at such an early age. We are counting on Anthony to make an immediate impact and being able to concentrate on baseball for 12 months of the year should help him blossom."
Named the Player of the Year by Sporting News Connecticut, Jolin was an all-state selection after leading Guilford to its first state championship in school history. Playing for head coach Peter Civitello, he twirled a no-hitter in the Class L title game, a 1-0 win over Pomperaug-Southbury. Jolin finished his junior season with a 10-1 record, two saves and a 1.19 ERA. Over 76.2 innings, he registered 86 strikeouts and yielded 12 walks.
Earlier in the spring, Jolin's pitching and offense helped Guilford to its first-ever Southern Connecticut Conference title with a 7-1 victory over top-seeded Amity. The righty tossed a complete game and provided all of the offense that the Indians would need with a first-inning grand slam, a performance that earned him Tournament Most Valuable Player honors. Jolin was the starting pitcher for the East team in the Junior Select All-Star Game and was an All-SCC Hammonasett Division Team recipient.
"A tall, lanky right-hander, Will throws a fastball in the mid-to-upper 80's and has an advanced feel for a slider at his age," O'Sullivan said. "Although he threw a no-hitter in the Connecticut state championship game, Will was under the radar somewhat until late summer, when he saw him in the East Coast Professional Showcase. He is another player who can take advantage of Florida's facilities and weather to grow into the type of pitcher that we think he can become. We also like that he plays hockey and has a physical presence."
Listed among the 2008 Top 100 High School Prospects by Baseball America, Larson was named to the 32-player roster for the 2007 USA Junior National Team Trials this past summer. As a junior, the righty was 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA and registered 26 strikeouts and six walks in 16.1 innings for head coach Mike Smith at Lake Brantley. One of the highlights for the 6'8" hurler last spring was a 14-strikeout gem over 4.1 innings against Flagler Palm Coast.
Playing for the Orlando Scorpions, Larson's club was the runner-up at the prestigious World Wood Bat Association (WWBA) Championship held in Jupiter from Oct. 25-29. The Scorpions also won AAU national titles in 1999 and 2002 and were second at the 2000 event. Larson was the Most Valuable Player of the 2005 United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) World Series that the Scorpions captured.
A three-time all-conference selection in basketball, he earned the Orlando Sentinel's Player of the Week in both sports during the 2006-07 school year. Larson will captain both squads in his final prep season. His sister, Kim, is a five-time All-American and a six-time All-SEC performer on the Gator women's swimming team. She was also a member of the 2007 World University Games team for the United States.
"The hardest thrower in our signing class, Greg is an imposing figure on the mound," O'Sullivan said. "He throws in the upper 80's and low 90's and can make the ball sink pretty well. Once Greg gets a better feel for his silder and change-up, he will have a chance to become an elite pitcher in the Southeastern Conference and on the national scene."
Limited by an injury last spring, Sulbaran was 2-0 with an unblemished 0.00 ERA for head coach Todd Fitzgerald at American Heritage. He racked up 24 strikeouts in 12 innings and will be counted upon heavily by the Patriots this year. Sulbaran is one of seven Division I signees on his prep squad.
"Juan Carlos transferred to American Heritage from Curacao a year and a half ago and now plays on perhaps the nation's top-ranked team," O'Sullivan said. "Possessing a fastball in the upper 80's, low 90's, he makes adjustments as games go on and knows how to win. Juan Carlos has a very good breaking ball that he can throw early or late in counts. He has a chance to be a high draft pick by the time he leaves the University of Florida and we expect him to arrive on campus and win a starting job as a freshman."
Named the St. Petersburg Times All-Suncoast Pitcher of the Year in '07, Weber helped Clearwater Central Catholic High School to its first state title since 2002. The right-hander was a perfect 11-0 for the Marauders and head coach Todd Vaughan and compiled a meager 0.58 ERA with 100 strikeouts and just eight walks. In the Class 3A state semifinal, Weber threw a seven-hit shutout against Jacksonville Bolles, one his seven complete games on the campaign.
Last summer, Weber played with the USA Junior National Team in the Pan-Am Junior Championships in Ixtapa, Mexico, and was 1-1 with a 1.65 ERA as the squad collected the bronze medal. In 2006, the righty threw the first no-hitter in the Youth National Team's history with a 14-0 gem against Venezuela and he was named Most Valuable Player of the COPABE 'AA" Youth Pan-Am Baseball Championships after going 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 19 K in 14 innings. Team USA rolled to the gold medal with a 9-0 ledger.
Prior to joining Team USA, Weber played for the 17-U All-American Prospects team and hurled six innings (three hits allowed) in a winning performance during the championship game of the WWBA National Tournament. The team also won the USA Baseball Junior Olympics, where Weber threw 15 scoreless innings, in which he struck out 21 batters and surrendered just four hits.
"A highly-touted pitcher on the USA Junior National Team, Ryan is extremely competitive and has an advanced feel on how to pitch," O'Sullivan said. "He is a consummate winner and is probably the most prepared pitcher who will enter our program. From the day he steps on campus, there is no doubt that Ryan will win games as a freshman and throughout his collegiate career."
Left-Handed Pitchers
A member of the 2007 USA Junior National Team, Maronde was ranked No. 19 on Baseball America's list of 2008 Top 100 High School Prospects. Playing for head coach Rodney Martin, he helped Lexington Catholic to the Kentucky state championship in 2006 with a spotless 14-0 mark. Over his prep career, Maronde has compiled a 30-2 record with a career ERA under one and has exceeded the century mark in strikeouts the past two seasons. A 2007 Louisville Slugger High School American, he has also picked up first-team all-state, all-region, all-district and all-city accolades.
Last summer, the 6'3" southpaw turned in a 2-0 mark and a 0.00 ERA at the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships and collected the victory over Canada in the bronze-medal game of the 11-country event.
"Having pitched for the USA Junior National Team last summer, Nick is a polished left-hander with tremendous upside and is one of the top prep pitchers in the country," O'Sullivan said. "Without a doubt, he can step in and pitch right away for us, potentially as a Friday night starter. A fiery competitor, Nick has the pitches and mental make-up to step on the mound immediately as a Gator."
Panteliodis had a breakout season for head coach Landy Faedo at Alonso High School last spring, sporting an 11-0 record and a 0.54 ERA. He was named a first-team All-Hillsborough County selection by the Tampa Tribune and was a FSWA Class 6A second-team all-state choice. He was also honored as the St. Petersburg Times' Pitcher of the Year.
Over 65.1 innings pitched, including five complete games and a pair of shutouts, the lefty struck out 93 batters, issued only eight walks and yielded one home run. He also fired a five-inning perfect game against Mitchell, the first perfecto in school history. Panteliodis batted .389, with 23 runs batted in, six doubles and three homers, with a .547 slugging percentage and a .443 on-base percentage.
He was a member of the 2006 USA Junior National Team that went 9-0 and claimed the gold meal at the Pan Am Championships in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. Last summer, he played for the Midland Redskins, an elite Ohio travel team, and was the winning pitcher in their quarterfinal game at the Connie Mack World Series. The Redskins emerged victorious at the event.
"Alex is a strong and durable left-handed pitcher who can throw three different pitches for strikes," O'Sullivan said. "He mixes speeds very well and has an advanced feel on how to pitch. Alex has pitched for a competitive summer team, the Midland Redskins, and gained experience as a member of the 2006 USA Junior National Team - environments that will prepare him for coming to UF."
Parks was a 2007 first-team All-Dade County selection and won Miami Palmetto High School's version of the Cy Young Award after putting together an 8-1 record with a 1.34 ERA. His head coach is Mike Klekotka and pitching coach is Danny Smith. The Panthers were 21-6 and placed third in the state tournament as the left-hander notched a 2-1 victory over Miami Springs in the Regional final. Another highlight for Parks was a no-hitter against South Dade.
As a sophomore, he was 6-1 with a 1.57 ERA, collected second-team All-Dade County accolades and was Palmetto's Rookie of the Year as his squad finished 25-3 on its way to the district championship. Parks was the winning pitcher in the district title tilt after shutting out Killian. He was 6-0 for the Florida Legends club team last summer, totaling 43 K in 38 innings. His sister Michelle played softball at Florida.
"Zach throws in the middle 80's and has the ability to throw an assortment of pitches for strikes," O'Sullivan said. "An extremely competitive player from a top-notch program, he has pitched in big games and delivered good results. Zach can change speeds and can throw off-speed pitches in any type of count."
Position Players
During his junior campaign, McMahan was an honorable mention all-state selection as Bishop Moore claimed the 2007 Florida title in Class 4A for its first state championship since 1967. McMahan had a .380 batting average, drove in 27 runs and belted eight homers for head coach Dave Wheeler's Hornets, who were 31-1. Bishop Moore had previously advanced to the semifinal round of the state tournament in 2006. McMahan is listed among the 2008 Top 100 High School Prospects by Baseball America, was invited to the East Coast Professional Showcase and also participated in the Florida Diamond Club Showcase.
"Ben is a strong, athletic catcher who has developed more power over the past year," O'Sullivan said. "He has a good arm behind the plate, runs well and will be a great catcher in the SEC. Ben is physically strong enough to handle the rigors of our league and is a hard worker who will do what it takes to be successful."
In his initial year at Palm Beach C.C. for head coach Alex Morales, Mooney earned the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Easton Defensive Player of the Year Award, Region 8/Gulf District Defensive Player of the Year honors, was named to the inaugural Rawlings Gold Glove team and achieved All-America recognition from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and Rawlings Sporting Goods. He played in 40 games at shortstop for the Panthers, recording 108 assists and 59 putouts and committed just five errors. Mooney finished the season with a .971 fielding mark, batted .275 and scored 37 runs. PBCC went 43-14 and ranked as high as third in the nation.
Mooney attended Royal Palm Beach Community High School, where he played baseball for head coach Carlos Gonzalez. He was named to the All-Tournament Team of the 2006 Orlando National Baseball Classic and participated in the 2006 Dick Howser Palm Beach County Senior All-Star Game.
"Mike is a great defender who was the FCCAA (Florida Community College Activities Assocation) Defensive Player of the Year at Palm Beach last spring," O'Sullivan said. "We feel that he is by far the best defender in the state of Florida's junior college ranks. Mike is a switch hitter who has a knack for putting the ball in play and doing the little things right. He moves runners along, can bunt and runs the bases well."
A first-team all-state selection in Class 5A for head coach Anthony Campanella at Seabreeze High School last spring, Pigott batted .383 with 23 RBI, nine doubles, four home runs and three triples as the Sandcrabs advanced to the third round of the state tournament. He was the team's Most Valuable Player and served as its captain. During his sophomore campaign, Pigott hit .412 with 26 runs, 13 RBI, 10 walks and eight doubles. He has also captured a national championship with his summer league team, Chet Lemon's Juice. In July, Pigott participated in the third annual Cape Cod High School Classic in Wareham, Mass. His brother, Jonathan, is a sophomore on the Gator baseball team who was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2007.
"Daniel is a throwback type of player who goes all out all the time," O'Sullivan said. "He is going to be an outstanding collegiate player with a chance to play right away for us. Daniel's combination of outfield speed and power are hard to find and he is a 'gamer' who doesn't take an inning off. His style of play epitomizes the type of team that we want to put on the field."
Ranked among the 2008 Top 100 High School Prospects by Baseball America, Thompson was a first-team All-Area choice by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and a first-team all-conference selection as a junior at Jupiter High School for head coach Doug Ferguson. He led the Panthers in batting average (.443), slugging percentage (.639) and stolen bases (14) and was the squad's Most Valuable Player.
Thompson's father, Robby, lettered for the Gators in 1983 before being selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the San Francisco Giants. The elder Thompson enjoyed an 11-year career in the big leagues and was selected to participate in the 1988 and 1993 All-Star Games. He finished as the runner-up to Todd Worrell in the National League Rookie of the Year voting in 1986 and later played in the 1989 "Bay Area" World Series for San Francisco against the Oakland Athletics.
"A left-handed hitter with a really good swing, Tyler covers a lot of ground defensively," O'Sullivan said. "He is a hard worker who demands much of himself and we see him as someone who will make a quick entrance into the lineup. Tyler's combination of speed and power are strengths we hope to take advantage of. It will be exciting to work with him over the next three to four years because Tyler has the chance to become one of the top outfielders in the nation."
A dominant offensive force for head coach Dennis Braun at Plant High School, Tucker batted a scorching .561 with a school-record 51 runs batted in, 34 runs, nine homers, nine doubles and three triples in 2007. He was Hillsborough County's Triple Crown winner, a first-team all-state selection in Class 5A, All-Florida Suncoast, a member of The Tampa Tribune All-Hillsborough County first-team and first-team All-Western Conference. In a key match-up against archrival Hillsborough, he was a perfect 4-for-4 and drove in six RBI, courtesy of two three-run jacks. As a sophomore, Tucker hit .418 with 31 RBI and six homers after registering a .333 clip during his freshman year.
He had a strong performance in June at the USA Baseball Tournament of Stars in Cary, N.C., an event that determined invitations to the USA Junior National Team Trials in Joplin, Mo., in mid-August. Tucker went 8-for-13 (.615) with three RBIs and one run scored in four games playing for NABF National, and was named an alternate for the Trials. He was invited to the East Coast Professional Showcase and to the Florida Diamond Club Professional Showcase.
In 2006, Tucker was the starting first baseman for the All-American Prospects that claimed first place at the USA Junior Olympic Championship East tourney and the WWBA East National Championship. At the Team One South Showcase that year, he posted the highest SPARQ rating of the 171 participants. The SPARQ rating is a system designed to measure sport-specific athleticism and measures the tangibles of explosiveness, power and speed.
"Preston has a lot of power from the left side of the plate and hit the ball harder than anyone else we recruited this summer," O'Sullivan said. "He can play either first base or left field and with his type of power potential, Preston will have the opportunity to be a threat in the middle of our lineup during his freshman year."
Boasting a career batting average of .495 with 55 RBI and 39 stolen bases in 41 attempts, Weitzel has played on the varsity baseball squad since the seventh grade. He began his prep career at The Bolles School in Jacksonville, where he started in left field in 2003 and at second base in both 2004 and 2005. As a freshman, Weitzel hit .458 with 18 thefts and was selected to try out for the 16-U USA Youth National Team, where he made it to the group of the final 36 players. In his two seasons at Ridgway, he has registered clips of .449 (sophomore) and .688 (junior).
"Jerico's work ethic is off the charts and it is apparent that no one will out-work him," O'Sullivan said. "A three-sport athlete in baseball, football and wrestling, he was the first seventh grader in the United States to win a varsity state wrestling championship. A left-handed hitter who can really run the bases, we envision Jerico as a future captain at Florida."
2007 Florida Baseball Signees
| Signee | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | B/T | Hometown/Previous School |
| Anthony DeSclafani | RHP | 6-2 | 170 | R/R | Freehold, N.J./Colts Neck H.S. |
| Will Jolin | RHP | 6-2 | 190 | R/R | Guilford, Conn./Guilford H.S. |
| Greg Larson | RHP | 6-8 | 210 | R/R | Longwood, Fla./Lake Brantley H.S. |
| Nick Maronde | LHP | 6-3 | 195 | S/L | Lexington, Ky./Lexington Catholic H.S. |
| Ben McMahan | C | 6-0 | 200 | R/R | Windermere, Fla./Bishop Moore Catholic H.S. |
| Mike Mooney | INF | 5-8 | 160 | S/R | Loxahatchee, Fla./Royal Palm Beach H.S./Palm Beach C.C. |
| Alex Panteliodis | LHP | 6-2 | 245 | L/L | Tampa, Fla./Alonso H.S. |
| Zach Parks | LHP | 6-0 | 190 | L/L | Pinecrest, Fla./Miami Palmetto H.S. |
| Daniel Pigott | C/OF | 6-2 | 185 | R/R | Ormond Beach, Fla./Seabreeze H.S. |
| Juan Carlos Sulbaran | RHP | 6-3 | 200 | R/R | Davie, Fla./American Heritage H.S. |
| Tyler Thompson | OF | 6-1 | 175 | R/R | Tequesta, Fla./Jupiter H.S. |
| Preston Tucker | 1B/OF | 6-1 | 200 | L/L | Tampa, Fla./Plant H.S. |
| Ryan Weber | RHP | 6-0 | 170 | R/R | St. Petersburg, Fla./Clearwater Central Catholic H.S. |
| Jerico Weitzel | INF | 5-10 | 190 | L/R | Ridgway, Pa./Ridgway H.S. |
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