Houston Baseball's Recruiting Class Ranked
9/22/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
TUSCON, Ariz. - Houston Baseball's incoming recruiting class was ranked No. 33 and named a Top 40 Recruiting Class by Collegiate Baseball, announced Monday afternoon by the publication.
Under the direction of Head Coach Todd Whitting, who is set to begin his fifth season at the helm, Recruiting Coordinator Trip Couch and Assistant Coaches Frank Anderson and Mike Taylor, the Cougars were not only among one of the nation's top classes, but also are the lone representative from the American Athletic Conference on the list.
The list is compiled based on the annual evaluation done by Collegiate Baseball based on the team's high school and junior college signing class and those obtained following the 2014 MLB First Year Player Draft.
Collegiate Baseball Top Recruiting Classes
- LSU
- Wichita State
- Florida
- San Diego
- Oklahoma State
- Mississippi State
- Texas
- Stanford
- Virginia
- Cal State Fullerton
- North Carolina
- Oregon State
- Texas Tech
- Kentucky
- Ole Miss
- Arkansas
- UCLA
- Long Beach State
- Oregon
- Miami (FL)
Florida State - TCU
- Rice
- South Carolina
- Vanderbilt
- Louisville
- Arizona State
- Arizona
- Florida International
- Michigan
- Missouri
- San Diego State
- HOUSTON
- Tennessee
- Clemson
- Duke
- Stetson
- Florida Gulf Coast
- California
- Texas A&M
Auburn
The Houston Baseball recruiting class is comprised of 18 newcomers, which is highlighted by 12 true freshmen and six junior college transfers.
This is one of the most talented classes Houston Baseball has brought on campus. The Cougars lost just one to the Draft and were able to retain several draftable players. This class shows a great mix of high school and JUCO players that will fill holes, while providing the most depth since this coaching staff took over at Houston.
Two members of this class in junior college transfers Ian Rice (C/Chipola JC) and Patrick Weigel (RHP/Oxnard JC) were both drafted in the 2014 MLB First Year Player Draft in rounds 21 and 22, but chose to attend Houston and return to school to play for the Cougars.
This class has seven freshmen in which the coaching staff feels will make immediate impacts based on their success in the high school ranks as six were named to All-State teams during that high school laying careers. Among that list are Connor Wong (SS/Pearland HS), Aaron Fletcher (LHP/Langham Creek HS), Seth Romero (LHP/West Columbia HS), Michael Wisz (UTL/Lemont HS (Ill.)), Colin Butkeiwicz (C/Greendale HS (Wisc.)), and Chris Reed (RHP/Aledo HS).
Houston is coming off a 2014 season that saw it ranked No. 11 in the nation to finish the year and notch one of the best seasons in program history, tying a program-record with 48 wins and earning its first trip to the NCAA postseason since 2008. The Cougars were ranked nationally for 13 straight weeks during the season, polling in as high as No. 5 in the nation during week 17.
Houston captured the Baton Rouge Regional title with back-to-back wins over LSU to advance to the Austin Super Regional (vs. Texas) - a first since 2003. 2014 also saw Houston win the American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship tournament title with a win over Louisville. The Cougars posted the nation's No. 1 RPI in non-conference, regular-season play with an impressive 27-5 record.
The 27 regular-season, non-conference wins was the most since 27 in 2002 for the program. Houston posted a home record of 25-8 for the most home wins since Cougar Field was redone in 1995. The Cougars opened 2014 with four straight home weekend sweeps, marking the first time in program history to accomplish that feat. Houston saw itself earn a season sweep of Rice - first since 1991 to reclaim the Silver Glove trophy, which has been with the Owls since 2000.
The Cougars were led by one of the nation's top pitching staffs as senior relievers Chase Wellbrock (5-0, 12 SV) and Tyler Ford (9-0, 4 SV) combined for a 14-0 record and 16 saves. Freshman RHP Andrew Lantrip was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American and the conference's Rookie of the Year, while eight other Cougars earned All-League honors.
The postseason saw sophomores Josh Vidales and Kyle Survance earn American Baseball Championship and Baton Rouge Regional Most Outstanding Player honors, respectively. Three Cougars were tabbed All-Region led by seniors Casey Grayson and Chase Wellbrock on the First Team and senior Tyler Ford on the Second Team. Off the field, the Cougars continued to excel in the classroom, led by sophomore Justin Montemayor, who was tabbed a First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District award winner.
STAY CONNECTED
Stay up to date with all Houston Baseball news and highlights by following us on Twitter @UHCougarBB or on Facebook at /HoustonCougarBaseball. Fans can also follow head coach Todd Whitting @toddwhitting on Twitter.
