Meet the Baseball Newcomers (Part 3)
11/22/2017 1:33:00 PM | Baseball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball program and head coach Erik Bakich recently announced the incoming class for the 2017-18 academic year. The group of 15 features 13 freshman and two junior transfers, including two Michigan natives. Earning a No. 10 national ranking by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, the highest ranking ever for a Big Ten recruiting class, this class promises to bring a lot of power to Team 152.
The last four student-athletes to be profiled are catcher Joe Donovan and outfielders Jesse Franklin, Jordan Nwogu, and Cameron Tomaiko.
The group of four includes two MLB draft picks, three Rawlings-Perfect Game selections, and one Perfect Game and Gatorade Player of the Year. Three of the players earned All-State honors, with one being named All-Metro MVP.
Joe Donovan, C
Clarendon Hills, Ill./Westmont High School
Four-time letterwinner at Westmont High School in Westmont, Illinois ... Earned All-Area distinctions from Bugle Newspaper, Daily Herald, Westmont Progress, and My Suburban Life all four years ... Named Interstate-8 all-conference and DuPage all-county all four years ... Maxpreps Underclass All-America and Perfect Game Underclass High honorable mention as a sophomore ... Named to IHSBCA All-Area and IHSA all-state first team sophomore year ... Selected as a Collegiate Baseball first team pre-season All-American and Louisville Slugger first team postseason All-American as a junior ... Named a Maxpreps Small School All-American, IHSBCA all-area, IHSA all-state first team junior year ... Named the 2017 Player of the Year by Daily Herald, My Suburban Life, DuPage County, Voyager Media and Bugle Newspaper ... Selected as a Rawlings/Perfect Game honorable mention and All-Region (Central) first team senior year ... Named to IHSA All-State first team, IHSBCA all-area and DuPage all-county teams ... Won the DuPage County Triple Crown as a senior ... Is the winningest player in Westmont High School history and holds 47 career and single season school records ... Ranks top five in Illinois high school baseball history in hits, doubles, runs scored, and is tied for 10th in home runs as well as 13th in RBI ... Participated in Area Codes Games and Tournament of Stars ... Named an AP Scholar with Distinction ... Was a two-time Interstate-8 all-academic team selection ... Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 33rd Round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
Jesse Franklin, OF
Seattle, Wash./Seattle Prep
Four-time letterwinner at Seattle Preparatory School in Seattle, Washington ... Named to the Washington State AAA All-Metro first team and all-state second team as a sophomore ... Selected by the Seattle Times to the 2015 all-area "Star Times" baseball team ... Named to the Washington State AAA all-metro second team as junior on the way to leading his team to a second-place finish in the Metro League ... Named team captain senior year ... Selected to the Washington State AAA all-metro and all-state first team and named the All-Metro MVP ... Named 2017 Washington Player of the Year by Perfect Game and Gatorade ... Was the WIAA Home Run Derby champion as a senior ... Named a Rawlings/Perfect Game honorable mention All-American and all-region (West) first team selection as a senior ... Named one of Baseball America's Top 200 MLB Draft prospects ... Participated in the Area Code Games, PG National Showcase, USA Baseball National Championships and Cooperstown Little League Tournament ... Named to the Honor Roll all eight semesters ... Earned the Washington Athletic Club 101 Scholar-Athlete Award ... Drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 37th Round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
Jordan Nwogu, OF
Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer High School
Four time letterwinner at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan ... Selected to all-district and all-conference teams as a sophomore ... Named an all-state selection as a junior ... Named first team all-region, all-district and all-conference as a junior ... Selected as a Rawlings/Perfect Game honorable mention All-American and named to the all-region (Central) first team as a senior ... Invited to 2017 Comerica MHSAA East-West All-Star Game ... Named a Top 25 baseball player in Michigan by MLive.com ... Named an Ann Arbor Young Man of Promise ... Was a junior Rotarian ... Earned an Alpha Phi Alpha Leadership Award.
Cameron Tomaiko, OF
Coram, N.Y./St. Anthony's High School
Four-time letterwinner at St. Anthony's High School in South Huntington, New York ... Named to the all-academic team twice ... Was a two-time honor roll member ... Earned the Duns Scotus Award.
• Meet the Baseball Newcomers (Part 2)
• Meet the Baseball Newcomers (Part 1)
