Meet the Baseball Newcomers (Part 1)
11/3/2017 2:11:00 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 first six student-athletes to be profiled are freshman pitchers Blake Beers, Jeff Criswell, Ben Dragani, Isaiah Paige, Angelo Smith and Danny Zimmerman.
The group of six includes two Major League Baseball Draft picks, two division players of the year, and one Gatorade State Player of the Year. All six pitchers earned a Rawlings-Perfect Game selection. Of the newcomers, four are righthanded, two are lefthanded, and three earned all-state honors.
Blake Beers, RHP
Manhattan Beach, Calif. / Loyola High School of Los Angeles
Three-time letterwinner at Loyola High School of Los Angeles ... Earned Clutch Award and All-League honorable mention junior year ... Selected for Perfect Game Underclass third team junior year ... Selected for Rawlings-Perfect Game third team All-America and first team All-Region (California) senior year ... Perfect Game first team all-state 2017 ... Participated in USA Baseball Tournament of Stars, WWBA World Championship and Perfect Game National Showcase ... Member of the honor roll.
Jeff Criswell, RHP
Portage, Mich. / Portage Central High School
Four-time letterwinner at Portage Central ... All SMAC-West Conference honorable mention sophomore year ... All-conference first team selection junior year ... All-conference and all-district first team senior year ... Rawlings-Perfect Game honorable mention All-American and first team all-region (Central) senior year ... Member of Student Government and Student Ambassadors ... Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 35th round in the 2017 MLB Draft.
Ben Dragani, LHP
Brookfield, Wis. / Catholic Memorial High School
Three-time letterwinner at Catholic Memorial in Brookfield, Wisconsin ... Underclass honorable mention sophomore year ... Underclass high honorable mention junior year ... Wisconsin Little Ten Conference second team junior year ... 2017 Gatorade Player of the Year for baseball in Wisconsin ... Named to first team Wisconsin Little Ten and all-state senior year ... Rawlings-Perfect Game honorable mention All-American and all-region (Central) first team senior year ... Inducted into National Honor Society ... Made honor roll all eight semesters.
Isaiah Paige, RHP
Diamond Bar, Calif. / Damien High School
Four-time letterwinner at Damien High School in La Verne, California ... USA Baseball alternate freshman year ... 2015, 2016 and 2017 Brewers Area Code participant ... All-Baseline League first team and Perfect Game Underclass honorable mention sophomore year ... Selected to second team All-Inland Valley and All-San Gabriel Valley sophomore year ... Perfect Game Underclass high honorable mention junior year ... Named to first team All-Baseline League, All-Inland Valley and All-San Gabriel Valley junior and senior years ... Rawlings-Perfect Game honorable mention All-American and all-region (California) second team senior year ... Member of the honor roll.
Angelo Smith, LHP
Thornton, Ill. / Harold L. Richards High School
Four-time letterwinner at Harold L. Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Illinois ... Perfect Game Underclass honorable mention sophomore year ... All-area and SSC Red All-Conference freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years ... SSC Red Player of the Year junior year ... Perfect Game Underclass high honorable mention junior year ... Rawlings-Perfect Game honorable mention All-American and all-region (Central) first team senior year ... Selected in the 40th Round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox.
Danny Zimmerman, RHP
Redondo Beach, Calif. / Redondo Union High School
Three-time letterwinner at Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, California ... Bay League Co-MVP sophomore year ... Named to CIF Southern Section Division 3 second team sophomore year ... Perfect Game preseason All-American and Underclass All-American sophomore year ... Named to All-Bay League first team, Louisville Slugger High School All-American team, Cal-Hi All-State Baseball second team, and Perfect Game Underclass second team as a junior ... Selected as CIF Southern Section Division 3 co-Offensive Player of the Year as a junior ... MVP of the Bay League as a senior ... Named to Collegiate Baseball High School Preseason All-American, Rawlings-Perfect Game honorable mention All-American and all-region (California) first team, MaxPreps California Large Schools Baseball first team and Cal-Hi all-state first team senior year ... Named to honor roll ... Participated in the Area Code games, PG National, USA Baseball Tournament of Stars, and Team USA 17U Development program.
