Seven Sign With UC Irvine Baseball
December 02, 2013 | Baseball
IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine Baseball has signed three infielders, an outfielder, a catcher and a pair of pitchers to National Letters of Intent in the early period, announced head coach Mike Gillespie.
Cameron Bishop is a 6-4 southpaw from Brea Olinda High School. Bishop is seen to have an extremely high ceiling both as a pitcher and hitter and the UCI coaching staff sees him as an immediate weekend starter on the mound, as well as a middle-of-the-order bat. "Cameron has demonstrated power, and throws strikes with a power arm," said Gillespie. "He is a great student committed to academic excellence and his future in baseball is unlimited."
Shaun Vetrovec is a local product from Newport Harbor High School. The 6-2 right-hander shows command of three pitches, including a power fast ball, an advanced curve ball and "figures prominently into a weekend starting role as a freshman," said Gillespie. "Additionally, he has been an outstanding hitter at Newport Harbor High, and conceivably will fit into the offensive lineup at UCI, as well. Without a doubt, he has an exciting professional future, and his great academic success has him leaning to the field of Engineering."
Infielders Parker Coss, Keston Hiura and Cole Kreuter will also enter UC Irvine in the fall of 2014. Coss, a 5-11 standout from Capistrano Valley Christian High School, is described as a slick-fielding infielder and an intensely competitive player who has proven to be a tough out against top-level pitching. "Parker has the ability to play anywhere in the infield, although his history is to have anchored the infield on his high school team at shortstop," said Gillespie.
Hiura hails from Valencia and has demonstrated himself to be a versatile player who can play any position on the field. Primarily an infielder, Hiura has displayed speed and athleticism to make an impact at seven different spots. "Keston has been very impressive with the bat, has shown gap power, and is a potential base stealer," commented Gillespie. "And he is an elite student."
Kreuter, son of former major league catcher, Chad Kreuter, is Gillespie's grandson. Kreuter will enter UCI from Miami, Florida, where he plays shortstop at Westminster Christian High School. Kreuter also has played second base and possesses the arm strength to play third base. He is described as having shown both bat speed and balance at the plate, which are "vital elements to anyone's success of handling all types of pitches at the college level." Says Gillespie, "Cole has demonstrated uncommon instincts and I.Q. for the game and will no doubt, adapt well to the UCI style of play, which requires completeness in all facets of play."
Outfielder Jake Hazard is another Orange County standout. Hailing from Tustin, the 6-2 talent preps at Beckman High School and is a physical player with size, strength, and runs well above average. "Jake is an aggressive hitter with power potential," said Gillespie. "His ability to run profiles him to be able to run balls down in spacious centerfield in Cicerone Field."
Brody Kato rounds out the list of early signees. Kato, a 5-11 player from Palm Desert High School, has been recruited primarily as a catcher for his strong throwing arm and performs in the unusual combination as catcher and starting pitcher on his high school team. "Brody has been recognized as an outstanding defender, but his success on the mound has been such that we believe he will be able to contribute there, as well as behind the plate," said Gillespie. "Offensively, Brody has shown consistent line-drive skills, but with increasing power each year."
"This is one of the best recruiting classes we've had in the seven years we've been here," said Gillespie. "We have addressed our primary need for quality, ready-to-perform pitching, and versatile position players who have demonstrated the ability to play anywhere on the field. There is a blend of power and speed among this group, and we have every reason to believe that this group will form the nucleus of outstanding UCI baseball for the next three and four years."
Cameron Bishop............ LHP/OF........... 6-4........ 225........... Brea, CA /Brea Olinda HS
Parker Coss ................... INF................... 5-11...... 160........... San Juan Capistrano, CA/Capistrano Valley Christian HS
Jake Hazard.................... OF.................... 6-2........ 190........... Tustin, CA/Beckman HS
Keston Hiura.................. INF................... 5-11...... 180........... Valencia, CA/ Valencia HS
Brody Kato..................... C....................... 5-11...... 180........... Palm Desert, CA/ Palm Desert HS
Cole Kreuter.................. INF................... 6-1........ 180........... Miami, FL/ Westminster Christian HS
Shaun Vetrovec............. RHP.................. 6-2........ 200........... Costa Mesa, CA/Newport Harbor HS
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