Bellevue College Baseball Signs Small Group of 10 for 2016

After replacing heavy graduation losses from their star-studded 2014 squad, Bellevue College baseball will feature a freshmen-heavy squad in 2015 which prompted one of the smallest recruiting classes for the 2016 season. Ten signed letters of intent this weekend with the annually-ranked Bulldogs as the NWAC signing period began. Once again, the class features all Washington products, which is becoming rare for any NWAC sport roster, as out-of-state recruiting for NWAC teams in all sports is on the rise.  With only 10-12 spots to fill, the coaching staff was extremely selective on the following group of players. “On any other given year, we would have offered players that ended up signing at other schools; we just didn’t have much room this year,” says Coach Mark Yoshino. The group is highlighted by several athletic position players who feature many tools. Here are Yoshino’s summaries (in alphabetical order) of the incoming class this fall for the 2016 squad:

Sean Clancy (Infield, Archbishop Murphy HS)
“Clancy is a plus defender, who quite frankly, plays with big time tools of an older college player at the division one level. We think he may have been overlooked due to his size. He can hit, run, and most importantly, legitimately  make college/pro-type plays at shortstop or second base. He has the glove, tools, and instincts to do both. Sean was recommended by my former coach from back in the day, Bill Stubbs, and Mark Potoshnik, who continues to produce frontline college players that thrive in our program. Potoshnik has literally batted a thousand when it comes to recommendations on players. From Kevin Dvorak in ’03 to Ian Parmley and Seafth Howe in ’09 to  Matt Cooper in ’11 and Alex Hatch in ’13.  I could go on and on but every guy he has recommended has panned out. He might be the most trustworthy summer coach in the state. For this reason alone, Clancy was a no-brainer. Add to the fact that Sean was recommended by our two top dogs on our current club (Alex Galgano, Zander Clouse) who hailed from the same high school, and the fact that Clancy stepped right in and filled the shoes of current Oregon State shortstop Trever Morrison on his high school team, we feel Clancy can step right in and make an impact.”

Grant DeLappe (Infield, Tahoma HS)
“Grant is yet another Tahoma HS product coming to Bellevue. We feel with all of the great Tahoma grads that have come here throughout the years we could field a Tahoma Hall of Fame team for their legendary coach, Russ Hayden. Grant is coming in as a bit of a sleeper. He was an unknown last year in high school and played down at the 17-under level in summer ball. We had the opportunity to see him, along with two other signees (Antonio Ortiz, John Samons) at the Seattle University prospect camp late this fall since we missed them in the summer. Seeing all of the 80-plus summer teams in the area in a two month window can be a bit of a challenge. We owe Seattle U Coach Donny Harrel and his staff a thank you for that opportunity. Grant is a slick-fielding infielder who has arm strength to play either third base or shortstop. He has the prototype rangy look that all recruiters love when they are scouring for infield prospects. We compare Grant  to a former Tahoma product off last year’s club Ryan Malone. They both are left-side infielders with plus gloves and arm strength and hopefully DeLappe will flourish and get a division one scholarship as Malone did here.”

Elijah (Eli) Gallo (Infield-Outfield, Anacortes HS)
“Eli, along with fellow recruit Antonio Henricksen (below) might be the most dynamic, electric players in the entire state that scouts have never heard of. Gallo’s commitment to us over the holidays, was a tool package to BC baseball that’s so big it wouldn’t fit under the tree.  Because of his tool offering, he can literally play anywhere. The speed, arm, and bat can play anywhere for us in the next two years. The way he presents himself also is a level above most 18-year olds. We’ve seen both the physical and emotional attributes this guy can bring; we think he is a guy pro scouts will be writing feverishly about in their notebooks on our scout day next year.”

Antonio (Tony) Henricksen (Infield-Outfield, Bishop Blanchet HS)
“As noted above; simply dynamic. Associate Head Coach Kevin Miller compares Tony’s bat to that of some of our greatest hitters in the past in the likes of  Kyle Conwell (LA Dodgers draft), Jordan Richartz (JC All-American, starter at University of Hawaii now), and current player Alex Galgano (team leading .441 average last year that was cut short due to illness). When we hear comparisons like that, it’s a for sure slam dunk pick. Henricksen turned down an offer to play at a Pac-12 school next fall to attend Bellevue instead; as an opportunity to improve other dimensions of his game. Tony was also a member of the prestigious Area Code Games roster last year, but was injured during most of the event. His down-to-earth approach is also an important element to his game. Considering all of the high school potential prospects out there doing the camp circuit to get any type of sniff from a division one school, there’s just not many high school seniors like Tony who are going to say no to a Pac-12 offer and say to themselves ‘I think Bellevue right now might be the best choice for me long-term’.”

Antonio Ortiz (Outfield, Timberline HS)
“Antonio’s bat from the left-side just screams the word ‘threat’ when at the plate. Add to this the arm strength and we have a nice left-left prospect on our hands. His arm strength warrants a possible look on the mound also, but for now, we see him primarily as an outfielder. Ortiz can play center field now, but with the strength attributes, and a body that’s upshooting now to power dimensions as we speak, he may end up a right-fielder given the plus arm as well. He’s a baseball rat and will play this summer for Coach Guy Keller and the Seattle Stars; a program with quite an impressive list of alumni who have gone on to do big things in big places. Ortiz we think will be another one on that list. The recruitment of Ortiz also adds a new dimension to our recruiting pockets in the state, as I cannot recall the last time we had an incoming recruit from the Olympia area since 1999.”

Austin Pinorini (Catcher-Outfield, Cascade HS)
“Austin was our number one priority all summer and fall. Although he is playing on a different team this summer, we fell in love with him on a team called Washington Rush, coached by former Bellevue alum and coach, Dan Somoza. What impressed us most was his swing on either a 2-0 count or 0-2 count; it was the exact same. He gets off good swings regardless. When I watched him this summer it brought back nightmares of our nemesis, TC Florentine from Edmonds who was as difficult to get out when our pitchers were ahead in the count as it was when behind. Considering Florentine was named MVP of the NWAC and the entire west coast (Pacific Association Division All-American MVP), that’s a pretty nice comparison. Pinorini was our top priority because of his ability to catch and play outfield. With two good catchers returning for us in Shane Stober and Zach Usselman, we were not in a position to aggressively recruit a ‘catcher only’. Rather, we needed an athletic catcher who could come in and do both catch and play another position without being a liability in that spot. Enter Pinorini; fast, athletic, and a cannon arm that is upper 80’s off the mound. While he was recruited by a division one school as a pitcher only, we felt (and he agreed) that it was too early to focus on pitching given the attributes he has.  We think this guy is one who can come right in and get at bats next year and end up being one of the most heavily sought-after division one catching recruits on the west coast. There’s just not a lot of plus defending catchers that can flat out swing from the left side (and run as well) in the country.”

John Samons (Pitcher, Franklin Pierce HS)
“John is one of only three pitchers we have signed. We may add one or two more, but there’s no sense of urgency. As noted above, Samons was discovered at the Seattle University camp. Unseen at the U-17 level last summer, Samons was a first-team all league pitcher as a junior. While he does not have the ideal pitching stature, what I like about him is his ability to strike guys out while throwing a ton of strikes. As a former pitcher, it’s what I look for and want in guys. With almost 90 strikeouts as a junior in a short high school season, it shows this guy knows how to put guys away and trusts his stuff. His delivery is clean and he has a  high level pitcher mentality and work ethic.  His high school coach talks highly about his leadership characteristics which I consider a big plus as well.”

Evan Slate (Outfielder, Central Kitsap HS)
“Evan comes to us from CK, the alma mater of two of our best all-time ‘gets’ out of the Kitsap peninsula area in Casey Bohlmann (now assistant coach here at BC) and Tyler Baumgartner, who recently finished an illustrious career here and then at the University of Oregon. We think Evan will be just like those two guys; great players and great teammates.  Evan comes to us from Narrows Baseball Club coached by Jon Fuller, who many do not know, is a BC baseball alum from back in the day.  Considering Jon might be one of the biggest baseball junkies of Bellevue College baseball history, as evidenced by his long stint in independent pro ball (was once noted as having one of the longest careers in independent pro ball of all-time); one thing we know is his players love baseball.  With that background, we feel confident that Evan will be well prepared to come in and contribute. Evan brings speed, a true center field glove, and has the experience playing ‘with the big boys’ whether it be in high school on varsity at a young age or being the young pup 16-year-old on Taylor Baseball in 2013.

Josh Thompson (Pitcher, Cedar Park Christian HS)
“Josh is a guy we saw on a whim last year. Our workhorse recruiter Coach Bohlmann got lost due to my poor driving instructions and stumbled upon seeing Thompson throw in a small class 1A high school game. Similar to Samons, he does not have the prototype pitcher’s body, but when you’re striking out 10-15 guys every game and throwing near no-hitters on a weekly basis, you’ve got to consider, no matter how small the school. Josh throws a mix of pitches and simply knows how to carve hitters up. Bohlmann tabbed him as a similar version of former BC standout Seafth Howe. Well Howe not only helped us get championship rings in ’09, but also was a division one starter throwing complete game shutouts against the likes of Notre Dame among others and enjoyed a stint in pro ball.  If the comparison is even somewhat close, we’ve got a winner in Thompson.”

Alex Worthington (Pitcher, Woodinville HS)
“Worthington is the kind of guy every JC would want; big tall lefty with tons of upside and brings in a ton of experience. He is our lone recruit from Boys of Summer, a program that has emerged as one of top summer programs to find prospects on an annual basis. Whether it is a tighter breaking ball, improved pitch ability, or a few mph on his fast ball, Worthington will develop in some capacity here to make him a bona fide recruit at the four-year level. He also brings a ton of big game experience, after leading first-year Head Coach Alan Dillman’s unsung hero Woodinville squad to the state playoffs last year.”

 

Last Updated January 21, 2015