Canisius College baseball coach
Mike McRae has announced that 13 student-athletes will join the Golden
Griffin baseball program, starting with the 2012 season. The 13-member class is comprised of Michael Booth, Aaron Casper, Sam Cumbo, Brooklyn Foster, Manny Hernandez, Michael Krische, Connor Panas, Rohn Pierce, Jesse Puscheck, Michael Rademacher, Iannick Remillard, Jason Rubenstein and Eric Stolzenburg.
The
class consists of two catchers, three infielders, one outfielder, one utility, six pitchers and is set to replace eight seniors from the 2011 baseball
roster.
"This recruiting class represents the strong efforts of our entire staff. We have successfully added key pieces to our existing team and ensuring continued success in the future of Griffs' baseball," McRae said. "These players will help lead us to our goal of winning a MAAC Championship and competing on a grander stage.
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- Catcher
- 2010 — .427, 35 RBI, 13 2B, 4 3B with St. Anne High School
- 2010 OFSAA Silver Medal — St. Anne (27-3 record)
- 2010 Ontario Youth Team — Silver Medal
- 2009 Ontario Baseball AAA Champions
- 2011 Premier Baseball League of Ontario All-Star
McRae on Booth "Michael comes from a great baseball area where he has played with and against some talented teams. He has handled National Team-caliber pitching and played extremely well at the Canada Cup last summer. His commitment to the game and willingness to learn is refreshing."
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Michael Booth
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- Pitcher
- Went 6-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 41 IP, allowing 33 hits and striking out 62 as a junior
- Pitched in the 2010 NABF 18U World Series in Jackson, Miss.
- Threw a complete-game, one-hitter in regional championship
- Western Athletic Conference First-Team All-Star as a sophomore and WAC South MVP as a junior
McRae on Casper
"We are looking for Aaron
to help ease the loss of some talented arms from this year's team. He has a plus fastball to go
along with a very good breaking ball. His easy delivery and a projectable frame should enable Aaron to excel
and grow. He will be a great
addition to our staff."
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Aaron Casper
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- Can play infield or outfield
- Earned First-Team Niagara Fronter League Honors in 2010 after batting .426
- Team Captain
- Team MVP
- Played for seven years with Team New Era Baseball and hit .422 in 2010
McRae on Cumbo "Sam is a unique addition to
our team. He is extremely
versatile defensively and is a top-notch offensive performer. Sam can play the infield or outfield
and his bat should force his way into the lineup. Every time we have seen him play, he gets key hits."
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Sam Cumbo
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- Catcher
- Member of Canadian Junior National Team
- Canada Cup Gold and Silver Medal Winner
- 43rd-round draft pick of Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009 MLB Draft
- Baseball America Top 50 JUCO Prospects in Region 1
McRae on Foster "The addition of Brooklyn will bring an experienced backstop to our program. This signing makes us better on two levels — offensively and defensively. Having previously competed with the Langley Blaze, the Canadian National Junior Team, and at a competitive junior college program, Brooklyn will make a seamless transition to the MAAC."
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Brooklyn Foster
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- Middle Infielder
- Earned All-Region honors in 2009
- All-Conference selection in 2009 and 2010
- Hit .477 with .529 slugging percentage and .577 on-base percentage
McRae on Hernandez "Manny oozes
athleticsm. He is a very dynamic
middle infielder who can take over
a game in many ways — with his bat, legs, or glove. We have seen a strong trend of successful infielders
come through our program and Manny seems to follow in that mold."
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Manny Hernandez
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- Outfielder
- Hit over .300 each season with Langley Blaze (2009-11)
- Listed as one of top five Canadian prospects from Langley, British Columbia for 2011 MLB Draft
McRae on Krische Michael is the fastest player in Canada. We are excited to have that type of explosiveness to spearhead our offense. He will wreak havoc on the paths and use his speed to cover a lot of ground in the outfield in order to make us better defensively. Our pitchers are going to love him out there.""
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Michael Krische
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- Corner Infielder
- Team MVP and captain
- Named Toronto Star High School Baseball All-Star in 2010
- Played for three years for the Toronto Mets
- Hit .410 with 59 RBI and six HR in 2010
- Also played four years of football and three years of basketball
McRae on Panas "Connor represents the type
of athleticism that we are looking for in our players. He is a big, strong hitter with good
pop and can run well for his size. Connor, a two-sport star, will look man to a
corner position early in his career."
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Connor Panas |
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- Pitcher
- First-Team All-League honors in 2009 adn 2010
- Played in 2010 Empire State Games
- In 2010 (high school and summer) — 1.09 ERA with 127 strikeouts in 77 IP
- Two no-hitters
McRae on Pierce "Rohn is clearly the top
pitcher in Western New York this year. He has
an outstanding fastball coming from a very good pitcher's frame. Rohn has tremendous upside and should
continue to develop in his time with us. There is no telling just how good he can be. If he matures quickly, Rohn will fight for a weekend job as
a freshman."
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Rohn Pierce
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- Infielder
- Hit .410 with four HR and 19 RBI as a junior
- Hit .369 with nine HR and 54 RBI with New Era Showcase Team
- Two-time First-Team selection in Niagara Frontier League
- Two-Time Tonawanda News All-Area First-Team selection
McRae on Puscheck "Jesse is one of the top
hitters from Western New York this year. He has
good power and has that knack for barreling the baseball. We need to improve offensively next
year and Jesse should assist in that team goal."
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Jesse Puscheck
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- Pitcher
- Played with Clarence High School team that advanced to state title game in 2009
- Went 4-1 and averaged over a strikeout per inning as a junior
- ECIC Division I All-Star Honorable Mention in 2010
McRae on Rademacher
"Michael possesses a great frame for a pitcher. He has played for a very good
high school and summer team, where success has followed him. Once he gets healthy and on a
regular routine, I think Michael can really flourish here. His desire to excel is evident
every time he takes the mound."
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Michael Rademacher |
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- Pitcher
- Received invitation to Canadian Baseball Academy with the Junior National Team
- Pitched Midget AAA for Quebec U-18
- Made Midget AA All-Star Team in 2008
- Also played football, rugby and volleyball
McRae on Remillard
"Iannick is a very polished high school arm. He throws in the mid to upper 80s with
outstanding 'pitchability.' He has
good movement and can locate to both sides of the plate. I have no doubt that Rem will pitch immediately at
Canisius. I look forward to
watching his competitive nature take the mound for us."
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Iannick Remillard
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- Pitcher
- Two-time provincial MVP and two-time high school team MVP
- Threw two no-hitters in spring and summer of 2010
- Went 3-0 with 18 strikeouts in 18 innings in the fall
- Pitched for Thornhill Reds Junior Team last summer and went 14-1 with a 0.47 ERA
McRae on Rubenstein
"Jason continues the tradition of top-notch players coming to
us from Niagara County Community College. He is their top pitcher. Although not overpowering, Ruby throws several different pitches, each
possessing terrific movement. He
has an advanced feel for the strike zone. We anticipate that Jason will make a big splash in the MAAC next year."
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Jason Rubenstein
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- Pitcher
- ECIC Division II First-Team selection in 2010
- Went 5-1 with a 2.30 ERA while opposing batters hit .214
- Holds New York State record for pickoffs (15)
- Three-time team captain
McRae on Stolzenburg "
Eric is another two-sport
athlete who will thrive by being committed full time to baseball. He is a tall lefty who throws in the
low 80's and can spin a decent breaking ball. By losing some left-handed pitchers this year and last, we need Eric
to seize the opportunity to log important innings next year."
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Eric Stolzenburg
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