By: by Jason Hanes
Kennesaw State Head Baseball Coach Mike Sansing and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics are proud to announce that the Owls have recruited and signed 10 baseball players to join the team beginning in the 2010-11 academic year.
“Talent-wise, this is one of our best classes we’ve had since joining Division I,” said Coach Sansing. “We’re really excited about all of these young men joining our baseball family here at Kennesaw State University. We have truly enjoyed the recruiting process with each of these individuals and their families and we feel we are not only adding quality players to our program, but also a great group of young men.”
Travis Dean is a 6-foot-6-inch right-handed pitcher from Newton, Mass. The No. 2 rated prospect in Massachusetts by Perfect Game, Dean attended Worcester Academy in Worcester, Mass., and played travel baseball for the New England Roughnecks.
“Travis has a very loose arm,” said Coach Sansing. “He has a very projectable body and he is a guy that will be a conference starter for us in the near future. He throws 90 miles per hour and has a tremendous upside. We’re very happy to have him in our program.”
Niko Goodrum is a switch-hitting shortstop from Fayette County High School in Fayetteville, Ga. The 6-foot-4 185 pounder runs the 60-yard dash in 6.5 seconds. He played with the East Coast Pro Showcase Team and is ranked No. 33 among all prospects in Georgia by Perfect Game.
“Niko is a big, physical player,” said Coach Sansing. “He has a good combination of speed and power and will be a perfect fit into our program.”
The Owls signed a Cobb County product in the form of Stephen Janas from Lassiter High School in Marietta, Ga. Janas is a 6-foot-5-inch right-handed pitcher who weighs 175 pounds. He played at Lassiter for Coach Scott Kelly.
“Stephen has good velocity with excellent command of the strike zone,” Coach Sansing said. “He has excellent character and great determination to go with a solid mound presence. We feel he will perform very well for us in the future.”
Myles Jaye is the second member of the KSU recruiting class to come from Fayetteville. A 6-foot-3-inch infielder, Jaye is a switch hitter who weighs 185 pounds. He played summer ball for Coach Lloyd Thompson. His Starr’s Mill High School team reached the Class AAAA finals last season.
“Myles has gotten bigger and stronger in the past year,” Coach Sansing said. “We feel he can make an impact for us his freshman year. He has above-average running and throwing abilities and he can also hit for power. “
Tyler Austin is another metro Atlanta product, coming from Conyers, Ga., and Heritage High School. The 6-foot-3 catcher is rated as the No. 64 overall prospect in the nation by Perfect Game, and the No. 10 prospect for the state of Georgia. During the summer, Austin played in the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic.
“Tyler possesses all of the tools that you would look for in a professional player,” Coach Sansing said. “He has absolutely tremendous power and I’m fairly certain he will be a high draft pick.”
Christopher Smith is a 6-foot-2-inch right-handed pitcher from Dawsonville, Ga. Smith is a two-sport star at North Forsyth High School playing baseball under Coach Jim Cahill and was a member of the Georgia Dugout Club Top 100 his junior year.
“Christopher has good velocity and an excellent change-up,” Coach Sansing said about the righty. “He has a very projectable body and arm. I expect that he will do very well for us.”
Justin McCalvin is a right-handed pitcher from Lee County High School in Leesburg, Ga. The 6-foot righty played for Coach Rob Williams at LCHS and for Anthony Dye with the Atlanta Blue Jays.
“Justin is a three-pitch pitcher who is a true student of the game,” Coach Sansing said. “He doesn’t just study pitching, but he’s into all facets of baseball. He has an above-average fastball. I expect he will be a great asset for us.”
Chris McGowan will join the Owls after playing at Collins Hill High School in Lawrenceville, Ga., under Coach Paul Pierce. McGowan bats left-handed and can play multiple positions. The 6-footer played summer ball for Coach Brad Boris and Team Elite.
“Chris will be a hitter for average and power,” Coach Sansing said. “He’s a physical player who can run well. Our power numbers will go up with the addition of Chris to our lineup.”
Alan Busenitz will join the Owls after completing two seasons at Georgia Perimeter College for Head Coach Danny Blue. One of the state’s to JUCO players, Busenitz is a 6-foot-1-inch right-handed pitcher who weighs 180 pounds.
“Alan can throw in the 90’s with a power curve ball.” Coach Sansing said. “He has very high potential to be a dominant pitcher and is a possible draft pick.”
Casey Shiver is a 6-foot-3-inch right-handed pitcher from Gordan Junior College who played for Coach Travis McClannahan. He is ranked as the No. 80 talent in the state of Georgia by Perfect Game.
“Casey is a big signee for us,” Coach Sansing said. “He is a power pitcher with two arm slots that can pitch in a variety of roles for us next season.”
“We’ve been able to sign two of the top JUCO pitchers in the state,” Coach Sansing said. “When you combine them with the other eight players we’ve signed, we’re very excited about this recruiting class.”
