Two Illinois independent professional baseball teams announced tryout dates for 2012 recently.
The Normal CornBelters will hold a tryout on Sunday January 29th at Faulkner University in Montgomery Alabama. The tryout starts at 2:00 pm and will cost $60. For more information you can email cparker@normalbaseball.com.
The Gateway Grizzlies will hold a tryout on Sunday April 15th at 8:00 am. The tryout will be held at GCS Ballpark in Sauget Illinois.
For more information on both tryouts you can click on the link below.
Frontier League Team Tryouts
Matt Hamann from Belmont University is the only Illinois baseball player to be named as on of the 2012 top players from Illinois in the Atlantic Sun Conference based on how the coaches vote in their pre-season polls and projections.
Matt is a senior right handed pitcher from Northbrook Illinois and was voted as one of the top players to watch in the Atlantic Sun for 2012.
Five Illinois junior college baseball teams have been ranked in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper in their 2012 Pre-Season polls.
In Division II:
#6 - Heartland Community College
#12 - Parkland College
#14 - Kankakee Community College
#18 - Lincoln Land College
In Division III:
#6 - Joliet Junior College
The Western Illinois Leatherneck baseball program announced the dates for their winter camps beginning in January, 2012.
On Saturday January 28th 2012 the Leathernecks will host two camps for ages 6-14 - a pitching camp from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm and skills camp from 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm. The cost of one session is $55 and both is $100.
On Sunday January 29th 2012 or February 5th 2012 Western will host two showcase camps for ages 14-21. Beginning at 10:30 am is the Purple Army Elite Prospect Series for pitchers and catchers. Starting at 2:00 pm is the Exposure and Skill Camp for all players. One camp will cost you $75 and both will cost $125.
For more information you can follow the link below.
Leatherneck Baseball Camps
University of Evansville head baseball coach Wes Carroll announced the signing of Patrick Bellinger from Schaumburg HS to a National Letter of Intent to play baseball for the Aces in 2013.
Bellinger is a 6'5" right handed pitcher who was chosen to the USA Baseball Great Lakes Regional Team. Patrick lives in Schaumburg Illinois.
The Rockford RiverHawks announced they have picked up the options on nine picthers for the 2012 season.
Left handers include Alex Symanski, Kyle Kriech and Theron Minium.
The righties are Joe Scumaci, Adam Osteen, Brad Allen, Corey Frerichs, Nick Gaudi and Joey Gradney.
Alex Symanski is returns as last year's ace for the RiverHawks going 5-4 with a 4.09 ERA.
The Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association will hold their annual clinic on January 20th and January 21st at the Westin in Lombard for 2012.
The clinic starts on Friday at 5:30 pm til 9:00 pm and again on Saturday at 8:00 am through 3:15 pm. Registration opens one hour prior to clinic start times each day.
Coaches speaking this year are:
Steve Ruzich - South Suburban College
Mik Aoki - Notre Dame
Darin Hendrickson - St. Louis University
Bill Kurich - Webster University
Rick Heller - Indiana State University
Justin Stone - White Sox Training Academy
Also speaking will be the 2011 State Champion coaches from each class.
Bradley head baseball coach Elvis Dominguez announced the signing of eight student-athletes, four from Illinois, to National Letters of Intent to play baseball for the Braves in the 2013 season.
Here are the Illinois baseball players who signed with Bradley.
Infielder Tyler Leffler from Benton Consolidated HS, Tyler lives in Benton Illinois.
Right handed pitcher Peter Resnick from Glenbrook North HS, Peter lives in Northbrook Illinois.
Right handed pitcher Eric Scheurmann from Palatine HS, Eric lives in Palatine Illinois.
Outfielder Brady Wilkin from Providence Catholic HS, Brady lives in Orland Park Illinois.
The Dekalb County Liners baseball club has chosen to move from the Prospect League to the Midwest Collegiate League for 2012 due to the extensive travel and game schedules along with costs related to the Prospect League.
Dekalb joins former Prospect League team Dupage and the league has plans to announce additional expansion news soon.
The Midwest Collegiate League plays a 46 game schedule beginning on June 1st with a post season playoff and a July 11th All-Star game.
The Dekalb County Liners play their home games in Sycamore Illinois.
The annual I70 baseball coaches clinic will be held on January 16, 2012 in Greenville Illinois.
University of Missouri head baseball coach Tim Jamieson will be one of main guest speakers this year. Last year's speakers included Ron Polk, Fred Corral, Mark Johnson and Mike Pinto.
The clinic will run from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
For more information click on the link below.
I70 Clinic
Winthrop head baseball coach Tom Ringinos announced the signing of Jordan Crawford to a National Letter of Intent for 2012.
Crawford is a right handed pitcher from Evanston Township HS and lives in Evanston Illinois. Coach Ringinos stated that "Crawford is a three-pitch mix guy that has very good movement on his fastball and has a bright future within the Winthrop program."
The Schaumburg Boomers signed their first native Illinois player by adding outfielder John Wagle from Rock Island Illinois.
Wagle was also a Division III baseball player at Augustana College in Rock Island Ilinois. After Augustana Wagle hooked up with the San Angelo Colts in 2010, hitting .256 in 21 games before being traded to the Rockford RiverHawks. In 2011 Wagle played 15 games for the Fargo-Moorehead RedHawks where John hit .196 and 20 with the Joliet Slammers as a reserve infielder/outfielder where he ended the season with a .161 batting average.
The King College Tornado baseball program announced the signing of six players from Illinois schools.
Infielder/RHP Jose Sola from Kaskaskia Junior College in Centralia Illinois
Infielder Steven Todoschuk from Kaskaskia Junior College in Centralia Illinois
Oufielder Jake Pewitt from Parkland College in Champaign Illinois
Outfielder Tom Hooker from Parkland College in Champaign Illinois and lives in Crystal Lake Illinois
Infielder Landon Wietekamp from Parkland College in Champaign Illinois and lives in Farmersville Illinois
Right handed pitcher Mark Hode from Parkland College in Champaign Illinois and lives in Crystal Lake Illinois
King College is a Division II school in Bristol Tennessee and is a member of Conference Carolinas.
The Illinois Benedictine University baseball program announced the dates for their annual pre-season baseball camp. The camp will be held on four separate Friday's in 2012. The camp is designed to promote the fundamentals to players ages from 7-13 years old.
Dates of the camps are January 27, February 3, February 10 and February 17 and will meet from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm.
Any 1 session costs $40
Any 2 sessions costs $78
Any 3 sessions costs $115
All 4 sessions costs $150
For additional information you can click on the following link:
2012 Benedictine Baseall Camp
Willowbrook catcher Kurt Githcell has signed his Letter of Intent to play baseball at Northwest Missouri State University announced by Bearcats head baseball coach Darin Loe.
Gitchell hit .402 as a junior last season at Willowbrook along with throwing out 68% of runners trying to steal off of Kurt. Gitchell lives in Willowbrook Illinois.
Northwest Missouri State University is a Division II school located in Maryville Missouri.
St. Louis University head baseball coach Darin Hendrickson announced the signing of T.J. Verdun to a National Letter of Intent to play baseball for the Billikens for 2013.
T.J. Verdun is primarily a middle infielder who can move around to various positions and will provide versatility for the Billikens according to Henderickson. T.J. is from St. Rita HS in Chicago and T.J. lives in Chicago Illinois.
The Schaumburg Boomers baseball club recently signed their first pitcher for the 2012 season - right handed pitcher Matt Collins from Piedmont College.
Collins was 4-1 with a 2.11 ERA, 13 saves and 75 strikeouts in 47 innings in 2011 at the Division III school. Matt is from Roswell GA.
The Boomers will open their 2012 season on Friday May 18th at Lake Erie and open at home on Friday May 25th against Florence. The Boomers will play their home games at Alexian Field in Schaumburg Illinois.
Naperville North baseball players Conner Adamski and Mariano Long have both committed to attend U.S. Armed Forces Academies for the 2013 baseball seasons.
Left handed hitting catcher Conner Adamski has committed to attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis MD.
Right handed pitcher Mariano Long committed to attend the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs Colorado.
In addition to Long, Sandburg outfielder Zak Reks has also committed to attend the Air Force Academy.
Congratulations to these young men who will continue their baseball careers at these prestigious academies.
Ex Calgary Viper manager and current ThunderBolt manager Morgan Burkhart has brought over three of his ex players to Crestwood for the 2012 baseball season.
Outfielder Bryan Burke signed with the Vipers in 2011 and set his career best in batting average hitting .302 last season.
Shortstop Louis Templeton spent his rookie season in Calgary last summer hitting .289 with 5 home runs in 2011.
Right handed pitcher Stephen Whalen pitched for four different teams in three season, the latest being in Calgary in 2011. In 14 games at Calgary Whalen went 7-5 with a 5.13 ERA.
The T-Bolts also signed right handed pitcher Bobby O'Neil after O'Neil was release from rookie ball with the Twins in 2011.
The ThunderBolts play their home games at Standard Bank Stadium in Crestwood Illinois and open their 2012 baseball season on May 14th 2012.
Villanova Wildcats head baseball coach Joe Godi announced the signing of three baseball players from Illinois to National Letters of Intent for the 2013 season.
Infielder Eric Lowe from Rolling Meadows HS and lives in Arlington Heights Illinois. Lowe has tremendous speed.
Infielder/Catcher Emmanuel Morris from Hinsdale South HS and lives in Willowbrook Illinois. Morris is a utility player who can play middle infield, catch and play outfield.
Outfielder Nick Coutre from Libertyville HS and lives in Libertyville Illinois. Nick can play all three outfield positions.
Oakland University head baseball coach John Musachio announced the signing of Shane Brown to a National Letter of Intent to play baseball for the Golden Grizzlies for the 2013 season.
Shane is a switch hitting outfielder and left handed pitcher from Simeon HS in Chicago Illinois.
Oakland University is located in Rochester Michigan and particpates in the Summit League along with Western Illinois University.
The University of Illinois at Springfield announced the hiring of Mike Zandler to take over the baseball program as head coach yesterday.
Zandler moves to UIS from Davidson where he spent the last five years as an assistant coach and worked with the pitching staff. In five seasons as pitching coach at Davidson Zandler's pitching staffs averaged an ERA under six only once, which was in 2011 when the bat standard changed for NCAA baseball. In 2011 Davidson finished 7th out of 12 teams in conference earned run average. Davidson was 86-165 overall and 36-104 in conference in Zandlers five seasons.
Eastern Illinois University head baseball coach Jim Schmitz announced the signing of seven players for the 2013 baseball season.
Utility player Matt Dunavant from Eureka HS, lives in Eureka Illinois.
Infielder Mitch Gasbaro from Glenbard South HS, lives in Glen Ellyn Illinois.
RHP Jake Johansmeier from St. Charles North HS, lives in St. Charles Illinois.
RHP CJ Martin from Oakville HS, lives in St. Louis Missouri.
Outfielder Derek Page from Edwardsville HS, lives in Edwardsville Illinois.
Outfielder Trey Russell from Joliet Junior College, lives in Urbana Illinois.
Catcher/IF Jason Scholl from Glenbrook North HS, lives in Northbrook Illinois.
Olivet Nazarene head baseball coach Todd Reid announced the Tigers have signed four student athletes to letters of intent for the 2013 baseball season. Below are the signees.
Infielder Josh Altman from Lockport HS in Lockport Illinois
Infielder Jordan Hayes from St. Charles East HS in St. Charles Illinois
Outfielder Caleb Gulledge from Parma Western HS in Spring Arbor Michigan
Cody Haver from Andrean HS in Merriville Indiana
The Iowa Hawkeyes head baseball coach Jack Dahm announced the signing of four Illinois baseball players to National Letters of Intent.
Listed below are the Illinois players.
Left handed pitcher Ryan Borucki from Mundelein HS. Ryan was 7-1 with a 1.20 ERA. Ryan lives in Mundelein Illinois.
Catcher Blake Hickman from Simeon HS. Blake is a 6'5" catcher is an Illinois High School All-Stater.
Infielder Devin Pickett from Marion Catholic HS. Devin was a third team All-American by Perfect Game. Devin lives in Flossmoor Illinois.
Infielder Nick Roscetti from Williamsville HS. Nick hit .465 with 25 rbi's and 14 stolen bases along with going 6-3 with a 1.81 ERA on the mound as a junior. Nick lives in Sherman Illinois.
The Kansas City Royals announced that Brian Buchanan will be the Kane County Cougars manager for the 2012 season. Buchanan moves up from Rookie affiliate Idaho Falls to take over the Illinois baseball club.
Buchanan was a first round pick by the New York Yankees in 1994 and played in the bigs from 2002 through 2005.
The Cougars will open their 2012 baseball season on April 5th, 2012 in the Quad Cities and open their home schedule on Apirl 9th, 2012 against Beloit. The Kane County Cougars play their games at Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva Illinois.
