Heartland Baseball's David Stagg Named Pitcher of the Week

Left handed pitcher David Stagg was named the NJCAA Division II Baseball Pitcher of the Week for the week ending April 15th 2012.

Stagg earned the honors by throwing a 13-0 shutout over #18 Lincoln College last week.  Stagg struck out 11 batters, gave up only two hits and two walks over six innings.

David is a freshman at Heartland Community College in Normal Illinois and lives in West Des Moines Iowa.

Heartland Baseball Moves on to the NJCAA Division 2 World Series

After a loss in the second round of the Region 24 Baseball Tournament, the Heartland Community College baseball team worked its way through the losers bracket with five straight wins to earn a berth in the NJCAA D-II World Series.

The Hawks will face UConn-Avery Point Community College at 7:30 pm on Saturday at David Allen Memorial Park in Enid Oklahoma.  The official bracket can be viewed by clicking on the link below.

NJCAA D-II World Series

2011 NJCAA Pre-Season Baseball Rankings Released

The NJCAA, along with Perfect Game, has released it's the 2011 Baseball Pre-Season Rankings for each division.  Listed below are the ranked teams from Illinois.

Division I:

#24. Wabash Valley College

Others receiving votes - John A. Logan College

Division II:

#1.  Heartland Community College
#5.  Parkland College

Others receiving votes - Kankakee Community College

Division III:

#3.  Joliet Junior College

Others receiving votes - Waubonsee Community College

To view the entire lists, you can click on the link below.

2011 NJCAA Baseball Pre-Season Rankings

Ian Gardeck and Jerad Grundy Named Top 20 NJCAA Prospects by Baseball America

Baseball America released their 2011 Junior College Preview with two top 20 prospects from Illinois.

Right handed pitcher Ian Gardeck, Angelina Junior College, University of Dayton, hit 98 MPH this fall according to scouts.  Ian is from Crystal Lake South High School and lives in Lake in the Hills IL.

Left handed pitcher Jerad Grundy, Heartland Community College, University of Miami, drafted in the 48th round of the MLB Draft in 2009.  Jerad is from Johnsburg High School and lives in Johnsburg IL.

Eastern Illinois Baseball Sign Seven to National Letters of Intent

Eastern Illinois University Baseball coach Jim Schmitz announced the signing of seven student athletes to National Letters of Intent.  Joining the Panther baseball program are the following:

Keith Koser, RHP, Wabash Valley College

Nathan Sopena, Infielder, Heartland Community College

Andrew Grahn, RHP, North Clay High School, Louisville, IL

James Howell, Outfielder, Jacksonville High School

Dane Sauer, Middle Infielder, West Chicago High School

Brant Valach, Infielder, Carl Sandburg High School

Cody Volger, RHP/1B, Lincoln-Way West High School

 

Valpo Baseball Signs Seven Players From Illinois

Valparaiso University Head Baseball Coach Tracy Woodson announced the signing of 7 Illinois baseball players to National Letters of Intent.

Infielder Andy Burns is from Edwardsville, IL and is a transfer from Heartland Community College.  The left handed hitting middle infielder hit .336 in 42 games at Heartland last spring.

Outfielder Mark Johnson is from Evanston Township High School with "tremendous speed and athleticisim" stated by coach Woodson.  Johnson has been timed at 6.7 in the 60.

Ryan Kennedy, Warren Township High School, Gurnee, IL, is a 6' 160 lb right handed pitcher who has "three pitches and a projectable body" according to coach Woodson.

Right handed pitcher Ben Mahar, Mundelein High School, was rated as the 50th best player in Illinois by the PrepBaseballReport.  Ben is 6'4" and 210 lbs with a power arm.

Spencer Mahoney, Lyons Township High School, La Grange Park, is a 6'4" 180 left handed hitting shortstop and ranked as one of the top ten shortstops of the 2011 recruiting class and #48 overall by the PrepBaseballReport.

Left handed pitcher Devin Picknell, St. Patrick High School, Chicago, IL.  "Devin can be one of the biggest surprises of this recruiting class" according to Woodson.

Catcher Rob Rabakozi, Reavis High School, Burbank, IL, is ranked as the 5th best catcher and 44th overall player by the PrepBaseballReport.  "Rob has a strong arm, a projectable pro-type body and very athletic" said coach Woodson.

 

Judson's Zach Williams Signs With the Winnipeg Goldeyes

Zach Williams signed his first professional baseball contract with the Winnipeg Goldeyes, an independent league team in the Northern League.

Wiliams, who signed on August 7th, hit .311 in 56 games for Judson in 2010 and toured with the U.S. Military All-Stars last summer.  Zach is an infielder, transferred to Judson from Heartland Community College and is from Bloomington, IL.


 

John Weaver Named NJCAA Baseball Player of the Week

Heartland Community College Sophomore Pitcher John Weaver has been named NJCAA Division II player of the week for the week ending April 14, 2010.

On April 6th Weaver pitched five innings giving up three hits two earned runs and struck out seven against Spoon River and on April 11th Weaver pitched six innings giving up one earned run, three hits and struck out seven.  On the week Weaver threw 11 innings, gave up three runs, five hits and 13 K's

CornBelters say stadium could be ready 'as close to April 1st as possible'

From Baseball in Illinois News Sources

NORMAL ILLINOIS — Normal CornBelters president Steve Malliet acknowledged Thursday a target date of “as close to April 1st as possible” to have the team’s stadium under construction at Heartland Community College ready for baseball action.


That all but assures the facility, to be known as the Corn Crib, will not be available for Heartland’s March 19 home opener.

Heartland has four home dates and six games scheduled for March. And although early spring games are frequently postponed by inclement weather, Hawks’ athletic director and baseball coach Nate Metzger said the team had expected their future home would be ready.


“That was what we were told, what we counted on,” Metzger said. “You can’t control the weather. We can understand that. It is easy to get frustrated and want something now.

Heartland will play its home games at the PONY Complex in Bloomington until the field is ready for use.

Wasbash Valley Ranked #11 in Top 50 Poll

Wabash Valley Community College in Mount Carmel, Illinois comes in at #11 on the PG Crosschecker top 50 Juco's for 2010.

The Warriors not only has the best team, but the state's best prospect in freshman OF Mel Rojas Jr., a product of the Dominican Republic who sat out last spring before starring in summer-league competition. The multi-tooled Rojas adds to a strong returning cast, led by Western Kentucky-bound 3B Michael Mosby (.364-15-72), sophomore C Jacob Rhodes (.403-9-51) and Morehead State-bound LHP Ryan Rogers (6-1, 3.13). Three Division I transfers add to the mix.

Heartland Community College lands the #22 spot on the list.  The Hawks will have to go through Illinois rival and reigning Division II champion Parkland JC to earn national-title aspirations of their own, but have clearly accomplished a lot in just two years of the program's existence. From last year's 42-9 team, the Hawks return Alabama-Birmingham-bound RHP Dillon Napoleon (7-1, 2.62) and Central Michigan-bound RHP Jon Weaver (2-1, 4.16), along with sophomore C Tony Sanchez (.417-1-21), Valparaiso-bound 2B Bobby Martin (Ohio transfer) and two Illinois State recruits, SS Bryan Huff (.382-3-40, 17 SB) and OF Eric Augilera (.442-11-59). Napoleon's fastball touched 94 in the fall while Weaver was a 17th-round pick of the Chicago White Sox in 2008.

Parkland, the defending Division II national champions comes in at #34 of the top 50 Juco's, have plenty to build on with the return of premium talents like Purdue-bound OF Kevin Kiermaier (.436-13-47) and Central Florida-bound RHP Danny Winkler (3-0, 3.60), just two of six Cobras players who have committed to four-year, Division I programs. The athletic Kiermaier is the state's second-ranked juco talent, while Winkler's fastball has topped out at 94 mph. Among the newcomers on Parkland's roster are three D-I transfers, notably ex-Ohio State 1B T.J. McManus and ex-Bradley C Brandon Stevens.

Parkland Number 1 in 2010 NJCAA Division II Preseason Poll

From Baseball in Illinois News Source

Parkland College is the 2010 pres-eason favorite according to the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association Pre-Season Poll.  The defending national champions went 49-9 last season and return three starting position players along with four key pitchers.

Ranked fourth in the pre-season poll is Kankakee Community College.  The Cavaliers rolled to a 52-14-1 record last season while finishing third in the NJCAA Division II World Series.

Heartland Community College came in at number 13 according to the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association Division II pre-season poll.

Blazer Baseball Inks Dillon Napoleon As Early Period Opens - UAB OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Blazer Baseball Inks Dillon Napoleon As Early Period Opens - UAB OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE: "Blazer Baseball Inks Dillon Napoleon As Early Period Opens
Right-handed pitcher comes to UAB from Heartland (Ill.) Community College"

Nov. 11, 2009


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Dillon Napoleon, a right-handed pitcher from Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois., has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend UAB and compete for the Blazer baseball program.

Napoleon completed his freshman season at Heartland this past spring, posting a 7-1 record on the mound with a 2.62 ERA. He struck out 64 batters and walked 17 in 44 2/3 innings on his way to ranking third in the NJCAA in strikeouts per inning. Napoleon held opponents to a .229 batting average over 10 appearances and nine starts as he helped the Hawks to a 42-9 record.

Napoleon will play his sophomore season at Heartland in the spring of 2010 before enrolling at UAB for the 2010-11 academic year.

"Going into this recruiting season, we knew we could lose up to nine pitchers off the current roster, so pitching was our number one need," UAB head coach Brian Shoop said. "Dillon Napoleon is exactly what we were looking for, and we are thrilled to announce him as our first signee of this recruiting class."

This past summer, Napoleon pitched for the Springfield Sliders of the Prospect League, one of the top collegiate summer leagues in the country. He finished the season 3-2 with a 4.14 ERA and struck out 46 batters in 37 innings.

Before going to Heartland, Napoleon played his high school baseball for his father Mike at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois., where he also played quarterback and wide receiver on the football team. As a pitcher and shortstop, he earned all-state, all-conference and team MVP honors during his senior year in 2008. He was also named the MVP of his American Legion team in the summer of 2008.

"Dillon is a power pitcher with electric stuff and can dominate a game on the mound," Shoop said. "He is also a tough, competitive young man who will handle well the pressures of pitching in Conference USA each weekend. Lastly, he is a great athlete who is very mature mentally, having played for his dad in high school and coach Nate Metzger in junior college. We believe he is a great addition to our weekend rotation for the 2011 season."

The son of Mike and Melanie Napoleon, Dillon Napoleon has one brother, Dusty, who plays in the Oakland Athletics organization.

Wednesday marked the start of the early signing period for baseball. The early period continues through Nov. 18.

Jaksa Gets Six Committments During Early Signing Period - CMUChippewas.com—Official Web Site of Central Michigan University Athletics

Jaksa Gets Six Committments During Early Signing Period - CMUChippewas.com—Official Web Site of Central Michigan University Athletics: "Jaksa Gets Six Committments During Early Signing Period
Courtesy: Mike Boseak/CMU Athletics
Release: 11/13/2009

Courtesy: Robert Barclay/CMU

Head coach Steve Jaksa is entering his eighth season at the helm of the baseball program. Jaksa received six committments during the early signing period that will join the Chippewas next season.

MOUNT PLEASANT -- The Central Michigan baseball team received six commitments during the early signing period.

Tyler Hall (Rockford, Mich./Grand Rapids CC), Tyler Huntey (Stanwood, Mich./Morley HS) Ryan Longstreth (Beaverton, Mich./Kellogg CC), Pat MacKenzie (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Brother Rice HS), Matt Stevens (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North HS) and Jon Weaver (Normal, Ill./Heartland CC) have all announced their intentions to join the Chippewas for the 2011 season.

“We focused on two main areas in this class: catching and pitching,” head coach Steve Jaksa said. “With the group we lose after this year, we were looking to fill those immediate needs with good athletes. We wanted guys who could play multiple positions and we think we’ve done that. There were also a few guys in this class that we just couldn’t pass on because they brought so much to the team, regardless of the position.”

CMU has six seniors on the 2010 squad, Billy Anderson (OF), Ricky Clark (IF), Dale Cornstubble (C), Jesse Hernandez (P), Tyler Kipke (OF) and James Teas (P/IF)."

Jon Weaver
Normal, Illinios.
Heartland CC
RHP
6-3/185

Junior College: Tossed 17.1 innings as a freshman, holding opponents to a .221 batting average ... battled injuries but finished with a 2-1 record.  High School: Earned all-conference honors in 2007 and 2008 ... named all-area in 2007 and 2008 and all-state in 2008 ... named Leyden High School Athlete of the Year as a senior ... drafted in the 17th round of the MLB amateur draft by the Chicago White Sox.

Personal: Born Jonathan H. Weaver on May 20, 1990 in Oak Park, Ill. ... son of David and Catherine Weaver ... undecided on major.

Jaksa on Weaver: “We’d seen him pitch a few times, and he’s starting to get past some of those nagging arm injuries. He felt we gave him an opportunity to progress as a pitcher. Size wise and stuff wise, he will fit right in with our current pitching staff.”

Matt Stevens
St. Charles, Illinois.
St. Charles North HS
C
6-4/190

High School: Led his team in homers (six), RBI (37) and slugging percentage (.625) as a junior ... picked off 12 baserunners as a catcher ... head coach as a prep was Todd Genke ... played summer ball for the Downers Grove Longshots under Matt Rosenberg.

Personal: Born July 20, 1992 ... son of Brian and Sandi Stevens ... undecided on major.

Jaksa on Stevens: "He’s a big guy who has started to fill out this summer. We feel he’s a good athlete who can play more than just catcher if he needed to. He had an injury in the late summer that set him back, but we had seen enough of him before that to feel that he can really contribute here. He knew some of our current players already, so that allowed him to feel more comfortable with us as well."

Illinois State Baseball Signs Seven During Early Period

NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State has signed seven baseball student-athletes to National Letters of Intent, including four of Prep Baseball Report's top-25 players in the state of Illinois, the Redbirds' coaching staff announced Wednesday. Illinois State's four signees in the top-25 are more than any other university.

The Redbirds signed three pitchers - Joe Claver (Downers Grove, Ill.), Johnny Lieske (Machesney Park, Ill.) and Dan Savas (Rosemont, Ill.) - two infielders - Bryan Huff (Bloomington, Ill.) and Brock Stewart (Normal, Ill.) - a catcher - Mike Hollenbeck (Joliet, Ill.) - and an outfielder - Eric Aguilera (Cary, Ill.). Lieske is the top pitcher and No. 2 prospect in the state according to Prep Baseball Report and is joined by Hollenbeck (16), Claver (17) and Stewart (23) in the publication's top-25 rankings.

"This class is another important step in the building of our program," Illinois State head coach Mark Kingston said. "Coaches (Bo) Durkac, (Billy) Mohl, and (Mike) Current worked extremely hard in putting this group together. These student-athletes had many choices for their future and spoke volumes with their decision to attend Illinois State. With the help of our great academic and strength training staff, our goal is to promote what a tremendous place Illinois State is for college baseball. The quality of this group will continue the development of a very successful program. We can't wait to start working with them."

The Redbirds landed the state's top right-handed pitcher (Lieske) and top left-handed pitcher (Claver) according to Prep Baseball Report, and the second-best catcher in the state (Hollenbeck) according to PBR and Perfect Game Cross Checker, another talent evaluation web site. Illinois State has three players (Hollenbeck, Lieske and Stewart) ranked among top-500 in country by Perfect Game Cross Checker.

Huff and Stewart add a local flair to the class as Bloomington-Normal natives. Stewart's connections to ISU run deep. His father, Jeff, coached the Redbirds from 1989-2002, and hired Kingston as an assistant coach during the record-setting 1999 campaign. Stewart's older brother Jake also spent time on the Redbirds' roster.

Aguilera and Huff are junior college transfers from Heartland Community College in Normal, Ill. The duo helped HCC to a school record 42-9-1 mark last season and will join former Hawks and current Redbirds Josh Colon, Cory Stonelake and Ty Wiesemeyer when they arrive on campus next fall.

This year's Redbirds will begin the 2010 season at the Austin Peay Baseball Invitational Feb. 19-21. The full 2010 schedule is expected to be released soon.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Redbird Baseball Signees

Name Pos. B/T Ht. Wt. Cl.* Hometown (High School/Previous School)

Eric Aguilera OF L/L 6-2 195 Jr.. Cary, Ill. (Heartland CC)

Joe Claver LHP L/L 6-1 175 Fr. Downers Grove, Ill. (Downers Grove North)

Mike Hollenbeck C L/R 6-3 210 Fr. Joliet, Ill. (Joliet Township)

Bryan Huff INF/OF R/R 5-10 180 Jr. Bloomington, Ill. (Heartland CC)

Johnny Lieske RHP R/R 6-2 185 Fr. Machesney Park, Ill. (Harlem)

Dan Savas RHP R/R 6-4 200 Fr. Rosemont, Ill. (Leyden)

Brock Stewart INF L/R 6-3 180 Fr. Normal, Ill. (Normal West)

Area signings list

Information from bnd.com


Fall Area Signings List

The following area players have either given verbal commitments or signed with teams:

Baseball commitments in Illinois:

Player School College
Jake DePew Granite City Louisville
Michael Failoni Edwardsville Heartland J.C.
Seth Wild O'Fallon Mineral Area. J.C.