Wolverine Freshman Class Ranked No. 18 by Baseball America
10/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Oct. 20, 2009
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team's 2009 recruiting class, which features 11 freshmen, including a pair of MLB draft picks, has been ranked No. 18 by Baseball America in its list of top 25 recruiting classes.
The Wolverines landed 11 talented newcomers that make up nearly a third of the 2010 roster, including shortstop Derek Dennis (Ada, Mich./Forest Hills Central), who was a 10th round selection of the Tampa Bay Rays, and outfielder Patrick Biondi (Woodhaven, Mich./Divine Child), who was taken in the 35th round by the Detroit Tigers.
Michigan was the lone Big Ten school represented on the Baseball America list, which was headlined by SEC power Florida.
Baseball America synopsis of Michigan's class
The Wolverines believe this class compares favorably with their watershed 2005 haul, which included stalwarts Zach Putnam, Jason Christian and Adam Abraham. Dennis is a true marquee recruit, an athlete of Christian's caliber with a smooth, inside-out swing that evokes fellow ex-Michigan prepster D.J. LeMahieu. He projects for average or better tools across the board. He'll have a running mate with plus-plus speed in Biondi, who could step into Michigan's leadoff spot on Opening Day. He also has excellent defensive skills and a strong arm in centerfield, and he plays the game with boundless energy. [Cameron] Luther adds plus raw power to the mix, and [Zach] Johnson brings athleticism and arm strength behind the plate. Michigan relies on its ability to develop raw, projectable arms, and the towering trio of [Kyle] Clark, [Ben] Ballantine and [Logan] McAnallen has plenty of upside. Clark is the most polished of the three; he commands an upper-80s fastball and has good feel for his slider. Ballantine currently works in the 87-90 range with deception and McAnallen sits around 85-87 and owns a promising change. All three figure to throw harder after three years with Michigan pitching coach Bob Keller.
Contact: Matt Fancett (734) 763-4423
