Wolverines Add Pair to 2009 Recruiting Class
6/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan head baseball coach Rich Maloney announced today (Monday, June 22) the addition of C/IF John DiLaura(Clinton Twp., Mich./Warren DeLaSalle HS) and RHP/IF Zach Johnson(Grandville, Mich./Grandville HS) to the team's 2009 recruiting class. The duo brings the total number of incoming players to nine, with all but one hailing from the state of Michigan.
DiLaura helped lead DeLaSalle to a 36-5 final record and the 2009 state championship as a senior. After making a switch from second base to catcher prior to his final campaign, DiLaura earned his third straight first team All-Catholic League honor while guiding the Pilots to the central division and Catholic League titles as well as district and regional championships. A starter in each varsity game since his freshman season, DiLaura set a Catholic League record in 2008 by not striking out in 21 straight games. A two-time team defensive MVP, DiLaura possesses a prowess for blocking pitches and throwing out runners while maintaining a .416 batting average, scoring 34 runs and driving in 18 in his senior season.
The 2009 team captain for the Pilots spent the last three summer seasons playing for the Michigan Chargers program that won a USSSA state title in 2008 and led the team in hitting last summer with a .436 average. DiLaura will play with the A. Green summer program in 2009.
Johnson comes to the Wolverines after six varsity letters with one in football, two in baseball and three in basketball at Grandville. As a senior, he was named a first team all-conference and first team all-district baseball selection after leading the OK-Red League with a 2.21earned run averageand .550 batting average.
"We are very excited to add both John and Zach to our incoming group of student-athletes,"said Maloney. "Each of them possesses great talent on the baseball field and are great additions to the Michigan community both on the field and in the classroom. We look forward to having them join us in our quest to reach Omaha."
Both of the latest Wolverine commitments hail from a lineage of DivisionI baseball as each of the fathers played in the area. DiLaura's father, John, was a four-year player at the University of Toledo, while Johnson's father, Terry, played from 1980-82 at Michigan State University and was a fourth-round selection of the Texas Rangers in the 1982 draft.
DiLaura and Johnson join seven other prep starsthat have signed with the Wolverines for 2010 with only RHP Ben Ballantine(Napa, Calif./Napa) hailing from outside of state lines. The remaining six Michiganders include: CF Patrick Biondi(Woodhaven, Mich./Divine Child HS), RHP Kyle Clark(Portage, Mich./Portage Central HS), IF Derek Dennis(Ada, Mich./Forest Hills Central HS), IF Daniel Fields(Detroit, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit HS), 1B Cameron Luther(St. Joseph, Mich./St. Joseph HS) and LHP Rick Samuel(White Lake, Mich./Lakeland).
Three of U-M's 2009 signees were drafted in the June MLB first-year player draft. Field was taken in the sixth round by the Detroit Tigers, while Dennis was taken in the 10th round by the Tampa Bay Rays. Biondi was drafted by the Tigers in the 35th round.
The Wolverines finished the 2009 season with a 30-25 overall record, the seventh straight season the club has reached the 30-win plateau.
2009 Michigan Baseball Signees (as of 6/22/09)
| Name | Pos. | B-T | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (High School) |
| Ben Ballantine | RHP | R-R | 6-7 | 205 | Napa, Calif. (Napa) |
| Patrick Biondi | CF | L-R | 5-9 | 150 | Woodhaven, Mich. (Divine Child) |
| Kyle Clark | RHP | R-R | 6-5 | 170 | Portage, Mich. (Portage Central) |
| Derek Dennis | IF | R-R | 6-3 | 165 | Ada, Mich. (Forest Hills Central) |
| John DiLaura | C | R-R | 5-9 | 150 | Clinton Twp., Mich. (Warren DeLaSalle) |
| Daniel Fields | IF | L-R | 6-3 | 200 | Detroit, Mich. (U of D Jesuit) |
| Zach Johnson | IF/RHP | R-R | 6-3 | 205 | Grandville, Mich. (Grandville) |
| Cameron Luther | 1B | R-R | 6-4 | 220 | St. Joseph, Mich. (St. Joseph) |
| Rick Samuel | RHP | R-R | 6-2 | 205 | White Lake, Mich. (Lakeland) |
Wolverines Add Ballantine to 2009 Recruiting Class(5/28/09)
Wolverines Add Samuel to 2009 Recruiting Class(4/9/09)
Michigan Lands Five In-State Recruits in Early Signing Period(11/12/08)
Contact: Matt Fancett (734) 763-4423
