Central Michigan University Athletics
Baseball's Class of 11 Includes 7 Pitchers
11/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Veteran coach Steve Jaksa knows the important role that talent plays in building a championship baseball team.
He also knows equally well the importance of character in building a championship program.
Jaksa announced Wednesday that the Chippewas have signed 11 players who will join the program next season. Among the 11 are seven pitchers, including four left-handers.
"Eleven guys and we feel pretty good about those 11," said Jaksa, who was named the Mid-American Conference coach of the year in 2015 when he led CMU to the regular-season league championship.
"We are looking for guys who put the team first, that's all a part of what we do. We think there's a reason we've been able to be competitive year in and year out and our staff did a great job of finding the guys who will keep us there.
"Each one of these guys, we believe, will continue to add to and reflect our mission statement and wear the maroon and gold with pride and respect for the tradition of this program."
Among the pitchers are 6-foot-10 right-hander Cameron Miller of Lake Orion and 6-9 Tyler Hankins of Bartlett, Ill.
"Size alone doesn't make you a good pitcher," Jaksa said. "They're athletic, they can throw the ball, and I can see where both can have good command."
The quintet of other pitchers signed by the Chippewas comprises right-handers Cameron Brown of Pontiac, Ill.; and Zach Kohn of Woodhaven; along with lefties Kyle Roberts of Dearborn Heights; Samuel Goodman of Champlin, Minn.; and Jacob Raether of Minnetrista, Minn.
"We wholeheartedly believe that you have to have pitching depth and you have to have guys come in with a role to help you win games," Jaksa said. "It's really important that you have depth across the board and it's also important that your position players can play more than one position."
The incoming class also includes infielders Grant Frazer of Oconto, Wis., and Zach Heeke of Mount Pleasant; catcher Griffin Lockwood-Powell of Sioux Falls, S.D.; and speedy outfielder Zach Gilles of Chippewa Falls, Wis.
"This kid can really run, and he can play a little bit," Jaksa said of Gilles, who bats and throws left handed and is listed at 5-foot-8, 155 pounds.
Gilles was rated as high as the 13th best prospect in Wisconsin by one scouting service.
Lockwood-Powell "has a lot of those qualities you look for in a catcher," Jacksa said. "Hard-nosed, good work ethic, doesn't seem to let things bother him."
Frazer and Heeke are cut from the same mold, Jaksa said.
"Frazer is a middle infielder with good legs, really good arm strength and he can swing the bat and he's got leadership skills," he said. "He and Heeke are the same type of kids in terms of makeup."
Heeke's brother, Ryan, is a senior outfielder for the Chippewas.
 | Cameron Brown • RHP • L/R • 6-2, 165 • Pontiac, Ill./Pontiac Township HS Rated as the No. 100 prospect in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report … ranked No. 104 in the state and in the top 1,000 nationally by Perfect Game … three-year letterwinner ... throws a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, change-up, curve and splitter … in 2015, posted a 4-0 record in nine appearances, allowing 18 earned runs with 19 walks against 42 strikeouts in 43 innings pitched … compiled a 2.93 ERA … led PTHS to a Cornbelt Conference and an IHSA Regional championship in 2015, earning Honorable Mention All-CC recognition … played summer ball with Illinois Sparks. | |
 | Grant Frazer • INF • R/R • 6-0, 170 • Oconto, Wis./Oconto HS Ranked as the No. 20 prospect in Wisconsin by Prep Baseball Report and rated No. 24 in the state and in the top 1,000 nationally by Perfect Game … four-year varsity letterwinner … team captain … owns the OHS record for wins in a season for a pitcher with nine … led the Blue Devils to a Wisconsin State D3 baseball runner-up finish in 2014 and state championship in 2013 … honored as an all-district shortstop (2013-15) … earned first team all-conference honors at shortstop as a junior and freshman and pitcher as a sophomore … voted team MVP, best offensive player and best pitcher following junior season … voted team MVP and best pitcher as a sophomore … voted best fielder as a freshman … played summer ball with GRB Rays (Madison, Wis.) … owns the club record for lowest ERA (1.02), lowest WHIP (.912) and for wins (6) … named to Perfect Game 17U National Championship All-Tournament Team … named 16U University of Minnesota Tournament MVP. | |
 | Zach Gilles • OF • L/L • 5-8, 155 • Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell Central HS Rated as the No. 13 prospect in Wisconsin and 377th nationally by Prep Baseball Report … ranked as the No. 31 prospect in the state and in the top 1,000 nationally by Perfect Game … four-year letterwinner … hit .500 with 20 stolen bases in 14 games as a junior before suffering a season-ending injury … served as leadoff hitter on team that finished as the state runner-up as a sophomore … hit .485 with 35 stolen bases that season, earning all-conference and all-district recognition … posted a .543 batting average as a freshman with 28 stolen bases in 22 games, receiving all-conference, all-district and all-state honors … also earned four letters in hockey and three in football … captained his hockey team as a senior … named all-conference and all-state as a junior … received football all-conference and all-area honors as a defensive back as a sophomore and junior … played summer ball with GRB Rays (Madison, Wis.). | |
 | Samuel Goodman • LHP • L/L • 6-3, 210 • Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS Ranked as Minnesota's No. 15 prospect by Perfect Game and No. 49 by Prep Baseball Report … earned a varsity letter at CPHS … throws a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, curve ball and change-up … ranked as the No. 8 top overall prospect at the Prep Baseball Report Minnesota Preseason All-State event … played summer ball with the Minnesota Mash. | |
 | Tyler Hankins • LHP • R/L • 6-9, 225 • Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin HS Ranked No. 97 in the state and in the top 1,000 nationally by Perfect Game … ranked as the No. 138 prospect in the state of Illinois by Prep Baseball Report ... three-year varsity letterwinner … throws a fastball, change-up and curve ball … had a 4-1 record with a 2.80 ERA in junior season … invited to Preseason All-State Showcase by Prep Baseball Report and Chicagoland Classic Showcase (June 2015) …. identified as the No. 7 overall prospect at Prep Baseball Report's Class of 2016 Open Showcase … also lettered four times in basketball … earned all-conference honorable mention recognition for 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons … received academic all-conference recognition three times … played summer ball with the Express Baseball Club (2015), Top Tier (2014) and the Bartlett Silverhawks (2012-13). | |
 | Zach Heeke • INF • L/R • 6-0, 190 • Mount Pleasant, Mich./Mount Pleasant HS Ranked as the No. 55 prospect in the state of Michigan by Prep Baseball Report … three-year letterwinner … two-time team captain … led the Oilers to a state runner-up finish in 2015 and a state championship in 2014 … named MHSAA First Team All-District, All-Region and All-State in 2015 after hitting .461 with a school-record on base percentage of .634 … honored on 2015 Saginaw News Dream Team … selected as the 2015 Morning Sun Player of the Year … named First Team All-Saginaw Valley League in 2015 … also earned three letters in hockey and two in football … played summer ball with CM Stars (2014, 2015). | |
 | Zach Kohn • RHP • R/R • 6-4, 190 • Woodhaven, Mich./O.A. Carlson HS Ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the state Michigan by Prep Baseball Report … ranked No. 4 in the state and in the top 500 nationally by Perfect Game … four-year letterwinner … throws a fast ball, change-up and curve ball … named all-league and to the dream team as a sophomore … earned all-league honors as a freshman … also earned three letters in basketball and football … received all-league honors in basketball as a sophomore and junior … top rebounder in the region as a junior … named all-league, all-region to the dream team and First Team All-Detroit Metro West as a junior in football … played summer ball with Chi-Town Cream and Great Lakes Cardinals. | |
 | Griffin Lockwood-Powell • C • R/R • 6-2, 195 • Sioux Falls, S.D./Sioux Falls Lincoln HS Ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the state of South Dakota and in the top 1,000 nationally by Perfect Game … four-year letterwinner … as a junior, hit .375 with a .500 on base percentage en route to earning South Dakota High School Baseball Association All-Region and All-State honors … led SFLHS to the semifinals of the state tournament in 2015 … received the Jorgen Yde Award, presented to the junior who demonstrates leadership, sportsmanship and all-around good character … won a state championship in 2014 … received all-region recognition as a sophomore … played summer ball for the Sioux Falls Titans. | |
 | Cameron Miller • RHP • R/R • 6-10, 235 • Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS Rated at the No. 18 prospect in the state of Michigan and in the top 1,000 nationally by Perfect Game … ranked No. 32 in the state by Prep Baseball Report … three-year letterwinner … throws a fastball, curve, change-up, slider and fork ball … posted a 1.00 ERA, .99 WHIP with 38 strikeouts and seven walks in 40 innings pitched as a junior … named MHSBCA All-District, LOHS Varsity Pitcher of the Year and to the PBR Michigan Preseason All-State Team in 2015 … three-year scholar athlete … played summer ball most recently with the Oakland Bulldogs. | |
 | Jacob Raether • LHP • R/L • 6-3, 175 • Minnetrista, Minn./Minnetonka HS Ranked as the No. 16 prospect in Minnesota and in the top 1,000 nationally by Perfect Game and No. 19 in the state by Prep Baseball Report … compiled a 2.40 ERA as a junior … earned All-Lake Conference honors in 2015 … played summer ball with the Twin Cities Baseball Academy. | |
 | Kyle Roberts • LHP • L/L • 6-5, 215 • Dearborn Heights, Mich./Henry Ford Community College In one season at Henry Ford Community College made eight starts and 10 appearances, posting a 4-3 record … in 40 innings pitched, struck out 53 and compiled a 2.76 ERA … named All-MCCAA honorable mention … two-year letterwinner at Allen Park High School … as a junior, hit .384 with 28 hits, 18 RBIs and scored 14 runs … recognized on News Herald Downriver Dream Team (OF) for 2012-13 season … played summer ball with Michigan Hurricanes. |
