Special Group Of Pitchers And Catchers Joining UW In 2015
November 19, 2014 | Baseball
SEATTLE – A total of 14 student-athletes signed letters of intent to play collegiate baseball at Washington for coach Lindsay Meggs since last Wednesday. Among the group are three pitchers and two catchers, all of whom will be counted on helping the Huskies reach the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.
Meggs added two right-handed pitchers, a left-handed pitcher and two catchers that provide versatility from both sides of the plate. GoHuskies.com and Coach Meggs breaks down the five pitchers and catchers that will be joining the squad in 2015. Check back next week for a breakdown of the infielders and outfielders.THE PITCHERS
Joe DeMers (right), from Martinez, Calif., headlines the Huskies' class. Not only is he ranked 36th overall by Perfect Game and 39th overall by Baseball America, he is Perfect Game's 11th-ranked right-handed pitcher. He has represented the United States four times at USA National Team levels, earning gold medals with the U18 team in 2014 and 2013, plus 2011 as the youngest member of the U16 squad.
"I chose UW because I love Seattle and the campus and all the facilities," said Demers, who is arguably the most decorated recruit in the Meggs era. "The coaches are all on the same page and there is a great group of players coming in."
DeMers, who routinely hits mid-90s on the radar gun, was 12-2 with a 0.65 ERA in 86 innings through his junior year at College Park High School, earning numerous honors including: Bay Area News Group's East Bay Player of the Year, MaxPreps Medium Schools California State Player of the Year, Diablo Valley Athletic League Pitcher of the Year. He also walked just nine batters while striking out 94.
“Joe has a legitimate chance to be our Friday night starter the minute he steps foot on campus,” gushed Meggs. “While I've seen him sit 91-92 for the last two years, I also saw him touch 94 this summer. And while it's his fastball that gets your attention, what impresses me most is his ability to throw three pitches for strikes. In fact, while most will consider him to be a power arm, his best pitch might be his changeup.
“That being said, what really makes Joe so special goes way beyond his stuff. Joe is a great teammate and competitor. Whether Joe is on the mound that day or simply waiting for his turn to pitch, Joe is on the top step of the dugout pulling for his teammates. Every pitching staff that gets to Omaha has a Joe Demers leading the way. Joe is potentially a very high draft pick with big league stuff, but his number one goal is to get to the College World Series. Joe is a difference maker, and Joe is a Husky.”
The other right-handed pitcher in the class also happens to be the second-highest rated player among UW's signees, according to Perfect Game. Karsen Lindell (right), one of two Oregonians in the class, helped West Linn earn co-champions of the Three Rivers League in 2014. He is the 292nd ranked player nationally according to Perfect Game, No. 2 overall from Oregon, after earning first team all-league recognition.
Lindell has Washington roots and has always had an affinity for the Huskies.
"I was born in Washington and grew up around UW," said Lindell. "Once a Husky, always a Husky.
"But, I also chose Washington because of the coaching staff and everything that has been put into the program and facilities."
“Karsen may have the biggest upside of any player we have in the 2015 class,” said Meggs. “This is a guy who sits at 88-91 as we speak, yet has way more in the tank. Karsen has just begun to scratch the surface and as he matures and gets stronger we believe he will develop into a legitimate Pac 12 weekend starter. Karsen is also a good athlete from a baseball family who really understands the game. And when you combine his feel for the game along with his ability to locate his fastball, Karsen has a chance to help us as soon as he gets here.”
The only other pitcher in the Huskies' signing group is left-hander Tyler Oldenberg (right) from Boise, Idaho. He helped Bishop Kelly High School to a third-place finish at the 2014 Idaho 4A State Championship, going 6-2 with a 3.68 ERA in 38 innings. He also played in the 2014 Area Code Games for the Royals.
The chance to earn a degree from Washington, while playing in the Pac-12 was too much for Oldenberg to pass up. "It has the best education to baseball combination in the Northwest," he said.
Meggs is excited to get his lone lefty from the class onto campus in 2015 and see him compete right away for a job in the rotation.
“We think Tyler can come in here and help us immediately,” said Meggs. “He is mature enough that he won't be overwhelmed by the moment, and he is enough of a strike thrower that he could be valuable out of the bullpen. But the best thing about Tyler may be his athletic ability. Not only is he be able to make adjustments quickly on the mound, but he fields his position well and he is tough to run on. All of the above makes Tyler a great candidate to be a swing guy when he gets here.
“Regardless of his role we expect Tyler to eat up innings for us as a freshman, and it would not surprise me if he gives our weekend guys a run for their money.”
THE CATCHERS
The Huskies will add a couple of highly-touted catchers to the roster in 2015. Willie MacIver (right) is the 69th ranked catcher, while David Irvine is ranked 91st by Perfect Game. MacIver is teammates with DeMers at College Park High School, where he hit .362 with 63 hits and 37 RBI in 2013 and '14. He was third-team All-East Bay.
"I chose UW because of the top-notch facilities, the great academics and the coaching staff along with players made me feel like UW was the perfect fit," said MacIver.
Likewise, Meggs feels MacIver is a perfect fit at Washington.
“While Will got our attention as a catcher, at the end of the day we are excited about Will because he is a baseball player,” said Meggs. “Will is the guy who takes the extra base, drives in the winning run, and can play just about anywhere on defense. While Will is going to begin his Husky career behind the plate, I wouldn't be surprised to see him hit is way onto the field at first base or in the outfield. Will can lead off an inning and he can get a two out hit. Will is the guy you want up with runners in scoring position and the game on the line. He is a baseball player and he is a gamer. Will MacIver is going to be a great Husky.”
Irvine (right) is a left-handed hitting catcher out of Roseburg High School in Oregon. He was honorable mention Oregon 6A All-State in 2012 and 6A Southern Oregon Hybrid second-team all-league in 2014 and is the state's fifth-ranked overall player by Perfect Game. He is very excited for the opportunity to move north and play his collegiate baseball.
"I chose UW because of the great coaching staff," Irvine said. "It's a great academic school, the facilities are awesome, and it's in Seattle."
“David is a left-handed hitting catcher who can also play both corner outfield positions and come off the bench late in the game as a pinch hitter," added Meggs. "David understands the game and is athletic enough to find a way at the end of the day to help you win a baseball game. Whether David stays behind the plate or challenges for at bats as an outfielder, he plays the game hard and can take a good at bat with the game on the line. As David continues to grow and get stronger, David could also compete for consistent at bats in the DH spot. One way or another, David will help us,” said Meggs.
Pitchers and catchers in a nutshell:
Name Position Hometown (School)
Joe Demers RHP Martinez, Calif. (College Park)
Notes: Represented USA National team four times; No. 36 overall prospect, No. 11 RHP, No. 6 overall in California according to Perfect Game; No. 39 according to Baseball America.
David Irvine C Roseburg, Ore. (Roseburg)
Notes: No. 5 prospect in Oregon; left-handed hitting catcher was honorable mention all-state.
Karsen Lindell RHP West Linn, Ore. (West Linn)
Notes: No. 2 overall prospect from Oregon; 292nd overall nationally; 2nd highest rated player in UW class.
Willie MacIver C Pleasant Hill, Calif. (College Park)
Notes: Battery mate with Joe Demers; hit .362 with 63 hits, 37 RBI last two seasons; No. 94 prospect in California.
Tyler Oldenberg LHP Boise, Idaho (Bishop Kelly)
Notes: Played in 2014 Area Code Games for Royals with fellow signee Lindell; No. 6 prospect in Idaho.
