Big Things Expected From Class Of 2015 Infielders and Outfielders
November 21, 2014 | Baseball
SEATTLE – A total of 14 student-athletes signed letters of intent to play collegiate baseball at Washington for coach Lindsay Meggs. Last week, GoHuskies.com profiled the three pitchers and two catchers joining the Huskies in 2015. Today, we take a look at the nine infielders and outfielders that make up this year's stellar recruiting class.
THE INFIELDERS
Among the Huskies seven infielder signees, two are ranked in among the nation's top 500 players. AJ Graffanino is the nation's 79th-ranked player according to Baseball America, while Dallas Tessar is 488th nationally, 74th from the state of California according to Perfect Game.
Graffanino (right), who is the son of former Major Leaguer Tony Graffanino, is a switch-hitting shortstop from Northwest Christian High School in Peoria, Ariz. He batted .461 as a junior with 76 hits and 25 RBI.
He was sold on UW early and can't wait to step on campus.
"I chose UW because it blew away every other school I visited in every aspect," he said. "This is THE place where I can develop into the best player possible and help bring home a National Championship to Husky Nation."
Coach Meggs is confident Graffanino will be an important contributor in the Huskies' future successes.
“AJ is just beginning to scratch the surface of what I believe will be a long baseball career. The son of former big league infielder, AJ has a great feel for the way the game should be played and he already plays defense like a Pac-12 veteran,” said Meggs.
“As AJ continues to mature and get stronger, the bat will catch up and then Husky fans are going to see the complete package in the middle of our infield. Obviously AJ has the pedigree we all look for but that is not his best quality. The best thing about AJ is the way he works. This guy lives and breathes it every day. He wants to go to Omaha, he wants to be a high draft pick, and he wants to play in the big leagues. And from what I've seen, I will not be surprised if he does all three.”
Tessar (right) is a shortstop from Chaminade Prep in Simi Valley, Calif. He had a .276 average as a junior. His brother, Brando, just wrapped up his college career for Oregon. Dallas is choosing his own path and is excited to help Washington reach new heights.
"I wanted to be part of building something great at the beginning," Tessar explained. "U-Dub is up and coming and it made me excited to play a part in building that dynasty."
Coach Meggs is more than happy to get him on board.
"Dallas is a talented kid who can do a lot of things on the baseball field,” said Meggs. “However the best thing about Dallas is that he is a winner. Whether he is up to bat with the game on the line or standing at shortstop with the tying run on second base, you want the game decided by Dallas Tessar. Dallas is a high energy guy whose attitude, personality and work ethic are contagious.
“Don't get me wrong this guy can play,” continued Meggs. “He is a talented middle infielder who could end up hitting in the three-hole. However, even if he couldn't play a lick I'd want him in my program because Dallas is the guy you want in your foxhole. Lucky for us he is a player, and a good one. Husky baseball fans will love Dallas Tessar because from the minute he gets here, he will be in the middle of everything.”
The Huskies also received a pair of commitments from in-state infielders. Jack Johnson from Roosevelt HS in Seattle and Zach Needham from Puyallup HS both decided to stay close to home to play out their college careers. Needham plays second base and shortstop for the Washington 4A State Champion Vikings. He is ranked as Washington's No. 19 prospect in the Baseball Northwest State Rankings.
"I really wanted to go to a prestigious university with excellent athletics," said Needham on why he chose Washington. "UW just felt like home."
Coach Meggs really liked Needham's diversity when recruiting him.
“Zach has proven that he can play virtually any position on the infield which will give us some immediate depth as he continues to develop as a hitter,” said Meggs. “While Zach is athletic enough to play on both sides of the infield, we see him developing into a middle of the order left-handed hitting third baseman with RBI potential. Zach has a good swing with good feel, and with his frame he may end up being one of our stronger guys. Zach is a baseball rat who loves the game and will continue to get better, and with his upside his best days are definitely ahead of him.”
Johnson (right) is the state's 14th overall player according to Perfect Game after hitting .343 with two home runs and 11 RBI in 22 games last season. He also is versatile in where he can play on the field. Being local ended up playing a big part in his decision to attend Washington.
"Choosing UW was a very easy decision for me," he said. "I've been a Husky my whole life and it has always been a dream of mine to be a Dawg."
“Jack is a proven defender who could literally play any position on the infield,” added Meggs. “Jack has good actions at short but I can see him helping us all over the infield. Jack is one of those guys who can impact the game on defense because things slow down for him when he's out there. He understands the value of the routine play and he knows how important that is to us. Jack will contribute offensively because he is a good situational hitter who understands the game. However I think his best days offensively are down the road. With his frame he has a lot of room to get stronger and when he does he will be fun to watch.”
Rounding out the Huskies class of infielders are Karl Kani (right) from Sherman Oaks, Calif., Blake Burton from San Juan Capistrano, Calif. and Peyton Lacoste from Louisiana. Kani, who plays for Cathedral HS, is the 79th-ranked player from California, sixth among third basemen, according to Perfect Game. Whether he stays at third base when he gets to Washington will be determined down the road.
“Karl caught our attention the first time we saw him because of how explosive he is on offense and how versatile he is on defense. Offensively Karl puts pressure on the defense the instant he steps in the batter's box. He is a plus runner who will be a good fit at the top of the batting order. Karl can play all three infield positions and he would be a good fit on either side of the infield. However the way he runs, he would be electric in center field. Regardless of where we play him, Husky fans will enjoy watching him fly around the bases.”
With UW's unparalleled combination of athletics, facilities and academics, the decision was easy for Kani.
"I chose UW because of the amazing baseball program and facilities," Kani said. "UW also has an incredible Computer Science and academic program. With my education from UW, I will be able to grow into my adulthood well educated and ready for the world."
Another Californian, Burton (right) is ranked 105th in the state, 10th overall at third base. Coach Meggs feels that he could wind up at third or first, but he is most excited about his potential with the bat.
“Blake is a corner infielder from one of the most prolific high school baseball programs in Southern California, Mater Dei High School,” said Meggs. “We are excited about Blake because of his upside offensively. We see Blake as a legitimate middle of the order threat that will drive in runs on a consistent basis. Blake needs to get bigger and stronger like all young hitters his age, but when he does he is capable of doing some damage at Husky Ballpark. We are excited to see Blake compete this year in maybe the best high school baseball conference in California. Another positive thing about Blake is that when he gets to the Diamond on Montlake, he will be battle tested.”
Burton was sold on UW during his original visit to campus. And coming to Washington fulfills his ultimate goal at playing at the highest level.
"I choose the University of Washington because I thought both academically and athletically it was the best choice for me," he said. "Ever since I was 12 years old, I wanted to play in the Pac-12 for baseball. When I was invited up to the university, I fell in love with the campus and surrounding life. Once done with my tour, I knew this was the place I wanted and needed to be for my college career. Today I am more excited than ever to become apart of the University of Washington Baseball family."
Lacoste (right) plays third base for St. Paul's HS in Covington, La., where he is the state's 21st-ranked player. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder was the state's representative in the Power Showcase Home Run Derby in 2014 and was named to the Perfect Game All-Tournament 18U Team.
He is traveling the furthest to fulfill his dream of playing college baseball, but is very excited to be joining the Huskies next year.
"I chose UW because it is a great place to play baseball," Lacoste said. "It's also second to none academically. UW is a national championship contender and the goal is to win in Omaha. I want to be part of that team. I also want to develop as a player. I think the coaching staff is one of the best in the country, and will help me become the best I can be. I am very excited to be a Husky!"
Meggs is equally excited to have Lacoste moving across country and thinks his power can be a difference maker for the Dawgs.
“Peyton is a right-handed power-hitting corner infielder who we believe has the chance to drive in runs consistently in the Pac-12 Conference," said Meggs. "Peyton has shown big time power as a high school hitter in Louisiana, and we think that his power will be a great fit in the middle of our batting order. Peyton can hold his own defensively at both corner spots on the infield but make no mistake about it, this is an offensive guy. We were looking for some right handed power to add balance to what we believe will be a very athletic top of the order, and Peyton will be a nice fit in that role. If this guy settles in the way we hope, he will be driving balls into the lake on a regular basis."
THE OUTFIELDERS
The only players listed as outfielders in the class are a pair of Washingtonians. Peter Perkins (right) from Bellevue, Wash., attends Bear Creek High School and plays for Overlake/Bear Creek. He was first team all-state in 2014 and the Emerald City League co-MVP. He has hit .471 during high school with 82 hits and 80 RBI. He is Washington's No. 8 prospect according to Baseball Northwest and ranked 20th by Perfect Game. Perkins is following in his family's footsteps in going to college at UW.
"I have always wanted to be a Dawg," he said. "Going to the UW has been a family tradition for generations. I believe that it is the best school in the nation to play baseball and get a high-class education. The facilities are second to none and the coaching staff will help me to reach my goals both on and off the field."
“Peter is a right-handed power-hitting first baseman/corner outfielder who we were attracted to because he has a chance to drive in runs,” said Meggs. “Peter is raw and a work in progress but he also has a great work ethic, plays hard and he is physical. Peter is likely to be a late bloomer but I know he loves to work so I can see him helping us down the road. When this guy figures it out, he is physically capable of doing some damage.”
Rex Stephan (right) is a left-handed hitting outfielder from O'Dea HS in Seattle. He is the 19th ranked player in Washington according to Perfect Game. In 26 games for O'Dea in 2014 he hit .377 with a home run and 14 RBI. Stephans is thrilled to be playing his college ball at home in front of family and friends.
"I've grown up less then 10 minutes from the UW," he said. "Playing here has been a dream of mine my whole life. I want to represent the city where I come from."
“Rex grows on you for all the right reasons,” added Meggs. “He is a left-handed hitter with some juice who can run. And Rex plays hard. He turns singles into doubles and doubles into triples. We are working hard offensively to find guys who can apply pressure every time they step in the batter's box and Rex is one of those guys. He will force the defense to play fast catch and that creates problems every time he gets on first base. We love the fact that he can not only go from first to third on a base hit, but he can also hit a double in the gap to clear the bases. Rex can play all three outfield spots but will likely settle in as a corner outfielder. Keep your eye on this guy as he will be tough to keep off the field.”
Congratulations to all 14 members of the 2015 UW Baseball class!
Here are a couple of notes on the infielders and outfielders:
The 2015 Washington Baseball Class
Name Position Hometown (School)
Blake Burton INF San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (Mater Dei)
Notes: Ranked No. 105 in California, 10th overall among third basemen; moves to Mater Dei after playing for Serra.
AJ Graffanino INF Peoria, Ariz. (Northwest Christian)
Notes: Son of former Major Leaguer Tony Graffanino; switch-hitter is No. 11 prospect from Arizona.
Jack Johnson INF Seattle, Wash. (Roosevelt)
Notes: No. 14 overall player in Washington; hit .343 with 2 HR's and 11 RBI in 22 games for Roosevelt.
Karl Kani INF Sherman Oaks, Calif. (Cathedral)
Notes: Speedster is ranked No. 79 overall in California; plays third base, but is an intriguing centerfield prospect.
Peyton Lacoste INF Covington, La. (St. Paul's)
Notes: Power-hitting prospect represented Louisiana in Power Showcase Home Run Derby.
Zach Needham INF Puyallup, Wash. (Puyallup)
Notes: Left-handed hitter helped Puyallup to perfect season and 2014 4A State Championship.
Peter Perkins OF Bellevue, Wash. (Bear Creek)
Notes: No. 20 in Washington according to Perfect Game, No. 8 by Baseball Northwest; Emerald City League Co-MVP.
Rex Stephan OF Seattle, Wash. (O'Dea)
Notes: Left-handed hitter is state's No. 19 prospect; hit .337 with a home run and 14 RBI for O'Dea.
Dallas Tessar INF Simi Valley, Calif. (Chaminade Prep)
Notes: Brother, Brando, pitched for Oregon; ranked No. 74 in California, 487th nationally.
