Huskies Sign Nine For 2019-20

SEATTLE – Washington Coach Lindsay Meggs announced that nine players have signed their NCAA letters of intent and will join the Huskies for the 2019-20 season.

At this point the class is comprised of three pitchers, three outfielders, two infielders and a catcher that includes five players from California, three from Washington and one from Oregon.

"I'd like to congratulate Coach Jason Kelly and Coach Ronnie Prettyman on what I believe is a really talented and balanced class," Husky Coach Lindsay Meggs said. "While this group really stands out athletically, they are also great in the classroom and leaders off the field.

"We are always looking for that player-driven leadership that in the long run will help us reach our goals," Meggs continued, "and this group brings that to the table."

The three players from in state are Dalton Chandler (Eastlake HS/Sammamish, Wash.), Cole Miller (Mercer Island HS/Mercer Island, Wash.) and Brock Jones (W.F. West HS/Chehalis, Wash.).

Jones is projected to be a left-handed pitcher at Washington, but also was adept with the bat for the W.F. West Bearcats in 2018. He batted .412 as a junior and helped his team to a third-place finish in the 2A state tournament. He also posted a 3-0 record and 1.17 earned run average on the hill. He was a member of the 2018 KC Royals Area Code team and was the No. 2 overall prospect in the state according to Baseball Northwest.

"Brock is a power arm from the left side who has a chance to make an impact the minute he steps foot on campus," Meggs said. "I've seen him dominate people with a fastball that touches 92-93, and I've seen him finish off both right-handed and left-handed hitters with a wipeout slider. Brock's stuff can be electric, and he is a great competitor. On top of that is a confidence in his stuff that will enable him to compete here right away. This guy has tremendous upside. I am really excited for Husky Baseball fans to see Brock Jones; I believe he's a game changer."

Miller is a right-handed outfield prospect from Mercer Island, where he played for former Husky catcher Dominic Woody. He is aiming to join three other current Huskies – Noah Hsue, Michael Petrie and Harrison Goonewardene – that played previously for the Islanders.

Miller was a standout this fall on the football field for Mercer Island, playing both receiver and defensive back for the Islanders. On the baseball field, he was first team All-Conference as a junior. In 22 games as a junior, Miller hit .385 with three home runs and 18 runs batted in.

"Cole Miller is a really talented player who is just beginning to come into his own," said Meggs. "He is likely the best athlete in this class, and his ability to run is going to make it fun to watch him play the outfield. And along with the tools that are obvious to anyone who follows our game, there is a quiet toughness with Cole. A two-way high school football player at Mercer Island, Cole has an edge to him that we love. Cole takes his best AB's when it matters the most. And once he gets here and it's baseball 24/7, this guy may run past everyone."

Chandler, who will play infield at UW, has batted .339 in each of the last two seasons for Eastlake HS and been named his team's Silver Slugger and MVP in both 2017 and 2018. The right hander gained notoriety at an early age as he helped his Eastlake Little League team to the 2013 World Series, where he batted .500 in the tournament.

"Dalton is an accomplished middle infielder capable of playing both the shortstop and second base positions," Meggs said. "However as he continues to get bigger and stronger and develop at the plate, he may profile as a third baseman because of his ability to drive in runs. The bottom line with Dalton is that he can play any infield position and hit virtually anywhere in the order. This guy is a baseball player who likes the big stage, and that makes him a great fit for us. Dalton will show up expecting to win, and he will contribute the minute he gets here."

Alex Giroux is the lone representative from Oregon to sign with the Huskies this week. He is a right-handed pitcher from Tualatin, Ore., that plays for Lake Oswego HS. He was the 2017 Three Rivers League Pitcher of the Year, Second Team All-State and a Gatorade Player of the Year nominee. Meggs and his staff were on Giroux early on in the recruiting process and are pleased to have found a gem from Oregon.

"We were drawn to Alex from the start because he knows how to pitch and he's a strike thrower," Meggs said. "And now his ability to pound the zone is complimented by a recent jump in velocity. We knew it was in there, and we also believe there is more in the tank. Before it's all over I believe Alex will be the type of guy that can take the mound and set the tone for the entire weekend. Alex may sneak up on some people in the beginning, but when it's all said and done, he's going to make it uncomfortable for Pac-12 hitters."

The Huskies once again recruited California strong grabbing over half of their signees from the state. They received LOI's from infielder Christian Dicochea (Redondo Union/Redondo Beach, Calif.), outfielder Caiden Matheny (Vista Murrieta HS/Murrieta, Calif.), outfielder Jonah Paez (Claremont HS/Claremont, Calif.), pitcher Mike Schreiber (Torrey Pines HS/Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) and John Tincher (Birmingham HS/Sylmar, Calif.).

Dicochea has the versatility to play both the infield and outfield, and Meggs is excited to get his diverse glove and solid bat into the lineup.

"First and foremost Christian is a baseball player," Meggs said. "He knows how to get on base and he can play virtually anywhere on the field. And while I envision him at the top of the batting order applying all kinds of pressure, it's his makeup that sets him apart. Christian loves to play, he's the kind of player who's going to be in the middle of everything. This guy has a lot of skills, but his biggest strength is his competitive nature. Christian is a leader and a winner, and at the end of the day you want him in your dugout."

According to ranking by Perfect Game, Matheny is the Huskies' top-rated national recruit at No. 169. With a mature frame and top-end speed, it's easy to see why recruitniks are so excited about Matheny. Meggs even has a lofty comparison for the future Husky.

"Not to be unfair, but I really believe Caiden has a little bit of Mike Trout in him," said Meggs. "Caiden will arrive on campus with all the tools to be an elite Pac-12 outfielder. He can play all three outfield spots and because he's a 6.6 runner we expect him to compete for at bats immediately in center field. At the plate, Caiden has the versatility you like at the top of the batting order. He runs well enough to get things started from the leadoff spot but he's physical enough to hit in the three-hole. He's a plus-runner who can defend, get on base and hit the ball out of the ballpark. This guy is going to be dangerous."

Paez also fits the mold of the type of player that can wreak havoc on Pac-12 pitchers once he arrives on campus. The left-handed hitter is already physically ready for the rigors of playing college baseball, and Meggs is excited to get him on Montlake as soon as possible.

"Jonah is your prototypical left-handed power-hitting outfielder that you see in every Power Five lineup that's headed to the post season," explained Meggs. "The difference with Jonah is that despite the size and the obvious juice at the plate, Jonah can play the entire game. Jonah's a good enough defender to play first base as well as the outfield and he runs the bases well for someone with his size and strength. Jonah is going to compete for at bats the minute he gets here, and once he settles in, he has a chance to be an All-Pac-12 player."

Schreiber is one of two right-handed pitchers in the class, and he is drawing comparisons to another Husky right-handed, redhead that had tons of success under Coach Meggs.

"I see a lot of ex-Husky and current Texas Rangers farmhand Tyler Davis in Michael," said Meggs. "Michael will show up on campus with three plus pitches. He can throw his change-up and slider in any count, while locating his fastball on both halves of the plate. And because Michael can match up, we can use him in just about any role.

"With all that being said, it might be Michael's makeup that we like most. This guy is smart, he competes, and he's always been good in big games. Michael knows how to win."

The Huskies have had tons of recent success in the Meggs' era of developing professional catchers and they are hoping Tincher will be the next backstop to continue that legacy. As a junior he was the CIF Open Player of the Year while leading his team to the Open Division championship.

"Johnny is an athletic catcher who plays the position almost like a middle infielder," Meggs said. "He can really move around back there when he needs to and yet he is very quiet on the receiving end. And while he really blocks well, it's his ability to throw and steal low strikes that makes him fun to watch. This guy was born to be a catcher; I mean he really loves to play. And offensively, I love his makeup. If the winning run is in scoring position in the ninth, you want Johnny Tincher at the plate. This guy knows how to grind."

Interestingly, among the signees are a couple of UW legacies. Schreiber and Miller's dads both played baseball at Washington. Meggs envisions those two, plus the rest of the signing class, will continue a new legacy started by last season's Huskies – regular trips to the College World Series.

"This group wants to be special. This group wants to go to Omaha," Meggs said. "I can't wait to get them on campus."

2018 Washington Baseball Signing Class
Name                                Pos. B/T        Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School
Dalton Chandler               INF   R/R      5-10      180        Sammamish, Wash/Eastlake
Notes: Was Eastlake's Silver Slugger and MVP in 2017 and 2018 … Kingco All-League HM … was a member of Eastlake's 2013 Little League World Series team, hitting .500 in the tourney and earning first team honors … hopes to possibly major in construction management or business.

Christian Dicochea          INF   R/R        5-9      170        Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union
Notes: Two-time All-Bay League, First Team All-Area as a junior … team offensive MVP as a sophomore and junior when he hit .419 and .445 respectively … played summer ball for TB SoCal, a squad that featured all 24 players committed to D1 baseball teams … interested in majoring in communications and becoming a sports journalist.

Alex Giroux                           P   R/R        6-1      180        Tualatin, Ore./Lake Oswego
Notes: Was Second-Team All-State and the Three Rivers League Pitcher of the Year in 2017 … twice was the Most Valuable Pitcher of the Baseball Northwest showcase … boasts a 1.40 career ERA in high school … is interested in majoring in business or psychology.

Brock Jones                         P    L/L        6-1      175        Chehalis, Wash./W.F. West
Notes: Ranked the No. 2 overall prospect in Washington by Baseball Northwest, No. 249 nationally by Perfect Game … was 3-0, 1.17 ERA and hit .412 in helping W.F. West to a third-place finish at the 2A state tournament … played for 2018 KC Royals Area Coade team.

Caiden Matheny                 OF   R/R        6-2      200        Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta
Notes: Ranked No. 169 nationally by Perfect Game, making him the Huskies' highest rated recruit … First Team 2018 PG Preseason Underclassmen All-American … selected to play in the SoCal Scout All-Star game and for the Brewers in the Area Code Games.

Cole Miller                          OF   R/R        6-0      185        Mercer Island, Wash./Mercer Island
Notes: Was First Team All-Conference as a junior, playing left field for the Islanders … multi-sport athlete that started at wide receiver, defensive back and punt returner … father, Doug, letter for UW Baseball in 1989 … coached by former UW catcher, Dominic Woody, at Mercer Island, and was teammates with three current Huskies: Noah Hsue, Michael Petrie and Harrison Goonewardene.

Jonah Paez                        OF    L/L        6-4      215        Claremont, Calif./Claremont
Notes: Rated No. 379 nationally by Perfect Game … 2018 PG Preseason Underclassmen Second-Team All-American.

Mike Schreiber                     P   L/R      5-11      200        Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./Torrey Pines
Notes: Named 2018 All Avocado West League after helping Torrey Pines win the 2018 CIF Championship … 2017 and 2018 All-Academic team … played summer ball for the San Diego Show … father, John, played baseball at Washington in 1990.

John Tincher                        C   R/R        5-8      175        Sylmar, Calif./Birmingham
Notes: Named First Team All-City, First Team All-West Valley, CIF Open Division City Champions, Open Division Player of the Year as a junior … was Second Team All-City as a sophomore … was a team captain as both a sophomore and junior.

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Harrison Goonewardene

Noah Hsue

Michael Petrie

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