WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The first week of a new school year is underway and Purdue Baseball has welcomed an influx of newcomers, a group of 30 that will compete for the program during the 2025 season this spring.
The Boilermakers are slated to start their eight-week fall practice calendar the week of Aug. 26 and open scrimmages at Alexander Field begin Sept. 10. The fall ball schedule features two exhibition games vs. Division I opponents at home and the Black & Gold Series in mid-October. Fall dates for gameday action and scrimmages open to the public will be announced in the coming weeks.
"I adore the start of the new school year and having the full team together for the first time. We're excited to announce all of the newcomers that have joined us," head coach Greg Goff said of his year-four recruiting class. "After having 20 graduates in our Class of 2024, we essentially had to replace half the roster. Our staff did so effectively with an equal mix of Division I transfers, junior college transfers and freshmen. It's a great group of Boilermakers and a talented collection of ballplayers from across the country. They're going to make an impact and contribute to our program's continued successes, like last year's record-setting season that featured team records such as the 75 home runs and 11-game Big Ten win streak. I'm eagerly anticipating getting back on the field and giving our fans an opportunity to see the team in action after they set attendance records at Alexander the last two years."
RECRUITING CLASS BREAKDOWN
• 30 Total Newcomers
• 9 Freshmen
• 21 Transfers (11 Four-Year, 10 Junior College)
• Players from 15 U.S. States plus 2 from Ontario
• By Position: 18 Pitchers (14 RHP, 4 LHP), 4 Infielders, 4 Outfielders, 2 Catchers, 2 Utility
#8 Brandon Anderson, Infielder – Richmond, Ky. (Madison Central/Louisville)
• Three-year letterwinner at Louisville slashed .296/.403/.385 in 99 career games, making starts at third base, first base and DH
• Opening Day starter at third base and All-ACC Academic Team in 2023, starting 37 games while batting .295 with 25 RBI
• First Team All-State as a senior at Madison Central
• Ranked as Kentucky's No. 1 shortstop in his class by Perfect Game
#3 Eli Anderson, Outfielder – Fairmont, Minn. (Fairmont/North Iowa Area JC)
• Second Team All-ICCAC DII outfielder in 2024 after posting 20 XBH, 41 RBI and 34 steals in 56 games
• Slashed .378/.424/.513 in 156 at-bats as a freshman in 2023
• 59 steals in 102 career games at North Iowa
• Played for the Mankato MoonDogs of the Northwoods League in 2023 and 2024
#29 Gavin Beuter, RHP – Three Rivers, Mich. (IMG Academy/Kellogg JC)
• Two-year starting pitcher, earning 15 wins, for a Kellogg team that was a combined 82-24 in 2023 and 2024, qualifying for the 2024 NJCAA DII World Series
• 164 strikeouts vs. 131 hits allowed over 145 1/3 innings, averaging 10 K/9 both seasons
• 3.00 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 7.5 H/9 in 2024 as an All-MCCAA performer in 2024, with all three marks improving significantly from 2023
#1 Albert Choi, Outfielder – Downington, Pa. (Downington East/NJIT)
• Four-year starting center fielder for NJIT, compiling a .301/.393/.484 career slash line while starting all 179 games in which he played
• 2021 America East Conference Rookie of the Year and 2024 first Team all-conference honoree
• Set NJIT season (27 in 2021) and career records (85) for stolen bases
• Played against Purdue in February 2023, his five-hit game highlighting a four-game series in which he went 9-for-16 with 3 triples and 3 stolen bases
#13 Sergio DeCello, Utility – Hamilton, Ohio (Badin/Arizona Western JC)
• Registered a .292/.437/.517 slash line, 13 doubles, 9 home runs, 44 RBI and 16 steals in his lone season at Arizona Western
• Played the 2022 and 2023 seasons at Charleston Southern, redshirting in 2022
• Switch-hitter was ranked as Ohio's No. 4 catcher in his class by Perfect Game
• Also has experience in the outfield and infield (second base/third base) in college and summer ball
#30 Maclane Finley, RHP – Topeka, Kan. (Topeka Seaman/Kansas City Kansas JC)
• Two-year starting pitcher for KCK, compiling an 18-4 record in his 30 starts
• Shined in 2024, registering a 2.03 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 6.1 H/9 in 84 1/3 innings
• 2024 NJCAA First Team All-Region 6 and First Team All-KJCCC East Division honoree
• Selected for the 2024 NJCAA USA All-Stars that won silver at the WBSC's Haarlem Baseball Week in the Netherlands
#52 Chris Gallagher, RHP – Indianapolis, Ind. (Indianapolis Cathedral/Wright State)
• Sidearmer was a three-year letterwinner in the bullpen for WSU, pitching in 61 career games and averaging 9.8 K/9
• Did not allow an earned run over his first six appearances of 2024, facing Louisiana, Oklahoma and Memphis on the road during that stretch
• As a senior at Cathedral, was 9-1 with an 0.99 ERA and .381 batting average after starring in an IHSAA sectional win with a two-hit shutout on the mound and 3-for-4 day at the plate
#42 Justin Guiliano, LHP – Ellenville, N.Y. (Ellenville/Canisius)
• Moved to the weekend rotation for Canisius in 2024 and enjoyed his finest season, compiling a .255 batting average against and 1.41 WHIP in 65 innings
• Averaged 10.6 K/9 over 97 2/3 innings across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, fanning 49 in 32 2/3 innings in 2023 to set a single-season team record for K/9 (13.7)
• Posted a pair of double-figure strikeout games in 2024
• Struck out 175 in 106 career innings (14.9 K/9) as prep standout at Ellenville
#56 Austin Klug, RHP – Caledonia, Minn. (Caledonia/North Iowa Area JC)
• Racked up 43 strikeouts vs. 30 hits allowed in 31 2/3 innings (12.2 K/9) across seven starts in 2024 at North Iowa
• WHIP improved from 1.60 in 2023 to 1.29 in 2024 while raising his strikeout rate by 5.5 Ks per nine innings
• 2023 NJCAA all-academic honoree and four-time ICCAC academic all-region selection
#27 Nick Kolze, RHP – Romeoville, Ill. (Romeoville/Heartland JC)
• Made 13 starts for a Heartland team that went 43-18 and qualified for the 2024 NJCAA DII World Series
• Racked up 68 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings (10.8 K/9) for Heartland, starting an NJCAA World Series game vs. Des Moines Area JC
• Pitched at Xavier during the 2023 season
• Two-way standout at Romeoville was ranked as Illinois' No. 1 first baseman in his class by Perfect Game
#11 Lance Lauve, RHP – Madisonville, La. (Holy Cross/Southeastern Louisiana)
• Three-year letterwinner in the bullpen for Southeastern Louisiana, pitching 74 2/3 innings over 45 career appearances
• Limited hitters to a .188 batting average against over 21 innings in 2023, earning three wins and three saves
• Improved his strikeout rate to 12.1 K/9 over 25 1/3 innings in 2024
• Took the mound against Purdue on the middle day of East Carolina's 2024 Keith LeClair Classic, facing five of his new teammates while pitching the sixth and seventh innings in the Boilers' 5-0 victory
#20 Aaron Manias, Infielder – Uxbridge, Ontario (Uxbridge/Nebraska)
• Did not see action in his lone season at Nebraska due to injury
• Teammates with Purdue's Keenan Spence for two seasons (2022-23) at Howard College in Texas, slashing .375/.446/.690 with 37 doubles, 24 homers and 130 RBI in 106 games
• Batted .441 with 41 XBH and 77 RBI as an all-region honoree at Howard in 2023
• Played for the Peninsula Pilots of the Coastal Plain League the last two summers, slashing .348/.455/.587 with 14 RBI in 14 games in July this year after recovering from a January surgery
#37 Isaac Milburn, LHP – Lexington, Ky. (Lexington Catholic/Eastern Kentucky)
• Pitched 165 career innings as three-year letterwinner at EKU, making 27 starts among his 65 appearances
• Worked 11 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings across five appearances in May 2024, giving up runs in only one of his eight appearances in the final month of the season
• Struck out 11 in a win at North Alabama while pitching in the weekend rotation for much of the 2023 conference season
• Three-time Atlantic Sun Conference Honor Roll student
#19 Avery Moore, Outfielder – Omaha, Neb. (Millard West/Southeast JC)
• 2024 Second Team NJCAA Division I All-American, slashing .379/.475/.703 with 30 XBH and 65 RBI
• Impressed as a freshman as well, slashing .389/.498/.712 with 23 stolen bases, 32 XBH and 66 RBI
• Region IX Player of the Week in April 2024 after a four-home run, 19-RBI weekend in a four-game sweep
• Helped lead Millard West to the 2022 Nebraska Class A state title
#21 CJ Richmond, Infielder/DH – Indianapolis, Ind. (Park Tudor/Western Michigan)
• ABCA Second Team All-Region and First Team All-MAC DH in his lone season at WMU, slashing .380/.479/.667 with 33 XBH and 67 RBI
• Led the MAC in doubles and OPS while also ranking second in RBI and OBP
• Played for Western Iowa JC in 2023 and Western Illinois in 2022
• Batted .515 with 10 homers as a senior at Park Tudor to earn First Team All-State honors
#4 Brandon Rogers, Outfielder – Chicago, Ill. (Mount Carmel/Arizona)
• Made 20 starts for Arizona's Pac-12 regular-season and tournament champions, starting all four games in the tournament
• Split time in center field and left field for the Wildcats
• Played the 2023 season at Iowa Western JC, slashing .382/.480/.720 with 13 homers, 59 RBI and 18 stolen bases
• Ranked as Illinois' No. 3 outfielder and top 10 overall in his class by Perfect Game
#16 Houston Russell, Catcher – Midway City, Okla. (Cal Albert/Oklahoma)
• Enjoyed a breakout season in 2023 at Seminole State JC, slashing .391/.531/.624 with 15 doubles, 46 RBI and more walks than strikeouts in 43 games
• Redshirted during his lone season with the Sooners
• Recognized as the Catcher of the Tournament while leading his Hays Larks summer ball team to the 2024 National Baseball Congress World Series title
• 2021 Oklahoma Class 5A Player of the Year as a senior at Cal Albert
#40 Barron Sawyer, RHP – Abbeville, La. (St. Thomas More/Northeast Texas JC)
• Racked up 67 strikeouts vs. 26 hits allowed in 48 innings (12.6 K/9) in his lone season at Northeast Texas
• Also compiled a 3.56 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and .153 batting average against while serving as both a starter and reliever (19 App, 7 GS)
• Pitched for Southland Conference champion Nicholls as a freshman in 2023
• Helped St. Thomas More win a pair of Louisiana Division II state titles in football
#35 Matthew Tarr, RHP – North Aurora, Ill. (West Aurora/John A. Logan JC)
• Converted catcher/infielder pitched in 27 games across two seasons for John A. Logan, averaging 10.4 K/9
• Struck out 19 in 14 innings in 2023 in his first season as a pitcher
• Also pitched for the Thrillville Thrillbillies of the Prospect League in the summer of 2024
#31 Michael Vallone, LHP – Lake Forest, Ill. (Lake Forest/DePauw)
• Four-year letterwinner for DePauw made 37 of his 44 career appearances as a starting pitcher
• Finest season was in 2022, earning 10 wins thanks to a 2.22 ERA, .191 batting average against and 91 strikeouts in 69 innings (11.9 K/9) as an all-region and all-conference honoree
• D3Baseball.com All-American and Region VII Pitcher of the Year as a senior in 2024, posting a 2.95 ERA, .198 batting average against and 81 strikeouts in 58 innings (12.6 K/9)
• Pitched at Alexander Field vs. Purdue in May 2024, retiring both batters he faced; high school teammate of Breck Nowik
#41 Gabe Watson, RHP – Hewitt, Texas (Midway/Amarillo JC)
• Pitcher and outfielder at Amarillo, focusing solely on the mound in 2024 after slashing .283/.374/.576 with 15 XBH as a freshman
• Racked up 55 strikeouts vs. 24 hits allowed in 30 1/3 innings (16.3 K/9) as a sophomore
• Struck out 11 of the 20 batters he faced over four innings of one-hit ball in his most dominant performance for Amarillo
#47 Henry Cordes, RHP – Chesterfield, Mo. (MICDS)
• Two-player standout in high school as a pitcher and third baseman/outfielder from the St. Louis area
• Blossomed as a senior, registering a 1.66 ERA, .109 batting average against and 79 strikeouts vs. 18 hits allowed in 50 2/3 innings (14 K/9)
• Struck out 13 over five innings in his most dominant outing as a senior
#49 John DiGregorio, Catcher – Westfield, N.J. (Gill St. Bernard's)
• Ranked as New Jersey's No. 1 catcher in his class by Perfect Game
• Batted over .400 with a .600 slugging percentage for three straight seasons
• Enjoyed a three-homer game as a senior
• Played for the DuBois County Bombers of the Prospect League in the summer of 2024 after graduating in May, reaching base safely four times as the cleanup hitter in a game against the Lafayette Aviators at Loeb Stadium
#55 Thomas Lynch, Catcher/Infielder – Evansville, Ind. (Memorial)
• Ranked as Indiana's No. 3 catcher in his class by Perfect Game; also played third base and pitched
• Four-year varsity letterwinner
• Helped lead Memorial to the semistate round of the IHSAA state tournament as a senior
• Parents Ryan and Joelle as well as older brother Evan are all Purdue alumni
#6 James Novakovic, Infielder – Wilmette, Ill. (New Trier)
• Three-year varsity starter for New Trier, playing shortstop while leading his team to a 33-4 record as a senior
• Central Suburban South Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a senior
• New Trier reeled off a 30-game win streak and won the conference with a 16-0 record in 2024
• Also helped lead New Trier to a 30-win season and third-place showing in the IHSA Class 4A state tournament as a junior
#53 Luke Reasor, LHP – Northfield, Ohio (Brecksville-Broadview Heights)
• Ranked among Ohio's top 25 players in his class by Prep Baseball Report
• Second Team All-Suburban League and Suburban League All-Star selection as a senior
• Registered a 2.85 ERA and 8.9 K/9 as a senior while also playing the outfield, batting .341 as a sophomore on varsity
#54 Evan Schweizer, RHP – Oakville, Ontario (Garth Webb)
• Ranked among Ontario's top 25 players in his class by Prep Baseball Report
• Pitched for the Great Lake Canadians travel team, ranked as a top-50 club in North America by Perfect Game
• Closed out a shutout win for Team Grey in the Canadian Futures Showcase at Rogers Centre in Toronto in the fall of 2023
#48 Matthew Totten, RHP – Prior Lake, Minn. (Prior Lake)
• Struck out 22 in 13 innings (14.9 K/9) in an injury-shorted junior season at Prior Lake, having Tommy John Surgery in June 2023
• 2022 Summer Cy Young honoree for his GRB NorthStar club team
• Ranked among Minnesota's top 10 players in his class by Prep Baseball Report as of May 2023
#18 Joe Trenerry, RHP – Granger, Ind. (Penn)
• First Team All-Northern Indiana Conference as a senior
• Underwent UCL surgery on his elbow in May 2023, sidelining him as a junior as Penn repeated as 4A state champs
• Ranked among Indiana's top 25 players in his class (No. 10 RHP) by Perfect Game
• Pitched for Team Indiana at the 2022 Prep Baseball Report Future Games
#50 Kale Wemer, RHP – Crawfordsville, Ind.
• Registered a 1.15 ERA and .154 batting average against with 121 strikeouts vs. 12 walks in 79 innings (13.8 K/9) as a senior
• All-State, IHSBCA North/South All-Star and Crawfordsville Journal Review Baseball Player of the Year as a senior
• Led Crawfordsville to the semistate round of the 2024 IHSAA Class 3A state playoffs with 19 innings of one-run ball while winning sectional and regional titles
The Boilermakers are slated to start their eight-week fall practice calendar the week of Aug. 26 and open scrimmages at Alexander Field begin Sept. 10. The fall ball schedule features two exhibition games vs. Division I opponents at home and the Black & Gold Series in mid-October. Fall dates for gameday action and scrimmages open to the public will be announced in the coming weeks.
"I adore the start of the new school year and having the full team together for the first time. We're excited to announce all of the newcomers that have joined us," head coach Greg Goff said of his year-four recruiting class. "After having 20 graduates in our Class of 2024, we essentially had to replace half the roster. Our staff did so effectively with an equal mix of Division I transfers, junior college transfers and freshmen. It's a great group of Boilermakers and a talented collection of ballplayers from across the country. They're going to make an impact and contribute to our program's continued successes, like last year's record-setting season that featured team records such as the 75 home runs and 11-game Big Ten win streak. I'm eagerly anticipating getting back on the field and giving our fans an opportunity to see the team in action after they set attendance records at Alexander the last two years."
RECRUITING CLASS BREAKDOWN
• 30 Total Newcomers
• 9 Freshmen
• 21 Transfers (11 Four-Year, 10 Junior College)
• Players from 15 U.S. States plus 2 from Ontario
• By Position: 18 Pitchers (14 RHP, 4 LHP), 4 Infielders, 4 Outfielders, 2 Catchers, 2 Utility
| PURDUE BASEBALL'S NEWCOMERS | ||||||
| GROUP 1: THE TRANSFERS | ||||||
| Name | Position | Bats/Throws | Height | Weight | Hometown | High School/ Previous College |
| Brandon Anderson | IF | L/R | 6-4 | 225 | Richmond, Ky. | Madison Central/Louisville |
| Eli Anderson | OF | L/R | 6-0 | 175 | Fairmont, Minn. | Fairmont/North Iowa Area JC |
| Gavin Beuter | RHP | R/R | 6-4 | 210 | Three Rivers, Mich. | IMG Academy/ Kellogg JC |
| Albert Choi | OF | R/R | 6-0 | 190 | Downington, Pa. | Downington East/NJIT |
| Sergio DeCello | UTL | S/R | 5-10 | 200 | Hamilton, Ohio | Badin/Arizona Western JC |
| Maclane Finley | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 185 | Topeka, Kan. | Topeka Seaman/ Kansas City Kansas JC |
| Chris Gallagher | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 185 | Indianapolis, Ind. | Cathedral/ Wright State |
| Justin Guiliano | LHP | R/L | 6-4 | 210 | Ellenville, N.Y. | Ellenville/Canisius |
| Nick Kolze | RHP | R/R | 6-3 | 205 | Romeoville, Ill. | Romeoville/ Heartland JC |
| Austin Klug | RHP | R/R | 6-4 | 210 | Caledonia, Minn. | Caledonia/ North Iowa JC |
| Lance Lauve | RHP | R/R | 5-11 | 205 | Madisonville, La. | Holy Cross/ Southeastern Louisiana |
| Aaron Manias | IF | L/R | 6-2 | 210 | Uxbridge, Ontario | Uxbridge/ Nebraska |
| Isaac Milburn | LHP | R/L | 6-0 | 190 | Lexington, Ky. | Lexington Catholic/ Eastern Kentucky |
| Avery Moore | OF | R/R | 6-2 | 200 | Omaha, Neb. | Millard West/ Southeast JC |
| CJ Richmond | IF | L/R | 6-3 | 240 | Indianapolis, Ind. | Park Tudor/ Western Michigan |
| Brandon Rogers | OF | R/R | 5-11 | 205 | Chicago, Ill. | Mount Carmel/Arizona |
| Houston Russell | C | R/R | 6-1 | 210 | Midwest City, Okla. | Cal Albert/ Oklahoma |
| Barron Sawyer | RHP | R/R | 6-6 | 235 | Abbeville, La. | St. Thomas More/Northeast Texas JC |
| Matthew Tarr | RHP | R/R | 6-2 | 200 | North Aurora, Ill. | West Aurora/ John A. Logan JC |
| Michael Vallone | LHP | L/L | 6-0 | 175 | Lake Forest, Ill. | Lake Forest/DePauw |
| Gabe Watson | RHP | R/R | 5-10 | 185 | Hewitt, Texas | Midway/ Amarillo JC |
| GROUP 2: THE FRESHMEN | ||||||
| Name | Position | Bats/Throws | Height | Weight | Hometown | High School |
| Henry Cordes | RHP | R/R | 6-2 | 190 | Chesterfield, Mo. | MICDS |
| John DiGregorio | C | R/R | 6-0 | 205 | Westfield, N.J. | Gill St. Bernard's |
| Thomas Lynch | C/IF | L/R | 6-1 | 215 | Evansville, Ind. | Memorial |
| James Novakovic | IF | L/R | 6-1 | 190 | Wilmette, Ill. | New Trier |
| Luke Reasor | LHP | L/L | 6-3 | 190 | Northfield, Ohio | Brecksville-Broadview Heights |
| Evan Schweizer | RHP | R/R | 6-5 | 210 | Oakville, Ontario | Garth Webb |
| Matthew Totten | RHP | R/R | 6-3 | 190 | Prior Lake, Minn. | Prior Lake |
| Joe Trenerry | RHP | R/R | 6-4 | 225 | Granger, Ind. | Penn |
| Kale Wemer | RHP | R/R | 6-1 | 210 | Crawfordsville, Ind. | Crawfordsville |
#8 Brandon Anderson, Infielder – Richmond, Ky. (Madison Central/Louisville)
• Three-year letterwinner at Louisville slashed .296/.403/.385 in 99 career games, making starts at third base, first base and DH
• Opening Day starter at third base and All-ACC Academic Team in 2023, starting 37 games while batting .295 with 25 RBI
• First Team All-State as a senior at Madison Central
• Ranked as Kentucky's No. 1 shortstop in his class by Perfect Game
#3 Eli Anderson, Outfielder – Fairmont, Minn. (Fairmont/North Iowa Area JC)
• Second Team All-ICCAC DII outfielder in 2024 after posting 20 XBH, 41 RBI and 34 steals in 56 games
• Slashed .378/.424/.513 in 156 at-bats as a freshman in 2023
• 59 steals in 102 career games at North Iowa
• Played for the Mankato MoonDogs of the Northwoods League in 2023 and 2024
#29 Gavin Beuter, RHP – Three Rivers, Mich. (IMG Academy/Kellogg JC)
• Two-year starting pitcher, earning 15 wins, for a Kellogg team that was a combined 82-24 in 2023 and 2024, qualifying for the 2024 NJCAA DII World Series
• 164 strikeouts vs. 131 hits allowed over 145 1/3 innings, averaging 10 K/9 both seasons
• 3.00 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 7.5 H/9 in 2024 as an All-MCCAA performer in 2024, with all three marks improving significantly from 2023
#1 Albert Choi, Outfielder – Downington, Pa. (Downington East/NJIT)
• Four-year starting center fielder for NJIT, compiling a .301/.393/.484 career slash line while starting all 179 games in which he played
• 2021 America East Conference Rookie of the Year and 2024 first Team all-conference honoree
• Set NJIT season (27 in 2021) and career records (85) for stolen bases
• Played against Purdue in February 2023, his five-hit game highlighting a four-game series in which he went 9-for-16 with 3 triples and 3 stolen bases
#13 Sergio DeCello, Utility – Hamilton, Ohio (Badin/Arizona Western JC)
• Registered a .292/.437/.517 slash line, 13 doubles, 9 home runs, 44 RBI and 16 steals in his lone season at Arizona Western
• Played the 2022 and 2023 seasons at Charleston Southern, redshirting in 2022
• Switch-hitter was ranked as Ohio's No. 4 catcher in his class by Perfect Game
• Also has experience in the outfield and infield (second base/third base) in college and summer ball
#30 Maclane Finley, RHP – Topeka, Kan. (Topeka Seaman/Kansas City Kansas JC)
• Two-year starting pitcher for KCK, compiling an 18-4 record in his 30 starts
• Shined in 2024, registering a 2.03 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 6.1 H/9 in 84 1/3 innings
• 2024 NJCAA First Team All-Region 6 and First Team All-KJCCC East Division honoree
• Selected for the 2024 NJCAA USA All-Stars that won silver at the WBSC's Haarlem Baseball Week in the Netherlands
#52 Chris Gallagher, RHP – Indianapolis, Ind. (Indianapolis Cathedral/Wright State)
• Sidearmer was a three-year letterwinner in the bullpen for WSU, pitching in 61 career games and averaging 9.8 K/9
• Did not allow an earned run over his first six appearances of 2024, facing Louisiana, Oklahoma and Memphis on the road during that stretch
• As a senior at Cathedral, was 9-1 with an 0.99 ERA and .381 batting average after starring in an IHSAA sectional win with a two-hit shutout on the mound and 3-for-4 day at the plate
#42 Justin Guiliano, LHP – Ellenville, N.Y. (Ellenville/Canisius)
• Moved to the weekend rotation for Canisius in 2024 and enjoyed his finest season, compiling a .255 batting average against and 1.41 WHIP in 65 innings
• Averaged 10.6 K/9 over 97 2/3 innings across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, fanning 49 in 32 2/3 innings in 2023 to set a single-season team record for K/9 (13.7)
• Posted a pair of double-figure strikeout games in 2024
• Struck out 175 in 106 career innings (14.9 K/9) as prep standout at Ellenville
#56 Austin Klug, RHP – Caledonia, Minn. (Caledonia/North Iowa Area JC)
• Racked up 43 strikeouts vs. 30 hits allowed in 31 2/3 innings (12.2 K/9) across seven starts in 2024 at North Iowa
• WHIP improved from 1.60 in 2023 to 1.29 in 2024 while raising his strikeout rate by 5.5 Ks per nine innings
• 2023 NJCAA all-academic honoree and four-time ICCAC academic all-region selection
#27 Nick Kolze, RHP – Romeoville, Ill. (Romeoville/Heartland JC)
• Made 13 starts for a Heartland team that went 43-18 and qualified for the 2024 NJCAA DII World Series
• Racked up 68 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings (10.8 K/9) for Heartland, starting an NJCAA World Series game vs. Des Moines Area JC
• Pitched at Xavier during the 2023 season
• Two-way standout at Romeoville was ranked as Illinois' No. 1 first baseman in his class by Perfect Game
#11 Lance Lauve, RHP – Madisonville, La. (Holy Cross/Southeastern Louisiana)
• Three-year letterwinner in the bullpen for Southeastern Louisiana, pitching 74 2/3 innings over 45 career appearances
• Limited hitters to a .188 batting average against over 21 innings in 2023, earning three wins and three saves
• Improved his strikeout rate to 12.1 K/9 over 25 1/3 innings in 2024
• Took the mound against Purdue on the middle day of East Carolina's 2024 Keith LeClair Classic, facing five of his new teammates while pitching the sixth and seventh innings in the Boilers' 5-0 victory
#20 Aaron Manias, Infielder – Uxbridge, Ontario (Uxbridge/Nebraska)
• Did not see action in his lone season at Nebraska due to injury
• Teammates with Purdue's Keenan Spence for two seasons (2022-23) at Howard College in Texas, slashing .375/.446/.690 with 37 doubles, 24 homers and 130 RBI in 106 games
• Batted .441 with 41 XBH and 77 RBI as an all-region honoree at Howard in 2023
• Played for the Peninsula Pilots of the Coastal Plain League the last two summers, slashing .348/.455/.587 with 14 RBI in 14 games in July this year after recovering from a January surgery
#37 Isaac Milburn, LHP – Lexington, Ky. (Lexington Catholic/Eastern Kentucky)
• Pitched 165 career innings as three-year letterwinner at EKU, making 27 starts among his 65 appearances
• Worked 11 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings across five appearances in May 2024, giving up runs in only one of his eight appearances in the final month of the season
• Struck out 11 in a win at North Alabama while pitching in the weekend rotation for much of the 2023 conference season
• Three-time Atlantic Sun Conference Honor Roll student
#19 Avery Moore, Outfielder – Omaha, Neb. (Millard West/Southeast JC)
• 2024 Second Team NJCAA Division I All-American, slashing .379/.475/.703 with 30 XBH and 65 RBI
• Impressed as a freshman as well, slashing .389/.498/.712 with 23 stolen bases, 32 XBH and 66 RBI
• Region IX Player of the Week in April 2024 after a four-home run, 19-RBI weekend in a four-game sweep
• Helped lead Millard West to the 2022 Nebraska Class A state title
#21 CJ Richmond, Infielder/DH – Indianapolis, Ind. (Park Tudor/Western Michigan)
• ABCA Second Team All-Region and First Team All-MAC DH in his lone season at WMU, slashing .380/.479/.667 with 33 XBH and 67 RBI
• Led the MAC in doubles and OPS while also ranking second in RBI and OBP
• Played for Western Iowa JC in 2023 and Western Illinois in 2022
• Batted .515 with 10 homers as a senior at Park Tudor to earn First Team All-State honors
#4 Brandon Rogers, Outfielder – Chicago, Ill. (Mount Carmel/Arizona)
• Made 20 starts for Arizona's Pac-12 regular-season and tournament champions, starting all four games in the tournament
• Split time in center field and left field for the Wildcats
• Played the 2023 season at Iowa Western JC, slashing .382/.480/.720 with 13 homers, 59 RBI and 18 stolen bases
• Ranked as Illinois' No. 3 outfielder and top 10 overall in his class by Perfect Game
#16 Houston Russell, Catcher – Midway City, Okla. (Cal Albert/Oklahoma)
• Enjoyed a breakout season in 2023 at Seminole State JC, slashing .391/.531/.624 with 15 doubles, 46 RBI and more walks than strikeouts in 43 games
• Redshirted during his lone season with the Sooners
• Recognized as the Catcher of the Tournament while leading his Hays Larks summer ball team to the 2024 National Baseball Congress World Series title
• 2021 Oklahoma Class 5A Player of the Year as a senior at Cal Albert
#40 Barron Sawyer, RHP – Abbeville, La. (St. Thomas More/Northeast Texas JC)
• Racked up 67 strikeouts vs. 26 hits allowed in 48 innings (12.6 K/9) in his lone season at Northeast Texas
• Also compiled a 3.56 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and .153 batting average against while serving as both a starter and reliever (19 App, 7 GS)
• Pitched for Southland Conference champion Nicholls as a freshman in 2023
• Helped St. Thomas More win a pair of Louisiana Division II state titles in football
#35 Matthew Tarr, RHP – North Aurora, Ill. (West Aurora/John A. Logan JC)
• Converted catcher/infielder pitched in 27 games across two seasons for John A. Logan, averaging 10.4 K/9
• Struck out 19 in 14 innings in 2023 in his first season as a pitcher
• Also pitched for the Thrillville Thrillbillies of the Prospect League in the summer of 2024
#31 Michael Vallone, LHP – Lake Forest, Ill. (Lake Forest/DePauw)
• Four-year letterwinner for DePauw made 37 of his 44 career appearances as a starting pitcher
• Finest season was in 2022, earning 10 wins thanks to a 2.22 ERA, .191 batting average against and 91 strikeouts in 69 innings (11.9 K/9) as an all-region and all-conference honoree
• D3Baseball.com All-American and Region VII Pitcher of the Year as a senior in 2024, posting a 2.95 ERA, .198 batting average against and 81 strikeouts in 58 innings (12.6 K/9)
• Pitched at Alexander Field vs. Purdue in May 2024, retiring both batters he faced; high school teammate of Breck Nowik
#41 Gabe Watson, RHP – Hewitt, Texas (Midway/Amarillo JC)
• Pitcher and outfielder at Amarillo, focusing solely on the mound in 2024 after slashing .283/.374/.576 with 15 XBH as a freshman
• Racked up 55 strikeouts vs. 24 hits allowed in 30 1/3 innings (16.3 K/9) as a sophomore
• Struck out 11 of the 20 batters he faced over four innings of one-hit ball in his most dominant performance for Amarillo
#47 Henry Cordes, RHP – Chesterfield, Mo. (MICDS)
• Two-player standout in high school as a pitcher and third baseman/outfielder from the St. Louis area
• Blossomed as a senior, registering a 1.66 ERA, .109 batting average against and 79 strikeouts vs. 18 hits allowed in 50 2/3 innings (14 K/9)
• Struck out 13 over five innings in his most dominant outing as a senior
#49 John DiGregorio, Catcher – Westfield, N.J. (Gill St. Bernard's)
• Ranked as New Jersey's No. 1 catcher in his class by Perfect Game
• Batted over .400 with a .600 slugging percentage for three straight seasons
• Enjoyed a three-homer game as a senior
• Played for the DuBois County Bombers of the Prospect League in the summer of 2024 after graduating in May, reaching base safely four times as the cleanup hitter in a game against the Lafayette Aviators at Loeb Stadium
#55 Thomas Lynch, Catcher/Infielder – Evansville, Ind. (Memorial)
• Ranked as Indiana's No. 3 catcher in his class by Perfect Game; also played third base and pitched
• Four-year varsity letterwinner
• Helped lead Memorial to the semistate round of the IHSAA state tournament as a senior
• Parents Ryan and Joelle as well as older brother Evan are all Purdue alumni
#6 James Novakovic, Infielder – Wilmette, Ill. (New Trier)
• Three-year varsity starter for New Trier, playing shortstop while leading his team to a 33-4 record as a senior
• Central Suburban South Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a senior
• New Trier reeled off a 30-game win streak and won the conference with a 16-0 record in 2024
• Also helped lead New Trier to a 30-win season and third-place showing in the IHSA Class 4A state tournament as a junior
#53 Luke Reasor, LHP – Northfield, Ohio (Brecksville-Broadview Heights)
• Ranked among Ohio's top 25 players in his class by Prep Baseball Report
• Second Team All-Suburban League and Suburban League All-Star selection as a senior
• Registered a 2.85 ERA and 8.9 K/9 as a senior while also playing the outfield, batting .341 as a sophomore on varsity
#54 Evan Schweizer, RHP – Oakville, Ontario (Garth Webb)
• Ranked among Ontario's top 25 players in his class by Prep Baseball Report
• Pitched for the Great Lake Canadians travel team, ranked as a top-50 club in North America by Perfect Game
• Closed out a shutout win for Team Grey in the Canadian Futures Showcase at Rogers Centre in Toronto in the fall of 2023
#48 Matthew Totten, RHP – Prior Lake, Minn. (Prior Lake)
• Struck out 22 in 13 innings (14.9 K/9) in an injury-shorted junior season at Prior Lake, having Tommy John Surgery in June 2023
• 2022 Summer Cy Young honoree for his GRB NorthStar club team
• Ranked among Minnesota's top 10 players in his class by Prep Baseball Report as of May 2023
#18 Joe Trenerry, RHP – Granger, Ind. (Penn)
• First Team All-Northern Indiana Conference as a senior
• Underwent UCL surgery on his elbow in May 2023, sidelining him as a junior as Penn repeated as 4A state champs
• Ranked among Indiana's top 25 players in his class (No. 10 RHP) by Perfect Game
• Pitched for Team Indiana at the 2022 Prep Baseball Report Future Games
#50 Kale Wemer, RHP – Crawfordsville, Ind.
• Registered a 1.15 ERA and .154 batting average against with 121 strikeouts vs. 12 walks in 79 innings (13.8 K/9) as a senior
• All-State, IHSBCA North/South All-Star and Crawfordsville Journal Review Baseball Player of the Year as a senior
• Led Crawfordsville to the semistate round of the 2024 IHSAA Class 3A state playoffs with 19 innings of one-run ball while winning sectional and regional titles