Local Reno product Chris Stolo is among 16 players signed by first-year head baseball coach Jay Johnson to a National Letter of Intent in his initial recruiting class announced Wednesday. The large class is comprised of eight junior college transfers and eight freshmen.
“This is a great day for Nevada baseball,” Johnson said. “This group is a result of a lot of hard work by many quality people at this University. I think it is a reflection of what the University of Nevada has to offer to the elite high school and junior college baseball player.
It is a group that will complement our returning players in ability, character and chemistry in a way that will build a great foundation for our program. Our coaching staff is elated with the way this class turned out in our first recruiting cycle here at Nevada.”
A dual threat on the mound and in the outfield, Stolo played his prep baseball at McQueen High School and is in his sophomore season at Western Nevada College in Carson City. As a freshman he earned first-team all-region honors last season.
On the mound, Stolo posted a record of 8-3 with a save and a 1.98 ERA appearing in 19 games earning 13 starts. In 77.1 innings, he recorded 65 strikeouts and walked 31 tossing thee complete games. At the plate, he batted .315 with 22 runs scored, collected 28 hits, had seven doubles, two triples, a home run and drove in 12.
In addition to Stolo, pitcher Robert Anderson, first baseman Grady Caldwell, outfielder Jared Gaspard, pitcher Sam Held, pitcher Alex Lott, pitcher Cameron Rowland and pitcher Zachary Wilkins will transfer to Nevada from junior colleges. The freshmen include catcher/infielder Michael Blasko, pitcher Charlie Brooks, infielder Jedd Fagg, infielder/pitcher Robert Fennell, outfielder Cole Krzmarzick, infielder/pitcher Jordan Pearce, pitcher Joseph Romero and pitcher/outfielder Cal Stevenson.
Anderson earned first-team All-Coast Golden Gate Conference honors as a reliever his freshman year in 2012 at West Valley College (Calif.) posting an ERA of 2.92. He appeared in 14 games and struck out 29 in 37 innings on the mound. He missed last season with an injury but will pitch his sophomore year at WVC in 2014.
A first baseman, Caldwell also attends West Valley College (Calif.) and earned first-team Northern California All-America, first-team All-Coast Golden Gate Conference and second-team Rawlings ABCA Pacific Association Division All-America honors as a freshman. Appearing in 34 games he batted .376 with 12 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 33 RBI in 2013.
Gaspard is a left-handed hitting outfielder that plays at New Mexico Junior College. His freshman year he batted .354 with 24 runs scored, five doubles, two triples, three home runs and drove in 31.
The right-handed Held is in his sophomore season at Delta College (Stockton, Calif.). His freshman year he went 7-2 with a 3.15 ERA making 14 starts and tossed one complete game. In 74.1 innings he struckout 43.
An All-Big 8 selection at Delta College (Stockton, Calif.) last season Lott went 6-2 with a save on the mound appearing in 13 games. In 39.1 innings pitched, he struck out 32 and posted an ERA of 1.37 his freshman year.
Rowland is currently playing his sophomore season at Chabot College (Hayward, Calif.) after pitching last season at Diablo Valley College (Pleasant Hill, Calif.). He played two seasons of football at DVC earning All-America honors as a wide receiver. On the mound he had an ERA of 2.48 with 25 strikeouts in 36.1 innings pitched.
A closer at Palomar College (San Marcos, Calif.) Wilkins earned All-America and first-team Pacific Coast Conference honors in helping the Comets to the conference championship. The righty posted a record of 3-0 with 12 saves appearing in 21 games with one start. In his start he tossed a shutout and combined on five others. His 0.79 ERA ranks as the second best season in school history. The 12 saves is the best season at Palomar College and is the top mark in a career with one season remaining.
Blasko a catcher was a member of the last three Nevada state champion teams at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. In 2012 he played on the Legion state and regional championship teams that earned a spot in the Legion World Series. He batted .450 with 50 RBI and five home runs his junior season. The past two seasons he earned All-America, all-state, all-area and all-conference honors. He was a member of the Cincinnati Reds area code team.
A right-handed pitcher at Buena High School (Ventura, Calif.), Brooks posted an ERA of 1.70 in 111.1 innings pitched in three years of high school baseball. He has struck out 119 and tossed a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts. His junior year he went 2-2 with a 1.43 tossing 44 innings and recorded 59 strikeouts.
Fagg is entering his senior year at Williams Field High School in Gilbert, Ariz. As a sophomore, he earned team MVP honors and was the team captain his junior season. Named to Foothill All-Section second-team junior year. This past summer was a member of the Cincinnati Reds Area Code team.
Another of the two-way players, Fennell could see time at shortstop or on the mound as a right-handed pitcher. Last season at Scripps Ranch High School in San Diego he batted .348 with five doubles, a triple and two home runs. He earned second-team All-Eastern League honors last season after being named to the first-team his sophomore season when he batted .403 with seven doubles and three triples. In six appearances on the mound his junior year he went 1-2 with a save.
Krzmarzick is the second member of the three Nevada state title teams from Bishop Gorman High School who will play baseball for the Pack. The outfielder was an All-Sunset Region selection after batting .451 with 58 runs scored, 10 doubles, eight triples, four home runs and 38 RBI. The 58 runs scored led the state of Nevada.
Pearce is a pitcher/third baseman who attends El Camino High School in Oceanside, Calif. where he earned first-team All-Avocado League honors his junior year and was second-team selection as a sophomore. Last season he batted .344 with 21 runs scored, four doubles, a home run and 25 RBI.
The left-handed Romero attends Oxnard (Calif.) High School where he pitches and plays in the outfield. On the mound he went 10-2 with a 1.24 ERA last season. In 74 innings he recorded 88 strikeouts. He hit .309 with 21 runs scored, two home runs and 17 RBI.
A left-handed pitcher/outfielder Stevenson attended Newark High School (Calif.) but will play his senior year at John F. Kennedy High School in Fremont, Calif. He earned first-team All-Mission Valley Athletic League honors his sophomore and junior years.
He hit .435 with 22 runs scored, five doubles, three triples, a home run and 17 RBI as a junior. In eight appearances and just 13.2 innings on the mound, he went 3-0 with four saves and did not allow an earned run. He played on the Oakland A’s Area Code team this past summer.