State baseball officially starts fall practice on Monday, September 17th. While the Pack lost a few key contributors from last year’s squad, the coaching staff appears to have done an outstanding job in this year’s recruiting class and really seems to have addressed the team’s needs. State returns experienced starters at every position except catcher, and should boast a very deep and talented pitching staff for the '08 season. State added 15 new players to the roster, including six pitchers, four infielders, two outfielders, one infielder/outfielder, and two catchers. Thanks to NC State Media Relations Office for providing player biographies. 2007-2008 Baseball Newcomers PITCHERS 33 Jake Buchanan Fr * RHP * R/R * 6'0" * 205 North Gaston High School Gastonia, N.C. High school: Went 14-1 with a 0.39 ERA and 146 strikeouts as a senior in 2007 at North Gaston High School … Tied for second in the state in wins, ranked fourth in ERA and seventh in strikeouts … First- team all-state by the North Carolina High School Coaches Association (NCHSAA) … Named co-MVP of Big South 3-A/4-A Conference along with Wolfpack teammate Dusty Quattlebaum … Went 12-1 with a 0.99 ERA and 105 strikeouts as a junior in 2006, and was 26-2 with 280 strikeouts his last two years at North Gaston … Ranked eighth in the state in wins as a junior. Personal: Born September 24, 1989 … The son of Sonda and Buck Buchanan … Enrolled in the First-Year College. 29 Gary Gillheeney Fr * RHP * R/R * 6'3" * 200 Bishop Hendricken High School Johnston, R.I. High school: Honorable-mention high school All-American by TPX and Collegiate Baseball magazine after posting a 9-3 record, a 0.98 ERA and two saves as a senior in 2007 for Coach Ed Holloway at Bishop Hendricken High School … Made 12 starts in 14 appearances and allowed 39 hits in 64 innings while walking 18 and striking out 95 … Made second-team all-state for the second year in a row … Selected in 29th round of 2007 MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves … Went 8-1 with a 0.75 ERA as a junior in 2006 … Started nine games and made 10 overall appearances … Pitched 52 innings, allowed 35 hits, walked 17 and struck out 59. Personal: Born June 11, 1989 … The son of Gary and JoAnn Gillheeney … Is the younger brother of Wolfpack lefthander Jimmy Gillheeney … Enrolled in the First-Year College. 42 Grant Sasser Fr * LHP * L/L * 6'1" * 200 C.B. Aycock High School Goldsboro, N.C. High school: Named first-team all-state 3-A by the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association as a senior in 2007 after going 10-0 with a 1.41 ERA for Coach Charles Davis at C.B. Aycock High School … Recorded 88 strikeouts with just 29 walks in 64 1/3 innings … Started and won the state 3-A championship game for Aycock, alalowing four hits in six innings of work … Went 5-0 as a junior in 2006 before his season was ended with a strained ligament in his left arm … Went 3-3 with a 0.30 ERA as a sophomore in 2005, working 47 innings and allowing nine walks while striking out 59. Personal: The son of Winnie and Sammy Sasser … Born February 20, 1989 … Majoring in horticulture. 44 Alex Sogard R-So * LHP * L/L * 6'3" * 210 Oregon State University • Thunderbird High School Phoenix, Ariz. At Oregon State (2006-07): Made four appearances as a redshirt-freshman in 2007, all in relief … Was a part of two national championship teams at Oregon State … Redshirted as a true freshman in 2006. Summer league: Played for the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Collegiate League in 2007 had a 4.15 ERA in 10 appearances, including one start … Pitched 13 innings and allowed 10 hits and struck out 12 without issuing a walk. High school: Lettered for three years at Thunderbird High School for coach Brian Dyer … Was first- team all-state first baseman as a senior in 2005 after hitting .511 with 12 doubles, six home runs and 34 RBIs in 31 games … Set a school single-season record with 48 hits … Worked 45 2/3 innings on the mound and recorded 62 strikeouts … Batted .333 as a junior with 10 doubles and a triple, and went 7-2 with a 2.40 ERA to earn first-team all-region honors. Personal: Born July 25, 1987 … The son of Rudy and Anna Sogard … Older brother Eric was the starting second baseman for Arizona State in 2006 and ’07 and was a second-round draft pick of the San Diego Padres in the 2007 MLB draft … Majoring in science, technology and science. 17 Vance Williams Fr * RHP * L/R * 6'2" * 170 Athens Drive High School Raleigh, N.C. High school: Went 6-4 with a 1.13 ERA as a senior for Coach Joey Bell at Athens Drive High School … Allowed 26 hits, walked 27 and struck out 106 strikeouts in 62 innnings … Allowed one hit in his first two starts of the season … Earned all-conference in the Tri-8 4-A Conference … Named academic all- conference …Pitched just two innings because of an arm injury as a junior in 2006, but recovered without surgery and was back pitching that summer … Went 4-1 with a 2.57 ERA as a sophomore in 2005. Personal: Born November 15, 1988 … The son of Phil and Susan Williams … Majoring in mechanical engineering. 40 Jason Zinser Jr * RHP * R/R * 6'8" * 215 UCLA • La Jolla Country Day High School San Diego, Calif. At UCLA (2006-07): Made one appearance, May 6 vs. California, and pitched one inning as a redshirt- sophomore in 2007 … Did not play in 2006 and redshirted in 2005 … Served as co-president of the UCLA Student-Athletic Advisory Committee, and was president of the Pac-10 Conference’s Student Advisory Committee in 2006. Summer league: Pitched for the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Collegiate League in 2007 and was named the No. 5 prospect in the league in a Baseball America survey of the league’s coaches … Had a 2-1 record with a 4.15 ERA … Made 14 appearances, all in relief, and allowed 20 hits, walked 13 and struck out 33 in 21 2/3 innings … Went 5-2 with a 3.02 ERA and six saves in 2006 for the Solano Thunderbirds of the California Collegiate Summer League, and struck out 62 in 41 2/3 innings … Pitched for the San Diego Crush of the San Diego Prospect League in in 2004 and 2-0 with a 1.09 ERA. High school: Lettered four years in baseball, first at University City High School, then at La Jolla Country Day School … Went 3-1 as a senior in 2004 with a 2.04 ERA and averaged more than two stirkeouts per innings as a senior in 2004 at La Jolla Country Day and head coach John Edman … Held opponents to a .189 batting average and struck out more than two men per inning pitched … Also played basketball for three years. Personal: Born May 12, 1986 … The son of Greg and Cheri Zinser … Enjoys art and music and plays four instruments … Majoring in political science. POSITION PLAYERS 2 Devon Cartwright Jr * INF/OF * R/R * 5'10" * 190 Palm Beach Community College • Forest Hills High School Palm Beach, Fla. Junior college (2006-07): Batted .316 (67-for-212) with six doubles, three home runs, 33 RBIs and eight steals in 10 attempts in 49 games as a sophomore for Coach Alex Morales at Palm Beach Community College in 2007 … Named second-team all-conference in the Southern Conference of the FLCCAA … Played in the Florida Junior College All-Star Game. Summer league: Played briefly for the Florence Red Wolves of the Coastal Plain League in 2007, batting . 310 in 11 games. High school: Batted .500 with six home runs, 23 RBIs, 31 runs scored and 16 steals as a senior for Coach Russ Millihen at Forest Hill High School … Named first-team all-state and all-county as a senior. Personal: Majoring in communication. 35 Mike Gatlin Jr * OF * R/R * 5'10" * 215 Daytona Beach Community College • Flushing High School Flushing, Mich. Junior college (2006-07): Batted .287 (33-for-115) with eight doubles, three triples, one home run and 20 RBIs in 36 games as a sophomore in 2007 … Played in the Florida Junior College All-Star Game … Named first-team all-conference in the FLCCAA’s Mid-Florida Conference as a freshman in 2006 after hitting .383 with five home runs in 32 games. High school: Batted .507 with 15 doubles, five triples, three home runs, 45 RBIs and 15 steals in 26 games as a senior for Coach Kevin Vince at Flushing High School … Named first-team all-state by the Michigan High School Coaches Association … Had a career .484 (164-for-339) batting average … Also played quarterback in football and earned all-state honors as a senior in 2004. Personal: Born November 23, 1986 … The son of Mike and Karen Gatlin … Majoring in sport management. 41 Spencer McHugh Fr * C * R/R * 6'3" * 200 Central Columbia High School Bloomsburg, Pa. High school: Batted .410 with 12 doubles, five home runs and 17 RBIs in 25 games as a senior in 2007 for Coach Brett Sarnoski at Central Columbia High School … Named first-team all-conference and first-team all-region by The Press Enterprise … Hit .421 with five doubles, one homer and nine RBIs in 14 games as a junior in 2006. Personal: Born June 24, 1989 … The son of Bernie and Debbie McHugh … Majoring in mechanical engineering. 25 Sean Morrison Jr * INF * R/R * 6'3" * 220 Manatee Community College • Cocoa High School Cocoa, Fla. Junior college (2006-07): Batted .298 (42-for-141) with 11 doubles, two triples, two home run and 22 RBIs in 43 games as a sophomore in 2007 for Coach Tim Hill at Manatee (Fla.) Community College … Played in the Florida Junior College All-Star Game. High school: Earned all-state honors as a junior and senior for Coach Chuck Goldfarb at Cocoa High School … Named all-county as a sophomore, junior and senior by the Orlando Sentinel. Personal: Born November 11, 1986 … The son of Robert and Tonya Morrison … Majoring in sport management. 12 Kyle Prewitt Jr * INF * R/R * 6'1" * 200 Sacramento City Junior College • Placer High School Auburn, Calif. Junior college (2006-07): Season was cut short by a leg injury … Was a part-time starter as a freshman in 2006 and batted .236 (17-for-72). Summer league: Played the summer of 2005 for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots of the Alaska League. High school: Lettered three years at Placer High School for Coach Dave Thompson … Named all-city as a junior in 2004 by The Sacramento Bee … Named to the California Baseball Coaches Association All-Star game in 2004. Personal: Born October 28, 1985 … The son of Larry and Tonia Prewitt … Majoring in sport management. 8 Dusty Quattlebaum Fr * INF * L/R * 6'0" * 215 Crest High School Shelby, N.C. High school: Earned first-team all-state honors from the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association (NCBCA) as a senior in 2007 … Batted .557 with 33 runs scored, eight doubles, 12 home runs and 33 RBIs in 25 games for Coach Steven Hodge at Crest High School … Had a 1.186 slugging percentage and a . 690 on-base percentage … Ranked fourth in the state in home runs … Named co-MVP of Big South 3-A/4- A Conference along with future Wolfpack teammate Jake Buchanan … Batted .443 with eight doubles, eight home runs and 27 RBIs in 21 games as a junior in 2006 … Batted .404 with six doubles, a triple, eight homers and 26 RBIs in 25 games as a sophomore in 2005. Personal: Born October 23, 1988 … The son of Tim and Sandy Quattlebaum … Majoring in sport management. 36 Domonique Rodgers Jr * OF * L/R * 6'2" * 190 Sacramento City College Sacramento, CA Junior college: Played as a sophmore in 2007 with the lingering effects from four months of intense, weekly chemotherapy treatments due to non-Hodgkins lymphoma ... Batted .233 with eight doubles and 24 RBIs in 36 games ... Got stronger as the year progressed and batted over .380 in the conference and state playoffs ... Helped lead Sac City to a 35-15 record and the Big 7 Conference championship ... Batted .368 with 14 doubles, two home runs and 21 RBIs in 39 games as a freshman in 2006 ... Finished fifth in the conference in batting and earned first-team all-conference honors ...Was a teammate of current NC State infielder Kyle Prewitt at Sacramento City. MLB Draft: 36th round, Toronto Blue Jays, 2006. 37 Ramon Rubio So * OF * R/R * 6'1" * 212 Pendleton High School Santo Domingo, D.R. High school: Played for Coach Chris Moor at Pendleton High School in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic … Batted .390 as a senior in 2006. Personal: Born April 19, 1989 … The son of Janet Rivera and Ramon Mejia, the adopted son of Ramon Rubio … Grandfather was Hipolito Mejia, former president of the Dominican Republic … Majoring in management. 34 Chris Schaeffer R-Fr * C * R/R * 5'11" * 190 Univ of Florida Gainesville, FL At Florida (2007): Redshirted ... Has four years of eligiblity remaining. High school: Played at John Carroll Catholic High School for head coach Mike Cobb ... Chosen second-team all-state in Class 3A and was first-team all-area by The Palm Beach Post as a senior ... Also made first- team All-Treasure Lake Conference and was named his squad's Most Valuable Player that year ... Had a . 498 batting average with seven doubles and 26 RBIs. 14 Nick Stanley Jr * C * L/R * 6'2" * 185 South Florida Community College Seminole, Fla. Junior college (2006-07): Batted .491 (84-for-171) with 12 doubles, seven home runs, 36 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 45 games as a sophomore in 2007 for Coach Rick Hitt at South Florida Comminity College … Led the NJCAA’s Region 8 in batting and tied for eighth in home runs … Named first-team all-state in the Florida Community College Athletic Association (FLCCAA) … Played in the Florida Junior College All- Star Game … Earned first-team all-conference honors in the Southern Conference of the FLCCAA … Made second-team FLCCAA Southern Conference as a freshman in 2006 after batting .339 with five doubles, one home run and 15 RBIs in 30 games. Summer league: Played for the New Market Rebels of the Shenandoah Valley League in 2007 and made the league all-star team by hitting .325 with 15 doubles, two home runs and 20 RBIs in 41 games … Named the No. 3 prospect in the league in a Baseball America survey of the league’s head coaches. High school: Was a standout for Coach Scott Miller at Seminole High in North Largo, Fla. … Batted .404 with eight doubles and four home runs as a senior in 2005 … Was team captain for two years. Personal: Born May 12, 1987 … The son of David and Lucy Stanley … Majoring in English. 3 Russell Wilson Fr * INF * R/R * 5'11" * 191 Collegiate High School Richmond, Va. High school: An outstanding two-sport athlete with great promise … Earned all-metro and all-state honors as a senior in 2007 after batting .536 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs … Also pitched and went 6-2 with 52 strikeouts and a 1.83 ERA … Chosen by the Baltimore Orioles in the 41st round of the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft … Batted .467 as a junior in 2006 … Is on a football scholarship as a quarterback, but plans to play both football and baseball at NC State. |
| New Members of the 2008 Wolfpack |