Nov. 17, 2004
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - UNLV baseball, the two-time defending Mountain West Conference champions, signed 10 athletes who will join the program next season, head coach Buddy Gouldsmith announced Wednesday.
High school prospects Kelby Aase, Xavier Scruggs, Kyle Kretchmer, Reid Kelly, Michael Brenly and Halston Barcelo and junior college transfers Zach Borba, Blake Gailen, Brett Jackson and Adam Moser make up the group that committed during the early signing period.
"Recruiting coordinator Scott Malone and our entire staff has worked hard to sign a class that addresses the immediate and future needs of our program," Gouldsmith said. "We our extremely excited about the student-athletes that have chosen UNLV for they posses the ability as well as the character with which we pride our program.""
Aase is from Yorba Linda, Calif., and attends Esperanza High School. He led the team in innings pitched and complete games as a junior. Kelby is the son of former Major League pitcher Don Aase.
Barcelo is from Cowan Heights, Calif., and attends Foothills High School and was the team's offensive player of the year in 2003. In three seasons playing for Foothills, he has a .392 batting average with just nine strikeouts in 159 at bats. At the age of 12 he held a Jr. PGA Card for the Desert and Metro Tour in Southern California.
Brenly attends Notre Dame Prep High School in Scottsdale, Ariz., and was a 2004 Desert Sky Region 1st-Team selection at catcher. He hit .481 last year as a junior with four homeruns, scoring 29 runs with 29 RBI. Michael is the son of former Arizona Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly.
Kelly is from Scottsdale, Ariz., and anchors the pitching staff at Desert Mountain High School. He is a three-year letter winner who led his team in innings pitched and complete games as a junior while pitching his team to the semi-finals of the state playoffs. As a sophomore Kelly had a 12-1 record with a .44 ERA and three no hitters. He has also been on the principal's honor roll the past three years.
Kretchmer hails from Carmel, Calif., and attends Carmel High School, where he plays first base and also pitches. He has 19 career homeruns with an .871 on base percentage. Kretchmer was ranked as the 27th senior first baseman in the country by Team One Baseball, a national scouting service.
Scruggs is another California recruit who plays third base at Poway High School in San Diego, Calif. A three-year starter, he was 2nd-Team All League and his team's captain as a junior. Scruggs hit .337 in league play last season and is the 11th-ranked third baseman in the country according to Team One Baseball.
"These young men are the future of UNLV baseball and I am confident they will have a positive impact in our program," Gouldsmith said. "Over and above the pitchers, the position players' athleticism will allow them to contribute across the diamond."
Borba, who is originally from Reno, Nev., played last season at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Wash. He was a NWAACC 1st Team selection and gold glove winner last season as he hit .321 with four homeruns, 38 RBI, 26 extra-base hits and 15 stolen bases. During his senior season at McQueen High School he hit .460 with 15 homeruns.
Gailen is currently pitching at Glendale Community College in Glendale, Calif., where he was an All-Western State Conference selection last season. While he was in high school the West Hills, Calif., native went 19-4 in his final two seasons.
Jackson is transferring to UNLV from Modesto (Calif.) College. Originally from Turlock, Calif., he was 1-0 with 20 strikeouts in 16.2 innings as a reliever last season.
Moser, from Medicine Hat, Canada, pitches at Midland (Texas) College. He was a silver medalist in the 2002 Canada Cup.
"These transfers will add great depth to our pitching staff and outfield," Gouldsmith said. "Their previous college experience will provide a maturity that comes from playing at a higher level."
UNLV won its second-straight MWC championship last season, going 37-24 and advancing to the NCAA West Regional. The Rebels open their season at home against Cal State Northridge on Feb. 4.
