LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV baseball program has signed eight student-athletes – Dylan Alanis, Chase Gallegos, Nolan George, Hunter Katschke, Gavin Mez, Santino Panaro, Samuel Simon and Brian Uribe – who will enroll at the University beginning in the fall of 2021, head coach Stan Stolte announced Monday.
 
This fall's class features five local products from the Las Vegas Valley and three more from Southern California.
 
"Our recruiting coordinator Cory Vanderhook with the help of associate head coach Kevin Higgins did an outstanding job bringing in some quality student-athletes," said Stolte. "We have created a great culture here with kids doing the right things on and off the field, but still it's usually the team with the best players, especially pitchers, that win most of the time. In a very tough, talented conference with good coaches, we feel we are heading that direction from a talent standpoint."
 


Alanis is a 6-0 right-handed pitcher from Upland, California, who attends Damien High School (La Verne) after he transferred from Ontario Christian High School (Ontario) following his sophomore year. While at OCHS, he helped the Spartans to back-to-back 20-win campaigns and a combined 45-12 overall record. Additionally, the Spartans went 21-3 in Ambassador League play with a first-place finish (11-1) in 2019 and a runner-up showing (10-2) in 2018. On the mound, he notched a 9-1 record and a 1.52 ERA in 50.2 innings and 15 appearances with 63 strikeouts. He earned 2019 All-Ambassador League First Team honors after striking out 60 and posting an 8-1 mark and 0.91 ERA in 12 appearances and 46.1 innings.
 
Vanderhook on Alanis: "Dylan is another big name out of Southern California. He is a righty with weekend rotation potential. His pitch mix and command, and ability to compete in the strike zone is what puts him in a position to make an instant impact."


 
Gallegos is a 6-0 catcher from Henderson, who attends Liberty High School. He helped the Patriots to a combined 39-25-1 record. In league play, the team went 23-8 and posted a second-place finish (9-2) in 4A Desert – Southeast League. During the shortened 2020 campaign, he batted .462 with six hits (one double), four runs and three RBI.
 
Vanderhook on Gallegos: "Chase is an outstanding athlete behind the plate. He has plus arm strength to go along with great receiving and blocking abilities. He has also enjoyed plenty of success at the plate, as well. His energy and make up are also outstanding attributes that make him a solid field general."
 


George is a 6-0 right-handed pitcher and infielder from Temecula, California, who attends Temecula Valley High School (Temecula). He guided the Golden Bears to a pair of top-two Southwestern League finishes, which included a regular-season title in 2018 (12-3), and a two-year overall record of 44-21. Over the 2019 and 2020 campaigns, he recorded 24 hits with eight of the extra-base variety (seven doubles and one triple), a .253 batting average, 14 RBI and 13 runs. On the mound, he notched two wins and a 2.33 ERA in 11 appearances and 24.2 innings with 20 strikeouts.
 
Vanderhook on George: "Nolan comes to UNLV out of Temecula, California, and has a chance to be a two-way player. He projects to be a corner infielder with power in the bat as well as a plus defender. On the mound, he could see key back-end bullpen innings as early as year one in a Rebel uniform."
 


Katschke is a 6-2 outfielder and right-handed pitcher from Las Vegas, who attends Basic Academy of International Studies (Henderson). He helped the Wolves to a combined 58-13-1 overall record and 28-5 mark in league play. In 2018, the team won the Sunrise Region Championship and advanced to the NIAA 4A State Championship game. In 2019, the team finished first in Desert Region play; however, its season came to an end in the Desert Region Championship. As a sophomore, he earned Nevada Preps All-State and Class 4A All-Desert Region First Team honors after he batted .395 with 16 extra-base hits (nine doubles, four home runs and three triples) and 38 RBI. On the mound, he went 3-0 with 19 strikeouts in 16.2 innings.
 
Vanderhook on Katschke: "Another great local talent that had options for schools up and down the West Coast. Like George, we believe Hunter's power in the bat and arm can and will make an instant impact. His size and strength projects him to occupy a corner infield position."
 



Mez and Panaro are both from the Las Vegas Valley – Las Vegas and Henderson, respectively – and attend Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas). The duo has led the Gaels to a 47-19 overall record and 23-7 league mark over the last two years of full competition, with back-to-back Southwest League – Desert (2018) and Sunset (2019) – runner-up finishes. They were both tabbed to the Class 4A All-Desert Region Second Team. Mez, a 6-0 catcher, hit .346 with 46 hits (nine doubles), 33 RBI and nine runs in 49 games. As a sophomore, Mez batted .366 with 30 hits, eight runs and seven RBI. Panaro, on the other hand, is a 5-9 outfielder who has hit .344 with 42 hits (six doubles and one triple), 36 runs and 21 RBI. In 2019, Panaro batted .330 with 32 hits, 28 runs and 18 RBI.
 
Vanderhook on Mez: "Gavin, like our other local recruits, had plenty of options to go away for college, but chose to stay home and be a part of taking this program to levels never reached before. This young man possesses a left-handed bat that could do serious damage at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. Gavin has taken the down time due to Covid-19 to get healthy and sharpen his skills on both sides."
 
Vanderhook on Panaro: "Santino is one of the top-ranked players in the state, according to numerous outlets. He has game-changing speed, great bat-to-ball skills, and is an elite defender who can play all three outfield positions at a very high level."


 
Simon is a 6-3 right-handed pitcher from Las Vegas, who attends Centennial High School (Las Vegas). During the 2019 season, the Bulldogs went 23-10 overall and finished fifth in the 4A Mountain Region and Northwest League with a 9-5 mark. On the mound, he made two appearances and went 2-0 in 7.1 innings with six strikeouts. In the batter's box, he recorded 17 hits with five doubles and two triples, and added 14 runs and 14 RBI in 25 games played.
 
Vanderhook on Simon: "Another local product who wants to be part of something special here at home. Sammy's abilities and make up on the mound put him in position to make a huge impact on this program right away. We expect big innings and a heavy workload early on in his Rebel career."
 


Uribe is a 6-0 right-handed pitcher from Oxnard, California, who attends Camarillo High School (Camarillo, California). He has helped the Scorpions to a combined 43-20 overall record and a 16-11 mark in Coastal Canyon League play, which included a league title in 2018. As a freshman, he went 8-0 on the mound with a 1.25 ERA and was named the All-Coastal Canyon League's Pitcher of the Year and to the Ventura County Star's All-County First Team.
 
Vanderhook on Uribe: "Brian is a highly touted name out of Southern California. We brought Brian on board because of his pitch ability. He has won a lot of big games. To go along with his repertoire of pitches, this kid loves to compete and carries himself with a quiet confidence at all times."
 
In the most recent Nevada Prep Baseball Report, all five Silver State signees are ranked between No. 5 to No. 19. Panaro is the highest rated, coming in at No. 5 overall and No. 3 for outfielders. Mez is No. 8 overall and No. 1 for catchers. Katschke and Simon are No. 10 and No. 12 overall, respectively, while both are slotted in the top five for pitchers.
 
-UNLV-