Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Inks Third-Straight Top 25 Signing Class
November 29, 2015 | Baseball
Tim Tadlock and his staff put together Texas Tech's third-straight top 25 recruiting class.
Nov. 22, 2015
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech has once again compiled one of the nation's top signing classes as head coach Tim Tadlock and his staff assembled a class that ranks among the top 25 in collegiate baseball.
Perfect Game currently ranks Texas Tech's signing class at No. 23 in the country, marking the first time in program history where the Red Raiders have boasted a top-25 class over three-consecutive seasons. Texas Tech's success on the recruiting trail comes on the heels of a 2015 early signing class that ranked as high as ninth nationally which marked the highest in program history.
"Our 2016 signing class really came together nicely in the summer and fall of 2015," Tadlock said. "We really appreciate the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association as well as all the individuals involved with summer baseball. Everyone involved with our program should be commended for this class as they helped us land a great group of young men. This group has some outstanding arms and position players that should lay the foundation for our program into the next decade."
The high school standouts and junior college prospects that signed National Letters of Intent with Texas Tech during the early signing period will join the Red Raider baseball program in the fall of 2016.
| TEXAS TECH BASEBALL 2016 EARLY SIGNING CLASS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | POS. | HT. | WT. | B/T | Hometown/High School/Previous School |
| Michael Berglund | C/INF | 6-2 | 175 | L/R | Corpus Christi,Texas/Carroll |
| UA Cantu | INF/RHP | 5-10 | 200 | R/R | Saginaw, Texas/Boswell |
| Quinton Forrester | LHP | 6-9 | 250 | L/L | Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa City/Cowley College |
| Caleb Freeman | RHP | 6-3 | 205 | R/R | Abilene, Texas/Cooper |
| John Henry Gonzalez | RHP | 5-10 | 190 | R/R | Edinburg, Texas/Edinburg |
| Josh Jung | SS/RHP | 6-2 | 205 | R/R | San Antonio, Texas/MacArthur |
| Caleb Kilian | RHP | 6-3 | 190 | R/R | Flower Mound, Texas/Flower Mound |
| Brian Klein | SS | 5-10 | 185 | L/R | Fort Worth, Texas/Timber Creek |
| Clay Koelzer | C | 5-11 | 190 | S/R | Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo |
| Grant Little | SS | 6-1 | 175 | R/R | Midland, Texas/Midland Christian |
| Dustin May | RHP | 6-6 | 180 | R/R | Fort Worth, Texas/Justin Northwest |
| Jake McDonald | RHP | 6-4 | 190 | R/R | Maud, Texas/Maud |
| John McMillion | OF/RHP | 6-3 | 235 | L/R | Jasper, Texas/Jasper |
| JD Murders | SS | 6-2 | 185 | L/R | Bolivar, Mo./Bolivar |
| Trevor Paradoski | SS | 6-1 | 185 | L/R | Lubbock, Texas/Coronado |
| Devin Smeltzer | LHP | 6-4 | 190 | L/L | Voorhees, N.J./Bishop Eustace/San Jacinto College |
| Tuck Tucker | LHP | 6-5 | 215 | L/L | Mesquite, Texas/Poteet |
The Texas Tech coaching staff - Matt Gardner, Ray Hayward, J-Bob Thomas, Tim Tadlock and Joe Hughes - compiled the No. 23 recruiting class in the country according to Perfect Game.
| MICHAEL BERGLUND | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Berglund | C/INF | 6-2 | 175 | L/R | Corpus Christi, Texas/Carroll |
• Son of John and Terri Berglund.
• Plays for Lee Yeager at Corpus Christi Carroll High School.
• Plays for the Houston Banditos summer team under Ray DeLeon.
• One of two members of the Banditos organization to sign with the Red Raiders, joining John Henry Gonzalez.
• Participated in 2015 Texas Scouts Association Game.
• Played with the Houston Banditos at Perfect Game WWBA in Jupiter, Fla. (2015).
• Perfect Game High Honorable Mention Preseason H.S. Underclassmen All-American (2015).
• District 28-6A Utility Most Valuable Player (2015).
• First Team All-District honoree as both a sophomore and junior (2014-15).
• Third Team All-State selection by the Texas Sports Writers Association as a sophomore (2014).
• All-South Texas Team by the Corpus Christi Caller Times (2014).
• Hit .429 as a junior with three home runs, three triples and four stolen bases while slugging .964 overall; also reached base at a .556 percentage (2015).
• Hit .435 overall with 42 RBI during his sophomore season (2014).
Coach Tadlock on Berglund: "Michael is a very good baseball player who has shown the ability to play third base and catch."
| UA CANTU | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA Cantu | INF/RHP | 5-10 | 200 | R/R | Saginaw, Texas/Boswell |
- Son of Rene and Martha Cantu
- Plays for Steve Foster at Boswell High School.
- Member of the Texas Stix organization that has produced current Red Raiders - Ty Damron, Tyler Fowler and Dalton Brown. Coached through the organization by Nick Heights, Shane Davenport, Nate Phillips, Aaron Reza, Dax Powell and Brett Ray.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 99 overall prospect in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 4 rated third baseman nationally.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 8 player in the state of Texas.
- Perfect Game Preseason High School All-American (2015).
- Participated in 2015 Texas Scouts Association Game.
- Texas Rangers Scout Team member at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif. (2015).
- Selected to the 2015 All-Area Code Games Team.
- Member of the Yankees Scout Team for the Perfect Game WWBA in Jupiter, Fla. (2015).
- Hit .350 with four home runs and 27 RBI; also slugged .625 overall (2015).
- Finished 5-1 on the mound with a 1.11 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 38 innings (2015).
- Texas Sports Writers Association Class 4A Honorable Mention All-State (2014).
Coach Tadlock on Cantu: "Early on our staff really liked UA as a right-handed pitcher and since his commitment, he has really developed into a legitimate two-way guy who could help us right away."
| QUINTON FORRESTER | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinton Forrester | LHP | 6-9 | 250 | L/L | Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa City/Cowley College |
- Son of Jerry and Renell Forrester.
- Plays for Cowley College head coach Dave and Darren Burroughs. Dave Burroughs is a former college teammate of Texas Tech pitching coach Ray Hayward.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 34 junior college player in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 4 left-handed junior college pitcher in the country.
- Ranked the top left-handed pitcher and eighth-best player in the state of Iowa coming out of high school by Perfect Game.
- Named a central region honorable mention selection by Perfect Game (2014).
- Earned Mississippi Valley Conference honors (2014).
- Compiled a 3-5 record along with a 2.06 ERA and 65 strikeouts as a high school senior (2014).
- Highly-touted and recruited basketball player coming out of Iowa City High School.
Coach Tadlock on Forrester: "Quinton is a left-handed late bloomer whose velocity has increased a little every year since high school. If he keeps getting better, the sky is the limit."
| CALEB FREEMAN | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Freeman | RHP | 6-3 | 205 | R/R | Abilene, Texas/Cooper |
- Son of Michael and Nora Freeman.
- Plays for current head coach Cody Salyers at Abilene Cooper High School.
- Plays for AirHogs summer team under the direction of Steve Martin, father of current Red Raider pitcher Davis Martin.
- Finished 6-1 overall with a 1.97 ERA and 69 strikeouts over 53.0 innings during the summer.
- Played alongside current Red Raider pitcher Jonathan Nicholson with Abilene Cooper.
- Three-year letterwinner as a tight end with the Abilene Cooper football program.
Coach Tadlock on Freeman: "Caleb has shown flashes of being able to step in and help even though he has not logged a bunch of innings yet in high school."
| JOHN HENRY GONZALEZ | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Henry Gonzalez | RHP | 5-10 | 190 | R/R | Edinburg, Texas/Edinburg |
- Son of John Gonzalez and Belinda Torres.
- Plays for head coach Robert Valdez, a 22-year coaching veteran and a 1988 graduate of Edinburg High School.
- Member of the Ray DeLeon's Houston Banditos summer team under head coach Mike Williams.
- One of two members of the Banditos organization to sign with the Red Raiders, joining Michael Berglund.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 205 right-handed pitcher in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 69 player in the state of Texas.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 24 right-handed pitcher in the state of Texas.
- Participated in 2015 Texas Scouts Association Game.
- Named the Rio Grande Valley Sports All-Valley Pitcher of the Year (2015).
- Among the best pitchers in Texas and Rio Grande Valley after going 9-1 overall as a junior with a 0.11 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 63 innings (2015).
Coach Tadlock on Gonzalez: "John Henry is a very polished right-handed pitcher who will be able to fill a lot of roles right away."
| JOSH JUNG | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Jung | SS/RHP | 6-2 | 205 | R/R | San Antonio, Texas/MacArthur |
- Son of Jeff and Mary Jung.
- Father is a longtime high school baseball and football coaches in the state of Texas.
- Plays for Tom Alfieri at San Antonio MacArthur High School.
- Played for both the Texas Drillers and D-Bat Elite summer programs in summer of 2015.
- D-Bat Elite teammates with fellow signees Brian Klein and Caleb Kilian.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 361 player in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 60 shortstop in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 39 player in the state of Texas.
- Played in the Connie Mack World Series with the D-Bat organization.
- Played for San Diego Padres Scout Team at Perfect Game WWBA in Jupiter, Fla. (2015).
- Participated in the Metropolitan Classic in New York City (2015).
- First Team All-State selection by Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association and Texas Sports Writers Association (2015).
- First Team Louisville Slugger All-American (2015).
- Hit .563 overall as a junior with four home runs, 27 RBI and 10 doubles (2015).
- Also featured on the mound, finishing 7-3 overall with a 1.91 ERA and two saves (2015).
Coach Tadlock on Jung: "Josh is a very good baseball player who can hit and pitch. He is a high school shortstop that will give us a lot of flexibility in our infield."
| CALEB KILIAN | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Kilian | RHP | 6-3 | 190 | R/R | Flower Mound, Texas/Flower Mound |
- Son of Joel and Carissa Kilian.
- Plays for Danny Wallace at Flower Mound High School.
- D-Bat Elite teammates with fellow signees Josh Jung and Brian Klein.
- Plays for Ryan Bonesio and Brandon Chancellor with D-Bat Elite.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 310 player in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 100 right-handed pitcher in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 30 player in the state of Texas.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 11 right-handed pitcher in the state of Texas.
- Member of Team Texas in the Battle of the Borders Oakley All-American Games (2014).
- Played for D-Bat Elite at Perfect Game WWBA in Jupiter, Fla. (2015).
- First Team All-District 6-6A selection (2015).
- Finished 5-2 as a junior with a 1.50 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 56 innings (2015).
- Member of Flower Mound's state championship team in 2014.
Coach Tadlock on Kilian: "Caleb has outstanding stuff and continues to get better. We should be able to plug him in and let him go."
| BRIAN KLEIN | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Klein | SS | 5-10 | 185 | L/R | Fort Worth, Texas/Timber Creek |
- Son of Brian and Melissa Klein.
- Plays for Derek Watson at Timber Creek High School.
- Coach by Pat Woods with the North Texas Baseball Club Dirtbags.
- D-Bat Elite teammates with fellow signees Josh Jung and Caleb Kilian.
- Plays for Ryan Bonesio and Brandon Chancellor with D-Bat Elite.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 105 shortstop in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 76 player in the state of Texas.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 13 shortstop in the state of Texas.
- Perfect Game Underclass High Honorable Mention All-American (2015).
- Played for D-Bat at Perfect Game WWBA in Jupiter, Fla. (2015).
- Hit .395 as a junior with a home run, eight RBI, 11 doubles and a pair of triples (2015).
Coach Tadlock on Klein: "Brian is a baseball player who really has a knack for putting the barrel on the ball."
| CLAY KOELZER | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay Koelzer | C | 5-11 | 190 | S/R | Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo |
- Son of Koby and Michele Koelzer.
- Plays for Jeff Timmons at Amarillo High School.
- Plays for the Amarillo Titans summer team under Mark Jones, a 20-year college coaching veteran, and former big leaguer Jermaine Van Buren.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 98 catcher in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 94 player in the state of Texas.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 14 catcher in the state of Texas.
- Participated in 2015 Texas Scouts Association Game.
- Participated in the Metropolitan Classic with New York Mets Scout Team (2015).
- Part of the Marlins Scout Team at Perfect Game WWBA in Jupiter, Fla. (2015)
- First Team All-District 2-6A after hitting .380 with four home runs and 28 RBI as a junior (2015).
Coach Tadlock on Koelzer: "Clay is a switch-hitting catcher who loves to compete."
| GRANT LITTLE | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant Little | SS | 6-1 | 175 | R/R | Midland, Texas/Midland Christian |
- Son of Mike Little and Holly & Jason Morrison.
- Plays for Mike Mungia at Midland Christian High School.
- Plays for the West Texas ABA under former Red Raider pitcher Ryan Brewer.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 77 shortstop in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 51 player in the state of Texas.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 9 shortstop in the state of Texas.
- Participated in 2015 Texas Scouts Association Game.
- Played in Metropolitan Classic in New York City (2015).
- Part of the Yankees Scout Team at Perfect Game WWBA in Jupiter, Fla. (2015).
- First Team All-State TAPPS selection as a junior (2015).
- Unanimous District MVP after hitting .552 overall with a home run and 25 RBI (2015).
Coach Tadlock on Little: "Grant is a baseball player who has a good feel for the strike zone and where the barrel is."
| DUSTIN MAY | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dustin May | RHP | 6-6 | 180 | R/R | Fort Worth, Texas/Justin Northwest |
- Son of Daniel and Suzanne May.
- Plays at Justin Northwest High School under head coach John Herrick, a 30-year coaching veteran, and pitching coach Chris Haney.
- Member of D-Bat Elite summer baseball organization under Zach Matthews.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 59 overall prospect in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 18 right-handed pitcher in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 5 player in the state of Texas.
- Participated in 2015 Texas Scouts Association Game.
- Played in the Metropolitan Classic in New York City (2015).
- Played for the Yankees Scout Team at Perfect Game WWBA in Jupiter, Fla. (2015).
- Member of Team Texas in the Battle of the Borders Oakley All-American Games (2015).
Coach Tadlock on May: "Dustin is a very projectable right-handed pitcher. It should be fun watching him grow."
| JAKE MCDONALD | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake McDonald | RHP | 6-4 | 10 | R/R | Maud, Texas/Maud |
- Son of Rodger and Crystal McDonald.
- Plays for Scott Sanders at Maud High School.
- Member of the Texarkana Bulldogs American Legion summer team in East Texas.
- All-State selection by both the Texas Sports Writers Association and the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association (2015).
- District 17-2A Most Valuable Player (2015).
- Region Pitcher of the Year (2015).
- All-District 17-2A honoree (2015).
- Finished 8-2 as a junior with a 0.61 ERA and 108 strikeouts (2015).
- Allowed just 14 hits in his 12 total appearances on the mound (2015).
- Helped lead Maud to the Region III-2A quarterfinals (2015).
- District 17-2A Defensive Most Valuable Player (2014).
- First Team All-Area selection (2014).
- District 17-2A Newcomer of the Year (2013).
Coach Tadlock on McDonald: "Jake loves to compete and has a very good arm."
| JOHN MCMILLION | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John McMillion | OF/RHP | 6-3 | 235 | L/R | Jasper, Texas/Jasper |
- Son of Mitch and Lora McMillon.
- Plays for Robb Kirkland and Austin Galifaro at Jasper High School.
- Member of the Texas Slam summer organization under the direction of Kurt Krystynik, a former Red Raider first and third baseman and graduate assistant in 2001.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 154 catcher in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 152 player in the state of Texas.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 21 catcher in the country.
- Named a first team All-District honoree in each of his three seasons (2013-15).
- Hit .417 with three home runs, 19 RBI, six doubles and a triple while with the Texas Slam (2015).
- Finished 3-1 on the mound in the summer with a 1.07 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 19.2 innings.
- Three-year letterman on the Jasper football team.
- Preseason All-State selection prior to his senior season (2015).
Coach Tadlock on McMillion: "John has some power in the bat and also a cannon for an arm."
| JD MURDERS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JD Murders | SS | 6-2 | 185 | L/R | Bolivar, Mo./Bolivar |
- Son of Robert and Brenda Murders.
- Plays for Brad Roweton at Bolivar High School.
- Member of the Midwest National summer organization under Dave Bingham.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 87 shortstop in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 6 player in the state of Missouri.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 2 shortstop in the state of Missouri.
- Named to the Perfect Game UnderClass High Honorable Mention All-America team (2015).
- Participated in 2015 Midwest Scouts Association Game.
- Played for Kansas City Royals Scout Team at Perfect WWBA in Jupiter, Fla. (2015).
- Hit .365 as a junior with a .580 slugging percentage while stealing six bases and hitting one home run (2015).
Coach Tadlock on Murders: "JD has only played in the infield a few years and already seems very comfortable with the pivot from both sides."
| TREVOR PARADOSKI | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Paradoski | SS | 6-1 | 185 | L/R | Lubbock, Texas/Coronado |
- Son of Tim and Nina Paradoski.
- Plays for Gary Hix at Lubbock Coronado High School.
- Member of the Dallas Patriots summer team under the direction of Logan Stout.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 201 shortstop in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 153 player in the state of Texas.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 19 shortstop in the state of Texas.
- Perfect Game Underclass Honorable Mention All-American (2014 & 2015).
- Second Team All-State selection by the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association (2015).
- Lubbock Avalanche-Journal Super Team (2015).
- Hit .447 overall with 34 RBI, 33 runs scored, 12 doubles and three triples (2015).
Coach Tadlock on Paradoski: "Trevor is a baseball player with an advanced approach to hitting."
| DEVIN SMELTZER | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devin Smeltzer | LHP | 6-4 | 190 | L/L | Voorhees, N.J./Bishope Eustace/San Jacinto College |
- Son of Tim and Christina Smeltzer.
- Plays for head coach Tom Arrington and assistant coaches Jimmy Durham, Kory Koehler, Eric Weaver and Jason Krug at San Jacinto Junior College.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 6 junior college prospect in the country.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 1 left-handed junior college pitcher in the country.
- Spent his freshman season at Florida Gulf Coast University.
- Played for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks in the prestigious Cape Cod League this past summer where he was an All-Star Game selection.
- Earned West Co-MVP honors at the Cape Cod All-Star Game.
- Finished the Cape Code League with a 5-4 record and 3.27 ERA after striking out 42 batters while allowing just four walks in 52.1 innings pitched.
- Tossed the first no-hitter in the Cape Cod League since 2010 and the first for Hyannis since 2007 on June 20, 2015, in a 5-0 victory where he allowed just a two-out walk in the seventh.
- Drafted in the 33rd round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres.
- Ranked the No. 73 player in the country out of high school by Perfect Game (2014).
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 13 left-handed pitcher in the country and top LHP in the state of New Jersey (2014).
- Member of Baseball America's top 100 pitching prospects (2014).
- Finished 8-3 overall with a 1.77 ERA and 109 strikeouts as a high school junior, leading Bishop Eustace High School to the state semifinals.
Coach Tadlock on Smeltzer: "Devin is a left-handed pitcher who already has competed at the Division-I level with some success. Last summer and this fall he has showed an advanced level of pitchability with good stuff."
| TUCK TUCKER | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuck Tucker | LHP | 6-5 | 215 | L/L | Mesquite, Texas/Poteet |
- Son of Billy and Jennifer Tucker.
- Plays for Jeff Johnson at Mesquite Poteet High School.
- Played for Team Citius under Omar Washington.
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 447 overall prospect in the country
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 52 left-handed pitcher
- Perfect Game Ranking: No. 47 player in the state of Texas
- Participated in 2015 Texas Scouts Association Game.
- Member of Poteet High School's football team as well.
- Struck out 47 hitters (11.3 strikeouts per game) in 29 innings as a junior (2015).
- Recorded a 1.69 ERA after only allowing seven earned earns and 14 hits all season (2015).
- All-District 12-5A Baseball (2014 & 2015).
- Three-year letterman at tight end for the Mesquite Poteet football program.
Coach Tadlock on Tucker: "Tuck passes the eye test and loves to compete. He has shown our staff an above average fastball and a quality secondary pitch."
