Fresno State Athletics
Eight Future Diamond 'Dogs Sign their NLI
11/12/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
By: Matt Burkholder
mburkholder@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State head coach Mike Batesole announced on Wednesday he has signed eight standout players to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period. The Bulldogs latest recruiting class features three pitchers and five position players.
"This is an amazing recruiting class that is very well-rounded," said Batesole. "The future of our program is very exciting."
All eight players in the Bulldogs 2015 class are from California high schools, including three high school prospects from the Central Valley - Ross Dodds, Buchanan High School; Zach Ashford, Buchanan HS; and Alec Gamboa, Madera HS.
"We love it when the best players in the Valley sign to be Bulldogs," added Batesole about the three newest Diamond 'Dogs from the local area.
In this balanced class, the 'Dogs signed three pitchers, Gamboa, Ryan Sullivan and Kenny Varnell, infielders Dodds and RJ Cordeiro, two outfielders Ashford and James Terrell III and one catcher Jake Ackerman.
"This class has excellent speed in the left-handed hitting Ashford and right-handed hitting Terrell," Batesole said. "Some juice from the right side with Dodds and from the left side with Cordier, and maybe the best catcher in California in the switch-hitting Ackerman. And most importantly, high-ceiling, young electric arms in Varnell, Sullivan and Gamboa."
The class features several players who have not only starred on the baseball field, but in other sports as well. Highlighting the dual sport prep players is Gamboa (Madera HS), a three-sport athlete who has finished in the top six in the state for wrestling each of the last two years. Gamboa has also starred on the football field for the Coyotes. Ashford, Sullivan and Terrell also have starred in high school as dual sport athletes.
Perfect Game currently ranks several members of the class as some of the best prep players in the state of California - Dodds (21), Terrell (41), Ackerman (134), Cordeiro (152).
Jake Ackerman, C, California HS (San Ramon, Calif.)
Height: 6-2, Weight: 175
Bats/Throws - S/R
● 2014 Area Code Games Participant - Oakland Athletics
● 2014 USA Baseball 17U National Team Development Program
● 2014 Seattle Mariners Scout Team
● 2013 USA NTIS Participant-Cary, North Carolina
Zach Ashford, OF, Buchanan HS (Clovis, Calif.)
Height: 5-10, Weight: 160
Bats/Throws - L/R
● 2014 First-Team All-TRAC
● 2014 Silver Slugger Award at Buchanan HS (led team in hitting)
● 2014 BHS ranked top 25 in California
● 2014 NorCal Reebok World Series
● 2014 North-South games North Team Member
RJ Cordeiro - INF Bishop Diego High School (Santa Barbara, Calif.)
Height: 6-2, Weight: 185
Bats/Throws - L/R
● 2014 Perfect Game/EvoShield All-Tournament Team
● 2014 Under Armour Southwest Championship All-Tournament Team
● 2014 MLB Scouts Association North-South Game - North Team Member
● 2012-2014 So Cal Halos Scout Team
● Batted .452 in 31 Games for So Cal Halos during Summer/Fall of 2014
● Led Team in homeruns with three and RBIs - 26
● Four-year Letter Winner in Baseball at BDHS
● Two-year Football Player at BDHS
● BDHS School Ambassador 2013-2014
● BDHS Homecoming Nominee 2014
● Also Recruited by Arizona State, Arizona, UC Davis, Hawaii and Others
Ross Dodds, INF, Buchanan High School (Clovis, Calif.)
Height: 6-1, Weight: 200
Bats/Throws - R/R
● 2014 Area Code Participant for Oakland A's
● 2014 North/South Games Participants
● 2014 CalHi Sports First-Team All-State Underclass
● Ranked No. 2 3B in California from Perfect Game
● Three-time Marlins Scout Team Participant
● Ranked 136th National and 21st in California High School Prospect for 2015 by Perfect Game
● Also recruited by UCSB, Fullerton, Long Beach State, Arizona, Iowa, UCLA
Alec Gamboa, LHP, Madera High School (Madera, Calif.)
Height: 6-0, Weight: 185
Bats/Throws - S/R
● 2013 USA NTIS Participant
● 2014 CO-Pitcher of the year County Metro Athletic Conference
● 2014 First-Team All-League Baseball
● 2013 CMAC Specialist of the Year - Football
● 2014 First-Team All-Bee Wrestling
● 2013 MVP football
● 2013 Reno Worlds National Champion Wrestling
● 2013-14 6th at State, 5th at State Wrestling
● Also recruited by SJSU, Washington State, UCSB, Cal Poly (wrestling).
Ryan Sullivan, RHP, Oak Ridge High (El Dorado Hills, Calif.)
Height: 6-4, Weight: 230
Bats/Throws - R/R
● Three-year Varsity Baseball Starting Pitcher
● Two-year Varsity Football Starter (Tight End)
● Varsity Football Team Captain
● 2012 & 2013 Athlete of the Year
● 2013 Delta River League Sportsmanship Award
● National Honor Society Member
● Recruited by multiple Division-I football and baseball programs
James Dawson Terrell III, OF, St. Patrick-St. Vincent (Fairfield, Calif.)
Height: 6-0, Weight: 170
Bats/Throws - R/R
● Three-time TCAL/BSAL first-team all-league
● 2014 Area Code Games Participant Oakland Athletics
● Ranked 200th National and 41st in California High School Prospect for 2015 by Perfect Game
● Mariners Scout Team 2012, 2013 and 2014
● Two-time SPSV MVP
● Three-time SPSV Defensive Award
● Perfect Game 2014 Underclass Third-Team
● 2013 Underclass High Honorable Mention
● Also recruited by USC, Michigan, UCLA (Football), Kansas, Washington, California
Kenny Varnell, LHP, Moorpark High School (Moorpark, Calif.)
Height: 6-2, Weight: 185
Bats/Throws - L/L
● 2014 California Baseball Coaches Association North/South Series-Southern California Team
● 2014 Lasorda Elite Team invitee/will participate - Nov. 15, 2014
● 2014 Perfect Game participant
● 2014 Red Sox Scout Team
● 2014 Marmonte League Runner Up
● Also recruited by UCSB, Seattle University, Saint Mary's College, Pacific, Dartmouth
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