Nine Newcomers Join Baseball for 2021
7/30/2020 12:07:00 PM | Baseball
Colonials welcome in four top-500 recruits in highly-touted class
WASHINGTON - GW baseball head coach Gregg Ritchie has announced the addition of nine newcomers to the program, welcoming seven first-years, a junior college transfer and a graduate transfer.
The group includes four pitchers, two infielders, two utility players and an outfielder from seven different states across the nation. The highly-touted class has been recognized nationally by Perfect Game, one of the leading recruiting analysts for high school and college baseball. Four of the nine incoming recruits are among the organization's top 500 high school players, the second-most among Atlantic 10 schools.
Cole Beeker
The group includes four pitchers, two infielders, two utility players and an outfielder from seven different states across the nation. The highly-touted class has been recognized nationally by Perfect Game, one of the leading recruiting analysts for high school and college baseball. Four of the nine incoming recruits are among the organization's top 500 high school players, the second-most among Atlantic 10 schools.
Cole Beeker
Lexington, N.C. / North Davidson / Swarthmore
6'3" / 215 lbs. / INF
Prior to GW (at Swarthmore): Is the program's all-time leader in doubles (56), RBI (154) and walks (82) ... Also set or tied the program's single season record in doubles (21, 2019), walks (39, 2019), hits (74, 2018) and RBI (65, 2018) ... 2020 CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team, All-District First Team ... Named a D3Baseball.com Fourth Team All-American and First Team All-Region in 2019 ... Two-time ABCA All-Region selection in 2018 and 2019 ... Three-time All-Conference selection ... Appeared in 138 games during his three-plus years at Swarthmore, hitting .362 with 56 2B, 3B, 13 HR, 130 R, 154 RBI ... Recorded a .447 OBP and .539 SLG during his career.
High School/Prep: Attended North Davidson High School, winning the 4-A State Championship as a senior in 2016 ... Named All-Conference and All-County as a senior ... Elected Team MVP, County Player of the Year, All-County, Conference Pitcher of the Year and All-Conference as a junior in 2015.
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Shane Harkins
Prior to GW (at Swarthmore): Is the program's all-time leader in doubles (56), RBI (154) and walks (82) ... Also set or tied the program's single season record in doubles (21, 2019), walks (39, 2019), hits (74, 2018) and RBI (65, 2018) ... 2020 CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team, All-District First Team ... Named a D3Baseball.com Fourth Team All-American and First Team All-Region in 2019 ... Two-time ABCA All-Region selection in 2018 and 2019 ... Three-time All-Conference selection ... Appeared in 138 games during his three-plus years at Swarthmore, hitting .362 with 56 2B, 3B, 13 HR, 130 R, 154 RBI ... Recorded a .447 OBP and .539 SLG during his career.
High School/Prep: Attended North Davidson High School, winning the 4-A State Championship as a senior in 2016 ... Named All-Conference and All-County as a senior ... Elected Team MVP, County Player of the Year, All-County, Conference Pitcher of the Year and All-Conference as a junior in 2015.
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Shane Harkins
North Wales, Pa. / Germantown Academy
6'1" / 195 lbs. / UTL
High School/Prep: Rated as a top-500 recruit nationally by Perfect Game ... Tabbed as the #32 overall recruit and #6 catcher in the state of Pennsylvania ... 2018-19 Perfect Game Preseason Underclassman All-American Honorable Mention and 2020 Preseason All-American Honorable Mention ... Earned All-League honors in both football and baseball at Germantown Academy while serving as team captain for both squads ... Also played club baseball for Tri-State Arsenal.
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Ryan Herskowitz
Miami, Fla. / Miami Palmetto
6'3" / 170 lbs. / INF
High School/Prep: A four-year letterwinner at Miami Palmetto, was named team captain his junior and senior seasons ... Led the team in home runs, runs batted in and walks as a junior ... Senior season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic ... 2020 Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention ... Also played club baseball for X-Team 2020.
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Jack Horn
High School/Prep: Rated as a top-500 recruit nationally by Perfect Game ... Tabbed as the #32 overall recruit and #6 catcher in the state of Pennsylvania ... 2018-19 Perfect Game Preseason Underclassman All-American Honorable Mention and 2020 Preseason All-American Honorable Mention ... Earned All-League honors in both football and baseball at Germantown Academy while serving as team captain for both squads ... Also played club baseball for Tri-State Arsenal.
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Ryan Herskowitz
Miami, Fla. / Miami Palmetto
6'3" / 170 lbs. / INF
High School/Prep: A four-year letterwinner at Miami Palmetto, was named team captain his junior and senior seasons ... Led the team in home runs, runs batted in and walks as a junior ... Senior season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic ... 2020 Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention ... Also played club baseball for X-Team 2020.
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Jack Horn
Tacoma, Wash. / Curtis / Tacoma CC
6'2" / 205 lbs. / LHP
2019 at Tacoma: Appeared in 12 games, starting one, went 3-1 with one save and 4.61 ERA in 27.1 IP ... Allowed 32 H, 19 R, 14 ER, 14 BB, 28 K ... Earned first win vs. Wenatchee Valley (March 2) with 5.0 scoreless innings, striking out eight ... Earned the save vs. Spokane (May 24) with two scoreless innings of relief in the regional tournament ... Team won a program-record 41 games.
High School/Prep: Was named All-League as a junior and a senior at Curtis High School, also earning Pitcher of the Year honors.
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Christopher Kahler
2019 at Tacoma: Appeared in 12 games, starting one, went 3-1 with one save and 4.61 ERA in 27.1 IP ... Allowed 32 H, 19 R, 14 ER, 14 BB, 28 K ... Earned first win vs. Wenatchee Valley (March 2) with 5.0 scoreless innings, striking out eight ... Earned the save vs. Spokane (May 24) with two scoreless innings of relief in the regional tournament ... Team won a program-record 41 games.
High School/Prep: Was named All-League as a junior and a senior at Curtis High School, also earning Pitcher of the Year honors.
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Christopher Kahler
Coral Springs, Fla. / Coral Springs Charter
6'1" / 180 lbs. / RHP
High School/Prep: Two-time All-District and All-County selection at Coral Springs Charter School ... Also played club ball for Elite Squad Baseball ... Was named to a Perfect Game All-Tournament team 12 times ... Tabbed a Top 500 Player nationally and ranks among the top 60 pitchers in the state of Florida by Perfect Game ... Perfect Game Preseason Underclassman All-American Honorable Mention in 2019 and Preseason All-American Honorable Mention in 2020.
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Jay Kalieta
High School/Prep: Two-time All-District and All-County selection at Coral Springs Charter School ... Also played club ball for Elite Squad Baseball ... Was named to a Perfect Game All-Tournament team 12 times ... Tabbed a Top 500 Player nationally and ranks among the top 60 pitchers in the state of Florida by Perfect Game ... Perfect Game Preseason Underclassman All-American Honorable Mention in 2019 and Preseason All-American Honorable Mention in 2020.
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Jay Kalieta
Red Bank, N.J. / Matawan Regional
5'10" / 160 lbs. / OF
High School/Prep: Rated as the #138 overall recruit and #26 outfielder in the state of New Jersey by Perfect Game ... Was tabbed the Offensive Player of the Year for Matawan Regional High School as a sophomore in addition to being named to the All-Division team his sophomore and junior year ... 2020 Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention.
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Eddie Micheletti, Jr.
High School/Prep: Rated as the #138 overall recruit and #26 outfielder in the state of New Jersey by Perfect Game ... Was tabbed the Offensive Player of the Year for Matawan Regional High School as a sophomore in addition to being named to the All-Division team his sophomore and junior year ... 2020 Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention.
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Eddie Micheletti, Jr.
Wilmington, Del. / Wilmington Friends
6'1" / 205 lbs. / UTL
High School/Prep: Rated as a top-500 national recruit and top-70 catcher nationally by Perfect Game ... Tabbed as the top overall recruit and top catcher who competes in Delaware ... 2020 Perfect Game Preseason All-American First Team All-Northeast Region ... Started on the varsity team at Wilmington Friends School as a freshman, earning first team All-Conference honors ... Was one of the state's top players as junior in 2019, leading Delaware with a .561 batting average, 28 RBI, .710 OBP and 21 walks ... Earned Conference Player of the Year, All-Conference and first team All-State honors in 2019.
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Zack Oswald
High School/Prep: Rated as a top-500 national recruit and top-70 catcher nationally by Perfect Game ... Tabbed as the top overall recruit and top catcher who competes in Delaware ... 2020 Perfect Game Preseason All-American First Team All-Northeast Region ... Started on the varsity team at Wilmington Friends School as a freshman, earning first team All-Conference honors ... Was one of the state's top players as junior in 2019, leading Delaware with a .561 batting average, 28 RBI, .710 OBP and 21 walks ... Earned Conference Player of the Year, All-Conference and first team All-State honors in 2019.
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Zack Oswald
Hoboken, N.J. / St. Peter's Prep
6'2" / 190 lbs. / LHP
High School/Prep: Rated as the #79 overall recruit and #6 LHP in the state of New Jersey by Perfect Game ... 2020 Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention and 2019 Underclassman All-American Honorable Mention ... Earned All-Parochial honors in 2018 and All-County honors in 2019 ... Also played club baseball for Wladyka Baseball.
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Benny Wilson
High School/Prep: Rated as the #79 overall recruit and #6 LHP in the state of New Jersey by Perfect Game ... 2020 Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention and 2019 Underclassman All-American Honorable Mention ... Earned All-Parochial honors in 2018 and All-County honors in 2019 ... Also played club baseball for Wladyka Baseball.
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Benny Wilson
Hatboro, Pa. / Hatboro-Horsham
6'5" / 215 lbs. / RHP
High School/Prep: Rated as a top-500 recruit nationally by Perfect Game ... Tabbed as the #57 overall recruit and #23 RHP in Pennsylvania ... 2020 Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention ... Played for three years at Hatboro-Horsham High School, earned honorable mention All-League status as a sophomore before being named first team All-League as a junior ... Played club baseball for Philadelphia Whiz Kids ... Was named to the All-Tournament team at the 2019 WWBA 17U National Championship and the 2019 WWBA World Championship
High School/Prep: Rated as a top-500 recruit nationally by Perfect Game ... Tabbed as the #57 overall recruit and #23 RHP in Pennsylvania ... 2020 Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention ... Played for three years at Hatboro-Horsham High School, earned honorable mention All-League status as a sophomore before being named first team All-League as a junior ... Played club baseball for Philadelphia Whiz Kids ... Was named to the All-Tournament team at the 2019 WWBA 17U National Championship and the 2019 WWBA World Championship
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