IU Baseball recruits show skills in final high school seasons

The Hoosiers are gaining 14 new baseball players for the 2012-13 season. Here is a breakdown of what these players accomplished this season in high school action.

Evan Bell
From Stilwell, Kan., the Blue Valley High School graduate was the Kansas 5A Player of the Year. Bell was also voted First Team All-Kansas first baseman. He led Blue Valley’s baseball team to the state championship game following a season in which he batted .444 and drove in 24 runs.

Garret Brown
Brown graduated from Beckman High School in Irvine, Calif., with the honor of Pacific Coast League’s MVP after leading his high school to a league title. Brown’s team advanced to the California Interscholastic Federation semifinals. He is a member of the First Team All-California Interscholastic Federation and hit .420 with three home runs, three doubles, two triples, 16 RBI, six steals and 25 runs scored.

Will Coursen-Carr
The Fort Wayne Southside High School player was named the 2012 Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Indiana. Coursen-Carr holds a 10-1 pitching record with 134 strikeouts, 21 walks and a 0.40 ERA in 13 appearances through 70 innings. He closed out his high school career with a .488 batting average, 36 RBI, 12 doubles, a triple and four home runs. He earned his third all-conference selection as a senior and led his high school to its second ever sectional championship.

Scott Effross
Effross graduated from Twinsburg High School in Twinsburg, Ohio, where he was a Mizuno All-Ohio selection. He earned his second consecutive First Team All-Conference recognition in 2012. He compiled an 8-1 record, 1.52 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 55.1 innings pitched. Effross was added to the All-Ohio Academic Team and led Tinsburg High School to a sectional championship.

Brad Hartong
From Los Alamitos, Calif., the player was named a Junior College All-American and will be a junior for the 2013 season. Hartong was a member of the First Team All-Orange Empire Conference and was voted the conference’s Gold Glove catcher. During the conference, Hartong batted .389 with 11 runs scored, five RBI, six doubles and seven stolen bases in 21 games. He threw out 26 of 32 attempted base stealers. Hartong hit .364 with 19 runs scored, nine RBI, seven doubles and 10 stolen bases in 38 games.

Zach Haynes
From Lexington, Ky., the Lexington Catholic High School star improved his career pitching record to 15-0 after an 8-0 senior season. Haynes pitched 51.1 innings with a 0.95 ERA, three saves, 60 strikeouts and only 10 walks during his senior campaign. He threw 13 innings of no-hit baseball during the 2012 postseason, leading his high school to a district championship.

Jake Kelzer
From Bloomington, the Bloomington High School South graduate earned All-Conference Indiana honors and was named Bloomington South’s Pitcher of the Year.

Christian Morris
Morris graduated from Williston High School in Williston, Fla., after leading all players in the state of Florida with 11 home runs and 45 runs driven in. Morris hit at a .376 clip while leading Williston High School to a 25-4 record and a slot in the regional finals.

Kasey Ralston
From Chaska, Minn., the Holy Family Catholic High School graduate was a finalist for both Mr. Baseball and the Gatorade Player of the Year in Minnesota. Ralston pitched a complete game two-hitter in the state championship game and was a dual player voted to the all-conference squad.
He closed his high school career with not only a 0.87 ERA and a 7-0 record in 52 innings pitched, but also added 93 strikeouts and limited his competitors to a .150 average. As for batting, Ralston hit .340 with six home runs, 27 RBI and a .662 slugging percentage.

Nick Ramos
Graduating from Plant High School in Tampa Bay, Fla., Ramos was named the Defensive Player of the Year as a senior after being named Offensive Player of the Year following his junior season. He has two district titles, one regional championship and a Florida state Final Four appearance under his belt after his tenure at Plant High. Ramos hit .429 for his club teams, the Tampa Panthers and All-American Prospects travel squad.

Kyle Ramussen
Ramussen graduated from Clovis East High School in Fresno, Calif., after increasing his career wins total to 21 during his senior season. He also threw 14 innings with 12 strikeouts and a 3.50 ERA in 2012.

Sully Stadler
From Glenview, Ill., the Glenbrook South High School graduate was the Illinois High School Coaches Association first team all-state selection. He was voted team captain and was the Conference Player of the Year. He pitched an 8-1 record with 70 strikeouts and a 1.79 ERA in 43 innings on the mound. When Stadler wasn’t pitching, he started in centerfield. He hit .424 with 22 RBI, 12 steals and a .481 on-base percentage.

Brian Wilhite
From Barrington, Ill., the St. Viator High School graduate was named captain and led his team to its third consecutive regional title. Wilhite was also named the Defensive Player of the Year.

Kent Williams
From Noblesville, Ind., the Noblesville High School graduate fanned 21 batters compared to just five walks in 22 innings pitched. Williams also led Noblesville High School to an IHSAA sectional championship game.

— Shannon Ireland