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Top baseball players sign intent with Cal
The University of California baseball team has signed seven athletes to national letters of intent, including four players who are listed on TeamOneBaseball.com Top-100 High School Prospects List
Cal head coach David Esquer and his staff signed four pitchers and three position players. The pitchers include Tyler Adamczyk, a 6-5, 180 pound right-handed pitcher/first baseman from Westlake Village (Westlake High School), Alex Trafton, a 6-4, 190-pound right-hander from Redlands (Yucaipa High School), Brent Hale, a 6-2, 200-pound right-hander from Palos Verdes (Peninsula High School) and Matt Swanson, a 6-7, 210-pound right-hander from Los Gatos (Los Gatos High School).
The position players signed include Justin Nelson, a 6-2, 210-pound left-handed outfielder from Vista (Rancho Buena Vista High School), Terry Jones, a 6-2, 195-pound shortstop from Upland (Upland High School) and David Nicholson, a 6-0, 160-pound outfielder from Anaheim (Esperanza High School).
Adamczyk, who is list the 12th best high school prospect by TeamOneBaseball, was 9-1 with 64 strikeouts and a 1.38 ERA in 56.0 innings last spring as a junior for Westlake High School. He also batted .400 with four home runs and 25 RBI and was named first team All-CIF Southern Section, L.A. Daily News All-Area Player of the Year, L.A. Times All-County Team and first team All-Marmonte League. Adamczyk was also selected as one of the nation’s Top 50 high school players for the USA National Team Trials in Joplin, MO in July of 2000.
Another Bear signee ranked in TeamOneBaseball’s top prospects includes Justin Nelson, who is ranked 28th.
Nelson is a left-handed pitcher as well as an outfielder and, according to Rivals.com, his frame and talents could be likened to Colorado Rockies outfielder Larry Walker.
He has 6.6 60-yard speed and has one of the best outfield arms among the 2001 class of outfielders. As a pitcher, Nelson throws in the mid-80s and has an outstanding curveball.
He is also a standout high school quarterback, passing for 720 yards and rushing for 644 yards as a junior. Nelson was named Palomar League Player of the Year in football.
Terry Jones and David Nicholson are the other two Cal recruits ranked in the TeamOneBaseball Top 100 list.
Jones, considered to be an outstanding athlete with a strong bat and the ability to play shortstop or third, is listed as the 40th-best prospect.
Nicolson is the 81st top high school recruit and has above average speed in the outfield.
“I’m extremely excited about this year’s recruiting class,” said Esquer. “I feel we have now backed-up last season’s recruiting class with another strong group of players.”
The recruits
Name Position Hometown/Last School
Tyler Adamczyk RHP/1B Westlake Village, Westlake
Brent Hale RHP Palos Verdes, Peninsula HS
Terry Jones SS Upland, Upland HS
Justin Nelson OF/LHP Vista, Rancho Buena HS
David Nicholson OF Anaheim, Esperanza HS
Matt Swanson RHP Los Gatos, Los Gatos HS
Alex Trafton RHP Redlands, CA/Yucaipa HS
