September 02, 2003
Texas A&M head baseball coach Mark Johnson welcomed 19 new players who have started attending classes this week and will begin fall workouts with the team on September 18.
"We are excited about getting started with a good mix of experienced players and talented new players," commented Johnson. "We lost a lot of players to the draft last season and we had a couple of others being pursued by professional baseball who decided to come back to school. Obviously, we are happy about that."
The incoming class consists of 10 freshmen, eight junior college transfers and a four-year transfer. Of the 19 newcomers, 14 are native Texans.
Zach Jackson, a junior transfer from The University of Louisville, will add immediate pitching help for the Aggies, who had eight pitchers sign professional baseball contracts at the conclusion of last season. The lefty from Cranberry Township, Penn., was the bellcow for the Cardinals last season as he threw 112.2 innings, fashioning a record of 7-6 and an ERA of 4.31.
The Aggies also welcome three Brazos Valley players to campus, including former Bryan High standout Andrew Baldwin. Baldwin spent the last two seasons playing outfield for San Jacinto Junior College. Freshmen Kyle Nicholson and Grady Norton, from A&M Consolidated High School, are also on the 2003-2004 roster.
Name Yr-Exp B/T Pos Ht Wt Hometown (HS/Transfer) Baldwin, Andrew Jr-TR R/R OF 6'1 200 Bryan, Texas (Bryan/San Jacinto JC) Bartek, Travis Jr-TR R/R OF 6'0 180 Sparks, Nev. (Reed/Feather River JC) Blackmon, Will Fr-HS L/L LHP 6'6 215 Arlington, Texas (Heights) Boggs, Austin Fr-HS S/R INF 5'10 185 Pflugerville, Texas (Connally) Cardinale, Franco Jr-TR L/L LHP 5'11 185 Lafayette, La. (St. Thomas More/Frank Phillips CC) Cline, John Michael Jr-TR L/L LHP 6' 170 Palestine, Texas (Elkhart/Tyler JC) Creps, Austin Fr-HS R/R RHP/INF 6'2 170 Spring, Texas (Klein) Frame, Doug Fr-HS L/L LHP 6' 225 Tomball, Texas (Tomball) Harughty, Lee Fr-HS R/R C 6' 180 Spring, Texas (Spring) Holdren, Stephen Jr-TR L/R INF 6' 210 Overland Park, Kan. (Shawnee South/Butler CC) Jackson, Brent Jr-TR L/L LHP 6'4 190 Henderson, Texas (Henderson/ North Central CC) Jackson, Zach Jr-TR L/L LHP 6'5 220 Cranberry Twp., Penn. (Seneca Valley/Louisville) Marlatt, Kyle Jr-TR R/R RHP 6'3 215 Enid, Okla. (Enid/ San Jacinto JC) Nicholson, Kyle Fr-HS R/R RHP/INF 5'11 185 College Station, Texas (A&M Consolidated) Norton, Grady Fr-HS R/R C 5'11 190 College Station, Texas (A&M Consolidated) Rampy, Blake Fr-HS R/R RHP 6'2 170 Tomball, Texas (Tomball) Soeder, Tyler Fr-HS L/L LHP 6'1 160 The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands) Stroud, Todd Fr-HS R/R OF/C 6'2 210 Weatherford, Texas (Weatherford/ Grayson CC) Turner, Jerrett Fr-HS R/R RHP/INF 6'2 195 Longview, Texas (Pinetree)