Ducks sign 13 to baseball letters of intent

EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon baseball coach George Horton announced the signing of 13 players to National Letters of Intent during November's signing period. The Ducks' class features four pitchers, four infielders, three catchers and two outfielders. All 13 of the recruits come from the high school ranks.

"We are very excited about this group and are anxious to see the contributions they will make on the field and in the community," Horton said. "This is a group with great potential and we can't wait to start working with them on a daily basis. Coach Uhlman, Coach Dietrich and the staff did a terrific job recruiting this class."

The class includes players from three different states, with 11 coming from California and one each from Oregon and Texas.

Cameron Barstad, C, 6-1, 180, Redwood City, Calif. (Serra HS)
A two-year letterman at Serra High School in San Mateo, Calif. ... The 63rd-ranked player in the state of California by Perfect Game ... Named a second-team All-West Catholic Athletic League outfielder as a junior ... Helped lead Serra to a CIF Central Coast Section runner-up finish, batting .288 with two home runs, 19 RBI and on on-base percentage of .438 ... Hit three doubles with one triple while scoring 11 runs ... Selected to play for the Oakland Athletics' Area Code Team in 2017 ... A 2017 Perfect Game Underclass High Honorable Mention selection ... Played in the 2016 Under Armour All-America preseason tournament ... High school baseball coach is Chris Houle.
Associate Head Coach Jay Uhlman: "Cam has been under represented in the prospect world. He finally turned heads at the Area Code Games with (Vinny) Tosti and (A.J.) Miller. Cam is athletic behind the plate as a receiver and an excellent hitter that has a bright future. He has a passion to work hard at his craft."

James Bell, C/OF, 6-1, 205, Fresno, Calif. (Clovis North HS)
A two-year letterman at Clovis North High School in Fresno, Calif. ... The 319th-ranked player in the country and 44th-ranked player in the state of California by Perfect Game ... An underclassmen first-team all-state selection by CalHiSports in 2017 ... Named first-team Tri River Athletic Conference as a junior ... Finished the season hitting .370 with two home runs and 20 RBI ... Doubled six times and had an on-base percentage of .458 with 14 runs scored ... A first-team Tri River Athletic Conference selection as a sophomore ... Hit .483 with 11 doubles and 23 RBI in 2016 ... Earned underclass honorable mention recognition from Perfect Game in 2017 ... High school baseball coach is Jeff Prieto.
Associate Head Coach Jay Uhlman "James is a proven run producer and physical presence in a lineup to go along with a great eye for hitting. He is a catcher by trade with a good arm and developing skill set. His versatility will also allow us to utilize him in other positions to keep his big bat in the lineup."

Keaton Chase, RHP, 6-0, 175, San Diego, Calif. (Helix HS)
A three-year letterman at Helix Charter High School in San Diego, Calif. ... A second-team All-Grossmont Hills League selection as a junior in 2017 ... Went 6-1 with a 2.50 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched, helping lead Helix to a CIF San Diego Section runner-up finish and Grossmont Hills League title ... Named honorable mention All-Grossmont Hills League as a sophomore ... Finished 4-3 with a 2.80 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 48.2 innings pitched for a Helix team that made it to the CIF San Diego Section semifinals ... Also lettered four years in football as a kicker and punter ... High school baseball coach is Cole Holland.
Pitching Coach Jason Dietrich: "Keaton is a two sport star at Helix High School. He is very athletic and has a lot of upside on the mound. We feel Keaton is one of the top pitchers in the San Diego area and we feel that will help him transition to competing in the Pac-12. We have high expectations for Keaton and are excited that he is a Duck."

Christian Ciuffetelli, RHP, 6-2, 185, Irvine, Calif. (Servite HS)
A two-year letterman at Servite High School in Anaheim, Calif. ... The 207th-ranked player in the state of California by Perfect Game ... Named second-team All-Trinity League as a junior in 2017 ... Appeared in 12 games, going 6-3 with a 1.39 ERA in 50.1 innings pitched, helping Servite to a CIF Southern Section Championships second round appearance ... Tossed a complete-game shutout in a win over Orange Lutheran High ... Pitched in seven games as a sophomore, throwing 13.1 innings while recording one save ... High school baseball coach is Shawn Gilbert.
Pitching Coach Jason Dietrich: "Christian comes from a top notch program in Servite High School and competes in the Trinity League. We feel that this league is of one of the most talented and highly competitive leagues in the nation. He has a successful track record and we feel he will carry that winning attitude to Eugene. Christian is strike thrower who can command three pitches. He will be looked upon to come in right away and compete for quality innings."

Maxwell Foxcroft, 2B, 5-7, 160, Newport Coast, Calif. (Mater Dei HS)
A two-year letterman at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. ... Ranked 444th in the nation and 57th in the state of California by Perfect Game ... A Trinity League honorable mention selection as a junior ... Hit .308 with two home runs and 17 RBI for a Mater Dei team that made it to the CIF Southern Section final four ... Also hit nine doubles and one triple with 24 runs scored and had an on-base percentage of .426 ... Hit .244 with a home run, five doubles and 21 runs scored as a sophomore in 2016 ... A 2017 Perfect Game Underclass third team selection ... High school baseball coach is Burt Call.
Associate Head Coach Jay Uhlman: "Max is the epitome of playing every day with your hair on fire. His energy and attitude are contagious and he will do whatever it takes to win. He hits, gets on base a ton and will surprise pitchers with power from his short compact swing. We are expecting Max to come in here and become a positive force in our lineup."

Tyler Frazier, RHP, 6-1, 150, Corona Calif. (Santiago HS)
A two-year letterman at Santiago High School in Corona, Calif. ... The 145th-ranked player in the state of California by Perfect Game ... A first-team All-Big VIII League selection as a junior ... Also an all-area first-team honoree by the Inland Empire Press Enterprise ... Went 8-4 with 58 strikeouts and a 2.15 ERA in 71.2 innings pitched in 2017 to lead Santiago to first round appearance in the CIF Southern Section championships ... Named first-team All-Big VIII League as a sophomore ... Finished the year 7-2 with a 2.10 ERA ... An Underclass High Honorable Mention selection by Perfect Game in 2017 ... High school baseball coach is Ty DeTrinidad.
Pitching Coach Jason Dietrich: "Tyler has competed at the varsity level for the last two years and has been very successful. He knows what it takes to be a top notch pitcher. He is considered to be a top pitcher in the state of California. We expect Tyler to be another pitcher to have an immediate impact as a freshman. We are excited to have Tyler be a part of the Duck family."

Kyle Froemke, SS, 6-6, 205, Round Rock, Texas (Round Rock HS)
Lettered two years at Westlake High School in Thousand Oaks, Calif. before transferring to Round Rock High School in Round Rock, Texas for senior season ... The 121st-ranked player in the state of Texas by Perfect Game ... A second-team All-Marmonte League selection as a junior in 2017 at Westlake ... Hit .310 with three home runs and 12 RBI with a .413 on-base percentage ... Led the team with five doubles while scoring 12 runs ... A 2017 Perfect Game Underclass High Honorable Mention selection ... High school baseball coach is John Carter.
Associate Head Coach Jay Uhlman "Kyle is a big physical shortstop with superb actions and big time projectability with the bat. Although he has moved three times in his prep career (Singapore to California to Texas), he has continued to improve his skill set along with his strength regardless of location."

A.J. Miller, 1B/OF, 6-2, 210, Petaluma, Calif. (Casa Grande HS)
A two-year letterman at Casa Grande High School in Petaluma, Calif. ... The 383rd-ranked player in the nation and the 50th-ranked player in the state of California by Perfect Game ... Named first-team All-North Bay League as a junior in 2017 ... Batted .370 with three home runs and 32 RBI ... Had an on-base percentage of .464 with seven doubles and 22 runs scored, helping lead Casa Grande to a CIF North Coast Section runner-up finish and North Bay League championship ... As a sophomore in 2016, hit .258 with five doubles, 10 RBI and 18 runs scored ... An Underclass High Honorable Metion selection by Perfect Game in 2016 and 2017.
Associate Head Coach Jay Uhlman: "A.J. will bring an advanced hit tool to the middle of our batting order. He uses the whole field and we believe he brings real power potential to our program. He is a competitor that has had plenty of success in high-level events including the Area Codes during the course of his prep career.

Jack Noble, RHP, 6-2, 180, Upland, Calif. (Claremont HS)
A two-year letterman at Claremont High School in Claremont, Calif. ... The 154th-ranked player in the state of California by Perfect Game ... Missed all of junior season in 2017 with an injury ... A Palomares League honorable mention selection as a sophomore in 2016 ... Appeared in 11 games and went 3-5 with a 3.50 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 46 innings pitched ... Named a 2017 Underclass High Honorable Mention selection by Perfect Game ... High school baseball coach is Ron LaChase.
Pitching Coach Jason Dietrich: "Jack is another right-handed pitcher we signed who we feel can have an immediate impact on the mound as a freshman. He has pitched against top tier talent his entire life and we feel that will carry over to competing in the Pac-12. He is very athletic and can really pound the strike zone. He is very projectable and we feel he has a high ceiling as a pitcher."

Sam Novitske, SS, 5-11, 178, Pleasanton, Calif. (Foothill HS)
A three-year letterman at Foothill High School in Pleasanton, Calif. ... The123rd-overall prospect in the state of California by Perfect Game ... A first-team All-East Bay Athletic League selection as a junior in 2017 ... Earned honorable mention recognition on the San Jose Mercury News' All-Bay Area team ... Batted .369 with seven doubles, one triple and 15 RBI, leading Foothill to a 16-0-1 start to the season ... Hit four doubles while batting .250 with seven RBI and 10 runs scored as a sophomore ... As a freshman, hit .273 with four doubles, one triple and eight runs scored ... A 2017 Underclass High Honorable Mention selection by Perfect Game ... Also lettered two years in basketball, earning honorable mention recognition as a sophomore ... High school baseball coach is Angelo Scavone.
Associate Head Coach Jay Uhlman "Sam is a humble competitor that knows how to win. He has quietly turned himself into one of the best shortstops in California. He excels with the glove and has a knack for getting the big hit when his team needs it. We are looking forward to Sam bringing his game and team-first attitude to Oregon."

Heath Pickhardt, C, 6-1, 182, Powell Butte, Ore. (Crook County HS)
A three-year letterman at Crook County High School in Prineville, Ore. ... The third-ranked overall prospect in the state of Oregon by Perfect Game ... A second-team Oregon 6A all-state selection as a catcher in 2017 ... Selected first-team All-Tri-Valley Conference as a junior ... Hit .522 with 28 RBI and 17 doubles ... A 2016 Tri-Valley Conference first team selection after batting .382 with nine doubles ... Named second-team All-Tri-Valley Conference as a freshman in 2015 ... Also a two-year letterman in football, playing quarterback for Crook County ... High school baseball coach is Frank Martinez.
Associate Head Coach Jay Uhlman: "Heath's name came to us from the Northwest scouting community as he hails from a small town in Central Oregon. His makeup and work ethic are fantastic and he can receive and block very well. His bat is progressing in a manner that we believe in his time at Oregon he will become a valuable contributor."

Tanner Smith, OF, 5-10, 190, Newport Beach, Calif. (Servite HS)
A three-year letterman at Servite High School in Anaheim, Calif. ... The 111th-overall ranked prospect in the state of California by Perfect Game ... Selected first-team All-Trinity League as a junior in 2017 ... Batted .372 with 13 RBI and 21 runs scored while totaling 11 extra base hits and a .475 on-base percentage, helping lead Servite to a CIF Southern Section championships second round appearance ... Named second-team All-Trinity League in 2016 as a sophomore ... An Underclass High Honorable Mention selection in 2016 and 2017 by Perfect Game ... High school baseball coach is Shawn Gilbert.
Associate Head Coach Jay Uhlman: "Tanner brings us another superb outfielder from another quality high school program. His left-handed bat will provide the type of balance that we rely on in our offense. Tanner will bring an aggressive attitude to our offense, which we appreciate. He continues to improve his game and we are excited to watch Tanner contribute to the program."

Vinny Tosti, OF, 6-0, 190, Santa Rosa, Calif (Mater Dei HS)
Lettered two years at Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, Calif. before transferring to Mater Dei High School for senior season ... The 54th-ranked player in the nation and the sixth ranked in the state of California by Perfect Game ... Played in the PG All-Star Game at Petco Park ... Named honorable mention All-North Bay League as a junior ... A second-team Underclass All-American selection by Perfect Game in 2017 ... Named Underclass High Honorable Mention by Perfect Game in 2016 ... Played for the Oakland Athletics' area code team in 2017 ... High school baseball coach is Burt Call.
Associate Head Coach Jay Uhlman: "Vinny is one of the highest profile players and center fielders in the country as a Perfect Game All-American and Area Code selection. He has all the tools a top prospect needs to go along with a big league work ethic. He has a deep passion to practice and play. "

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