WSU Baseball Recruiting - Class of 2014

[Cdizzle]

I like the mix. Let me be the first to ask the all important question....Can any of them hit a D1 curve ball?

I think we're at the point I'd be ok if some of them can hit a D1 fastball.

[Snapshot9]

I hope we have some hitters in this class. It is nice to concentrate on defense and pitching, but you still have to get our guys across the plate to win.

[1972Shocker]

The 2014 oral commitments keep coming. In addition to Adam Thies reported by @RoyalShock: yesterday, Josh DeBacker, a 6-3, 185lb CF who bats leads off for Lee's Summit North has also committed.

http://www.kansas.com/2013/08/22/2957978/two-kc-area-athletes-commit-to.html

[Ricardo del Rio]

The 2014 oral commitments keep coming. In addition to Adam Thies reported by @RoyalShock yesterday, Josh DeBacker, a 6-3, 185lb CF who bats leads off for Lee's Summit North has also committed.

http://www.kansas.com/2013/08/22/295...commit-to.html

I can't get over the number of new recruit commitments we have in such a short period of time.

We have a high energy coaching staff. They mean business.

In short order, we are going to be soooo pleased.

JJ Clamdip and I are in the same camp with Mr. Pogo.

This is our standard: Can they hit a D-1 curve ball?

[1972Shocker]

This is our standard: Can they hit a D-1 curve ball?

My standard is can they recognize the difference between and D-1 curve ball and a D-1 fastball or a hanging breaker and spit on the former and hammer the latter.

[1972Shocker]

Here is the Perfect Game report on Josh DeBacker.

[pogo]

My standard is can they recognize the difference between and D-1 curve ball and a D-1 fastball or a hanging breaker and spit on the former and hammer the latter.

If SN had a hall of fame I would vote for this one.

[pogo]

One question now comes to mind...If the coaching staff has signed what looks to be a class with class and potential, what will they do if they have a whole year to recruit?

[1972Shocker]

One question now comes to mind...If the coaching staff has signed what looks to be a class with class and potential, what will they do if they have a whole year to recruit?

No doubt some of these kids were on Coach Butler's radar screen while he was still at Arkansas. Only time will tell for sure how good of a recruiting class this is.

[FutureShockerDad]

No doubt some of these kids were on Coach Butler's radar screen while he was still at Arkansas. Only time will tell for sure how good of a recruiting class this is.

I doubt many of these kids were on HCTB list this year. He is having to play catch up now.

Give him a year or 2 and he will be able to get players like Davis of the orioles (Butler had him committed and signed to Arkansas) to show up in Shocker country. He recruited many top 5 round talent to Northwest Arkansas.

You can tell his pitch is Shocker Baseball is important because there is no football to compete with. He had a similar advantage at Arkansas because the don't have a professional team and almost everyone is a razorback fan.

[ShockTalk]

I doubt any of these kids were on HCTB list this year. He is having to play catch up now.

Give him a year or 2 and he will be able to get players like Davis of the orioles to show up in Shocker country. He recruited many top 5 round talent to Northwest Arkansas.

Glad to have you aboard, @FutureShockerDad:.

[FutureShockerDad]

Glad to have you aboard, @FutureShockerDad:.

Thank You. I'm a Butler fan.

Go look up former players who follow him on twitter and see how many good (big time) players follow him and what they say about him.

[SPEShockAlum]

"“It was an easy decision,” Thies said. “It's a baseball town. Wichita State doesn't have a football team, so the baseball team are the main guys. That's what I really liked about it."

I'd love to be a baseball town again - we've just been in hiding and have thankfully had a lot to cheer about as alternative deep into baseball season.

[1972Shocker]

I doubt many of these kids were on HCTB list this year. He is having to play catch up now.

Give him a year or 2 and he will be able to get players like Davis of the orioles (Butler had him committed and signed to Arkansas) to show up in Shocker country. He recruited many top 5 round talent to Northwest Arkansas.

You can tell his pitch is Shocker Baseball is important because there is no football to compete with. He had a similar advantage at Arkansas because the don't have a professional team and almost everyone is a razorback fan.

Welcome aboard @FutureShockerDad:. I defer to your no doubt superior knowledge and personal experience on this point, although it seems logical that Coach Butler would have been at the very least familiar with these kids from his extensive recruiting work and network while still at Arkansas. In any case, he seems to be off an running strong and I like the vibes we are getting about Coach Butler from the young men he has signed.

[1972Shocker]

I am so impressed with the recruiting. The class of '14 dance card is either full or almost full.

Under previous management, it seemed that the recruiting class for a particular year would not be complete, until the summer, before classes begin. To clarify, the recruiting class of '14 would not be complete, until the summer of '14.

Am I nuts on this point?

Gene had signed a complete complement of 10 players last November. Two of those kids (Goedert and Winfrey) decided not to come to WSU and Taylor Doggett transferred to Nebraska. So Coach Butler added 3 preferred walk-ons this year to fill out his roster for the coming year.

However, the year before Gene signed 6 players to LOI's in November 2011 and 2 of those players, Blake Logan and Gage Matuszak, never made it to WSU, then Tyler Coughenour was kicked of the team during the year. Logan went pro and Matuszak asked for and received his release and went to Utah. Gene added 6 players late. Tyler Dearman signed in April 2012 and added Cody Bobbit, Sean Moore, Drew Palmer, Austin Sanders, and Joe Haddox in July.

So late signings this summer were not particularly excessive but last spring and summer was a year where significant numbers were added late.

I think the spotlight on Coach Butler's efforts are a little brighter also simply due to the circumstances. Perhaps getting more pub for his verbal commitments prior to actually announcing the signing class in November. Then we will have to see how the MLB draft and other possible roster losses might impact Coach Butler's need to make any late signings.