University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC Announces Signing Class For 2014
December 4, 2012 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The University of North Carolina baseball program continued its strong showing on the recruiting trail by signing 14 of the nation's top prep baseball student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period, head coach Mike Fox announced Thursday. Included in this class are three of the nation's top 100 prospects according to Baseball America and six of the top 200 prospects according to Perfect Game.
The 14 student-athletes will enroll at UNC in August 2013 and will take the field for the Tar Heels in the 2014 season.
"I am very excited about our next class to enroll at the University of North Carolina," head coach Mike Fox said. "Coach Jackson did a tremendous job assembling this class along with the tireless recruiting of Coach Forbes and Coach Gaines. We believe these young men are the types of players, students and people that can help us continue our success on and off the field."
On the national level, Carolina has signed three of the nation's top 100 players according to Baseball America: No. 12 Rob Kaminsky (LHP, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.), No. 62 Chris Oakley (RHP, Egg Harbor Township, N.J.) and No. 94 A.J. Bogucki (RHP, Gilbertsville, Pa.).
Perfect Game tabbed six players in its Top 200 in the country: No. 7 Kaminsky, No. 32 Oakley, No. 69 Bogucki, No. 117 Joe Dudek (1B, Wall Township, N.J.), No. 124 Spencer Trayner (RHP/INF, Tampa, Fla.) and No. 157 Adrian Chacon (C/1B/3B/RHP, Tampa, Fla.).
The Tar Heels will welcome in the top player in a pair of states next fall as A.J. Bogucki and Rob Kaminsky were ranked the No. 1 players in Pennsylvania and New Jersey by Perfect Game. Carolina signed four of the top 10 players in the state of New Jersey, two of the top 25 in Florida, the 14th-ranked player in Virginia and five of the top 50 in North Carolina.
Name
Position
Ht./Wt.
Hometown (High School)
Colby Barnette
3B/OF
6-0/180
Monroe, N.C. (Piedmont High School)
Tanner Bigham
INF
6-1/185
Kannapolis, N.C. (NW Cabarrus High School)
A.J. Bogucki
RHP
6-3/200
Gilbertsville, Pa. (Boyertown Area High School)
Adrian Chacon
C/1B/3B/RHP
6-0/190
Tampa, Fla. (Jesuit High School)
Joe Dudek
1B
6-2/196
Wall Township, N.J. (Christian Brothers Academy)
Zac Gallen
RHP
6-2/180
Gibbsboro, N.J. (Bishop Eustace Prep)
Rob Kaminsky
LHP/OF
6-0/190
Englewood Cliffs, N.J. (St. Joseph Regional High School)
Chris Oakley
RHP
6-8/225
Egg Harbor Township, N.J. (St. Augustine Prep)
Matt Orth
LHP/1B
6-2/185
High Point, N.C. (SW Guilford High School)
Adam Pate
OF
5-11/175
Pikeville, N.C. (Aycock High School)
Tyler Ramirez
OF
5-10/190
Suffolk, Va. (Cape Henry Collegiate)
Zach Rice
LHP
6-3/190
Suffolk, Va. (Nansemond River High School)
Spencer Trayner
RHP/INF
5-10/175
Tampa, Fla. (Jesuit High School)
Brandon Whiteford
INF
5-10/175
Douglasville, Ga. (Chapel Hill High School)
Colby
Barnette
Monroe, N.C., Piedmont High School, 3B/OF, 6-0, 180
Strong right-handed hitter • Athletic, versatile player • Ranked among the top
500 players in the country according to Perfect Game • Was ranked the No. 14
player in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game • Earned PG Underclass
High Honorable Mention in 2012 • Earned AA All-State honors as a junior • Was
named the RR2A Player of the Year • AB Honor Roll Student • Voted outstanding senior by school staff • Coached by Milt Flow at Piedmont High
School.
Tanner
Bigham
Kannapolis, N.C., Northwest Cabarrus High School, INF, 6-1, 185
Left-handed bat • Versatile player that can play anywhere on the infield • Ranked
among the top 500 players in the country according to Perfect Game • Tabbed the
No. 13 player in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game • Earned PG
Underclass High Honorable Mention in 2011 and 2012 • Named to the All-Cabarrus
News Team as a junior • Coached by Joe Hubbard at Northwest Cabarrus High
School.
A.J.
Bogucki
Gilbertsville, Pa., Boyertown Area High School, RHP, 6-3, 200
Polished right-handed pitcher that pounds the strike zone • Plus fastball and
slider • Ranked No. 94 in Baseball America's Top 100 • Ranked the No. 69 player
in the country by Perfect Game • Tabbed as the top player in the state of
Pennsylvania • Also ranked the No. 20 right-handed pitcher in the country • Played
in the prestigious Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field • Also
participated in the Area Code Games • Named The Mercury Player of the Year as a
junior • Excels in the classroom • High Honor Roll Member • Coached by Todd Moyer at Boyertown Area High
School.
Adrian
Chacon
Tampa, Fla., Jesuit High School, C/1B/3B/RHP, 6-0, 190
Talented player who brings power from the right side of the plate with arm-strength that allows him to play multiple positions, including catcher • Ranked
the No. 152 player in the country by Perfect Game • Tabbed the No. 21 player in
the state of Florida by Perfect Game • Ranked the No. 16 catcher in the country
by Perfect Game • Named a PG Underclass First Team All-America in 2012 • Helped
claim the 2011 World Wood Bat Championship in Jupiter • Played with fellow
signee Spencer Trayner at Jesuit High School • Coached by Richie Warren at
Jesuit High School.
Joe
Dudek
Wall Township, N.J., Christian Brothers Academy, 1B, 6-2, 196
Great Student Strong left-handed hitter that can hit for power • Ranked No. 117
in the country by Perfect Game • Mentioned as one of 50 "Players to Watch" by
Baseball America • Tabbed the fifth-best player in the state of New Jersey by
Perfect Game • Participated in the East Coast Showcase along with the Area Code
Games • Ranked the sixth-best first baseman in the country by Perfect Game • Excels in the classroom • Has earned First Honors every semester • Member of Spanish National Honors Society • Coached
by Martin Kenney at Christian Brothers Academy.
Zac
Gallen
Gibbsboro, N.J., Bishop Eustace Prep, RHP, 6-2, 180
Polished right-handed pitcher with feel for three pitches and plus command • Ranked
No. 303 in the country by Perfect Game • Tabbed the No. 10 player in the state
of New Jersey by Perfect Game • Also ranked the No. 88 right-handed pitcher in
the nation by Perfect Game • Earned PG Underclass Honorable Mention in 2012 • Excels
in the classroom • Honor Roll student • Coached by Sam Tropiano at Bishop Eustace Prep.
Rob
Kaminsky
Englewood Cliffs, N.J., St. Joseph Regional High School, LHP/OF, 6-0, 190
Competitive left-handed pitcher who uses three to four plus pitches to attack
hitters • Switch hitter with tremendous athletic ability in the outfield • Ranked the No. 7 player in the country according to Perfect Game • Ranked
No. 12 in Baseball America's Top 100 • Tabbed the top player in the state of
New Jersey by Perfect Game • Also ranked the top left-handed pitcher in the
country by Perfect Game • Played in the Perfect Game All-America Game in Petco
Park • Earned PG Underclass First Team All-America honors in 2012 and Second
Team honors in 2011 • Named the Player of the Year in the state of New Jersey
as a junior • Coached by Frank Salvano at St. Joseph Regional High School.
Chris
Oakley
Egg Harbor Township, N.J., St. Augustine Prep, RHP, 6-8, 225
Big frame right-handed pitcher with a plus fastball and slider • Attacks
hitters • The No. 32 player in the country according to Perfect Game • Ranked
No. 62 in Baseball America's Top 100 • Tabbed the No. 2 player in the state of
New Jersey • Ranked the 10th-best right-handed pitcher in the country according
to Perfect Game • Played in the Perfect Game All-America Game at Petco Park • Participated
in the Area Code Games • Earned PG Underclass First Team All-America honors in
2012 • Coached by Mike Bylone at St. Augustine Prep.
Matt
Orth
High Point, N.C., Southwest Guilford High School, LHP/1B, 6-2, 185
Left-handed pitcher with plus command of fastball and breaking ball •
Left-handed bat that projects to hit for power • Ranked among the Top 500 in
the country by Perfect Game • Tabbed as the No. 26 player in the state of North
Carolina by Perfect Game • Played in the East Coast Showcase • Earned PG
Underclass High Honorable Mention in 2011 and 2012 • Earned 4A All-State honors
• Named the Piedmont Triad Player of the Year • Coached by Reid Holmes at
Southwest Guilford High School.
Adam
Pate
Pikeville, N.C., Aycock High School, OF, 5-11, 175
Extremely athletic, plus runner • Tools allow him to play all over the field • Ranked
among the Top 500 players in the country by Perfect Game • Tabbed the No. 24
player in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game • Earned PG Underclass High
Honorable Mention in 2012 • Honor Roll student • Member of National Honor Society • Student Body President • Coached by Charles Davis at Aycock High School.
Tyler
Ramirez
Suffolk, Va., Cape Henry Collegiate, OF, 5-10, 190
Polished left-handed swing • Ranked among the top 1,000 players in the country
by Perfect Game • Tabbed the No. 48 player in the state of North Carolina by
Perfect Game • Earned PG Underclass Honorable Mention in 2012 • Helped lead
Cape Henry to the VISAA Division 2 State Championship as a junior • Honor Roll student • Member of National Honor Society • Coached by
Tim Hummel at Cape Henry Collegiate
Zach
Rice
Suffolk, Va., Nansemond River High School, LHP, 6-3, 190
Extremely projectable left-handed pitcher with three above average pitches • Ranked
the No. 458 player in the country by Perfect Game • Tabbed the No. 14 player in
Virginia • Earned PG Underclass Honorable Mention in 2012 • Has earned Academic Honor Roll all three years • Coached by Mark
Stuffel at Nansemond River High School.
Spencer
Trayner
Tampa, Fla., Jesuit High School, RHP/INF, 5-10, 175
Ultra-competitive athlete • Athleticism plays on both sides of the ball • Rare
arm strength plays on the mound and in the field • Plus defender at shortstop •
Ranked the No. 124 player in the country by Perfect Game • Tabbed the No. 19
player in the state of Florida by Perfect Game • Ranked the fifth-best middle
infielder in the country by Perfect Game • Earned PG Underclass First Team
All-America honors in 2012 after earning Third Team honors in 2011 • Helped
team to PG Underclassman Championship • Played with fellow signee Adrian Chacon
at Jesuit High School • Coached by Richie Warren at Jesuit High School.
Brandon
Whiteford
Douglasville, Ga., Chapel Hill High School, INF, 5-10, 175
Gritty left-handed hitter with versatility on the infield • Ranked among the
top 500 players in the county by Perfect Game • Tabbed the No. 64 player in the
state of Georgia by Perfect Game • Earned PG Underclass High Honorable Mention
in 2012 • Coached by Mick Harper at Chapel Hill High School.
