JUCO Standouts Highlight Baseballs Summer Signees List

Following the end of the 2003 season, the Oklahoma baseball program was busily preparing for 2004 and on Thursday the Sooners released a list of prospects that were signed over the summer. Head coach Larry Cochell and his staff assembled a class that included an accomplished group of players from both the high school level and the junior college circuits. With the Sooners returning only 12 letterwinners this season (due largely to graduation and the 2003 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft), this class will have the opportunity to immediately compete for several starting jobs when they arrive this fall.

"We signed such an talented group this summer and I feel encouraged by what they can contribute to our team," commented Cochell. "With only two starters returning in the infield and one in the outfield, there will be a lot of competition for several positions when we start up again in the fall."

"This group is an extremely talented one and will be expected to step in and make an immediate impact. I strongly believe these individuals are of that caliber," continued Cochell.

Included in the class were several top junior college players including Brenan Herrera (Northern Oklahoma College), Daniel McCutchen and Garrett Patterson (Grayson Community College), Ryan Rohlinger (Clarendon College), Jeff Scuderi (Saddleback Junior College), Jonathan Shackelford (Cowley County Community College), Ole Sheldon (Santa Rosa Community College) and Michael Simons (Rose State College). Chad Lembeck from Mullen High School (Lakewood, Colo.) and Ryan Rogers from Bartlesville (Okla.) High School are the lone individuals that were signed out of the high school ranks.

The following is a brief bio on some of OU's summer signees that information was available on:

Brenan Herrera, Infielder, Northern Oklahoma College (Lawton, Okla.) - A two-year starter at shortstop for the two-time Bi-State Conference champs ... Slugged a school career best 36 doubles and finished second in the history books with a .358 career average, 91 career RBI and an all-time .624 slugging percentage ... Named first team all-conference last year ... Helped lead his team to a 36-20 record and a No. 2 national ranking in 2003 ... Ended his sophomore campaign with a .347 batting average, 35 RBI, 16 doubles, six home runs and 47 runs scored ... Earned second team all-conference honors in 2002 ... Team posted a 43-23 record during his first year, was ranked third nationally and captured the Southwest District title ... Led the team as a freshman with a .367 batting average and was tied for the team lead with 20 doubles ... Hit 10 home runs and registered a .665 slugging percentage ... Also contributed 56 RBI and 49 runs scored ... Coached by Ray Don Leaton.

Ryan Rohlinger, Infielder, Clarendon College (West Bend, Wis.) - Started at second base as a freshman in his only season ... Named to the All Western Junior College Athletic Conference first team ... Helped lead team to a WJCAC Northern Division Championship ... Team posted a 33-17 overall record and an 18-6 mark in conference play ... Hit at a .455 clip with 20 home runs, 91 RBI and 54 runs scored ... Also flashed a solid defensive glove by committing only two errors in 156 chances for a .987 fielding percentage ... Led the league in home runs, RBI and total bases (169) ... Additionally finished third in the conference in batting average, tied for fourth in hits (81) and tied for eighth in triples (6) ... Leveled an offensive onslaught against Frank Phillips College in the final regular season series which helped his team capture its division title ... Slugged four home runs and drove in 12 runs during the four-game set, including one game in which he hit three home runs and had six RBI ... Drove in five runs in the Region V Tournament which earned him all-tournament honors.

Jeff Scuderi, Outfielder, Saddleback Junior College (Mission Viejo, Calif.) - Started in the outfield both seasons ... Captured Southern California All-America and first team All-Orange Empire Conference honors last year ... Team finished as the runner-ups in the 2003 California state championship following a 34-17-1 overall season record and a 14-10 mark in the Orange Empire Conference ... Hit at a .432 clip as a sophomore with 54 RBI ... Lead the team with 99 hits, 68 runs scored, 26 doubles and 22 stolen bases ... Ranked among the league's best in several offensive categories including doubles and triples (first), batting average (second), stolen bases (third), on base percentage (third - .494), RBI (fifth) and slugging percentage (fifth - .646) ... Finished first in doubles, tied for fifth in triples, 11th in hitting and tied for 11th in RBI in the entire California state JUCO system ... Tied for the most hits on the team with 11 during the 2003 state playoff tournament ... Named to the all-conference team as a second team selection his freshman year ... Team enjoyed a 35-13 overall record and a 13-11 conference mark in 2002 ... Led the team in hitting in his first season with a .400 average ... Added 49 runs scored, 38 RBI and six home runs ... Batting average ranked fifth in the league, while he posted the ninth best on base percentage (.469), 12th most stolen bases (13) and 14th best slugging percentage (.594).

Ole Sheldon, Infielder, Santa Rosa Junior College (Roseburg, Ore.) - A two-year starter at first base and two-time first team all-conference pick ... Ended his career by being named a Northern California Junior College All-American and the Bay Valley Conference West Player of the Year ... Team posted a 33-15 overall mark and a 20-7 record in the conference last year ... Batted .424 in 2003 with 19 doubles, 44 runs scored and 29 RBI ... Led his team in batting average, hits, doubles and on base percentage (.500) ... Recorded 18 more hits than the next closest hitter on the team ... Finished first in the league in batting average, second in on base percentage and third in doubles ... Ranked eighth in doubles, 13th in on base percentage and 14th in hitting in the entire California state JUCO system ... Batted .375 and drove in five runs in the 2003 state playoff tournament ... Began his career with a first team all-conference selection as a freshman in 2002 ... Team posted a 28-20-1 overall record and a 22-6 record in league play that season ... Hit .355 with 47 RBI and topped the team in hits (70), runs scored (53) and doubles (19) ... Homered five times ... Tied for second in the conference in doubles and ranked fourth in RBI.

Michael Simons, Outfielder, Rose State College (Choctaw, Okla.) - Started in centerfielder both years ... Was the team's offensive leader in batting average, doubles, triples and stolen bases both seasons ... Named second team all-conference and to the Region II All-Tournament team last year ... Batted .426 with 15 doubles, two triples and four home runs as a sophomore ... Also successful in 15-of-18 stolen base attempts ... Earned honorable mention all-conference honors in his first season ... Hit at a .378 clip with three home runs ... Posted career bests in doubles with 22, triples with eight and stolen bases with 21 ... Coached by Lloyd Cummings.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

JUCO Standouts Highlight Baseballs Summer Signees List

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors