Hunter Remmick (Photo by Noah Clooten)
The school year is rapidly approaching, and the Lake Region State College baseball team has finalized its recruiting class.
The school announced its new crop of players in a press release on Aug. 8.
The class features 15 players from five U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. That brings the total roster count to 28 — up from last year’s 22. Thirteen of last season’s 16 freshmen are still with the team.
“This class brings everything we’re looking for — athleticism, character, grit, baseball IQ, lots of utility, and a competitive edge,” second-year LRSC head coach Steve Anderson said, per the release. “We’ve got guys who have won at high levels, guys who love to grind, and guys who are all about the team that just love to play baseball. We’re building something special here, and this group will be a big part of that.”
Two of the new recruits are familiar faces from Devils Lake. Trason Beck and Hunter Remmick, fresh off of helping the Devils Lake Storm to the last day of the Class A state tournament, will be joining the squad. They’ll reunite with Devils Lake alum Beau Brodina, who’s now a sophomore on the team.
Beck, a catcher, came up clutch numerous times for Devils Lake, including two walk-offs in the East tournament. He has a strong arm with a knack for throwing runners out. He also possesses more speed than the typical catcher. He hit .300 in the spring season and .327 with an .835 OPS this summer.
Remmick was another one of Devils Lake’s most reliable bats in both the spring and summer. Competing against EDC competition for the Firebirds, he led the team with a .364 average and .910 OPS — earning him an All-EDC selection. He went on to hit .333 with an .847 OPS this summer. Remmick is also a standout pitcher. He posted a 1.27 ERA over 21 innings in the spring, and a 2.19 ERA over 37 innings this summer.
The recruiting class features 12 players who are listed as both a pitcher and position player. One of those is Brennan Johnson, a 6-foot-7 left-hander from Tioga, N.D. Johnson, along with sophomore Dane Hagler, will be playing both basketball and baseball for LRSC. The release notes that he’s a two-time all-region selection and won his team’s Gold Glove, Silver Slugger and Cy Young awards.
Two players join LRSC from the state of Wisconsin. Evan Clark is a “strong-bodied” right-hander and third baseman from Waterford, Wis., while Dylan Vanderbunt is an “extremely athletic” outfielder and pitcher from Rhinelander, Wis. As a senior, Vanderbunt was a First Team All-Conference selection and a Wisconsin Legion All-Star.
The class also features a pair of Texans. Isaiah Uecker, from Amarillo, Texas, posted a 2.60 ERA and hit .397 while stealing 33 bases as a senior. The Royals also bring in Cooper LaBuff, a right-handed pitcher and shortstop from Cleveland, Texas, who the release described as an “athletic, fluid mover.”
Right-handed pitcher Lucas Stoll joins the team from Santa Fe, N.M.
Canada is featured prominently in the recruiting class, with two players each from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
Rory Manns, from Firdale, Manitoba, threw four complete games as a senior with four or fewer hits in each. Tyler Olson, from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, is an infielder who helped his team win a Zone 4 championship.
Jack Albert is a 6-foot-4 pitcher from Regina, Saskatchewan. The release calls him “projectable” and says that he “brings a clean arm action.” He also plays infield. The other Saskatchewanian, Ty Cavers from Regina, is a first baseman and catcher who “loves traveling around North America and playing ball with the boys,” per the release.
Joesiah Ancheta, from Vancouver, British Columbia, can pitch and play both infield spots. Vinny Fiorentino, who’s from Cranbrook, British Columbia, was the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year for the Cranbrook Bandits. He plays outfield and pitches.
The class also includes a transfer from Bethesda University, outfielder and pitcher Jax Yakiwchuk. He’s originally from Pleasant Grove, Utah, where he won a 5A state championship.
The LRSC baseball team is coming off of its best season in program history. In the first year under Anderson, the Royals won a program-best 11 conference games. The 28 rostered players is set to be the most the program has ever had.
