BLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech baseball program will officially start its 2019 fall season next Monday with a 3 p.m. practice at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park. There will be a number of new faces for the Hokies this upcoming season for head coach John Szefc and his staff, as 24 have been added to the fall roster.
The breakdown of the newest members includes five transfers and 19 freshmen. They came from all parts of the country, representing 11 different states with the largest coming from Virginia (9), followed by North Carolina (3), Massachusetts, New Jersey and Tennessee (2 each). There is one player each from California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New York and Ohio. Pitching makes up more than half of the newcomers with 14 joining the program, seven righties and six lefties, while there are five infielders, five outfielders and one catcher.
In a different style, Tech will highlight each of those positions this week. The right-handed pitchers were revealed Monday, the southpaws Tuesday, our newest catcher Wednesday, the infielders yesterday and the outfielders complete the release today.
Below, please find information on each of our newest players, listed alphabetically (by position), followed by their hometown then bio information provided by them. Clicking on a player's name will take you to their full bio on the website, complete with head shot.
THE OUTFIELDERS
Gavin Cross
Bristol, Tennessee
High School: Earned varsity letters all four years for coach Preston Roberts at Tennessee High … Was a two-time first team all-state player (2018-19), a three-time all-region honoree (2017-19) and four-time first team all-conference selection (2016-19) … Named to the Tennessee Ultimate Nine team in 2019 … Named a Perfect Game Preseason All-American … Holds the Tennessee state record for stolen bases with 41 in 2018.
Xander Hamilton
Raleigh, North Carolina
High School: Earned varsity letters all four years for coach Jere Morton at Needham B. Broughton … Named a Cap 7 all-conference honoree three times … Was the Cap 7 Pitcher of the Year as a senior after going 5-3 with a 1.80 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 54.1 innings pitched … Named the Cap 7 Golden Spikes Award winner as a junior … Also lettered twice on the basketball team.
Tafton Hensley
Mooresville, North Carolina
High School: Earned three varsity letters for coach Jeff Burchett at Mooresville … Helped the Blue Devils to the program's first ever 4A state championship title as a senior, winning six games against higher-seeded teams … Earned all-county honors as an outfielder in 2019 and was a preseason all-defensive team selection.
Brennan Reback
Vernon Hills, Illinois
2019 (at Central Arizona JC): Played 64 games for the Vaqueros … Batted .265 with 45 hits, including seven doubles, nine triples and a home run, for a .429 slugging percentage … Drew 30 walks and was hit by 11 pitches for a .404 on-base percentage … Added 45 runs scored, 27 RBI and 25 stolen bases to his totals … Helped the Vaqueros to the JUCO National Championship, as they scored 12 unanswered in the title game after falling behind 7-0 to Iowa Western … Named to the all-tournament team.
2018 (at Central Arizona JC): Played 54 games for the Vaqueros … Batted .348 with 54 hits, including four doubles, five triples and three home runs, for a .497 slugging percentage … Drew 35 walks and was hit by seven pitches for a .471 on-base percentage … Added 56 runs scored, 38 RBI and 36 stolen bases to his totals … Named an All-conference player and was a Region 1 selection.
High School: Earned three varsity letters under coach Jason Czarnecki at Vernon Hills … Was a three-time all-conference outfielder (2017-19) and a two-time all-area selection (2018-19) … As a senior, was the conference's player of the year, all-region and all-state honoree.
Jason Rooks
Marietta, Georgia
2019 (at Chattahoochee Valley Community CC): Played 53 games for the Pirates … Batted .339 with 57 hits, including 15 doubles, one triple and nine home runs, for a .601 slugging percentage … Drew 35 walks and was hit by eight pitches for a .465 on-base percentage … Added 39 runs scored, 38 RBI and 14 stolen bases to his totals.
2018 (at Chattahoochee Valley Community CC): Played 58 games for the Pirates … Batted .381 with 72 hits, including 14 doubles, one triple and 15 home runs, for a .704 slugging percentage … Drew 23 walks for a .432 on-base percentage … Added 48 runs scored, 65 RBI and 20 stolen bases to his totals.
High School: Was an American Family Insurance ALL-USA preseason team selection in 2017 … Finished his senior year batting .411 with 43 RBI and 12 homers in 112 at-bats, helping his team to a 27-8 record … As a junior (2016), earned a spot on the Louisville Slugger High School All-America second team … In 2015, finished his sophomore season with a .382 average with 10 home runs and 48 RBI … At time of graduation, held the school career records for hits (115), doubles (46), home runs (34) and RBI (158) … Also played defensive end for the Raiders' football team.
Also a 35th-round selection in 2017 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves.
THE INFIELDERS
Lucas Donlon
McLean, Virginia
High School: Earned three varsity letters playing for coach Chris Rodriguez at Georgetown Prep … Was a two-time all-conference selection and (2018, 2019) and, as a senior, was first team All-Met and the IAC Player of the Year … In his final season at Georgetown, batted .442 with a school record 50 hits that included 18 doubles and three home runs … Added 42 RBI in leading the team to the conference championship … In league games only, batted .629 with an on-base percentage of .700 and a slugging percentage of .829.
Fritz Genther
Kingston, New York
High School: Earned the "rare" five varsity letters playing for coach Mike Groppuso at Kingston … Helped the Tigers to four straight section championships ... Was a three-time all-section choice (2017-19) and was the Player of the Year as a junior and senior … Ranked third all-time in school history in hits (94), doubles (28) home runs (10) and second all-time in runs scored (101) … His 21 stolen bases in 2019 were the second-most in school history, while he also batted .439 with a .578 on-base percentage, 29 hits, 29 RBI and 35 runs.
Spencer Palmer
El Segundo, California
2019 (at El Camino CC): Appeared in all 49 games for the Warriors … Had a .331 batting average, a .473 on-base percentage and a .514 slugging mark … Finished with 58 hits, 44 runs and 41 RBI … Led the team in extra-base hits (23), which included three home runs … Also led the team in walks (37), which was tied for seventh in the state … Named to the All-SCC second team.
2018 (at El Camino CC): Appeared in 43 games for the Warriors … Batting .415 (68-for-164) for the season, while leading the team in hits (68), home runs (8), walks (37), on-base percentage (.543) and slugging percentage (.652) ... Added 45 runs scored and 39 RBI ... Batting average was sixth in state ... Was named to the All-SCC South Division First Team, the Pacific Association All-America Second Team and the Pacific Association Southern California All-Region First Team.
High School: Earned varsity letters for two seasons playing for coach Billy Traber at El Segundo … Named a first team all-league and a second team all-area in 2017 after batting .426 with six home runs and 34 RBI.
Brett Stallings
Springfield, Virginia
2019 (at Frederick CC): Played 47 games for the Cougars … Batted .327 with 55 hits, including 10 doubles, two triples and two home runs, for a .446 slugging percentage … Drew 28 walks and was hit by three pitches for a .426 on-base percentage … Added 47 runs scored, 29 RBI and five stolen bases to his totals … Named a Maryland JUCO honorable mention.
High School: Earned four varsity letters playing for coach Jason Olms at West Springfield … Named a second team all-district and honorable mention all-region as a senior … Helped the Spartans to the district title in 2017 and to the regional and state championships in 2018.
Cade Swisher
Chesterfield, Virginia
High School: Earned varsity letters all four years playing for coaches Tim Lowery and Tom Nelson at Cosby … Named a first team all-region infielder after helping the Titans to the regional championship in 2018 … Earned first team all-region, first team all-state, and second team all-metro after his senior season.
THE CATCHER
Cade Hunter
Mount Laurel, New Jersey
High School: Earned three varsity letters playing for coach Phil Fiore at Lenape … Was a two-time all-conference and All-South Jersey catcher in 2018 and 2019 … Named to the NJSCA All-Star Game in 2019 … Named NHSBCA All-Region Player in 2019 … As a senior, batted .463 with 31 hits, including six doubles, four triples and eight home runs, knocked in 31 runs, had a .556 on-base percentage, a 1.030 slugging percentage and a .545 average with runners in scoring position ... Also a 35th-round selection in 2019 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies.
THE LEFT-HANDED PITCHERS
Brogan Beckner
Bluff City, Tennessee
High School: Earned varsity letters all four years pitching for coaches Ryan Wagner and Nathan Fritz at Dobyns Bennett … In final two seasons, finished with a 2.75 ERA and 161 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched … Named Big 7 All-Conference from 2017-2019 … Named Times News Super 22 Team in 2018 and 2019 … Named an Under Armour preseason All-American in 2019 … Also played a season of football at Dobyns.
Ryan Gleason
Laytonsville, Maryland
High School: Earned two varsity letters pitching for coach Chris Rodriguez at Georgetown Prep … Earned First-Team All-State (Md.), First-Team All-Conference and Second-Team All-Met in 2019 … Tossed a no-hitter against St. Albans on March 9, 2019 … Named to the Perfect Game Preseason All-American team … Finished 2019 with a 0.50 ERA en route to an 8-1 record … Also threw in the Big 26 All-Star game in 2018.
Noah Johnson
Toledo, Ohio
High School: Earned varsity letters all four years pitching for coach Tim Gerken at St. Francis de Sales … A three-time All-TRAC member, earning first team as a junior and senior … Also a three-time Academic All-Ohio selection … In last two years at St. Francis, tossed 80 innings, struck out 105 batters, went 7-3 with a 1.85 ERA … Twice took a perfect game into the seventh inning, but lost it, while striking out at least 13 batters in each, including a 14-K district semifinal contest … Was also on the golf team, earning three varsity letters and was a member of the All-TRAC team.
Carson Jones
Glen Allen, Virginia
High School: Earned two varsity letters playing for coach Josh Aldrich at Deep Run … Was named to the all-region and all-state teams … Also pitched at the Steward School for Bruce Seacrest, earning two varsity letters there as well.
Matthew Siverling
Matthews, North Carolina
High School: Earned three varsity letters pitching for coach Greg Simmons at Charlotte Christian … Was a two-time CISAA First Team All-Conference and a NCISAA First Team All-State selection … Also earned the Cy Young Award (top pitcher in league) in 2018 and Gold Glove Award in 2019 … Helped his team win back-to-back CISAA Conference Championships in 2018 and 2019 … Also led his team to an NCISAA Championship in 2019 … Also earned two varsity letters playing basketball and one with the soccer team … Was the valedictorian of his 2019 class and a National Merit Finalist.
Henry Weycker
Wellesley, Massachusetts
High School: Earned varsity letters all four years playing for coach Robert Kane at Wellesley … Earned First Team Bay State Conference All-Star all four years … Earned Metrowest All-Star for three seasons … Named Boston Herald All-Scholastic his junior and senior year … Named Boston Globe All-Scholastic in 2019 … Finished his senior year with 6-1 record, a 0.96 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 43 innings pitched en route to receiving the Senior Male Athlete Award at Wellesley.
THE RIGHT-HANDED PITCHERS
Mike Grupe
Purcellville, Virginia
High School: Earned three varsity letters playing for coach Wayne Todd at Loudoun Valley … Three-time all-district selection (2017-19), while being named a second team all-region pitcher in 2019 … As a senior, struck out 53 and has a 0.75 ERA in 56 innings pitched with four complete games … As a junior, threw 49 innings, had a 1.41 ERA, 70 strikeouts, three complete games and two no-hitters.
Will Pickford
Vienna, Virginia
High School: Earned three varsity letters playing for coach Kyle Padgett at Bishop O'Connell … Was named to the all-conference team as a senior … Finished the year with a 2.14 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched with four saves.
Nic Psimas
Norfolk, Virginia
High School: Earned varsity letters all four years pitching for coach Joey Seal at Nansemond Suffolk Academy … Was a two-time all-state pitcher, earning first team as a senior … Also was a two-time all-conference pitcher in 2018-19 … Also swam on the high school's swim team under Lauren Brooks … Finished seventh in the state (VISSA) in the 100 Free and eighth in the 50 Free.
Stephen Restuccio
Hammonton, New Jersey
High School: Played for coach Gregg Silvesti at Hammonton … Posted a 4-2 record with a 2.63 ERA during his senior year with the Blue Devils, helping them to the South Jersey Group 3 semifinals … Named a second team South Jersey All-Star in 2019 … As a junior, finished with a 3.32 ERA with 39 strikeouts, while adding five doubles and 10 RBI at the plate.
Samuel Rochard
Virginia Beach, Virginia
High School: Earned varsity letters all four years pitching for coach Lee Underwood at Warhill … Was a three-time all-region selection … Threw back-to-back 13-strikeout, one-hitters during his senior year.
Peter Sakellaris
Milton, Massachusetts
High School: Earned a varsity letter pitching for coach Matt Petherick at Milton Academy … As a freshman, did not allow an earned run in 8.1 innings pitched, while posting a 2.40 ERA in 30.1 innings as a sophomore … During junior and senior seasons, tossed 59 innings and had a 3.10 ERA … Also played basketball at Milton, earning three varsity letters as a small forward for coach Scott Prince.
Anthony Simonelli
Winchester, Virginia
2019 (at St. John's River SC): Started 13 of 15 games on the mound … Went 6-3 on the year with a 3.54 ERA … Struck out 77 batters in 68.2 innings … In first start, threw six hitless innings versus Gulf Coast State (Jan. 31) and went seven no-hit innings at South Georgia State (Feb. 15), while striking out a season-high 12 batters … Named NJCAA National Pitcher of the Week for the effort and was a two-time FCSA Player of the Week … Also struck out eight against Daytona State (March 13) and nine versus Sante Fe (April 29).
2018 (at Coastal Carolina): Pitched in nine games for the Chants, making six starts on the mound … Went 3-1 on the year with a 7.00 ERA … Struck out 13 batters in 27.0 innings … Started the season going 3-0 with wins in each of his first three starts … Recorded his first career win in his first career start, throwing 7.0-scoreless innings with two strikeouts versus the College of Charleston (Feb. 21) … With effort, tabbed the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 28 … Also had wins in starts versus UNCW (Feb. 28), striking out a season-high five Seahawks, and Wake Forest (March 7) … Threw 1.0-scoreless innings at Appalachian State (May 19) and versus LIU Brooklyn (June 1) in the NCAA Conway Regional … Named to the 2017-18 Sun Belt Academic Honor Roll … Earned Dean's List recognition in the fall of 2017.
High School: Earned varsity letters all four years pitching for coach Brian Burke at Millbrook … A Rawlings/Perfect Game honorable mention all-American and first-team all-Atlantic Region selection ... Named to the second team VHSL Group 4A all-state as a junior and first team as a freshman (missed sophomore and senior seasons due to injury) ... Posted an 8-1 record with a 0.57 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 49 innings pitched his junior season ... Was the Conference 21 West Pitcher of the Year and Winchester Star Player of the Year.