Harrington Inks 11 To National Letters Of Intent

The Bobcats made a run to the semifinals of the 2017 Sun Belt Conference Championship, knocking off defending national champion Coastal Carolina along the way.

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State Baseball Coach Ty Harrington has announced the signing of 11 high school seniors and junior college transfers to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period.

The newest Bobcats all hail from Texas and are set to join the team for the 2019 season. The class features seven pitchers, two catchers, one shortstop, and one student-athlete who can both pitch and play outfield. Seven of the signees have been named high school All-Americans during their careers.

Texas State is coming off a 2017 campaign where the club posted a 29-30 overall record and a 13-17 mark in the Sun Belt Conference.

The Bobcats made a run to the semifinals of the 2017 Sun Belt Conference Championship, knocking off defending national champion Coastal Carolina along the way. They are set to open the 2018 season with a three-game home series against Oklahoma State Feb. 16-18 inside Bobcat Ballpark.

TEXAS STATE HEAD COACH TY HARRINGTON

“Going into this recruiting cycle, we knew we had several holes that needed to be filled due to graduation and the probability of losing guys to the professional baseball draft. We accomplished those needs with a very athletic and competitive group of young men. We are very excited about this class and for the future of this baseball program. We are excited and proud to announce that they will be part of our Bobcat family.”

Blake Bolgiano – RHP – 6-0, 165

Midlothian, Texas / Midlothian HS

Blake Bolgiano will come to San Marcos from Midlothian High School, where he plays for Ray Hydes. He helped lead the Panthers to the bi-district finals this past year. He was also named as a 2017 Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention. He competes for the Arlington A’s summer team, and he posted an 8-4 record this past campaign. He is the son of Richard and Melissa Bolgiano. He has one older brother, Grant.

Assistant Coach Steven Trout on Bolgiano: “Blake really understands how to pitch. He can make the baseball sink and do things to keep hitters uncomfortable. He throws a ton of strikes and always stays ahead of hitters.”

Cameron Bush – RHP – 6-0, 175

Round Rock, Texas / Round Rock HS

Cameron Bush is a letterwinner for Round Rock High School, and he competes for John Carter. He was recently named a 2017 Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention. He helped lead the Dragons to a 31-8 record this past year with a 9-3 mark in District 13-6A play. RRHS was the third-ranked team in the state of Texas and No. 28 in the nation, according to MaxPreps.com. The all-district performer also competes for Southwest Elite Baseball Club during the summer, where he was named the Baylor Perfect Game Tournament MVP. He is the son of Roy and Kelle Bush, and he has three siblings, Kylee, Drake and Grayson.

Coach Trout on Bush: “Cameron is a very polished pitcher. He really understands how to pitch and everything that goes along with pitching. With his command, he has a chance to develop into a great arm for us.”

Mason Cooper – RHP/OF – 6-2, 210

Robinson, Texas / Robinson HS

Mason Cooper hails from Robinson, Texas, where he plays for Bryan Kent. As a junior in 2017, he helped lead the Rockets to a 31-3 record overall and an appearance in the UIL 4A State Championship game. The team was ranked No. 10 in the state of Texas and No. 73 in the nation, according to MaxPreps.com. He was named to the THSBCA 4A All-State Third Team and the TSWA 4A All-State Honorable Mention Team. He was also named to the Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All-American Third Team. He posted a .455 batting average last season with 37 RBIs. His 51 runs scored ranked second in the state of Texas, and he was seventh in the state with 15 doubles. He compiled a 2-0 record, 26 strikeouts and a 0.43 ERA on the mound. The District 17-4A MVP was also named to the UIL State Championship All-Tournament Team. Cooper was also an academic all-district honoree. He is the son of Darren and Della Cooper. He has two siblings, Molly and Zach.

Coach Trout on Cooper: “Mason has electric stuff on the mound. He has played in back-to-back state tournaments and is also the quarterback for his high school. He will be a two-way player for us as he can hit for a high average and play multiple positions.”

Damon Fernandez – RHP – 6-2, 185

Manvel, Texas / Manvel HS

Damon Fernandez is set to become a Bobcat after wrapping up his career competing for Kelly Kerlin at Manvel High School. Fernandez helped lead the Mavericks to an 18-11-1 record overall and a 12-4 mark in District 23-5A action during his junior campaign. The all-district selection was honored prior to his junior campaign as a 2017 Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention. He also competes over the summer for the Houston Bengals. He is the son of Frank and Susan Fernandez. His father played basketball at Stephen F. Austin University. He has two older brothers, Aron and Danny. Danny played baseball at Lamar University.

Coach Trout on Fernandez: “Damon has a good arm with a plus breaking ball. He has the chance to be a dynamic pitcher as he continues to get bigger and stronger during his senior year and in our weight-training program.”

Garrett Herrmann – RHP – 6-4, 210

Cypress, Texas / Cypress Ranch HS / Angelina College

Garrett Herrmann will wrap up his sophomore year at Angelina College in 2018 before transferring to Texas State. He will have two years of eligibility remaining. He made nine appearances on the mound as a freshman with the Roadrunners. He compiled a 2-4 record, 24 strikeouts and a 3.66 ERA in 19.2 innings pitched. He also boasted a perfect fielding percentage (22 putouts, four assists, no errors). He played for John Pope at Cypress Ranch High School prior to his first collegiate campaign. He was a two-time All-District 17-6A performer who was also named to the academic all-state team in 2016. Additionally, he picked up Dean’s List honors in 2017 from AC. He is the son of Gary and Jackie Herrmann, and he has a younger brother, Landon. His uncle, Tim, pitched in the Detroit Tigers minor league farm system.

Coach Trout on Herrmann: “Garrett is another pitcher with huge upside. We’ve seen him throw up to 92 mph, and he also has good off-speed pitches. He will be fun to watch as he continues to develop. Being a Bobcat is in his blood as his father, Gary, also played for the maroon and gold (from 1991-92).”

Peyton Lewis – C – 6-2, 205

Cypress, Texas / Cy-Fair HS

The transition to Texas State will be seamless for Peyton Lewis, as he already knows what it’s like to be a Bobcat. His Cy-Fair High School Bobcats posted an 18-10 record this past year under the guidance of Billy Harding. They also went 28-5 his sophomore campaign and won the district championship with a 15-2 mark. The three-time academic all-district honoree has also twice been named to the all-district team. He was named a 2017 Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention. He also plays during the summer for Marucci. He is the son of Johnny and Laura Lewis, and his two younger brothers are Preston and Parker.

Coach Trout on Lewis: “Peyton is a left-handed bat that can flat-out hit and hit with power. What makes Peyton even more valuable is he can catch and also run out to the outfield as well. He is a defensive end for his high school, so we know we’re getting a tough, hard-nosed ball player.”

Jacob Little – RHP – 5-10, 185

Salado, Texas / Salado HS / Temple College

Jacob Little will have two years of eligibility remaining with the maroon and gold after he completes his junior college career at Temple College this upcoming spring. He helped lead the Leopards to a 32-23 record as a freshman, serving as the team’s closer. He compiled a 3-2 record and nine saves in 21.2 IP. He also tallied 16 strikeouts and a 7.06 ERA. He showed his versatility by recording a .333 batting average (10-for-30) with one double, one home run, six runs scored, and six RBIs. He also competed for Salado High School under the tutelage of Chad Krempin. He was the district MVP and was twice named to the all-district team. He is the son of Trey and Catherine Little and has two brothers, Robert and Davis.

Coach Trout on Little: “Jacob is the ultimate competitor, especially with the game on the line. He was the closer for Temple College last year and he may start for them this year. He will be used in multiple roles with us. He can run it up to 92-93 mph on the gun and has a power breaking ball.”

Colton Moore – C – 5-11, 190

Bushland, Texas / Bushland HS

Colton Moore is three-year letterwinner out of Bushland High School, where he plays for Randon Johnson. This past season the Falcons compiled a 27-8 record overall and a perfect 7-0 mark in District 1-4A action. Moore has led his team to district and bi-district championships all three years, and he was named in 2017 as the district MVP. He was also an all-state catcher, and he has been named to the all-district first team three years running. He helped lead BHS to the regional playoffs in 2017, and he also competes for ABA Titans over the summer. He is the son of Myron and Kelly Moore, and he has three siblings, Clayton, Malorie and Morgan.

Coach Trout on Moore: “Colton is a special athlete that is a three-sport star for his high school. He is a physical hitter. He is a catcher that can also play in the infield and run to the corner outfield. It will be fun to watch his development as he puts all his efforts into one sport.”

Jaxon Williams – SS – 5-8, 170

Rosenberg, Texas / B.F. Terry HS / University of Arkansas / Howard College

Jaxon Williams will head to San Marcos after playing one season at Howard College. He will have two years of eligibility remaining. He spent his freshman campaign at the University of Arkansas, where he compiled a .245 (12-for-49) batting average to go along with two doubles, one triple, seven runs scored and 14 RBIs. He played in 24 games and made 10 starts for the Razorbacks, where he posted a .943 fielding percentage (21 putouts, 29 assists, three errors). He spent his high school days at B.F. Terry, where he played for Chris Carrejo. He was named to the 2016 Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention team. He is the son of Monroe and Sherry Williams. He has three siblings, Jesse, Terry and Karla.

Coach Trout on Williams: “Jaxon is a really talented defender that can also swing the bat at a high level. He has played in the SEC so his experience coming in will be huge for our program. He’s a middle infielder that will be fun to watch make plays in his career.”

Matt Willrodt – RHP – 6-3, 215

Humble, Texas / Atascocita HS / Cisco College

Matt Willrodt has one season left at Cisco College before completing his transfer to Texas State. He will have two campaigns of collegiate eligibility remaining. He made 13 appearances on the mound during his freshman season with the Wranglers, and he totaled a 4-4 record and a 5.74 ERA in 58 innings pitched. CC finished the 2017 campaign with a 34-22 record. He also competed for Eric Matthews at Atascocita High School, where he was the District 17-6A MVP. During his senior season, he helped lead the Eagles to a 29-9-1 record with a 10-2 mark in the district. AHS ascended to a final Texas ranking of No. 14, and the team was also ranked by MaxPreps.com as No. 99 in the nation. He was also named to the 2016 Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All-American Honorable Mention team. He is the son of Tom and Susan Willrodt, and he has two older brothers, Kevin and Mark.

Coach Trout on Willrodt: “Matt has a power arm, and he has had a huge fall. He can run it up to 94 mph and has a four-pitch mix. He still has a ton of upside on the mound, so his future is going to be a fun one.”

Dontae Woodard – LHP – 5-9, 195

Elgin, Texas / Elgin HS

Dontae Woodard competes at Elgin High School for Hollis Stringer. He was named this past year to the All-District 19-5A First Team. He also plays for Austin Elite Baseball during the summer. He is the son of Margaret Alexander.

Coach Trout on Woodard: “Dontae is our lone lefty, and he has a power breaking ball. He will be a guy we can use from day one to get lefties out. He plays fullback for his high school. Any time you can have a fullback mentality on the mound, I love our chances.”