Flashes Cap Dominant Decade With 2019 Signing Class
12/30/2019 1:44:00 PM | Baseball
KENT, OHIO- Head coach Jeff Duncan and the coaching staff are excited to announce their 2019 recruiting class, closing out a "decade of dominance" for the Golden Flashes both on and off the diamond.
The class caps a tremendous 2010s for the Golden Flashes. They averaged over 38 wins a season and were rated #29 program of the decade by 247 Sports. Kent State was one of just five "non-power-5" programs to make the top-30.
"This is a great class with guys that we thought would be a great fit for the program," Duncan said. "We did a great job of identifying the athleticism and toughness that we think will sustain the high competitive level and standard that we hold ourselves to."
Sebastian Alexander- INF Mayfield OH- Mayfield H.S.
Alexander is a 6-3, multi-tool infielder out of Mayfield High School. Last season he hit .467 in 95 plate appearances. He showcased a good amount of power with four home runs last season while driving in 35. He showed off his speed and athleticism by swiping 20 bases last year as well. While he projects as an infielder, Alexander did record six wins on the mound and a 1.53 earned run average and 53 strikeouts in 50 innings last season.
Coach Duncan on Sebastian Alexander
"A really athletic kid that we see on the left side of our infield. We saw him at a camp at Cuyahoga Community College and immediately grabbed our attention, a really fast, competitive, good kid."
Calvin Bickerstaff- RHP Wintersville OH, Steubenville HS
A star for the Steubenville Big Red, Bickerstaff is a right-hander that can hit in the low-90s with his fastball. The righty also features a slider and change-up, throwing all for strikes. He has lit up his high school competition, going 19-4 in his career with a 1.09 earned run average. He was limited to just 37 innings last season but still went 5-0 with a 0.55 earned run average and 43 strikeouts. Also hit .346 last season with 21 runs batted in.
Coach Duncan on Bickerstaff
"He's a kid that we had on the radar the last few years. Coach Birkbeck and I love his arm and his competitive nature, that fastball really jumps on hitters and has late life."
Kyle Jackson- SS Bowling Green OH- Bowling Green H.S.
Jackson is another multi-tool player and helped Bowling Green High School to a number-three state ranking in Ohio's Division-II poll. Posted a .536 batting average as a junior with 10 doubles, a triple, home run, 27 RBI and 13 stolen bases. A disciplined hitter, he also drew 18 walks and rolled up a .606 on-base percentage.
Coach Duncan on Jackson
"Kyle is another great athlete that we envision on the infield, he's a multi-sport athlete who is a really good wide receiver. He's got a good, compact, lefty swing that we really like."
Nate Kusner- RHP. Solon OH- Solon H.S.
Kusner is another projectable right hander out of Solon High School and Release Baseball where he played with fellow Kent State commit Jordan Stevens. At a travel showcase, Kusner was rated as having the most projectable arm, best breaking ball and best three-pitch mix according to the Prep Baseball Report.
Coach Duncan on Kusner
"What we loved about Nate is his command of the strike zone and his willingness to compete and battle. His fastball has late life to it and commands it on both sides of the plate. His slider and change gives him three pitches that he can throw for strikes."
Aidan Longwell- LHP/1B. Massillon, OH- Massillon Washington
Longwell decision to play baseball for the Golden Flashes came down to national signing day as Longwell also had several D-I offers to play quarterback in college. The lefty chose Kent State, who he'd been a verbal commit to since his freshman year of high school. He posted a 5-0 record with a 0.43 earned run average in 2018.
Coach Duncan on Longwell
"Aidan is a guy we see as a potential two-way player. He's got a great presence and command about him, really can slow things down and perform in the clutch. He's a three-pitch pitcher who can hit mid-to-upper 80s and can throw all his pitches for strikes."
Michael McNamara- MIF- Cleveland OH- St. Ignatius
McNamara helped Cleveland St. Ignatius win the 2019 state baseball title. Enjoyed a breakout sophomore season in 2018 where he hit .343. Backed it up with another solid season in 2019, leading St. Ignatius with 4 homers, 25 RBI and drawing 24 walks.
"We really like "Mac's" feet, we think that he's a kid that can hit for a lot of power but can play a great second or third base for us."
Benny Roebuck- RHP – Flower Mound Texas- Marcus H.S.
Roebuck is a right-hander out of Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas but is originally from Bryan, Ohio. The 6-1 righty can consistently hit in the low 90s with his fastball and flashes a good slider to go along with a curve and change-up.
"Benny is a guy we project to be a starter for us, potentially early in his career. We love his mix of pitches and are excited to watch his arm and ability develop."
Jordan Stevens- OF Cleveland Heights OH, St. Edward
Another product of Release Baseball, Stevens is a highly-touted outfielder out of Saint Edward's in Cleveland. He missed last season due to injury, but stayed true to his verbal commitment made to Kent State two summers ago.
Coach Duncan on Stevens
"I think he's the best hitter in the state of Ohio. He has a knack to hit and barrel up the ball with good bat speed. We saw at a futures game in 2018 and he immediately stood out to us."
Evan Wolf- RHP/OF Gahanna OH- Gahanna Lincoln
Wolf comes to Kent State out of a very athletic, baseball family. His father played at Columbus State while his brother Jackson pitches at West Virginia. Another potential two-way player, Wolf was second-team all-league as a junior, helping Gahanna to a 19-8 record overall. On the mound, the righty has a live upper-80s fastball and continues to work on a slider and change. In the outfield, Wolf is a strong defensive center fielder with a good arm and great range.
Coach Duncan on Wolf
"We really like his two-way potential, but really like him on the mound. He brings a ton of energy to the game and we really like the idea of him being a versatile weapon out of our bullpen."
"These guys all come from a winning program, whether that's travel ball or high school, we think that's important," Duncan added. "They will all bring that winning mindset to our team and that is something that you can't coach but is incredibly valuable."
This recruiting class closes what has been nothing short of a "decade of dominance" for the Golden Flashes on the diamond.
Last season's 30-24 record marked the 21st straight season of 30 or more wins. Across the 2010s, Kent State amassed 386 victories, an average of better than 38 wins a season and a .655 winning percentage.
During that time, the Flashes won six Mid-American Conference titles and five MAC tournament championships. Their five trips to the NCAA Regionals was highlighted in the program's appearance in the 2012 College World Series.
Individually, the Golden Flashes have had 63 All-MAC selections, 27 All-Americans and six times the Kent State skipper has been named the MAC Head Coach of the Year.
Thirty-Seven Golden Flashes have heard their name called in the Major League Baseball Rule-4 Draft and 42 have gone on to sign professional deals. Eight players have made the Major Leagues: Emmanuel Buriss, Chris Carpenter, Andrew Chafin, Matt Guerrier, Eric Lauer, Travis Shaw, Andy Sonnanstine and Taylor Williams.
The success has continued off the diamond where the Golden Flashes have excelled in the classroom. The Flashes have had an average in-season term GPA of 3.137 and an average cumulative GPA of 3.166 over the past 10 seasons and 20 semesters. Eighty student-athletes have earned their diploma and the team has posted an average Academic Progress Rate of 988 out of a possible 1000.
"The thing that sticks out to me the most over the last decade has been the people," Coach Duncan said. "I have been here for going on seven seasons, the comradery between the players, coaches, alumni, staff and fans is unreal, it's unlike anything I have seen anywhere else."
Kent State will look to start a new "decade of dominance" on February 14th, when they open the 2020 campaign against Iowa in Port Charlotte, Florida. The game time has not yet been announced.
