Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Baseball Announces the Addition of 11 Recruits for the 2007 Season
6/12/2006 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 12, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Head coach Gene Depew has announced that the Bucknell baseball program will welcome 11 recruits for the 2007 season. Christopher Allderdice, Ben Allen, John Avanzino, Andrew Brouse, Andrew Clarke, Kevin Drozin, Brandon LaRosa, Patrick Moffitt, Eric Valdes, Matthew Walsh and Ben Yoder will join the Bison as members of the Class of 2010.
"We are excited about the quality and diversity of this years group of baseball recruits, it is a very well rounded class," said Depew. "We have three quality players from the area, two players from Texas and Florida and one each from California, Ohio, New York, and New Jersey. The group includes three pitchers and eight talented position players, five of which attended our prospect camp last summer. We feel several of these players will be able to contribute to our program in the near future."
Allderdice is a 6-2, 182-pound pitcher from Lost Angeles, Calif., where he earned Academic All-CIF honors while playing for Crossroads School. "He is a left-hander with good potential," Depew commented.
Allen, whose brother Zachery was a standout pitcher for Bucknell from 2000-03, is a middle infielder from Port Royal, Pa. The 5-10, 155-pound left-handed hitter out of Juniata High School is a three-time league All-Star and was a member of the JBR state championship team at the 15 year-old level. Allen, who has been a varsity starter in soccer, basketball and baseball since his freshman year is "an excellent competitor," according to Depew.
Avanzino, a native of Manhasset, N.Y., will join the Bison out of Manhassett High School. The 6-4, 210-pound corner infielder was the 2005 Nassau County home run leader and has earned All-Conference and All-County honors in his high school career. "Avanzino did well in our prospect camp and we are looking forward to having him as a part of our team. He is a solid hitter capable of batting in the middle of the lineup."
A "local player with a good bat" out of Kreamer, Pa., Brouse comes to Bucknell from Midd-West High School as a 6-1, 175-pound catcher/utility player. Brouse helped his team to Tri-Valley League championships in 2004, 2005 and 2006. He was selected Midd-West Co-MVP in 2005 as his team advanced to the state quarterfinals that season. He earned Tri-Valley First Team All-Star honors twice in baseball, was a two-time Daily Item First Team All-Star and a Harrisburg Patriot Big 11 Baseball Team Honorable Mention in 2005. Brouse lettered in baseball, soccer and wrestling at Midd-West.
Clarke, a 6-5 200-pound right-handed pitcher from Montgomery Texas, was a part of the 2005 Montgomery High School team that won a Houston Regional Championship and was a state semifinalist. "Clarke threw well in our prospect camp and we will look to him to be one of our top pitchers from the outset of his career."
Drozin is a 5-9, 175-pound catcher/third baseman from Concord, Ohio. This season, he helped his team at Notre Dame Cathedral Latin advance to the state championships. Drozin also lettered in football and played quarterback.
LaRosa joins the Orange and Blue as a 6-1, 195-pound catcher/utility player from Jacksonville, Fla. He is currently the single season hits record holder at Episcopal High School where he was named team MVP and helped his squad capture a state championship.
Moffitt hails from Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas, the same high school as former Bison Phil Bunting. The 6-2 190 right-handed pitcher lettered in baseball and golf.
Valdes, a 5-10, 180-pound left-handed hitter is an outfielder from Altamonte Springs, Fla. He served as team captain at The First Academy, was named team MVP as a junior and was voted most improved player as a sophomore. "Valdes attended prospect camp and showed good speed."
Walsh is a right-handed hitting 5-11, 180-pound catcher third-baseman from Chesterfield, N.J. He comes to Bucknell from Lawrenceville School and attended prospect camp.
Yoder, a 5-9 160-pound Belleville, Pa., native, bats left handed and will be a middle infielder for the Bison. In his playing career at Indian Valley High School, he was named a first team Mountain Athletic Conference All-Star and was selected to play in the All-West All-Star Game. A three-sport athlete who also earned letters in basketball and football has "good athletic skills and offensive numbers" according to Depew.
The 11 incoming players will look to help Bucknell make its 10th postseason appearance in the last 12 seasons. In 2006, the Bison finished as the Patriot League regular season co-champions with a league record of 13-7. The Orange and Blue went 24-24 overall and were runners-up to Lehigh in the Patriot League postseason tournament.
