Nine Commit to Join UC Irvine Baseball in 2012
Nov. 23, 2010
IRVINE, Calif. --- Nine student-athletes have made their decision to join the UC Irvine Baseball program in the November signing period, as announced by associate head coach, Pat Shine. The recruiting class includes eight high school players and one from the junior college ranks.
"UC Irvine Baseball is proud to announce the following nine players have chosen UCI to pursue their academic and baseball goals," said Shine. "They all are outstanding students and have the character and ability to be immediate contributors at UC Irvine for the 2012 season."
John Alexander, who plays both infield and outfield positions, helped Glendora High School win a Sierra League Championship and the Division II CIF title. He batted .395 with 11 doubles and five home runs while striking out only 12 times. Alexander, who boasted a .721 slugging percentage last season, is a two-sport star, and was named an alternate to the USA Men's Volleyball National Team.
"John is one of the best two-sport athletes in Southern California," said Shine. When he spends 100-percent of his time dedicated to baseball he has no ceiling. He is a physical left-handed hitter with power and is an above-average runner. "
Kyle Davis is a right-hander pitcher and outfielder out of Great Oak High School. Last season, Davis hit .322 with four doubles and four home runs. On the mound Davis was 3-0 with a pair of saves. He owned a 1.27 ERA and struck out 11 batters in nine innings while yielding just six hits.
"Kyle is a legitimate two-way college player," said Shine. "Kyle is a speedy outfielder who has shown the ability to hit and handle the bat. On the mound Kyle is a tremendous pitcher with two very good pitches. He has a good fastball with great command and an outstanding slider."
Tyler Krause is a two-time first-team all-region outfielder from JSerra High School. Krause earned second-team all-league honors as a junior after hitting .367 with 33 hits with three home runs and 16 RBI. He received the JSerra Silver Slugger Award and most recently played on the Oakland A's Scout Team.
"Tyler is one of the best athletes in Orange County," commented Shine. He is a physical centerfielder with great speed. At the plate, he is a right-handed hitter who has shown the ability to hit and who has good bat speed. "
Sam Moore, a 6-0 right-hander from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, posted a 2.12 ERA in 2010. He pitched 60 innings, including five complete games and struck out 64 while walking just 10. He was named an All-Bay League first-team choice and voted to the 2010 National Classic All-Tournament Team.
"Sam is a talented pitcher with four pitches, including a slider and a split-finger," said Shine. He has outstanding command with all his pitches and will be a great addition to a young pitching staff in 2012."
Jonathan Munoz, an infielder from Diamond Bar High School, batted .360 as a junior with four doubles, three home runs and 22 RBI. The two-time All-Sierra League first-team honoree is also a two-time all-league academic team member and played on the Braves Scout Team in 2009 and 2010.
"Jonathan is a physical left-handed hitter with very good bat speed and the ability to use the whole field," said Shine. "We are very excited to have his bat - he has a knack to hit and has power. In addition, he can play both corner positions very well."
Race Parmenter is the lone upperclassman of the group, transferring from Golden West College where he was 2-1 on the mound with a 3.63 ERA this past season. The right-hander prepped at Marina High School where he was 7-0 with a 1.79 ERA as a senior.
"Race will bring two years of junior college experience to a young pitching staff at UCI," said Shine. "He has been a very successful starter in arguably the best junior college conference in the country, the Orange Empire Conference. He is a strike thrower with good movement on his fastball and a good slider. We expect Race to pitch in a prominent role at UCI in 2012."
Kris Paulino, an outfielder at Tesoro High School, has batted over .400 the last two seasons, hitting .468 as a sophomore and .419 in 2010. In his junior campaign, Paulino posted nine doubles, three triples and one home run en route to collecting All-South Coast League first-team honors.
"Kris brings a unique combination to UC Irvine," said Shine. "He is a very good athlete with outstanding baseball instincts. He can play any outfield position as well as second base. He is also an outstanding left-handed hitter with good speed. We are thrilled to have Kris as a part of the UCI Baseball program."
Taylor Sparks is a two-time Scholar-Athlete of the Year at St. John Bosco. On the field Sparks hit .354 with a team-high six home runs and 15 stolen bases. A member of the Brewers Area Code Team, Sparks also played on the Angel's Elite Team and Scout All-Star Team this past season.
"Taylor is one of the most talented players in Southern California," said Shine. "He has the upside and athleticism to be an immediate contributor at UC Irvine and has a great future in professional baseball. He is a physical player with the quickness and athleticism to potentially be a very good shortstop. He also possesses tremendous bat speed, power and is an above-average runner.
Rounding out the list of early signees is first baseman Connor Spencer, who attends Tesoro High School. The left handed hitter batted .538 this past season with 42 hits, including 12 doubles, a triple and three home runs. Boasting an .833 slugging percentage, Spencer set the school record in batting average and led the South Coast League in hitting for the second consecutive year. The All-CIF second-team honoree owns the school's single-season records in average, doubles (14) and hits (47), which he recorded in 2009.
"Connor is a very strong left-handed hitting first baseman," said Shine. "He has re-written the Tesoro High record book and is a two-time conference batting champion. We have high expectations for Connor at UC Irvine and are thrilled to add his ability to hit to the UCI in 2012."
Name....................Position...........B/T....Ht.....Wt......Hometown/School
John Alexander......OF/1B..............L/L....6-5...195.....Glendora /Glendora HS
Kyle Davis.............RHP/OF...........R/R....6-0....175....Temecula/Great Oak HS
Tyler Krause..........OF .................R/R ...6-1....185 ....Dana Point/J. Serra HS
Sam Moore............RHP ...............L/R ...6-0.....180 ...Rancho Palos Verdes/Palos Verdes Peninsula HS
Jonathan Munoz......IF. .................L/R ...6-3.....190 ...Whittier/Diamond Bar HS
Race Parmenter......RHP ..............R/R ...5-11....170 ...Huntington Beach/Golden West College
Kris Paulino............OF .................L/R ...5-11....180 ...Ladera Ranch/Tesoro HS
Taylor Sparks.........IF. ................R/R....6-4......200 ...Long Beach/St. John Bosco
Connor Spencer......1B .................L/R...6-1......200 ...Trabuco Canyon/Tesoro HS
