Baseball inks six for 2002-03
CMU Baseball Head Coach Judd Folske signed six student-athletes to national letters of intent.
“We are very excited,” he said. These six guys are the complete package and that was what we were looking for. They will grow real fast because of the athletes that they are.”
Joining the Chippewas for the 2002-03 season will be: outfielder Dan Every (Royal Oak/Kimball); third basemen Jason Gotwalt (Mississauga, Ont./Our Lady of Mount Carmel); outfielder/pitcher Joel Pelland (Carom Stream,Ill/Glenbard North); left-handed pitcher Jayson Ruhlman (Macomb/L’Anse Creuse North); right-handed pitcher Ryan Stromer (Cave Creek, Ariz./Cactus Shadows); and middle-infielder Chase Welker (Maumee, Ohio/St. Johns).
Every a 6’0” left handed hitter was an All-State selection finishing last season with seven home runs, 37 RBI and has 29 stolen bases for 113 total in his career; 32 shy of a state record.
“He is a left handed batter, who can flat out run,” Folske said.
Gotwalt a 6’1” power hitter played on Team Ontario last season.
Pelland a 6’3” player that will pitch and play outfield. 8-1 with a 1.77 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 60 innings last year, while batting .322.
Ruhlman, a 6’0” 155 pound lefty reaches the mid-80 mph along with having good control.
“He just needs to grow. I love his demeanor on the mound. I saw him pitch in Districts and we went after him,” Folske said.
Stromer a 6’2” right hander with a fastball that reaches the upper 80s. He posted a 5-2 record with a 1.36 ERA, along with recording 87 strikeouts in only 51.7 innings.
“There were a lot of guns on him. He will be a force. He has a lively arm and has a two-seam and a four-seam fastball,” Folske said.
Welker is 6’1” all-city and all-district selection in his sophomore and junior years. He hit .365 last spring and was selected to play for Team Ohio.
“He is a shortstop with good hands. He has some arm strength but overall his skills are good,” Folske said.
Folske also hopes to add three more players.
“We need to add a few more arms,” he said. “There are plusses and minuses to early signees, we love them but we didn’t get everyone we wanted.”
