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The University of Utah Athletics
Ute Baseball Team Signs Five Players for 2003 Season
12/19/2002 12:00 AM | Baseball
Dec. 19, 2002
SALT LAKE CITY - University of Utah baseball coach Tim Esmay today announced that he has received letters of intent from five athletes: Wes McKnight, Jay Brossman, Matt Filip, Eric Schaler and Graham Harrison. Four of the players hail from high schools throughout the West; the fifth comes to Utah from Salt Lake Community College.
Jay Brossman, a 6-0 middle infielder from Pullman HS in Pullman, Wash., was his team's 2002 MVP and led the league in hitting. A two-time first-team all-league shortstop, Brossman led the league in home runs as a sophomore, when his team won the state championship (2A).
"Jay is a very talented middle infielder that should make an immediate impact," Esmay said.
As a member of the Spokane Heat Summer Select Team, Brossman was the 2001 MVP and Rookie of the Year. He was also the '02 MVP. In the summer of 2002, Brossman was a member of the Mariners (made of up players from Washington, Oregon and Idaho) and the NW Select Team.
The three-sport athlete also starred on the football field and the basketball court. In football, he was the offensive player of the year as both a junior and senior and the all-league quarterback in 2002. Brossman led the league in passing during both his junior and senior seasons and was the team captain this fall. In basketball, he was named second-team all-league in both 2001 and '02. He served as the team captain last year and has the same role as a senior this season.
Catcher Matt Filip, a 6-0 Tuscon, Ariz., native, has served as his team's varsity catcher for the past two seasons as a sophomore and junior. He was an all-city honorable mention honoree as both a sophomore and junior.
"Matt is a big, physical offensive presence with excellent defensive skills behind the plate," Esmay said.
In 2002, Filip was selected to the 2002 Best of the West team and named to the Best of the West All-Tournament team. He is also a member of the USA Baseball team and the Arizona Diamondbacks Scout Team.
Wes McKnight, a 6-5 left-handed pitcher from West Jordan, Utah, will add to the Utes' mound staff. McKnight played for Salt Lake Community College in 1999 before serving an LDS mission. At SLCC, McKnight notched a 7-6 record in 14 starts. He recorded 78 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .270 batting average.
"Wes is a talented, mature leader who will add much-needed depth on the left side," Esmay said. "We're looking for great things from him."
Adding additional depth to the pitching staff will be Eric Schaler, a 6-5 right-handed pitcher from Cherry Creek HS in Englewood, Colo. Last spring, as a junior at Mullen HS, Schaler finished 7-1 with an ERA of 2.90. His team finished as state 5A semi-finalists.
"Eric is a very hard-throwing right-handed pitcher who could be one of the most talented ever at Utah," Esmay said.
As a member of the Burt Chevorlet National Connie Mack touring team, Schaler pitched 45 innings, going a perfect 7-0, with an ERA of 1.87. He notched 67 strikeouts and just 17 walks, and had an on-base percentage of .720. This fall, he was selected to the Colorado Rockies High School Select Team, which toured nationally.
Additionally, Schaler was the starting tight end at Mullen last fall, when his team was the runner-up in the state finals.
Rounding out the recruiting class is Graham Harrison, a 6-3 catcher, first baseman and outfielder from Tulare Union HS in Tulare, Calif. Harrison was the 2002 East Yosemite League MVP and was a first-team all-area selection (he was the runner-up for player of the year). He was also named second-team all-valley.
"Graham possesses excellent offensive skill from both sides of the plate. He should be an offensive power the day he steps on campus."
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