Akron Baseball Signs 10 Additional Student-Athletes

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AKRON, Ohio — University of Akron first-year head baseball coach Chris Sabo signed an additional 10 student-athletes to his first class.

"Akron Baseball is thrilled to complete our 2019-2020 recruiting class. We feel we have a good variety of experience and youth, filled with players we think have excellent potential moving forward. My staff and myself look forward in preparing our student-athletes for the upcoming season both in the classroom and on the playing field. We feel this rebirth of University of Akron baseball will be very special for all our players and staff. We all look forward to the upcoming year."

Overall, the class features homegrown talent. Fifteen student-athletes list their hometowns within the state of Ohio, five within a 30-mile radius of campus.

Additionally, 10 are high school seniors, while 23 are junior college transfers and three are four-year transfers. Seventeen are listed as pitchers, nine as infielders, six as outfielders, and four as catchers.

Akron baseball returns to competitive play in the spring of 2020 as a member of the Mid-American Conference.

2019 Akron Baseball Commitments

Name                            Pos.    B/T    Elig.    Ht.       Wt.       Hometown | High School | Previous School
Taed Heydinger #           RHP    R/R R-Jr.   6-2      200      Bayfield, Colo. | Bayfield | Fullerton College
Brady Mehl #                  RHP    R/R    Jr.     6-8      220      Southlake, Texas | Carroll | Navarro
Mark Meyer #                 RHP    R/R    Sr.    6-7      205      Cincinnati, Ohio | Tuslaw | Marshall
Jackson Miller              IF/RHP S/R    So.    6-2      185      Medina, Ohio | Highland | Lake Erie College
Joshua Nellis #             1B/OF   R/R R-Jr.   6-3      213      Williamsburg, Va. | Jamestown | Dyersburg CC
Brenton Phillips #            OF     R/R    Jr.     6-1      195      Albany, Ga. | Lee County | Andrew College
Grayson Phillips             RHP    R/R    Fr.     6-4      225      Glendale, Ohio | La Salle
Connor Regan #               C      R/R R-Sr.   6-2      210      Sagamore Hills, Ohio | Walsh Jesuit | Wright State
Cameron Tilly #                C      R/R    Jr.     6-3      184      Canberra, Australia | Colby CC
Jacob Wosinski #           RHP    R/R    Jr.     6-8      200      Ada, Mich. | Lowell | Grand Rapids CC

# Transfer

Signee Biographies

Quotes on each player from associate head coach Jordon Banfield.

TAED HEYDINGER
Pitcher • R/R • R-Jr. • 6-2 • 200
Bayfield, Colo. | Bayfield HS | Fullerton College

(pronounced tade high-dinger)

College: Spent two seasons with coach Nick Fuscardo at Fullerton College ... pitcher ... as a sophomore in 2019, appeared in 16 games with 12 starts ... pitched 74.2 innings ... struck out 68 and walked 34 ... recorded one save.

High School: Three-year letterwinner for coach Jon Qualls at Bayfield HS ... utility player ... Honor Roll student.

Personal: Full name is Timothy Heydinger ... born October 23, 1997 ... parents are Tim and Chris Heydinger ... has a younger sister Tessa and a younger brother Brendan ... sport management major.

From Banfield: "Taed is a very unique story as I saw him by accident on my spring trip through California at a game where I went to watch the other team. In the fourth inning, Fullerton ran him out of the bullpen at 87-90 with command to both sides and a breaking ball in the zone. I had to go ask the staff who this kid was, and it turns out they were just getting their No. 1 starter some work out of the pen in a non-league game. The rest is history, and Taed brings his 3.7 GPA to Akron this fall."

* * *

BRADY MEHL
Pitcher • R/R • Jr. • 6-8 • 220
Southlake, Texas | Carroll HS | Navarro

(pronounced mail)

College: Played two seasons for coach Matt Podjenski at Navarro College ... As a Sophomore (2019): Appeared in 12 games, pitching 15.0 innings ... struck out 14 ... As a Freshman (2018): Appeared in seven games with six starts ... pitched 19.0 innings ... struck out 17 and walked nine.

High School: Pitched for coach Larry Hughes at Carroll HS ... as a senior in 2016, helped the Dragons to a 24-9-1 overall record and an 11-2 mark in district play ... team advanced to the 2016 state championship playoffs.

From Banfield: "Brady is another junior college transfer that we believe hasn't reached his ceiling yet. He's a big 6-foot-8 kid that appears to have made significant progress with his delivery this summer and will work into the low-90's. A terrific student, he brings with him a 3.5 GPA from Navarro."

* * *

MARK MEYER
Pitcher • R/R • Sr. • 6-7 • 205
Cincinnati, Ohio | Tuslaw HS | Marshall

COLLEGE: Played two seasons for coach Jeff Waggoner at Marshall University ... As a Sophomore (2018): Made 12 appearances with two starts ... held an 8.46 ERA in 27.2 innings ... went a season-high six innings against Southern Miss. As a Freshman (2017): Appeared in 10 games, starting in three games … started against Virginia Tech, Ohio, and at Morehead State … had a 0-1 record through 23 innings pitched … recorded 12 strikeouts, including a season-high four against Ohio … held a 7.04 ERA and allowed 19 runs on 35 hits and nine walks.

High School: Four-year letterwinner for coach Dave Burkett at Tuslaw HS ... as a senior, had a 1.51 ERA with 80 strikeouts ... also a four-year letterwinner in basketball and one year in golf ... player for Ohio Elite for three summers.

Personal: Born June 11, 1997 ... parents are Ken and Mary Meyer ... has three older sisters– Maggie, Molly, and Katie– and an older brother K.C. ... father played basketball at Xavier .... sister Katie was a three-year starter for Memphis volleyball ... uncle is Mike Girsch, general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals ... applied science and technology major.

From Banfield: "Mark is an Ohio kid that went and pitched significant innings in Conference USA for two years before deciding to transfer here this summer. At 6-foot-7, I'm confident that Mark still hasn't reached his ceiling and am excited to see what his work with Coach McKinney produces whether he gets on the field this year or next for us."

* * *

JACKSON MILLER
Infielder/Pitcher • S/R • So. • 6-2 • 185
Medina, Ohio | Highland HS | Lake Erie College

COLLEGE: Played freshman season for coach Cameron Castro at Lake Erie College ... pitched 22 innings with 21 strikeouts ... started for the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League champion and Top 25 nationally ranked summer team Lima Locos in 2019.

High School: Two-year letterwinner for coach Jay Grissom at Highland HS ... played third base, infield, and pitcher ... 2018 Honorable Mention All-Suburban League, first-team All-County, and preseason second-team All-State ... helped team to the 2018 district and regional championships and a state final four appearance ...batted .338 with 15 innings pitched and a 2.28 ERA ... 2017 second-team All-League ... 2016 and 2017 participant in USA Baseball for Team Ohio Valley.

Personal: Born June 17, 2000 ... parents are Debra and Gary Miller ... has two older sisters– Erica and Kambra– and two older brothers– Stephen and Dalton ... father played baseball at Lakeland College, while uncle Bruce Miller played basketball there ... business administration major.

From Banfield: "Jackson Miller is another Ohio kid that attended another institution for a year before deciding to transfer this summer. He'll be a true two-way player for us as we feel he has a chance to contribute offensively from both sides of the plate, defend on the infield, and he'll also work into the low 90s on the mound. His versatile skill set is one I think can help our program in a number of ways. Additionally, he's a very strong student, bringing in over a 3.5 transfer GPA."

* * *

JOSHUA NELLIS
First Baseman/Outfielder • R/R • R-Jr. • 6-3 • 213
Williamsburg, Va. | Jamestown HS | Dyersburg State CC

COLLEGE: Spent the 2019 season at Dyersburg State CC ... played in 2018 at Patrick Henry CC where he set the single-season home run record (11) ... saw action in 41 games ... batted .325 with 36 runs, 35 RBI, and five stolen bases ... Presidential grant recipient .... redshirted as a true freshman at Harford in 2017.

High School: Three-year letterwinner for coach Michael Kuebler at Jamestown HS ... played third base.

Personal: Born March 25, 1998 ... parents are Dale and Kirsten Nellis ... has a brother Jeremy ... biomedical sciences major.

From Banfield: "We were basically done recruiting position players when it came to our attention that Josh was available. He posted back-to-back double-digit home run seasons in junior college and was excited about the chance to compete for a spot in our lineup. I've never coached a team with too many good hitters and we felt like adding him late was a no brainer for our program. He could contribute at an infield or outfield corner and will likely start out working at first base this fall. Josh also brings with him a 3.8 GPA."

* * *

BRENTON PHILLIPS
Outfielder • R/R • Jr. • 6-1 • 195
Albany, Ga. | Lee County HS | Andrew College

COLLEGE: Spent two seasons with coach Blake Williams at Andrew College ... played centerfield and left field ... 2019 Defensive Player of the Year ... second-team All-Conference ... NJCAA Gold Glove Award ... batted .326 with nine home runs ... also had 27 doubles and 34 stolen bases ... Dean's List student.

High School: Two-year letterwinner for coach Brandon Brock at Lee County HS ... played centerfield ... 2017 second-team All-Conference as a senior ... helped team to back-to-back region championships (2016, 2017) and a state championship appearance in 2017.

Personal: Born May 11, 1999 ... parents are Greg and Chanda Phillips ... has a younger sister Braylea ... enjoys hunting and fishing ... plans to join the military following graduation ... business major.

From Banfield: "Brenton is a guy I had been following since going to see his teammate Justin Barr play this spring. When a need for an outfielder arose, it became an obvious fit from our perspective as he brings a unique blend of speed and power to the roster. Brenton won the national NJCAA Gold Glove award this spring and also sports a 3.8 GPA."

* * *

GRAYSON PHILLIPS
Pitcher • R/R • Fr. • 6-4 • 225
Glendale, Ohio | La Salle HS

High School: Three-year letterwinner for coach Greg Leurck at La Salle HS ... 2019 second-team All-GCL South and La Salle Pitcher of the Year ... as a senior, pitched 30.2 innings for a 3-1 record with one save, 40 strikeouts, and a 1.83 ERA ... played in the East vs. West All-Star game ... also played basketball ... Honor Roll student.

Personal: Born May 22, 2000 ... parents are Jill and Chris Phillips ... has a younger brother Maddox ... mother played basketball at Georgia, while father played baseball at Illinois Wesleyan ... volunteered at a food pantry ... cyber security major.

From Banfield: "Grayson attended our unsigned Senior Prospect Camp as a complete unknown to our staff and after he worked into the upper-80s with that body, we decided we couldn't let him get away. He's an extremely mobile kid, especially for his size, and I'm very excited to watch him develop in the coming years."

* * *

CONNOR REGAN
Catcher • R/R • R-Sr. • 6-2 • 210
Sagamore Hills, Ohio | Walsh Jesuit HS | Wright State

College: Three-time Dean's List honoree ... As a Redshirt Junior (2019): Appeared in seven games with one start ... batted .286 in seven at-bats ... had a home run and one RBI. As a Redshirt Sophomore (2018): Appeared in 10 games ... hit .143 in seven at-bats with one double and a home run ... Academic All-Conference selection. As a Redshirt Freshman (2017): Redshirted. As a Freshman (2016): Saw limited as a true freshman at Buffalo.

High School: Four-year letterwinner for coach Chris Kaczar at Walsh Jesuit HS ... team won four North Coast League titles and the 2015 district championship ... as a senior in 2015, first-team All-Conference and second-team All-State selection ... hit .440 with three home runs and 39 RBI ...
as a junior, second-team All-Conference ... team won 85 games over his four years, including 27 straight and a Top 10 national ranking in his junior season.

Personal: Born January 7, 1997 ... parents are Tim and Tracey Regan ... has a younger brother Brendan who plays baseball at Michigan State ... graduate student ... pursuing an M.B.A. in finance.

From Banfield: "Connor is a local kid who is now graduate transfer from Wright State after beginning his DI career at Buffalo before they dropped their program. Being a new program, our roster was going to lack seniors and having a chance to bring in an older guy at a position where leadership ability is required was a perfect fit for us. Connor's work ethic has already become apparent and we feel like he'll really be able to contribute to building the workmanlike winning culture we want in our locker room."

* * *

CAMERON TILLY
Catcher • R/R • Jr. • 6-3 • 184
Canberra, Australia | Colby CC

College: Two-year letterwinner for coach Ryan Carter at Colby CC ... played catcher and first base ... As a Sophomore (2018): First-team All-Conference ... second-team All-Region ... mamed to Regional Gold Glove Team and regional playoff team ... batted .377 with 17 home runs and 67 RBI. As a Freshman (2017): All-Conference Honorable ... .330 batting average with 10 home runs and 37 RBI.

Personal: Born January 18, 1997 ... parents are Jason Tilly and Lexia Turner ... has three sisters– Keeley, Shaylee, and Imogene– and two brothers– Lochlan and Bentley ... organizational supervision major.

From Banfield: "Cam Tilly is probably the kid we recruited longer than any other in this class. Coach McKinney saw him in Kansas in March, and we just stayed on him for months, finally getting him to campus in June before his trip home to Australia. He put up huge numbers this spring at Colby CC and has a chance to bring a middle of the order type presence to our lineup while competing for the catching job."

* * *

JACOB WOSINSKI
Pitcher • R/R • Jr. • 6-8 • 200
Ada, Mich. | Lowell HS | Grand Rapids CC

College: Two-year letterwinner for coaches Mike Cupples and Mike Eddingyon at Grand Rapids CC ... 2019 second-team All-Conference selection ... appeared in 11 games with 10 starts ... pitched four complete games and 53.0 innings ... struck out 80 and walked 23 ... as a freshman in 2018, started nine games ... threw 46.1 innings, striking out 51 and walking 27.

High School: Two-year pitcher for coach Justin Miller at Lowell HS ... All-Conference as a senior ... team MVP and Most Improved Player ... graduated cum laude (3.7 GPA).

Personal: Born March 9, 1999 ... has an older sister Allison ... exercise science major.

From Banfield: "Staying with the theme of tall right-handed arms, Jacob may possess as high of a ceiling as any pitcher we brought in this year. At 6-foot-8 he works from a lower slot and has been up to 94 mph at times with a short, tight slider. He posted really impressive strikeout numbers at GRCC, and I really believe the sky is the limit as he works to add strength to his only 200-pound frame."

The University of Akron Athletics

Akron Baseball Signs 10 Additional Student-Athletes

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