ROCHESTER, Mich. – Third-year head coach
Jordon Banfield has announced the 2023 recruiting class of baseball signees. Ten prospects have inked their National Letters of Intent to join the Golden Grizzlies baseball program for the 2024 season.
Establishing a school record with 31 wins and advancing to the Championship Series of the Horizon League Tournament in 2022, Oakland is seeing this on-field success pay dividends in recruiting, as their 2023 class is rated as highly as any in program history and features several high-upside prospects who have the talent to contribute early in their collegiate careers.
"This is the first class where I really feel like we were able to get in on high school kids early in their process and beat some other schools to the punch for guys," Banfield shared.
"The cycles start 2-3 years out for the more well-known kids, and having been at OU for two-and-a-half years now, we were able to be more involved with young in-state kids in the '23 class. The result of that has been the addition of a couple of really high-end arms with more raw stuff than we've brought in previously from the high school ranks and some-multi sport athletes that really project to continue making us more dynamic on offense and defense.
"We also added a polished defender behind the plate – a position I've made clear is the most important on the field – and complemented our young signees with a proven junior college arm that will be fully healthy next fall.
"Coach (Brian) Nelson's work holding this class together has been vital through the staff transition side and we wouldn't be here today without his efforts."
Banfield's recruiting coordinator and third base coach, Nelson is also entering his third season with the Golden Grizzlies and of the ten prospects he has landed in the 2023 class thus far, six are rated in the top-50 of their state by
Prep Baseball Report (PBR), including four in the top-45.
Five of Wednesday's ten signees are in-state products, with three coming from Ohio and one each from Illinois and Wisconsin.
2023 OAKLAND BASEBALL SIGNING CLASS
| PLAYER |
POSITION |
HEIGHT/WEIGHT |
BATS/THROWS |
HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE) |
| Ben Clark |
C |
5'10"/185 |
R/R |
New Albany, Ohio / New Albany |
| Drew Gaskins |
SS |
6'0"/188 |
L/R |
Sunbury, Ohio / Big Walnut |
| Boston Halloran |
3B/SS |
5'10"/180 |
R/R |
Franklin, Wis. / Franklin |
| Ethan Henry |
LHP |
6'0"/180 |
L/L |
Caledonia, Mich. / Grand Rapids South Christian |
| Brody Krzysiak |
RHP |
6'0"/170 |
R/R |
Bay City, Mich. / Bay City John Glenn |
| Doug Loden |
RHP/1B/OF |
6'1"/210 |
L/R |
Saint John, Ind. / Joliet Junior College |
| Aidan Orr |
2B/SS/OF |
5'11"/165 |
L/R |
Wintersville, Ohio / Indian Creek |
| Trent Rice |
OF |
5'10"/160 |
R/R |
Macomb, Mich. / Marine City Cardinal Mooney Catholic |
| Carson Smith |
OF |
6'2"/200 |
R/R |
Grand Rapids, Mich. / Grandville |
| Tanner Sonntag |
RHP/SS |
6'2"/193 |
R/R |
Bay City, Mich. / Bay City John Glenn |
Ben Clark
C – 5'10"/185, R/R – New Albany, Ohio – New Albany
- Intends to major in Business at Oakland
- Member of the 2021 New Albany team that defeated Cincinnati Elder to win the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Division I State Championship
- 3-year varsity player for the Eagles
- First Team All-District and All-Conference selection as a junior in 2022
- Played for Launch Baseball on club circuit
Quote from recruiting coordinator Brian Nelson: "Ben is a strong catcher with good arm strength and he plays with a high motor behind the plate. He is one of the more physically prepared kids in this class both offensively and defensively. He continues the tradition of adding young quality defenders in this program."
Drew Gaskins
SS – 6'0"/188, L/R – Sunbury, Ohio – Big Walnut
- Intends to major in Business at Oakland
- Four-year varsity player at Big Walnut
- Academic Scholar Athlete (2020, 2021, 2022)
- All-Ohio Capital Conference (OCC) Special Mention (2021, 2022)
- Named the Golden Eagles' Defensive Player of the Year in both 2021 and 2022
- Won MVP honors at the PBR Ohio North vs. South Games in October 2021 after hitting .556 with six RBI over the three contests
- Played for Launch Baseball on the club circuit
Quote from recruiting coordinator Brian Nelson: "Drew is a left-handed hitter that defends shortstop and could project anywhere on the infield. Drew absolutely loves the game of baseball and has the potential to fill multiple roles for the team. We are excited to have his energy in our program."
Boston Halloran
3B/SS – 5'10"/180, R/R – Franklin, Wis. – Franklin
- Intends to major in Business at Oakland
- Also was the starting quarterback for Franklin
- Member of Sabers football team that went 14-0 and captured the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Division 1 State Championship in 2021
- Second Team All-Southeast Conference (SEC) as a sophomore in 2021 and First Team as a junior
- Played on the club scene for Hitters Baseball
Quote from recruiting coordinator Brian Nelson: "Boston is a two-way athlete that is the starting quarterback for his high school and plays for the Hitters Program out of Wisconsin that consistently produces college-ready players. Boston is a tough athlete with a strong arm that should help him at third base in college as he develops."
Ethan Henry
LHP – 6'0"/180, L/L – Caledonia, Mich. – Grand Rapids South Christian
- Intends to major in Political Science at Oakland
- Also plays basketball and soccer at Grand Rapids South Christian
- Four-year varsity player with his freshman year coming at Hastings High School
- Helped the Sailors to their first Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Division 2 Regional Championship as a sophomore in 2021 and their first back-to-back district titles in school history the following year
- Won Grand Rapids South Christian's Pitching MVP Award as a sophomore
- Played for the Diamondbacks National Showcase team on the club circuit
Quote from recruiting coordinator Brian Nelson: "Ethan is a high-ceiling left-handed pitcher that generates easy velocity from a pretty delivery and can spin a tight breaking ball. Ethan has already pitched in some big games and shown the ability to dominate and be a winner."
Brody Krzysiak
RHP – 6'0"/170, R/R – Bay City, Mich. – Bay City John Glenn
- Intends to major in Finance at Oakland
- Also plays football and basketball at Bay City John Glenn
- Four-year varsity baseball player and two-year varsity football player
- Two-time MLive Bay City Dream Team selection (2021, 2022)
- Two-time All-Tri-Valley Conference honoree (2021, 2022)
- Earned 2022 Second Team All-State recognition from the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association (MHSBCA)
- Played his club baseball for the Motor City Hit Dogs
Quote from recruiting coordinator Brian Nelson: "Brody is one of the hardest working kids I've met at his age, the son of a coach that plays the game the right way. He has a catcher's background and only recently transitioned to the mound, where we think he has a chance to be really special. He's ultra-competitive, pounds the strike zone with upper-80s fastballs and has feel for a plus breaking ball. As he focuses on pitching, Brody is the type of recruit that has a chance to contribute as a freshman."
Doug Loden
RHP/1B/OF – 6'1"/210, L/R – Saint John, Ind. – Joliet Junior College
- Intends to major in Operations Management at Oakland
- 2021 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 4 Division III First Team selection after slashing .297/.428/.651 with 16 home runs and 63 RBI in 56 games at Joliet Junior College
- Recognized as a 2019-20 National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) All-American Athlete of the Year as a senior at Lake Central (Indiana) High School
Quote from recruiting coordinator Brian Nelson: "Doug is a shining example of what happens when work ethic, persistence and love for playing baseball all meet together. Doug was a two-way star at Joliet JC, he was their ace on the mound and their 3-hole hitter. Doug will sit in the low-90s with a high-spin fastball and pound the strike zone with multiple pitches. He is a big-time competitor that also hit double-digit homers in junior college."
Aidan Orr
2B/SS/OF – 5'11"/165, L/R – Wintersville, Ohio – Indian Creek
- Intends to major in Business – General Management at Oakland
- Three-year varsity player and team captain for Indian Creek
- Two-time First Team All-Buckeye 8 Athletic League selection (2021, 2022)
- Played for the Pittsburgh Diamond Dawgs on the club scene
Quote from recruiting coordinator Brian Nelson: "Everything about Aidan is quick-twitch, he's a ball-player. Another left-handed hitter that plays the game hard and with passion, he is super athletic and has shown the ability to play in the outfield and on the infield while really standing out with the bat. Aidan has a high-ceiling and we are excited to get him on-campus."
Trent Rice
OF – 5'10"/160, R/R – Macomb, Mich. – Marine City Cardinal Mooney Catholic
- Intends to be a Pre-Medical major at Oakland
- Also plays football and basketball at Marine City Cardinal Mooney Catholic
- Two-time MHSBCA Division 4 First Team All-State honoree (2021, 2022)
- 2022 Cold Weather Bats (CWB) Division 4 Player of the Year
- Played his club baseball for Indiana Prospects
Quote from recruiting coordinator Brian Nelson: "Trent is an exciting player to watch play, he's an absolute burner that runs in the 6.4 range. Trent has athleticism pouring out of him and we are very excited to watch him as he continues to develop. He is an exceptional outfielder that has the ability to steal hits away. We expect him to be able to come in and contribute in some capacity early on as he continues to sharpen his skills."
Carson Smith
OF – 6'2"/200, R/R – Grand Rapids, Mich. – Grandville
- Intends to major in Business at Oakland
- Also plays football for Grandville
- Four-year varsity player in both baseball and football, also serves as the team captain for both
- Two-time All-Ottawa-Kent (OK) Conference football selection
- Played for Team Michigan in the 2021 PBR Future Games in Emerson, Georgia
- Member of the Diamonds Baseball club program
Quote from recruiting coordinator Brian Nelson: "Carson is one of the more physical players in this class. Another multi-sport athlete, he stands at 6-foot-2 and is 200 pounds. He runs really well, he just kind of glides around the outfield making plays. He is the quarterback for his high school, lives in the weight room, and is a leader and big-time competitor. We think Carson has a very bright future with Oakland Baseball."
Tanner Sonntag
RHP/SS – 6'2"/193, R/R – Bay City, Mich. – Bay City John Glenn
- Intends to major in Accounting at Oakland
- PBR's No. 4 RHP in Michigan in the Class of 2023
- Played his club baseball for Midland Berryhill Post 165, making it to the 2022 American Legion World Series in Shelby, North Carolina
Quote from recruiting coordinator Brian Nelson: "Tanner is a gifted ballplayer, he has a special arm that has already been up to 93 (MPH) off the mound and shown an improved ability to control the strike zone. In addition, he has also hit some tape measure home runs and plays a solid middle infield. He is a physical athlete with a lot more room to grow, and we couldn't be more excited about the addition of Tanner to this ball club."
