ROCHESTER, Mich. – Oakland University Baseball and Head Coach Jordon Banfield have announced 14 newcomers as part of the 2022 signing class for the Golden Grizzlies' program.

""I'm excited to add these fourteen newcomers to a deep group of returners as we move towards the 2023 season. It's the biggest group of freshmen we've brought in, with nine guys having just graduated high school this past spring. That is the model we've wanted to move towards, developing guys from within and limiting turnover from year-to-year," said Banfield, "This is a group that should be foundational for our program moving forward, while continuing to supplement with transfers as we've done in this class with five junior college players that have proven themselves against older competition. Nearly all fourteen guys competed in collegiate leagues this summer and we're hopeful that helps them hit the ground running this fall. In closing I must also thank Coach Nelson for his work assembling this class and handling all of the many back end pieces that come with coordinating a recruiting class."

Tanner Ware // LHP // North Canton, Ohio // Hoover
Ware joins the Golden Grizzlies roster as a league champion in Ohio after breaking the school record for saves in a season and saves in a career. A dual-sport athlete, Ware was a district champion on the basketball team with a slew of accolades to his credit in addition to being a three-time academic award recipient. 

Jaxson Easterlin // RHP // Franklin, Wis. // Franklin
The Oakland Baseball program continues its tradition of bringing in academically-focused individuals in Easterlin who was on the honor roll all four years of high school and had one of the top five grade point averages of baseball players in Wisconsin. Easterlin's Summer Collegiate team won the Independence League championship following a First Team All-Conference selection in high school.

Landon Clark // OF // Fortville, Ind. // Mt. Vernon
Clark joins as a All-League and All-County selection out of high school with the Marauders, contributing to the squad's Team Academic Award honor.

Ryan Donley // LHP // Chesterton, Ind. // Chesterton
Yet another High Honor Roll honoree his senior and junior year of high school, Donley joins a stacked pitching class following a high school career that concluded with him as the team's MVP and an All-Conference selection.

Sam Griffith // IF // Greenwood, Ind. // Center Grove
The infielder will join Oakland after spearheading a 2021 All-USA Central Indiana postseason Second-Team Super Team effort along with taking First Team All-Johnson County and First Team All-MIC Conference with the Trojans. 

Reggie Bussey // OF // Twinsburg, Ohio // Twinsburg
Bussey was Ohio All-State Honorable Mention prior to joining the Golden Grizzlies' roster in addition to a First Team Suburban League honor. 

Lucas Day // IF // Dayton, Ohio // Troy Christian
Day is a decorated student-athlete out of Ohio with headliner accolades such as two-time Conference Player of the Year, First Team All-State OHSAA, three-time First Team All-Conference, All-State Ohio Position Player of the Year, and a three-time Perfect Game All-American. 

Dylan Haslett // RHP // Indianapolis, Ind. // Cathedral
Haslett was a 2022 4A State Runner Up with the Irish, accumulating summer ball numbers with a 6-0 record on the bump with 40 innings pitched, 50 strikeouts, and a 0.700 earned run average. Haslett would finish his BAM career with a 1.89 ERA and a 13-2 overall record.

Jake Matthaidess // LHP // Eldridge, Iowa // Kirkwood Community College
The three-sport athlete joins Oakland with an All-State Second Team honor to his credit all while being the second-most career record holder at North Scott High School in strikeouts and a First Team All-District honor in 2020 and 2019 as a pitcher and utility, respectively. Matthaidess is a three-time state qualifier in wrestling and a All-District Team quarterback. 

Rhys Francis // RHP // Shadyside, Ohio // Shadyside
Francis chose Oakland over a collegiate football offer after a First Team All-State Pitcher on PBR Rankings. In addition, the Shadyside, Ohio native was First Team All-District, All-Ohio Team, and All-OVAC Team. 

Ryan Dykstra // OF/1B // Byron Center, Mich. // Grand Rapids Community College
Oakland picked up the Kalamazoo Growlers product from Grand Rapids Community College where he reached two-straight First Team All-MCCAA honors in 2021 and 2020 as well as Academic All-MCCAA accolades in both of those years.

Sean Fekete // RHP // Budapest, Hungary // Ohlone College
Fekete lived overseas his entire life before moving to America for baseball, joining Oakland following a stellar career at Ohlone College. While with the Renegades, Fekete was a ABCA/Rawlings Second Team West Coast Pitcher and Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year. Fekete was also on the Hungarian National Team as the MVP of the European Championship Qualifier as Team Hungary took home the championship.

Lucas Loos // IF // Payson, Ill. // John Wood Community College
Loos was a record breaker out of John Wood CC prior to joining the Oakland squad, breaking the single season doubles record and single season total bases record. In 2021, Loos was MWAC Freshman of the Year and a First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Region honors. Most recently, Loos was 2022 Second Team All-Conference and the MWAC Third Base Gold Glove recipient. 

Noah Stants // RHP // Commerce Township, Mich. // Jackson College
Stants worked his way onto the 2022 MCCAA Second Team All-Eastern Conference team list along with multiple MCCAA Eastern Conference Pitcher of the Week honors.