ROCHESTER, Mich. - Oakland University baseball and interim head coach Brian Nelson have announced seven newcomers which will join the Golden Grizzlies' program as part of the 2025 recruiting class.
 
"I couldn't be more excited about our incoming class of 2025 high schoolers," Nelson said. "Coach Helmic deserves a lot of credit for putting this class together, I can't say enough about the relentless work that Coach Helmic put in. Not only do we feel like we got some really good players, but I believe this group consists of elite human beings with great families. We feel like these seven ballplayers are an elite fit for our program and all of them have a chance to impact our roster early on. This is a high floor and high ceiling type of class."
 
The class of seven is made up of a trio of Michigan natives, a pair from Illinois and a sole player from both Ohio and Texas. Among the seven include four pitchers, one outfielder, one infielder and one catcher.
 
"I am extremely excited to officially welcome the 2025 class to Oakland," Oakland baseball recruiting coordinator Jared Helmic said. "We were able to keep the entirety of the class together throughout a coaching change that speaks volumes about these individuals, their families and their excitement about the trajectory of Oakland Baseball. I firmly believe this class is made up of seven talented baseball players and more importantly, seven high-character individuals. I know I can speak for the rest of the staff when I say that we look forward to working with them and seeing the impact they make on Oakland University as student-athletes for the next four years."
 
Benjamin Green // R/R // RHP // Clinton Township, Mich. // Chippewa Valley // Halos Baseball Club // 6-2
Benjamin Green excelled in every category, landing All-Conference, All-District, All-County and All-Academic Team honors in high school. His strong arm and consistent performance make him a promising addition to Oakland's pitching rotation.
 
"Ben came to us highly recommended by Mike Rice of the Detroit Prospects," Helmic said. "Ben has an electric fastball that has continued to tick up in velocity each outing and it became more and more apparent that we needed to do everything in our power to get him to campus. The development of his breaking ball will be a separator when he gets to campus next fall and we look forward to watching him grow as a Golden Grizzly."
 
Mason Palermo // R/R // Catcher // Plainfield, Ill. // Oswego East // Rhinos Baseball // 6-0
Ranked among the top-10 catchers and top-100 players in Illinois by PBR, Palermo attended the prestigious PBR Pro Case in early 2024. His talent behind the plate and solid bat will be a major asset to the Golden Grizzlies.
 
"Brandon Heidal set the bar for Golden Grizzly catchers over the last four years and finding a catcher in this class that could uphold that standard going forward was a priority," Helmic said. "We were first drawn to Mason for his defensive abilities and we quickly saw that his offense has the fire power to match. A true "baseball guy" the Golden Grizzly pitching staff will remain in good hands with Mason behind the plate."
 
Will Paxson // R/R // RHP // Bloomington, Ill. // University High // Rhinos Baseball // 6-1
A threat on the mound, Paxson earned All-Conference honors in the Central State 8 for his pitching abilities. He adds both power and finesse to the Oakland lineup.
 
"Will, like Mason, joins us from the Rhinos Baseball program out of the greater Chicago Area," Helmic said. "He has an advanced feel for spinning a breaking ball and pitches with a maturity beyond his years. Will is a bit of a late bloomer who we expect to see another increase in velocity that should compliment an already quality arsenal on the mound. Will's skillset and presence on the mound should fit right in as he joins the Golden Grizzly pitching staff."
 
Cameron Spezia // L/R // Infield // China, Mich. // Marine City Cardinal Mooney // Michigan Bulls // 5-10
A versatile infielder, Spezia has been recognized as an All-Catholic selection twice, an Honorable Mention All-State selection (D4) and Varsity Offensive Player of the Year. Spezia helped lead his team to the D4 Final Four in 2024 and was a standout in football, with multiple All-Catholic honors.
 
"Cameron Spezia is another signee with ties to Mike Rice, who he previously played for at Cardinal Mooney," Helmic said. "A dual sport athlete who also excelled on the football field, we believe Cam's best baseball days are ahead of him. His presence at the plate and defensive versatility stood out this past spring as he led Cardinal Mooney to the Final Four. Cam's future as a Golden Grizzly is extremely bright as he continues to refine his craft on both sides of the ball."
 
Josh Rosenblitt // R/R // RHP // Beachwood, Ohio // Beachwood // T3 Warhawks // 6-0
Rosenblitt made history at Beachwood, becoming the school's all-time leader in strikeouts. As a multi-sport athlete, he helped lead his soccer team to state for the first time and also became the school's all-time leader in shutouts. He garnered multiple All-Ohio honors and was named Northeast Ohio Pitcher of the Year.
 
"Josh was the first commitment of the 2025 class and possesses an arm and arsenal that stood out early in the recruiting cycle," Helmic said. "He is the definition of a strike thrower and has had nothing but success both at the high school level, setting the school record for strikeouts as a junior and on the national level with the highly regarded T3 Warhawks. Another dual-sport athlete, Josh led Beachwood to the Ohio Final Four on the soccer field while setting the school-record for most shutouts. Josh's competitiveness and will to win in everything he does will be a great addition to Golden Grizzly baseball next fall."
 
Tagertt Dillard // L/L // LHP // Palestine, Texas // Palestine // Brazos Valley Renegades // 5-8
One of Texas' top high school pitchers, Dillard brings impressive credentials to Oakland, including a spot among the state's top 100 for both strikeouts and wins. Dillard earned Second Team All-District honors as a dual-threat on the mound and in the outfield.
 
"Tag joins us from the baseball-rich state of Texas where he was in the top 100 for both wins and strikeouts in his junior season," Helmic said. "The lone LHP in the '25 class, Tag's pitchability has been his bread and butter to this point but with his continued growth and dedication to developing, we expect an increase in velocity in the near future. We are excited for Tag to join a class of mostly Midwest talent and to see him on the mound for the Golden Grizzlies in the coming years."
 
Cash Van Ameyde // L/L // Outfield // Lake Orion, Mich. // Brother Rice // Detroit Prospects // 5-9
Van Ameyde joins Oakland after an impressive high school career highlighted by an All-Catholic selection and a run to the state championship game. His athleticism and fielding skills will strengthen Oakland's outfield.
 
"Cash rounds out the signing class and is as exciting of a player as any that will join us next fall," Helmic said. "A true center fielder, Cash is a dynamic defender who Golden Grizzly pitchers will love having behind them. He is as elite of a high school outfielder as there is and has been a mainstay at the top of the order for one of the best high school programs in the country at Brother Rice. Cash has a chance to make an immediate impact both in the outfield and in the batters box as the type of offensive player that has had success for the Golden Grizzlies in recent years."