Northridge Stocks Rebuilding Blocks

Two years after his baseball program was briefly eliminated, leading to an exodus of players, Coach Mike Batesole of Cal State Northridge is putting the finishing touches on another banner recruiting season.

He has signed 11 high school seniors and added a group of impressive junior college players, headed by catcher Brandon Thompson, a junior from Orange Coast College who hit 14 home runs and drove in 55 runs last season.

Batesole has been forced to continue his recruiting efforts after two prized signees--outfielder Chris Testa of Palmdale and outfielder Daylon Monette of A.B. Miller--signed professional contracts.

Testa was a fifth-round draft pick of Colorado and Monette went in the seventh round to Cleveland. Another Matador recruit, second baseman Wes Rasmussen of Moorpark, signed with Atlanta.

The strength of the class is pitching.

Pitchers include left-handers Bill Murphy of Southern Section Division I champion Arlington and Johnny Torres from Yucaipa, and right-handers Kameron Loe of Granada Hills and Ivan Hernandez of Sylmar.

Several local players recently signed with the Matadors, including first baseman Jon Bringuier and catcher Dan Frisbee, both of Granada Hills, and catcher John Hubbard of L.A. Baptist.

Transferring to Northridge are left-handed pitcher Bobby Graves, from Hart High, who played this season at Oklahoma, and right-hander Nick Padilla, from Cerritos College.

“We’re trying to build this [program] from the ground up,” Batesole said. “I’m not trying for the quick fix. I think these kids coming in are the ones who will turn this program around. We might take our lumps next season, then [in 2001], we have a chance to be pretty special.”

The freshmen will join six sophomores-to-be who made up Batesole’s first extensive recruiting class since the program was eliminated, then reinstated in the fall of 1997. Impact freshman from last season returning are shortstop J.T. Stotts, first baseman Tim Arroyo, infielder Jason Gorman and pitchers Andy Davidson, Mike Frick and Mike Rainer.

Batesole hopes to add retiring Hart Coach Bud Murray as an assistant. The two are planning to meet several times this summer to discuss a possible position.

Two players from the 1999 Northridge team have signed professional contracts--outfielder Danny Phillips and catcher Jeremy Sickles. Another player, pitcher Daryl Grant, will not be returning.

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NORTHRIDGE SIGNEES

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Name Pos. Previous Jason Allec C Highland HS Jon Bringuier 1B Granada Hills HS Bryan Collins C L.A. CC Tim Coltey OF L.B. Millikan HS Wes Frederic OF Norco HS Dan Frisbee C Granada Hills HS Bobby Graves P Hart HS, Oklahoma Matt Hellman OF Glendale CC Ivan Hernandez P Sylmar HS John Hubbard C L.A. Baptist HS Kameron Loe P Granada Hills HS Gavin McCrory 3B Conestoga (Pa.) HS Bill Murphy P Arlington HS Jesus Osuna 2B L.A. City CC Nick Padilla P Cerritos CC Scott Sellz P Chatsworth HS Johnny Torres P Yucaipa HS

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