UC Irvine Signs 18 for Baseball

Three Orange County standouts are among 11 high school baseball players to sign with UC Irvine, which is restoring the sport in 2002 after a 10-year hiatus.

Irvine Coach John Savage announced the signings Wednesday, along with the names of seven community college recruits. That group includes Chris Klemm, a former Servite outfielder now at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo.

Savage, who was hired in July, said he is seeking about a dozen more players and hopes to have a 30-man roster set by April.

Among local high school players committing are Michael Koehler, a 6-foot-7, 195-pound right-handed pitcher from Fountain Valley High, who announced his intention to sign with Irvine more than a month ago. Also signing were right-handed pitchers Steven Schroer, 6-2, 185 pounds from San Clemente High, and Brett Smith, 6-4, 180 pounds from Sonora High who is ranked 63rd nationally among high school prospects by Baseball America.

“He’s one of the best pitchers in the country and he has a chance to start right away,” Savage said of Smith, who also plays first base.

Savage said he will continue to concentrate efforts on players from California, particularly those in the Southern part of the state. Only one of the players on the list released Wednesday, catcher Danny Kahr of Las Vegas Durango High, is from outside California.

The other players:

Jimmy Alstot (6-1, 185, RHP, Camarillo HS), Kurt Birkins (6-2, 175, LHP/1B, Woodland Hills El Camino Real HS/UCLA/Pierce College), R.J. Brown (6-3, 220, utility, La Canada St. Francis HS), Steve Guthrie (6-3, 195, 3B, Poway HS/Palomar College), Evan Harney (6-1, 195, OF, Fallbrook HS), Jon Horwitz (6-0, 185, OF, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame HS/Glendale College), Erik Johnson (6-1, 190, OF, West Hills Chaminade HS), , Jon Koller (6-6, 220, RHP, Carlsbad HS), Chris Miller (6-1, 200, C, Long Beach Wilson HS/Cuesta College), Keith Raulinaitis (5-11, 193, LHP, Sacramento HS/Sacramento City College), Elliot Salcedo (6-0, 180, SS, South Torrance HS), Effren Trejo (5-10, 170, utility, San Jose HS/San Jose City College) and Gregg Wallis (5-11, 165, 2B, Chatsworth HS).