University Southern California Trojans
Baseball Announces Enrollments
June 21, 1999 | Baseball
September 4, 1998
LOS ANGELES - Seven new student-athletes began school at USC on Wednesday and will play baseball for the defending national champions in the spring, head coach Mike Gillespie announced today.
One player not on that list is Sean Burroughs, the ninth pick overall of the first round of the 1998 Major League Draft, who agreed to terms with the San Diego Padres on Wednesday. Players taken in the draft had up until the first time they attended classes to sign professional contracts.
The list of new players is highlighted by freshman catcher/infielder Beau Craig (San Diego/Grossmont HS), who was a third-round choice of the Padres and a prep All-American first teamer.
The Trojans added two transfers from UC Santa Barbara: righthanded pitcher/catcher Justin Lehr and third baseman Justin Gemoll. Lehr, who will be a senior, batted .322 with a team-high 12 home runs and was 1-3 with a 7.02 ERA for the Gauchos last season. He was a 10th-round pick of the Angels. Gemoll, who will be a junior, batted .351 with a team-high 57 RBI for UCSB.
USC also picked up a junior college transfer in lefthanded pitcher Steven Smyth. He will be a sophomore after pitching at Cypress College last season and earning All-Southern California second team honors. He was selected by the Braves in the 13th round.
Other incoming freshmen include three righthanded pitchers: Tim Petke (Portland, OR/Portland Lutheran HS), the 1998 Oregon High School Player of the Year who went undrafted; Peter Montrenes (Fountain Valley/Ocean View HS), a 35th-round pick of the Phillies; and Jeff Bruksch (Los Angeles/Beverly Hills HS), a 41st-round pick of the Devil Rays.
In addition, Brad Ticehurst, the rightfielder on USC's national championship team, will be returning for his senior season. He was an eighth-round selection by the Rangers but elected to return to school. Four juniors on last year's team signed pro contracts earlier in the summer: pitchers Mike Penney, Jason Saenz and Craig Jones and first baseman Robb Gorr.
