USC Baseball Team Announces Enrollments
August 30, 1999 | Baseball
Aug. 30, 1999
LOS ANGELES - Seven of the USC baseball team's eight letter-of-intent signees began their first day of school today, as well as a pair of transfers from Vanderbilt, USC Coach Mike Gillespie announced today.
Because the players have now attended classes, major league teams may no longer negotiate contracts with them. Altogether, 18 newcomers (including some recruited freshmen walk-ons and junior college transfers) began school today.
"It is certainly a relief that the first day of school has arrived and we no longer have to worry about certain players and their negotiations with the pro clubs," Gillespie said. "Now we can get down to business. We are very excited about this group of recruits. It is certainly a quality incoming class, equal to any we've ever had and perhaps even the best. This should form the nucleus of USC baseball for the next few years."
The list includes two transfers who earned Freshman All-American honors last year at Vanderbilt. Outfielder Aaron Fausett hit .356 with eight home runs and 41 RBI last season and was a Baseball America Freshman All-American first teamer. Right- handed pitcher Mark Prior, a member of the U.S. National Team this past summer, made Baseball America's second team.
The seven letter-of-intent signees include: RHP Chad Clark of Glendora (Calif.) High, C-UT Alberto Concepcion of El Segundo (Calif.) High, 3B Dustin Davis of La Costa (Calif.) Canyon High, IF-OF Pakilika Lum of Kamehameha High in Honolulu, Hi., IF Anthony Lunetta of Arlington High in Riverside, Calif., RHP Anthony Reyes of California High in Whittier, Calif., and OF Eric Verbryke of Righetti High in Santa Maria, Calif.
Concepcion was a second-round pick of the San Diego Padres, Clark was a 22nd-round selection of the Milwaukee Brewers and Lunetta was a 42nd-round pick of the Cleveland Indians. The only recruit who signed a pro contract was IF Pat Manning of Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, Calif. (he was a third-round pick of the Atlanta Braves).
The Trojans also have added several freshmen recruited walk-ons: 2B Brian Bannister (son of former major leaguer Floyd) of Chaparral High in Scottsdale, Ariz., RHP Josh Birenbaum of Malibu (Calif.) High, 2B Kellan Briones of Kamehameha High in Honolulu, Hi., 3B Francisco Enriquez of San Fernando (Calif.) High, OF Ryan Godfrey of Los Alamitos (Calif.) High, and OF-1B Kevin Miller of Long Beach (Calif.) Wilson High.
Two other transfers include sophomore OF Kevin Correa (brother of former USC player Dominic) of Cosumnes River College in Sacramento, and junior C Ricky Helland of Ventura (Calif.) College.
In addition, OF Troy Polamalu of Douglas High in Winston, Ore., has a football scholarship and is a linebacker-safety for the Trojans.
USC went 36-26 overall and 17-7 for second place in the Pacific-10 Conference in 1998.
