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Utah Baseball Adds Five to 2015 Incoming Class
11/17/2014 12:00 AM | Baseball
Nov. 17, 2014
SALT LAKE CITY - Utah head baseball coach Bill Kinneberg has announced the signing of four athletes to National Letters of Intent. Signing NLI's for the 2015 season are DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (Helix Charter HS/La Mesa, Calif.), Ellis Kelly (Lamar Community College/Castle Rock, Colo.), Zack Moeller (San Benito HS/Hollister, Calif.) and Grant Smith (Millennium HS/Litchfield Park, Ariz.). Also joining the 2015 class is Riley Ottesen (American Fork HS/Highland, Utah), a former Utah Mr. Baseball who originally signed with the Utes in 2012 before leaving on an LDS mission.
"This is a smaller class than usual, but it is a very quality class," Kinneberg said. "Going into this year, we thought that's what we were going to need after evaluating our returning players for next year. It meets some specific needs and we are looking forward to having these guys join us."
Continue below to read more about each player.
Grant Smith
RHP
Millennium HS
Litchfield Park, Ariz.
Kinneberg on Smith: "Grant is a 6'6" right-handed pitcher who will reach 90 miles per hour and has continued to get better every time that I have seen him. He has an extremely high ceiling and is someone who will bring instant impact the Utah pitching staff as a freshman. I am extremely excited to see the development and growth that Grant will have in our program over the next few years."
Honorable mention American Family Insurance Division I all-state as a junior ... 5-2 record with a 2.71 ERA in nine appearances over 41 1/3 innings pitched ... three complete games with seven starts ... 28 strikeouts ... hit .357 with 14 RBI and five triples ... plays for team RBI Arizona.
Zack Moeller
C
San Benito HS
Hollister, Calif.
Kinneberg on Moeller: "Zack is a college-ready defensive catcher who brings intelligence to the field and will make an immediate impact behind the dish for the Utes. He is a very good receiver and has one of the best arms from that position of anyone in his class. He also has great bat speed and a swing that can add some power to the middle of our lineup."
2014 Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division first-team catcher ... 2014 All-Central Coast Section honorable mention.
Riley Ottesen
RHP
American Fork HS
Highland, Utah
Kinneberg on Ottesen: "Riley is an athletic right-handed pitcher who was one of, if not the best player in the state of Utah before leaving on his mission to Japan. Before he left on his mission he was throwing 88-93 with a college-ready out pitch in his slider. Riley is a very driven young man who has now had two years to mature and I fully expect him to come back ready to be an impact player for the Utah pitching staff."
Originally signed with Utah out of high school in 2012 before serving an LDS church mission in Japan ... 2013 Deseret News Mr. Baseball ... went 17-2 in two years on the mound at American Fork HS ... 8-1 as a senior with a 1.54 ERA and 89 strikeouts ... pitched a no-hitter against Lehi, striking out 13 ... hit .382 with 34 hits and 21 RBI ... 2012 5A MVP ... Valley Player of the Year ... helped lead American Fork to a 2012 state title ... hit .460 at the plate in 2012, going 9-1 on the mound with a 1.44 ERA in 63 innings pitched ... 81 strikeouts.
DaShawn Keirsey Jr.
OF
Helix Charter HS
La Mesa, Calif.
Kinneberg on Keirsey: DaShawn is an extremely athletic multi-sport centerfielder who can really run. We are excited to be getting an athlete of his caliber and look forward to his development once he is focused on just baseball. We expect him to come in right away and be a factor offensively and defensively for us. He will give us some depth from the left side of the plate and has the ability to put pressure on defenses in a number of ways."
Played in the 2014 Area Code games ... also plays football.
Ellis Kelly
INF
Lamar Community College
Castle Rock, Colo.
Kinneberg on Kelly: "Ellis is an extremely athletic infielder who brings an impact on both sides of the field. He comes from a junior college that really teaches hitting and we know that he will transition nicely to the Pac-12. His maturity and athletic ability will help provide immediate depth to our team."
First-team all-region at Lamar Community College in 2014 ... hit .378 with 33 RBI and 14 stolen bases ... .447 on-base percentage and a .485 slugging percentage ... 14 doubles ... hit .371 and was honorable mention all-conference as a senior at Castle View HS ... nine RBI, four doubles and two triples as a senior ... hit .339 as a junior.
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