DMACC Bears News
posted 12/13/07
DMACC SIGNS 7 FOR 2008-2009
Des Moines Area Community College head baseball coach Dan Fitzgerald has announced the signing of seven student-athletes to national letters of intent for 2008-2009. The initial signees for 2008-2009 include three players from Iowa and four players from Minnesota. "I am extremely pleased with the seven young men we signed last Tuesday. Coach Scott and I were very specific in our recruiting and feel like we signed seven guys that will be a great fit at DMACC."
Justin Gideon and Garrett Linderwell
OF Justin Gideon and LHP Garrett Linderwell, pictured above with DMACC Assistant
Coach Brandon Scott (center), will join former West Delaware teammate and
current DMACC Bear Mitch Mormann next season at DMACC. All three players
were key contributors on West Delaware’s 2007 State Championship Team.
“Garrett is an extremely competitive pitcher who has had a ton of
success in a very good program,” commented Coach Fitzgerald. Linderwell
is 10-2 and has posted a 2.02 era in his past two seasons as a starter at
West Delaware. OF Justin Gideon is a career .434 hitter at West Delaware
who posted 8 HR’s in 2006 and 7 more in 2007. Coach Fitzgerald likes
Gideon’s makeup and said, “Justin can really hit and has the
potential to be an impact guy in the middle of our lineup.”
Nick Anderson
Boone, IA native Nick Anderson comes to DMACC as a legitimate two-way player who hopes to compete both on the mound and in the field for the Bears. “Nick is very athletic and has a chance to be really good for us in a few different ways. He can really run, throws well, can command the ball as a pitcher, and can play just about anywhere you put him,” said Fitzgerald. Anderson hit .316 with a 2.7 era in an injury shortened 2007 season.
Brashad Johnson
SS Brashad Johnson comes to DMACC from Benilde St. Margaret’s HS in Saint Louis Park, MN where he hit .369 with 6 HR’s in 2007. An exceptional athlete, Johnson will compete for the starting SS position next year at DMACC. “I have watched Brashad since his sophomore year at BSM, and he is extremely talented - He has the potential to be a legitimate 5 tool guy at the next level. He’s a great kid and will be a great in our program,” commented Fitzgerald.
George Jensen
One of the top pitchers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, Eastview (MN) High School RHP George Jensen will be a great addition at DMACC. “George is a high energy kid who is very projectable. He learned from one of the finest pitching coaches around in Hamline’s Jim Egan and really knows how to pitch. Every time we’ve seen him pitch he’s gotten better and better,” said Fitzgerald.
Nick Ellioff
Apple Valley (MN) RHP Nick Ellioff is no stranger to success. As a sophomore he led his team to a Minnesota State High School Championship while winning the semi-final game and coming in relief to close out the 2006 title for the Eagles. “Nick is very competitive, has great stuff, and mixes it with a great work ethic. He’s got some intangibles and an edge to him that we really like. He’s going to be a great one for us.”
Mark Radmacher
Rosemount (MN) catcher Mark Radmacher will be a big addition to the DMACC Bears. Fitzgerald commented, “Mark is an extremely solid two-way catcher. He receives very well, throws well, and has a big left handed bat. He’s a great leader and has outstanding makeup. He’s everything you look for in a catcher.”
Radmacher, Jensen, and Ellioff will be teammates next year, but they currently all play against each other in the “Lake Conference,” Minnesota’s toughest high school baseball conference.
“I feel like we really reloaded in some key areas that we needed to address with our initial signees, and we will continue to pursue the players that we think can come in and help us win at the highest level,” said Fitzgerald who is currently getting his team ready for their March 1st opener at defending National Champion Longview CC.
Tyler Robbins & Jake Astor
Next years class will join a very talented 2007 signing class. Tyler Robbins and Jake Astor were both on the Iowa All-State Super Team while Garrett Cummings, Eric Holmes, and Paul Brown also brought home All-State Honors. Mark Schroeder was honored as one of the top pitchers in the state of Minnesota as a member of the Lion’s All-Star Team, and Mitch Mormann capped of his HS career with a State Championship at West Delaware. Catcher Tanner Adam (Langdon, ND) is proving to be an impact player as is Wichita native Matt Kempin. “Hopefully our ’08 recruits will come in and make the same kind of impact that our ’07 recruits did,” commented Fitzgerald.
“DMACC is a special place. Our administration, faculty, and staff
make DMACC a great place for our students, and we feel like we put our players
in a position to see how good they can really get. We’re very specific
in whom we recruit and feel like we’re getting the guys that are the
best fit for what we’re trying to do.”