Stetson University baseball coach Steve Trimper has finalized his first full signing class with the addition of 20 players to the Hatters program for 2018.
 
The group of new players includes five junior college signees and 15 freshmen. That group will join with as many as 19 potential returning players from the 2017 team in competition this fall for the 35 total roster spots the program is allowed to have for the spring.
 
"With what we believe is a talented group of new and returning players, it will allow us to engage in a productive and competitive fall season and develop a spring roster with talent and depth," Trimper said.
 
The new group of players that will arrive on campus next week includes five that are primarily pitchers along with two others that pitch in addition to playing other positions. All three players listed as outfielders also play an infield position along with six infielders, one utility player and three catchers.
 
The group includes 13 players from the state of Florida along with two from New York, and one each from New Jersey, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Texas and Illinois.
 
"Speaking for our entire coaching staff, we are extremely excited and pleased to welcome our new Stetson Hatters to the 2018 team," Trimper said. "Coaches Brandon Brewer, Joe Mercadante, Dave Therneau and myself spent a good deal of time not only evaluating talented ball players, but fine young men who will represent Stetson University in a positive manner.
 
"This group of student-athletes, coupled with our strong returners, will allow us to continue our goal as a program to compete for an ASUN championship and on the national stage."
 
Below are short bios on each of the 20 newest Hatters Baseball players.
 
Kyle Ball – Utility – Stratham, New Hampshire - @kcb3346
A product of Exeter High School, Ball is 5-foot-11, 165-pound, middle infielder who was also an honor roll student his final two years. In addition to being a two-time All-State selection at shortstop, Ball was also a two-time double All-State selection on the gridiron, earning those honors as both a quarterback and defensive back. During his prep career, the Bluehawks posted a 48-11 record while he hit .350, scoring 55 runs with 12 doubles and 10 triples. He helped his team to state titles in both sports. He originally committed to play at the University of Maine but wanted to play for Coach Trimper so much that he will come play for the Hatters. Spent his summer playing for the Boca Raton Blazers in the South Florida Collegiate League where he was the starting second baseman despite being the only high school player on the team.
 
James Buckley – 2B/OF – Coconut Creek, Florida – @jamesbuckley26
A multi-talented player from Palm Beach State College who posted a .356 average as a sophomore this past spring with 21 doubles and 41 runs scored while driving in 49 runs in 180 at bats and also stealing 16 bases. Had a .417 on-base percentage to go with a .594 slugging percentage. Hit .243 as freshman in 41 games, with five extra-base hits, 13 RBI and 13 stolen bases. In high school he played for two seasons at Monarch High School and two at Coral Springs Christian Academy while being an honor roll student with a 4.0 GPA. His teams posted an 81-27 record over four years, winning four district titles and one regional championship. Hit .351 as a senior at Monarch. Buckley's older brother, Rob, played baseball collegiately at Florida Atlantic. Spent his summer playing for the Coral Springs Royals in the South Florida Collegiate League.
 
Nick Cardieri – Catcher – Brooklyn, New York - @Cardierinick
A hard-nosed player from Midwood High School in Brooklyn, Cardieri had originally planned to play for Trimper at Maine, but instead will make the trek south to Florida. Was named to the 2017 Rawlings All-America team as an honorable mention selection after hitting .439 with four home runs and 24 RBI during his senior campaign and he was named to the Northeast All-Region second team. Was a two-time Under Armor underclass All-American honoree after hitting .297 as a sophomore and .383 as a junior. Helped his team to the PSAL AAA City Championship as a junior, capturing the title at Yankee Stadium. Was recognized at Midwood as Rookie of the Year (2014), Gold Glove (2015-16) and MVP (2016). Was named to the Perfect Game Top 500 as a junior. Was named to the All-Metro second team, a grouping of the best players from the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut areas. Finished high school with a 3.9 GPA and was a part of the Medical Science Institute. Played for the Syracuse Spartans in the New York Collegiate League this summer.
 
Cam Coakley – OF/SS – Lutz, Florida - @CamCoakley
An athletic switch-hitter at Steinbrenner High School where he primarily played center field, but also saw time at shortstop. Hit .260 as a senior with seven stolen bases in just 77 at bats for a team that entered the season ranked 10^th in the nation by USA Today. Hit .310 as a junior for the Warriors, helping the team to a 27-5 record and a Class 8A state title. Was a second team All-Western Conference pick as a senior. An honor roll student who graduated with a 4.9 GPA, he has plans to go into health sciences. Chose Stetson over UCF, USF, FAU and Stanford. Played travel ball for the Carrollwood Gators and with SCORE International Baseball.
 
Wade Cuda – Infielder – Winter Park, Florida - @Barracuda248
Can play any of three infield positions as well as in the outfield. Helped Winter Park High School to a 16-10 record as a senior by hitting .325 and leading the team with eight doubles, two triple and two home runs while scoring 24 runs and driving in 16. Is an outstanding student who posted a 4.8 GPA while earning Kiwanis Student of the Year honor. Was in multiple honor societies. Was named to the Perfect Game WWBA National 17U All-Tournament team while also earning the Every Day Wildcat Award. Helped his team to district and metro championships as a junior while posting a .428 on-base percentage. Played for the Orlando Baseball Academy, posting a .393 average last summer. Played for the Winter Park Freedom in the Florida Futures League over the summer. Chose Stetson over Rollins and UNF.
 
Eric Foggo – INF/RHP – Hilton Head, South Carolina - @foggo13
An imposing figure on the mound at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, Foggo was a Perfect Game All-Atlantic Region honorable mention selection following his senior season while working as both a pitcher and corner infielder. He hit .428 as a senior with 15 doubles, three home runs and 35 RBI in 29 games. He posted an impressive .536 on-base percentage to go with a .693 slugging percentage. On the mound, he appeared in nine games, working a total of 18 innings. He posted a 1-1 record with a 0.39 ERA, allowing just one earned run while striking out 26. His brother, Ian, redshirted as a freshman at The Citadel this past spring. Foggo is a strong student who graduated with a 4.2 GPA. He played summer ball for the Central Florida Gators.
 
Chris Gonzalez – LHP – Miami, Florida - @chrislgonzalez2
Exploded onto the scene for Christopher Columbus High School as a senior, posting an 8-1 record in 12 starts for the Explorers with 60 strikeouts and just 13 walks in 51.2 innings of work while posting a 1.08 ERA. Helped his team to a 27-3 record and state runner-up finish while earning first team All-County honors from the Miami Herald. Posted a 4.5 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society. Chose Stetson over UCF, Florida State and Tulane.
 
Jake Liberatore – Infielder – Bayport, New York – @JakeLib3_4
Another player who can play multiple positions, Liberatore played three infield positions at Bayport-Blue Point High School on Long Island, helping the program to a pair of state titles while compiling a 101-29 record over five seasons. Posted a .400 batting average as a senior, earning All-County and All-State honors. Was named to the All-League team four times in his career. Graduated with a 3.7 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society.
 
Bruce Martin – Second Baseman – Boynton Beach, Florida – @martin_bruce2
A sure-handed middle-infielder, Martin played the last two seasons at Miami-Dade College after graduating from Trinity Christian High School. Hit .304 as a sophomore in 25 games with just 46 at bats. Was a first team All-County (South Florida Sun Sentinel) and All-District selection as a senior at Trinity. Was an honor roll student for three years and helped his team to a district title as a senior while hitting .345. Played summer ball for the MLB Urban Youth Academy Barons in Compton, Calif., for former MLB standout Kenny Landreaux. Also played for the Covington Lumberjacks in the Valley League in 2016. Chose Stetson over UCF, FGCU, Florida State, Miami, Jacksonville and FAU.
 
Danny Martin – Catcher – Miami, Florida
Another outstanding prospect from Christopher Columbus High in Miami, Martin helped his team to a 25-3 record last spring by batting .307 while delivering three doubles, a triple and a home run. He drove in 17 runs and scored 16. Behind the plate he was equally good at working with the Explorers pitchers as he was at limiting opponents running game. Columbus pitchers hat a 0.99 ERA with Martin behind the dish and he gunned down 88 percent of base stealers. Served as a team captain during his senior year, leading the team to a No. 5 national ranking. He chose to come to Stetson over a host of other schools, including USF, Seton Hall and Albany.
 
Jonathan Meola – Shortstop – Toms River, New Jersey – @Jon_Meola
Meola comes to Stetson after spending last season at Seminole State College where he hit .266 this past spring with nine doubles, three home runs and 16 RBI. Originally signed with the University of Virginia out of Toms River East High School, playing in five games as a freshman in 2016, getting two hits in seven at bats. The son of U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame goalkeeper Tony Meola, Jonathan was a three-sport star in high school, playing basketball and soccer in addition to baseball. Hit .367 with eight homers in his prep career, including a .405 average as a senior. Was a forward on the soccer team, scoring 19 goals in 22 career matches. Played summer ball for the DeLand Suns in the Florida Collegiate League. Chose Stetson over UCF, USF, Mercer and High Point.
 
Stevie Moffatt – Infielder – DeLand, Florida – @SMoffatt101
Another in a long line of local players to have found their way from DeLand High School to Stetson University. Moffatt batted .338 as a senior in leading the Bulldogs to an 18-8 overall record after hitting .321 as a junior. An honor roll student with a 4.0 GPA, Moffatt's father, Andy, played for the Hatters in 1981-82, hitting .337 in 114 games. Moffatt chose Stetson over Florida Gulf Coast.
 
Jake Murphy – Shortstop – Southlake, Texas – @jake__murphy
Closed his prep career at Carroll High School in style, earning All-Tournament honors in Class 6A. Is a top of the order hitter with good speed. Hit .302 in 42 games during his senior season with seven doubles, two triples and seven home runs. He scored 47 runs and drove in 22 while stealing 16 bases in 17 attempts.
 
Vlad Nunez – RHP – Miami, Florida - @VladdKC44
The son of former MLB pitcher Vladimir, the younger Nunez comes to Stetson from the State College of Florida in Bradenton where he posted a 3-2 record with one save in 21 appearances, including four starts, this past spring. He recorded 40 strikeouts in 41.1 innings of work. As a freshman in 2016 he was 3-0 with a save in 18 relief appearances with 20 strikeouts in 23.2 innings. A product of Killian Senior High in Miami where, as a senior, he posted a 4-2 record in nine games, including six starts with 29 strikeouts in 39.0 innings. Finished his prep career with an 11-6 record and a 2.64 ERA in 27 games, including 22 starts. Chose Stetson over FAU, Nova Southeastern and Florida Southern. Spent his summer as a member of the Sanford River Rats in the Florida Collegiate League, earning All-Star accolades.
 
Jeremy Orbik – RHP – Homewood, Illinois
Orbik originally signed with the University of Kentucky out of Flossmoor High School in 2015 but, after redshirting during the 2016 season, he transferred to the State College of Florida in Bradenton. As a redshirt freshman this past spring he posted a 2-2 record with two saves in 24 relief appearances with a 4.36 ERA. He recorded an amazing 62 strikeouts in just 33 innings of work, averaging 16.91 K/9. Was ranked as the No. 8 overall prospect in Illinois as a senior while also earning honors as a high honor roll student.
 
Zemp Schwab – Pitcher/Catcher/First Baseman – New Smyrna Beach, Florida – @_Zemp
At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Schwab has imposing size that will allow him to fit right in with the Hatters. His start at Stetson, however, will be delayed as a result of the Tommy John surgery he had on his pitching arm this spring. Was an All-Area selection as both and infielder and pitcher as a junior when he hit .315 with five doubles, a triple and two home runs. On the mound he had a 2.79 ERA in 42.2 innings with 63 strikeouts. Schwab is the grandson of former MLB hurler Jack Billingham, who was a part of the Big Red Machine in Cincinnati. Chose Stetson over Jacksonville.
 
Dee Shelton – Infielder – Winter Garden, Florida - @deezy13shelton
Shelton led the West Orange Warriors to a No. 1 ranking during the spring while hitting .407 with 37 hits in 91 at bats. He had three doubles, a triple and three home runs, scored 28 runs and drove in 18 more while also stealing 18 bases. Earned tournament MVP honors at the Central Florida Spring Break Slam, going 9-for-15 with three doubles and five RBI. A switch-hitter who can play either shortstop or second base, Shelton hit .340 as a junior with 17 stolen bases, helping West Orange to district and regional titles. This summer he is playing for the Orlando Scorpions. He chose Stetson over Alabama and is a National Honor Society student who had a 4.2 GPA in high school.
 
Baylen Sparks – First Base/Outfield – Palm Beach Gardens, Florida – @The_natural11
A standout offensive player, Sparks hit .367 over 101 games during two seasons at Palm Beach State. Had 30 doubles, two triples and three home runs while scoring 79 runs and driving in 68 more. Also had 28 stolen bases, including 20 this past spring. After the 2017 season he was named Player of the Year in the conference, was a first team All-State selection as well as first team All-Conference. As a senior at the Benjamin School he hit .378 with 16 stolen bases. Over three years for the Buccaneers he hit .362 with 70 runs scored and 33 driven in. He had 15 doubles, one triple and one home run and stole 25 bases. After being an honor roll student in high school, he was named to the Dean's List at PBSC four times in two years. He chose Stetson over Maine and Florida Atlantic. Played for the Jupiter Waves in the Collegiate League of the Palm Beaches over the summer.
 
Rudy Travaglini – RHP – Merritt Island, Florida – @RudyTravaglini
A product of the TNXL Baseball Academy in Orlando, helping the Ducks to a 30-2 record in just their second season, while playing against high schools, junior colleges and Division II colleges. He posted a 2-0 record with a 3.03 ERA while picking up seven saves in 27.2 innings of work with 27 strikeouts. Prior to playing his final season at TNXL, Travaglini was a standout at Merritt Island High School where he was an All Cape Coast Conference selection as a junior and was team pitching MVP. A Summa Cum Laude graduate with a 3.7 GPA, Travaglini chose Stetson over Lipscomb, USC Upstate and Cincinnati.
 
Austin Wood – RHP/First Base – Barberville, Florida – @austinwood07
Wood had a remarkable senior season at Taylor High School, posting a .507 batting average in 25 games with five doubles, two triples, four home runs and 26 RBI while also stealing eight bases. He was equally spectacular on the mound, posting a 6-3 record in 11 games, including four complete game outings. He had a 0.97 ERA in 64.2 innings of work with 109 strikeouts and just nine walks. All of that success came after missing his junior season as a result of injury. He was a Perfect Game High Honorable Mention All-American in 2015 after earning first team All-District honors as well as Daytona Beach News Journal Second team All Area. He is a member of the National Honor Society who graduated with a 3.85 GPA. He chose Stetson over UCF and Florida Gulf Coast.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.