Top Speed Baseball looks to continue its winning tradition with numerous out of state signings for the summer of 2014. Top Speed had another great season for 2013, going 42-15 and finishing one game short of a Far West League Title. Top Speed also concluded the summer nationally ranked #36 by Perfect Game. This year Top Speed heads over to the Golden State League to battle for yet another chance at a title, Top Speed will look to knock off the current GSL champs the Alameda Merchants who Top Speed went 4-0 against in non league action. Its because of the success of the Top Speed program why 14 out of area players want to call California home for the summer. Listed below are the most recent signings of Top Speed Baseball.
This group of players is led by LHP Bret Derooy from Campbellsville University who will look to be one of the leaders on the Top Speed pitching staff. Derooy is currently 3-3 for the Tigers with 48.1 Innings, 43 strikeouts, 15 Walks with a 2.23 ERA. Before playing for Campbellsville, Derooy pitched in the PAC-12 for Washington State University where he pitched for two years, before transferring. Derooy played in the West Coast League last summer where he was selected as an All-Star.
A big returner for Top Speed this summer will be OF Cole Gleason from the University of South Alabama. Gleason currently hits in the middle of the line up for the Jags, and is hitting a team leading .299 BA in 97 At Bats. Gleason had a break out summer for the Speedos in 2013, hitting .323 in 155 At bats, and hit 11 Home Runs with 32 RBI’s. Gleason will once again be in the middle of Top Speed’s line up to continue where he left off for 2013.
RHP Matt Robertson also from Campbellsville University will take to the starting rotation and be a big factor for the Speedos this summer. Robertson is currently 3-3 for the Tigers with 49 Innings pitched with 31 strikeouts and only 7 Walks.
Another big pick up this summer was the addition of OF Matt Haskins from the University of Montevallo located in Alabama. Haskins is currently hitting .328 for the Falcons and is second on the team with 4 Home runs, 35 RBI’s in 137 At bats. Haskins will look to patrol right field for Top Speed and hit somewhere in the middle of the order.
SS Jeremy Carrell from Wayne State University will be patrolling the middle of the infield somewhere and most likely hit in the lead off role. Carrell is currently leading the Warriors with a .437 Batting Average in 71 at bats, with 11 stolen bases. Carrell is right now ranked #20 in the nation with his .427 BA.
2B Ridge Hoopii-Haslam from Oklahoma Baptist and a native of Hawaii has recently joined TSB to play 2B. Currently in 108 at bats, Ridge is hitting .333 with 13 doubles, 4 triples, 2 long balls and has swiped 10 bags. Ridge will look to hit somewhere in the top of the order this summer for the speedos.
3B Ricky Rodriguez JR from Sterling College in Kansas has agreed to come up to the Bay Area this summer from So Cal. Rodriguez is currently .442 in 113 At bats with 15 doubles and 24 RBI’s. Ricky is currently ranked 18th In the nation for NAIA with his .442 BA. Ricky will be another big factor in the already power line up of Top Speed.
OF Mike Abrunzo from Lackawanna College and early signee to the University of Buffalo will also join the Speedo’s this summer. Top Speed will look for Abrunzo to follow in the footsteps of former Top Speed sluggers and current Bulls Matt Pollock (Top Speed 2012) and former 2013 FWL Player of the year and Perfect Game Summer All-American Tyler Mautner (Top Speed 2013). Abrunzo is currently hitting .467 and leads the teams in doubles through their first 9 games of the season.
One other recent instate signing is RHP Andrew Millner who is currently pitching for Oklahoma Baptist. Milner has 16 Innings pitched, 23 strikeouts and 7 BB. Millner has a powerful fast ball that will run up to 96 MPH. Millner was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2011 and will be Top Speed’s Closer for the summer of 2014.
With a strong group of new players and returning players, Top Speed will once again look to have another successful season in their 6th year of existence. Season opens on June 4th at 7PM against non league opponent Fairfield Indians.
