
MSU Baseball Announces 2020 Signing Class
11/18/2019 11:08:00 AM | Baseball
Spartans bolster 2021 roster.
A total of 11 players have signed with the Spartans. The MSU baseball 2020 signing class includes Jackson Bennett (Dyersville, Iowa / Dyersville Beckman HS / Kirkwood CC), Bryan Broecker (Chicago, Ill. / Notre Dame College Prep), Sam Busch (East Lansing, Mich. / East Lansing HS), Dominic Hann (Romeo, Mich. / Romeo HS), Mitch Jebb (Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley HS), Nick Powers (Flushing, Mich. / Flushing HS), Brian Ross (Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley HS), Nick Smith (Waunakee, Wis. / Waunakee HS), Ganin Thompson (Sioux Falls, S.D. / Washington HS), Brock Vradenburg (Pasadena, Calif. / Maranatha HS) and Christian Williams (Carmel, Ind. / Carmel HS).
The 11-player 2020 signing class includes five pitchers, two first basemen, one catcher, one catcher/utility player, one outfielder/pitcher and one infielder.
"We're excited about the 2020 recruiting class," Boss said. "I think this class is a very deep class with an emphasis on pitching. Especially on the mound bringing in some talented arms at an extremely important position obviously and I think each one of those guys have the capable to pitch right away. I think offensively there's a good mix of power with Busch, Vradenburg and Broecker, with guys that are also very complete hitters like Williams and Jebb. I think all these guys have the athleticism that will give them an opportunity to earn playing time as freshmen. I'd really like to commend Coach Sikes, our recruiting coordinator, and Coach Van Ameyde for all their hard work on the road and putting an outstanding recruiting class with a tremendous amount of talent and depth."

Jackson Bennett • RHP • 6-4 • 220 • R/R • Dyersville, Iowa / Dyersville Beckman HS / Kirkwood CC
Will come to MSU after two years at Kirkwood Community College ... Registered five saves with a 2-2 record in 13 appearances, posting a 3.90 ERA with 36 Ks in 30.0 IP last season at Kirkwood, helping the Eagles to a 33-20 record and a third-place finish in the NJCAA Division II regional tournament... Had 34 plate appearances, with five hits and two doubles, with four RBI, drawing four walks ... Was a four-year letterwinner at Dyersville Beckman Catholic High School for head coach Tom Jenk Jr. ... earned first-team all-state, and first-team all-conference as pitcher and outfielder, helping Blazers to a 29-12 mark in senior season after posting a 32-11 ledger in junior season ... Registered a 6-3 record with a 1.82 ERA with 70 Ks as a senior, logging an 8-0 mark with a 1.02 ERA and 85 Ks in 55 IP as a junior on the mound ... At the plate, posted a .455 average as a senior with 51 hits, 13 doubles, three triples and one home run during senior season, after logging a .383 average with 21 doubles, one tripe and two home runs as a junior ... Rated as the No. 14 pitcher and the No. 20 overall player in Iowa by Prep Baseball Report ... Rated as the No. 13 pitcher and No. 23 overall player in Iowa by Perfect Game ... Also a two-year letterwinner in track & Field, qualifying for the state championships in the high jump, also qualifying for the Drake Relays ... Also a four-year letterwinner in basketball, earning first team all-conference accolades ... Lettered one year in football ... Son of Rufus and Angie Bennett ... Father, Rufus, played college baseball and basketball at the University of Dubuque, while his mother, Angie, played college softball at Loras College ... Intends on majoring in business at MSU, with future aspirations of running a sporting business after baseball ... Chose Michigan State because of feeling comfortable with the coaching staff and the family atmosphere of the program and University.
Van Ameyde on Bennett: Jackson is a physical kid that we anticipate making an impact immediately. He reminds me a bit of Indigo Diaz, not quite as big but attacks the zone with plus fastball, quality secondary stuff. He's a mature kid who has a clear focus for what he wants to accomplish and how to go about getting it done.
Sikes on Bennett: Jackson is an awesome kid. He was lightly recruited out of high school and chose to go the junior college route and it has really paid off for him. He's a very self-driven guy and he is going to maximize his talent. He pitched out of the pen most of his freshman season, but will be a starter this season at Kirkwood and I expect big things. He's got a quality three pitch mix with a fastball that can get to 92. He reminds me of another junior college pitcher we had very recently, Indigo Diaz Jackson is a big guy at 6-5, 235 pounds and is going to bring a lot of college experience with him when he arrives in East Lansing. I look for him to add a big piece to our rotation when he gets here.

Bryan Broecker • C • 6-1 • 185 • R/R • Chicago, Ill. / Notre Dame College Prep
Will be a two-year letterwinner at Notre Dame College Prep for head coach Dean Cademortori ... Was team captain ... Earned All-Conference honors after posting a .356 average with a .449 on-base percentage with 21 hits, one home run and 12 RBI at the plate, helping the Dons to a 16-10 record his junior season .... On the mound, posted 12 Ks in 9.1 IP without yielding an earned run ... Earned the Team Gold Glove Award ... Played summer club league for Windy City Baseball, registering a .437 average with a .538 on-base percentage with 17 doubles and four home runs ... Rated as the No. 8 catcher in Illinois and the No. 58 overall player in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report ... Rated as the No. 12 catcher in Illinois by Perfect Game ... Also a two-year letterwinner in basketball ... Named to the Notre Dame College Prep National Honor Society and is a three-time Suma Cum Laude member, as well as a IHSA Scholar-Athlete honoree ... Son of Bill and Nancy Broecker ... Cousin, Marty Jepson, played college volleyball at Lewis University ... Is undecided on a major at MSU ... Chose Michigan State because had always dreamed of playing in the Big Ten and when took visit to MSU, was blown away with the campus environment and the baseball and athletic facilities, and while walking around campus, felt like home and could picture himself being a college student here ... Selected MSU over Illinois, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, Eastern Illinois and Chicago State.
Sikes on Broecker: Bryan was also a little bit of a later get for us but I am glad we waited to find the right guy. Bryan has played all over the diamond but I think he has a huge future behind the plate. He has elite receiving ability, very good agility and plus arm strength. At 6-1, 185 pounds, he is just starting to tap his physical abilities and reap some rewards of his hard work. On top of all his physical attributes, he is another 4.0 student that is a high achiever in everything he does. Bryan has all the qualities you'd like to see in a catcher and has led his teams well. I look forward to much of the same once he gets to East Lansing.

Sam Busch • 1B • 6-4 • 215 • L/L • East Lansing, Mich. / East Lansing HS
Will be a four-year letterwinner at East Lansing High School for head coach Mark Pendred ... A two-time All-Conference and All-Area award winner, as well as All-District accolades as a junior ... Named to the Lansing State Journal Dream Team ... Was team MVP ... Belted 10 home runs and posted 30 RBI as a junior ... Has a three-year high school career average of .402 with 16 home runs and 48 RBI, posting a 1.350 on-base percentage ... On the mound posted a 2.52 ERA ... Helped the Trojans to 44 wins in his three years ... Played summer league for the Capital City Kings ... Rated as the No. 1 first baseman and the No. 31 overall player in the state of Michigan by Perfect Game ... Also a two-year letterwinner for the Trojans' football team, playing quarterback and was team captain, leading East Lansing to a share of the CAAC Blue championship, falling in the district semifinals ... A three-time distinguished scholar and Scholar-Athlete award recipient, also earning All-Academic honors ... Son of Andrew and Jennifer Busch ... Sister, Hannah, runs cross country and track & field as Aquinas College and cousin, Alex Kravat, plays college baseball at Alma ... Undecided on a major at MSU ... Chose MSU because it was always his dream school and has always felt like a perfect fit, as well as falling it love with it on his visit ... Selected Michigan State over Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Central Michigan and Valparaiso.
Sikes on Busch: Sam is a unique player and person. Sam wasn't at all the showcases or doing all the camps, all he did was put up big numbers for his teams. Sam had a really big year on the football field this season as East Lansing High School's quarterback where he set the school's record for passing yardage. I wouldn't be surprise if he broke school records on the baseball field this year either. At 6-4, 215 pounds, and being a left handed hitter and thrower, he is a prototype first baseman, but is athletic enough to play multiple positions. He is another guy that will be a physical presence in our lineup and I think he has a big future in baseball. He might kind of remind Spartan fans of a mix between Alex Troop and Jeff Holm.

Dominic Hann • RHP • 6-2 • 210 • S/R • Romeo, Mich. / Romeo HS
Will be a four-year letterwinner at Romeo High School for head coach TJ Delamielleure ... Earned second-team All-State accolades, along with All-Region recognition, as well as a two-time All-District and All-County selection and a three-time All-League honoree ... Helped the Bulldogs to a 29-10 mark as a junior ... Posted a 7-3 record with a 1.12 ERA, logging 78 strikeouts in 56 IP on the mound ... At the plate, hit .345 with 37 RBI and one HR, posting a .505 slugging percentage ... Played summer league for Chi-Town Cream, helping team to five tournament titles ... Rated as the No. 3 pitcher and the No. 9 overall player in Michigan by Perfect Game ... A two-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclassmen All-American Team honoree, earning honorable mention recognition in 2018 and high honorable mention accolades in 2019 ... Named to the 2019 WWBA 18U National Championship All-Tournament team ... Rated as the No. 3 pitcher and the No. 11 overall player in Michigan by Prep Baseball Report ... Son of Jason and Mary Hann ... Father, Jason, played college baseball at Wayne State ... Cousin and uncle, Sam Giordano and Anthony Giordano, also played college baseball at Wayne State ... Sister, Ava, is a cheerleader at Wayne State ... Intends on majoring in kinesiology at MSU, with a future aspirations of being a sports medicine physician when his baseball career is done ... Chose MSU because of the coaching staff and the campus environment, as well as its closeness to home and he felt that Michigan State was best place for him to excel as a student and an athlete ... Picked Michigan State over Michigan, Ohio State, Northwestern, Penn State, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and Eastern Kentucky.
Van Ameyde on Hann: Dominic is a local kid from Romeo who has really shown well with swing and miss stuff. He's another kid that we anticipate making an impact as a freshman. A former player of mine has coached him in the past and helped give us some insight into his strong work ethic and determination to keep getting better.
Sikes on Hann: Dominic is a right hander that has the potential to be a really hard thrower. He played for a very good Chi-Town Cream team in the summers, where he played against some high level competition and had good success. I look forward to seeing where he can go once he gets with Coach VanAmeyde!

Mitch Jebb • INF • 6-0 • 165 • L/R • Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley HS
Will be a four-year letterwinner at Swan Valley High School for head coach Craig Leddy ... A two-time All-State and All-District honoree, collected the accolades as a sophomore and junior, as well as a three-time All-Conference honoree . . . Named the Saginaw News Player of the Year as a junior ... Was team captain in helping Swan Valley to the Tri-Valley Conference Central Division title and a district title ... Posted a .477 average with a .574 on-base percentage with 22 RBI, 51 runs scored and 35 stolen bases in helping the Vikings to a 24-12 record as a junior, after a 33-9-3 mark as a sophomore ... Played summer league for Michigan Select, where he was named to four different All-Tournament teams ... Was high school and summer league teammates with fellow Spartan signee Brian Ross ... Rated as the No. 2 infielder and the No. 3 overall player in Michigan by Perfect Game ... Named to the high honorable mention Preseason Underclassmen All-American Team by Perfect Game ... Participant at Perfect Game's National Showcase ... Rated as the No. 5 infielder and No. 17 overall player in Michigan by Prep Baseball Report ... Also a one-year letterwinner on the Swan Valley basketball team ... Member of the Swan Valley Honor Roll, ranked in the top 5 of his class ... Son of Mark and Kimberly Jebb ... Brother played baseball at Seward County Junior College ... Intends on majoring in political science at MSU with career ambitions of being an attorney after his baseball career ... Chose MSU because his brother and sister both attended Michigan State and enjoys the campus environment, making MSU his dream school from the beginning ... Selected Michigan State over Missouri, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Florida Gulf Coast and Eastern Illinois.
Sikes on Jebb: Mitch is an awesome young man. The first time I saw Mitch, he was a little undersized but took over the game. He has continued to be a dominant player on both sides of the ball and has worked really hard in the weight room to put on strength and size. I think Mitch's work ethic and makeup will allow him to reach his potential as a player. He's also a 4.0 student and is a high achiever in everything he does. I look forward to coaching Mitch and big things to come for him.

Nick Powers • LHP • 6-1 • 180 • L/L • Flushing, Mich. / Flushing HS
Will be a four-year letterwinner at Flushing High School for head coach Stephen Burdis ... A two-time first-team All-Conference and All-District honoree, as well as a two-time first-team Flint Metro League selection ... A team captain ... Posted an ERA of 0.77 as a junior, a Flushing High School record and No. 55 on the all-time lowest ERA list in the MHSAA record book ... Also recorded a new school record with 92 strikeouts ... Named the Flint-area Athlete of the Week by MLive on May 3 for his performance with a 14 K, three hit outing without a walk in a 1-0 win over Fenton, as well as adding two hits in a separate game including a game-tying two-run single ... Played summer league for Michigan Select ... Rated the No. 2 pitcher and the No. 18 overall player in Michigan by Prep Baseball Report ... Rated as the No. 3 pitcher and No. 27 overall player in Michigan by Perfect Game ... Named to two All-Tournament teams by Perfect Game ... Also a two-year letterwinner on the Raiders' football team, playing quarterback, safety and wide receiver ... A three-time Flushing High School Scholar-Athlete ... Son of Steve and Denise Powers ... Intends on majoring in packaging design at MSU, with future career aspirations of securing a position as a leading packaging specialist after his baseball career . . . Chose MSU because he's been a Spartan fan for as long as he can remember and the academic programs at MSU provide students with the skills to be successful beyond graduation; he's always dreamed of playing baseball for the Spartans and it's a dream come true, and the close-knit relationship of the coaches and players ... Selected Michigan State over Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Saginaw Valley and Ball State.
Van Ameyde on Powers: Nick is another local kid who came to camp and opened our eyes, we continued to follow him and he just got better and better. He's left handed, a good athlete, he's QB of football team, and on the mound, he has excellent command of multiple pitches. I really like his approach on the mound, he's unflappable to what is going on around him.
Sikes on Powers: Nick was a guy who came to one of our winter camps and really opened our eyes. We had seen him before and heard good things but he really impressed us with his stuff at that camp. He went out his junior season and proved how good his stuff really was by striking out 92 and having a 0.77 ERA. I think Nick has a chance to be a very good college pitcher and he is just beginning his development. Once he gets a chance to work with Coach Van Ameyde, I think he will continue his upward trajectory.

Brian Ross • RHP • 6-8 • 208 • L/R • Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley HS
Will be a three-year letterwinner at Swan Valley High School for head coach Craig Leddy ... Earned All-State, All-District and All-League honors ... Posted a 1.51 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 41.2 IP, with a 5-4 record, yielding 25 walks and 20 runs ... At the plate, hit .404 with 12 doubles, three triples and three home runs, with 31 RBI and a .557 on-base percentage and a .708 slugging percentage, in helping the Vikings the Tri-Valley Conference Central Division title and a district title, finishing with a 24-12 record as a junior, after a 33-9-3 mark as a sophomore ... Played summer league for Michigan Select ... Was high school and summer league teammates with fellow Spartan signee Mitch Jebb ... Rated as the No. 4 pitcher and No. 13 overall player in Michigan by Perfect Game ... Named to the 2019 PG Preseason Underclassmen All American Team ... Rated as the No. 4 pitcher and the No. 12 overall player in Michigan by Prep Baseball Report ... Earned 16U Perfect Game World Series All-Tournament Team accolades in 2018 ... Member of the Swan Valley HS National Honor Society ... Son of George and Janice Ross ... Undecided on an intended major at MSU, but has future ambitions of working in the medical field, perhaps as a CRNA after his baseball career ... Chose Michigan State because of location to family and home, as well as the campus environment and the program's facilities and history ... Selected MSU over Missouri, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Toledo, Ball State, Eastern Kentucky and Virginia Military Academy.
Van Ameyde on Ross: Brian is another local kid with a lot of upside, he reminds me a bit of Mike Mokma with his frame, athletic for his size, and another kid who has the ability to help our program early in his career.
Sikes on Ross: Brian is one of those kids that is very physically impressive. He's every bit of 6-8 and he is very, very athletic. I've seen him even develop his power at the plate over the last 8-10 months so its easy to envision the power in the arm coming as well. We have had a lot of success with tall right handed pitchers here at MSU and Brian should be another one of those guys. With his size and athleticism, there really isn't a ceiling to his potential.

Nick Smith • RHP • 6-3 • 210 • R/R • Waunakee, Wis. / Waunakee HS
Will be a four-year letterwinner at Waunakee Community High School for head coach Spencer Lee ... Was a unanimous first-team All-District and All-Badger North Conference honoree, playing as an infielder, pitcher and designated hitter ... Named the Badger North Conference Co-Pitcher of the Year ... Team captain ... Named a first-team selection as a utility player on the Wisconsin State Journal All-Area team ... Helped Waunakee to the school's first-ever WIAA Baseball State title, winning the Division I Championship ... Registered a perfect 7-0 record with 73 strikeouts in 49 inning pitched ... At the plate, posted a .381 average with 37 RBI, which were the second-most in program history, adding one home run, recording a .433 on-base percentage ... Played summer league for GRB Rays ... Helped GRB Rays to the WWBA Prospect Meadows National Championship, finishing with a No. 1 Midwest and No. 19 National Summer Travel Organization rankings at the 17U level by Perfect Game ... Rated as the No. 7 pitcher and No. 25 overall player in Wisconsin by Perfect Game ... Rated as the No. 8 pitcher and No. 31 overall player by Prep Baseball Report ... Also a three-year letterwinner for the Warriors' football team ... Son of Jeff and Kathleen Smith ... Father, Jeff, played college football at Winona State ... Intends on majoring in business management at MSU, with future career aspirations in marketing or sales after baseball ... Chose Michigan State because of the coaching staff, as well as the campus environment, and the academic and athletic resources available, in addition to the nationally prominent business school ... Selected MSU over several schools, including Notre Dame, Minnesota, Penn State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Bradly and Dallas Baptist.
Van Ameyde on Smith: Nick is a right hander who has a chance to make an impact immediately, with a high pitch ability for his age. He is a tough, multi-sport kid that we are really excited about. He has good arm strength with plus secondary pitches.
Sikes on Smith: Nick was another later get for us and I feel like get got a dominant pitcher. The last calendar year he has been simply dominant. He has posted school and summer combined stats of 13-0, 106 strikeouts in 80 innings pitched with only 14 walks. In his last 60 innings pitched, he gave up four only earned runs. He has worked extremely hard to get where he is and he is the kind of person who will continue to get better as long as he is playing. He is a quality person and is going to be a tremendous asset to our program.

Ganin Thompson • OF/RHP • 6-7 • 220 • R/R • Sioux Falls, S.D. / Washington HS
Will be a four-year letterwinner at Washington High School for head coach Chad Barman ... Earned first-team All-State honors as a junior as well as two-time All-Region as a sophomore and junior ... At the plate, hit .365 with five doubles, one triple and three home runs with 20 RBI, registering a .622 slugging percentage and a .505 on-base percentage ... Posted a 2.05 ERA with 56 Ks in 41.0 IP, posting a 4-4 record on the mound ... Helped the Warriors to a 47 wins in his three seasons ... Played summer league for South Dakota Bulls ... Rated as the No. 1 outfielder/pitcher and the No. 1 player overall in the state of South Dakota by Perfect Game ... Named to the 2019 PG Preseason Underclassmen All American Team ... Rated as the No. 4 outfielder/pitcher and the No. 10 player overall in South Dakota/Iowa by Prep Baseball Report ... Also a three-year letterwinner in basketball playing center and forward ... Son of Michael and Lorelei Thompson ... Father, Michael, played college football at South Dakota, while his mother, Lorelei, ran college track at South Dakota ... Cousin played college soccer at Missouri Western State ... Intends on majoring in accounting or finance, with career aspirations of being an accountant or financial advisor after his baseball career ... Chose MSU because of the good fit and comfortability with the coaching staff as well as the academic notoriety of the University ... Selected MSU over South Dakota State and Augustana.
Sikes on Thompson: I've never recruited a guy quite like Ganin. He is an enormous athlete at 6-7, 220, he's a 6.8-6.9 runner and has played centerfield, and looks very natural out there. You don't see that every day. When I went to see Ganin he showed tremendous power with the bat. I think he has a load of talent and tools and when he can refine that talent and polish up those tools, he could be a very unique player. He's also another kid that is a 4.0 student and comes from a good family. He's going to have the opportunity to pitch as well and what is now a fastball that's 88-89 could turn into 92-94. Its going to be fun to see how he develops! I look forward to getting him on campus.

Brock Vradenburg • 1B • 6-5 • 220 • L/R • Pasadena, Calif. / Maranatha HS
Will be a three-year letterwinner at Maranatha High School for head coach Matt Shupper ... Earned first-team All-Olympic League honors as a junior, hitting .400 with 26 RBI and one HR in helping the Barooks to back-to-back Olympic League championships ... Helped Maranatha to a 24-13 record at a junior after a 28-3 mark sophomore season and 21-1-1 as a freshman ... A two-year team captain for the Barooks ... Played summer league for San Gabriel Valley Arsenal ... Rated as the No. 13 first baseman in California by Perfect Game ... Son of Todd and Ann Vradenburg ... Father, Todd, played college football at San Diego State, while his mother, Ann, played college soccer at University of the Pacific ... Sister, Tori, played college softball at Allegheny College ... Intends on majoring in nursing at MSU ... Chose MSU because of the coaches focusing on the players' athletic and academic success, and the family environment of the program ... Selected Michigan State over Saint Mary's, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and UC Riverside.
Sikes on Vradenburg: Brock is a steal for us from Pasadena, California. As we looked to fill a need for some physical presence in our lineup, Brock is a perfect fit. He has great timing at the plate and has hit everywhere he has gone. He plays for a great program at Maranatha and coach Matt Shupper. Brock is a big guy that moves well around the bag and is just scratching the surface of the type of player he is going to be. I think once he gets to East Lansing, gets in our strength and conditioning program, he is going to be a unique player. He's another good student from a great family as well so it was an easy choice to offer Brock.

Christian Williams • C/UT • 5-10 • 180 • R/R • Carmel, Ind. / Carmel HS
Will be a two-year letterwinner at Carmel High School for head coach Matthew Buczkowski after transferring from Northville (Mich.) High School, where he was a two-year letterwinner for head coach John Kostrzewa ... Earned All-Conference and All-County honors after posting a .340 average with two home runs and swiping 20 stolen bases ... Helped the Greyhounds post a 21-8 mark ...As a sophomore hit .315 after posting a .230 average as a freshman ... Played 17U summer league for Indiana Bulls, helping team to 27-10 record hitting .531 with two home runs and 13 doubles . . . Named to the 2019 WWBA National Championship All-Tournament Team ... Played 12U-16U summer league for Michigan Bulls ... Rated as the No. 3 catcher and the No. 28 overall player in Indiana by Prep Baseball Report ... Rated as the No. 6 catcher in Indiana by Perfect Game ... Also a four-year letterwinner in football, playing quarterback and wide receiver, helping Carmel to a state runner-up finish ... Son of Alan and Lisa Williams ... Father, Alan, is defensive backs/safeties coach for the Indianapolis Colts, where he coaches former Michigan State Spartan football great Khari Willis ... Father, Ala, played college football at William & Mary, while his mother, Lisa, played college soccer at Slippery Rock ... Intends on majoring in kinesiology at MSU ... Chose Michigan State because of his love for the coaches and the future he sees with them relationship wise and how they can develop him as a player, feeling like the best place to get a great education and play great baseball, and the home-feeling of campus ... Selected MSU over Indiana, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, East Tennessee State, Butler and Ball State.
Sikes on Williams: Christian is a versatile player that impressed a lot of college coaches over the last year. I think the thing that stands out to us is his ability with the bat. Every time we saw him, he hit. He is a very good athlete that can play multiple positions on the baseball field as well as on the football field. He's got leadership ability and is another guy in this class that is a high achiever at everything he does, including his academics with a 4.0 GPA. I think Christian is going to add a potent bat to our lineup.