Bears Announce 2008 Fall Signing Class
11/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Nov. 12, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
WACO, Texas-- Baylor baseball head coach Steve Smith announced the signing of eight student-athletes to National Letters of Intent Wednesday. The class is comprised entirely of current high school athletes, seven of whom are from Texas. The Bears signed four infielders, one outfielder and three left-handed pitchers.
"We are really pleased to be able to announce this class," Smith said. "This is a very good group of players, and we feel like this group will go a long way toward meeting our needs in the next year. The position players - particularly the infielders - are all athletic and versatile enough to play anywhere on the field. Obviously, we focused on left-handed pitching, and we're very pleased with what we were able to get in that area."
The following will join Baylor's baseball program in the fall of 2009: OF Tyler Collins (Trophy Club, Texas; Justin Northwest HS), LHP Zackry Dodson (LaCoste, Texas; Medina Valley HS), LHP Taylor Eikenberry (Rock Falls, Ill.; Rock Falls HS), IF Lawton Langford (Uvalde, Texas; Uvalde HS), IF Jake Miller (Houston, Texas; Stratford HS), IF Max Muncy (Keller, Texas; Keller HS), LHP Josh Turley (Texarkana, Texas; Texas HS) and IF Logan Vick (Kerrville, Texas; Tivy HS).
All eight signees are highly rated by Perfect Game Cross Checker. Miller is rated as the 11th-best prospect in Texas, 75th nationally. Muncy is rated 36th in Texas and 293rd nationally, while Turley is rated 43rd in Texas and 357th nationally. Eikenberry is rated as the seventh-best prospect in Illinois, 365th nationally. The other four all are rated in Texas: Collins is 59th, Dodson is 67th, Vick is 98th and Langford is 111th.
Dodson and Turley both have USA Baseball experience. Turley was a 2008 USA Baseball 18-under Team Trials participant, and both participated in the 2008 USA Baseball Tournament of Stars. Miller, Turley and Vick were 2008 Texas Rangers Area Code Games participants.
Baylor opens its 2009 season Feb. 20-22, hosting Pacific for a three-game series at Baylor Ballpark.
BAYLOR BASEBALL 2008 EARLY SIGNING CLASS
POS. HT. WT. B-T HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS SCHOOL)
Tyler Collins OF 5-11 195 L-L Trophy Club, Texas (Justin Northwest)
Zackry Dodson LHP 6-1 190 L-L LaCoste, Texas (Medina Valley)
Taylor Eikenberry LHP 6-0 175 L-L Rock Falls, Ill. (Rock Falls)
Lawton Langford IF 5-10 155 L-R Uvalde, Texas (Uvalde)
Jake Miller IF 6-2 180 R-R Houston, Texas (Stratford)
Max Muncy IF 6-0 185 L-R Keller, Texas (Keller)
Josh Turley LHP 6-0 195 L-L Texarkana, Texas (Texas)
Logan Vick IF 5-11 185 L-R Kerrville, Texas (Tivy)
TYLER COLLINS
OF. 5-11 . 195 . L-L
Trophy Club, Texas (Justin Northwest)
• Plays for head coach Stan Gideon at Justin Northwest [Texas] High School (District 5-5A)
• Started as a freshman in 2006 and helped Northwest to area championship
• Honors:
- 2007 second-team all-district
- 2007 team co-MVP
- 2008 first-team all-district
- 2008 team MVP
• Stats:
- 2008: .405 avg., 5 HR, 18 RBI, 13 2B, 6 SB, .985 FP
• Also played football (two years) and ran track (one year) at Northwest
• Played two summers with the Dallas Mustangs, coached by Jack Sharp
- Led 15-under Mustangs to 2006 AABC Mickey Mantle World Series title
- Posted team-best .491 batting average and 15 stolen bases in 2006
- Earned all-tournament honors for 2007 16-under Mustangs team that won Perfect Game Super 7 title
- Led 2007 team in batting average (.484) and RBI (41)
• Played for 2008 D-BAT 17-under team, coached by former Major Leaguer Rusty Greer
- Led D-BAT team to a 40-8-1 record
- Stats: .490 avg., 12 HR, 67 RBI, 15 2B, 4 3B, 4 SB, .992 FP
- Teammate of fellow Baylor signees Max Muncy and Josh Turley
ZACKRY DODSON
LHP . 6-1 . 190 . L-L
LaCoste, Texas (Medina Valley)
• Plays for head coach Carl Keller at Medina Valley [Texas] High School (District 27-3A)
• Two-year high school teammate of current Baylor pitcher Willie Kempf
• Honors:
- 2007 district defensive MVP
- 2008 district MVP
- 2008 San Antonio Express-News Sub-4A/Private School Player of the Year
- 2008 San Antonio Express-News Super Team pitcher
- 2008 San Antonio Express-News Player of the Year runner-up
- 2008 THSBCA first-team all-state
- 2008 TSWA second-team all-state pitcher, third-team all-state designated hitter
- 2008 Louisville Slugger All-America
• Stats:
- 2008, batting: .400 avg., 7 HR, 52 RBI, 10 2B, 1 3B, 3 SB
- 2008, pitching: 13-0, 0.59 ERA, 83.1 IP, 149 K, .148 OBA, 5 shutouts, 1 no-hitter
• 2008 USA Baseball Tournament of Stars participant
• Played for the 2008 San Antonio Wranglers summer team, coached by Joe Orloski
TAYLOR EIKENBERRY
LHP . 6-0 . 175 . L-L
Rock Falls, Ill. (Rock Falls)
• Plays for head coach Don Chappell at Rock Falls [Ill.] High School (Class 3A)
• Helped Rock Falls to 89-20 record during career
- 2006 conference, regional titles (27-7)
- 2007 conference, regional, sectional titles (29-10)
- 2008 conference, regional, sectional, super-sectional titles; state runner-up (33-3)
• Honors:
- 2008 NCIC first-team Academic All-State
- Two-time first-team all-conference
- Three-time first-team academic all-conference
- 2008 first-team all-area (pitcher and outfielder)
• Stats:
- 2008: 10-1, 1.92 ERA, 73.0 IP, 34 H, 139 K, 22 BB; .382 avg., 5 HR, 35 RBI
• Also lettered in football (three years) and basketball (two years)
- 2007 NCIC first-team Academic All-State (football)
- Two-time first-team academic all-conference (football, basketball)
• Played for 2008 Midwest Blazers summer taem, coached by Paul Meade
- 6-1, 1.40 ERA, 49.0 IP, 20 H, 73 K, 14 BB
LAWTONLANGFORD
IF . 5-10 . 155 . L-R
Uvalde, Texas(Uvalde)
• Plays for head coach Tim Bertholf at Uvalde [Texas] High School (District 29-4A)
• Led Uvalde to 2007 district (undefeated) and area titles; lost to eventual state champion Corpus Christi-Moody in regional finals
• 2008 district runners-up, Region IV semifinalists
• Honors:
- Two-time first-team all-district
- Two-time first-team academic all-district
- 2007 San Antonio Express-News "Super Team" Newcomer of the Year
- 2007 THSCA third-team all-state
- 2007 TSWA honorable mention all-state
- 2008 District 29-4A MVP runner-up
- 2008 San Antonio Express-News All-Area
• Stats:
- 2007: .505 avg., 21 RBI, 3 2B, 2 3B, 3 SB, .623 OBP, .654 SLG
- 2008: .448 avg., 1 HR, 20 RBI, 11 2B, 3 3B, 5 SB, .448 OBP, .609 SLG
• Also lettered in football as a sophomore
• Played for South Texas Sliders summer team in 2007 and 2008
- Coached by Chad Koehl and Scott Mayer
- Teammate of fellow Baylor signee Logan Vick and current Bear Logan Verrett
JAKE MILLER
IF . 6-2 . 180 . R-R
Houston, Texas (Stratford)
• Plays for head coach Jason Willis at Houston-Stratford High School (District 19-5A)
• Honors:
- Two-time second-team all-district
- Two-time Sunbelt Games participant
- 2008 Texas Scout Association North-South Game participant
- 2008 Houston Area Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Game participant
• Stats:
- 2008: .419, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 11 2B, 2 3B, 3 SB
• 2008 Texas Rangers Area Code Games participant
• Played for 2008 Houston Heat summer team, coached by Phil Cross
MAX MUNCY
IF . 6-0 . 185 . L-R
Keller, Texas(Keller)
• Plays for head coach Rob Stramp at Keller [Texas] High School (District 5-5A)
• 2008 district, bi-district, area champions (24-11)
• Honors:
- 2008 first-team all-district
- 2008 First-Pitch Classic all-tournament
• Stats:
- 2008: .371, 8 HR, 39 RBI, 12 2B, 1 3B, 30 R, 22 BB, .468 OBP, .765 SLG
• Also played football as a freshman
• Played for 2008 D-BAT 17-under team, coached by former Major Leaguer Rusty Greer
- Led D-BAT team to a 40-8-1 record
- Stats: .435 avg., 9 HR, 58 RBI, 16 2B, 1 3B, 3 SB
- Teammate of fellow Baylor signees Tyler Collins and Josh Turley
JOSH TURLEY
LHP . 6-0 . 195 . L-L
Texarkana, Texas (Texas)
• Plays for head coach Glenn Welch at Texarkana-Texas High School (District 13-4A)
• 2008 district (undefeated) champions (25-5)
• Honors:
- 2006 district newcomer of the year
- 2007 district pitcher of the year
- 2008 district MVP
- 2008 THSBCA second-team all-state
• Stats:
- 2008: 8-1, 1.03 ERA, 72.0 IP, 121 K
- Career: 25-5, 1.24 ERA, 160.0 IP, 75 H, 330 K, 15 BB
• 2008 USA Baseball 18-Under Team Trials participant
- Stats: 2 APP, 0-0, 6.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
• 2008 USA Baseball Tournament of Stars participant
• 2008 Texas Rangers Area Code Games participant
• 2008 Perfect Game/Crosschecker National Showcase participant
• Played for 2008 D-BAT 17-under team, coached by former Major Leaguer Rusty Greer
- Led D-BAT team to a 40-8-1 record
- Stats: 10-1, 0.90 ERA, 70.0 IP, 60 H, 120 K, 12 BB
- Teammate of fellow Baylor signees Tyler Collins and Max Muncy
LOGANVICK
IF . 5-11 . 185 . L-R
Kerrville, Texas(Tivy)
• Plays for head coach Steve Rippee at Kerrville-Tivy [Texas] High School (District 7-4A)
• 2008 district, bi-district, area champions
• Honors:
- 2006 second-team all-district
- 2007 first-team all-district
- 2007 third-team all-state
- 2008 first-team all-district
- 2008 first-team all-area
- 2008 first-team all-state
• Stats:
- 2008: .543 avg., 6 HR, 36 RBI, 6 2B, 7 3B, 8 SB, 51 R, .891 SLG
• 2008 Texas Rangers Area Code Games participant
• Also plays football (receiver and kicker)
- 2007 first-team all-district at both positions
- 2007 second-team all-state kicker
- 2007 first-team all-area, third-team all-state receiver
• Played for South Texas Sliders summer team in 2007 and 2008
- Coached by Chad Koehl and Scott Mayer
- Teammate of fellow Baylor signee Lawton Langford and current Bear Logan Verrett
For more Baylor baseball information, check out Straight from the Pen.
