Louisville Baseball Adds Three More to 2009 Recruiting Class
November 13, 2008 | Baseball
Nov. 13, 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville baseball head coach Dan McDonnell announced the signing of right-handed pitcher Curtis McCombs (Louisville, Ky.), third-baseman Cade Stallings (Knoxville, Tenn.) and shortstop Jason Thompson (Germantown, Tenn.) to National Letters-of-Intent on Thursday increasing the Cards' 2009 recruiting class to six.
Thursday's trio joins outfielder Jarred Clarkson (Shelbyville, Ky.), shortstop Kyle Grieshaber (Chesterfield, Mo.) and right-handed pitcher Matthew Koch (Cherokee, Iowa), who were announced on Wednesday. All of Thursday's signees, as well as the rest of the Cards' 2009 recruiting class, will be on campus next fall and eligible to compete in the spring of 2010.
"This is a complete recruiting class with balance across the board," McDonnell said. "Coach Lemonis and Coach Williams did an outstanding job in assembling a group that has speed, power, skill and experience. We have three guys ranked No. 1 in their state respectively, two top 100 players and two potential junior college All-Americans."
Check www.UofLSports.com for daily updates on the 2009 Louisville baseball recruiting class.
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Louisville, Ky. (Ballard HS)
McCombs is a 6-0, 190-pound right-handed pitcher for Ballard High School, where he is coached by Greg Gilbert. McCombs ranges from 88 to 91mph with very good command and a good breaking ball. As a junior, he was 6-2 overall with a 1.59 ERA and 48 strikeouts to earn All-Region and All-District honors for Ballard, which finished fifth in the state. He also had 29 RBI, scored 27 runs, had 17 stolen bases and hit .280 at the plate as a junior. His brother Chris was a four-year letter-winner in baseball at Indiana University.
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Knoxville, Tenn. (Farragut HS)
Stallings, at 6-2, 250 pounds, is a very physical third baseman who can really hit. He's been an impact player for head coach Tommy Pharr's Farragut High School program, which has won two of the last three (2006, 2008) state titles in Tennessee. As a junior, Stallings hit .462 with nine home runs and 52 RBI to lead the Admirals to the 2008 state championship. As a sophomore, he hit .430 with nine home runs and 53 RBI for Farragut. He also plays for the Knoxville Yard traveling team, coached by former Major League Baseball player Garth Iorg. Over the summer, he played for Tennessee at the Sun Belt Classic, competed at the Area Code Games in Southern California and was selected to represent the state of Tennessee at the 2008 International Home Run Derby at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
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Germantown, Tenn. (Germantown HS)
Thompson, a 6-0, 180-pound switch-hitting shortstop, is a 2008 Aflac All-American, is ranked No. 55 in the nation overall and is the top rated prospect in the state of Tennessee. He is coached by Joey Nesbit at Germantown High School and plays for the Dulin Dodgers traveling team, which is coached by Tim Dulin. Thompson was selected to the 2008 East Coast Showcase in Orlando, Fla., and was invited to Team Tennessee for the 2008 Sun Belt Classic. As a junior, he hit .428 with four home runs, 12 doubles, eight triples, 32 RBI and 26 stolen bases for Germantown. As a sophomore, he hit .430 with 10 doubles, 11 triples, 36 RBI and 24 stolen bases. Along with All-American honors, he is an All-State, All-Region and All-District performer and is a two-time Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Team selection. His sister, Lauren, is a starter for the University of Memphis volleyball team.
