Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Baseball Adds Four More
11/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Nov. 14, 2002
On the second day of the early signing period, four more athletes signed National Letters of Intent to play baseball at Florida Atlantic University. Jordan Hafer, Louis Palmisano and Brent Speck join FAU from Broward County, while Josh Simonds will get his first taste of Florida baseball after playing at Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach, VA. This year's recruiting class is expected to add to FAU's winning tradition as the team won its first NCAA Regional in 2002 after posting 46 wins.
FAU has had huge success recruiting Broward County standouts and Hafer will only add punch to the Florida Atlantic lineup. In his junior season at Deerfield Beach High School the first baseman/outfielder was named All-County and Second Team All-State after leading Broward County with a .575 batting average with 11 home runs. "Jordan is a switch hitter with tremendous power," stated recruiting coordinator John McCormack. "His versatility both in the infield and outfield will make him valuable to next year's team. With his power he will hit a lot of home runs in our park." Along with his play on the field, Hafer also excels in the classroom as he is a member of the National Honor Society.
Palmisano and Speck are aware of the expectations at FAU as they currently play for former FAU pitching coach Bob Deutschman at Broward Community College. Both players were drafted in 2001 by the White Sox but continued their careers at BCC. Palmisano is a 6'1" catcher who was picked up in the 21st round. "Louis is the finest athlete I have ever seen put on the gear. He is tremendous behind the plate and possesses an extremely accurate arm." McCormack is impressed with all aspects of his game. "He also runs well and he will make an immediate impact on this program."
Speck, the second left-handed pitcher to sign this season, was drafted in 2001 in the 35th round. McCormack believes that an upperclassman will add maturity to the staff. "Brent is one of the most competitive pitchers I have seen in a long time. His aggressive style will help anchor a young team next year." The Reading, Pennsylvania native did not see time last season but posted a 7-1 record with a 1.31 ERA his senior season in high school and was named All-County his final three seasons.
Simonds, a 6'6" right-handed pitcher from Virginia Beach, VA, has lots of playing experience to add to the pitching staff. He has played summer league with the Tidewater Cardinals for seven years and was named the AAU MVP in 1998. Last year Simonds was the team captain of both the Cardinals and his high school team. Recruiting coordinator John McCormack expects Simonds to grow into a great pitcher. "Josh is a big kid with a tremendous amount of potential. His knowledge and experience is what attracted us to him and we feel his best pitching is ahead of him." Josh also does community service as he helps coach the middle school baseball team along with doing camps and helping with Special Olympics.
Thursday's four signees bring the total number of commitments to 12 for the early signing period. The squad is expected to lose around 14 players after the 2003 season to graduation and the draft so key spots will need to be filled. With the addition of so many talented athletes, Florida Atlantic University hopes to win the Atlantic Sun Conference and advance to its sixth NCAA Tournament.
