Miami Lands Top-Ranked Recruiting Class

by • Featured

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

TUCSON, Ariz. — For the first time in 27 years, Miami (Fla.) has been crowned the national recruiting champion by Collegiate Baseball.

It marks the Hurricanes’ fourth national recruiting title by Collegiate Baseball with other top-ranked classes in 1993, 1991 and 1988.

It is the first time in 17 years that a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference has landed the top class.

In 15 of the last 20 years, a team from the Southeastern Conference has won top honors. Thirteen SEC teams are ranked in the top 40 this year.

It is the 38th straight year Collegiate Baseball has evaluated NCAA Division I recruiting classes. Athletes who initially signed letters of intent with a school but then signed a pro contract after being drafted do not count in the overall evaluation.

Only athletes who came to school this fall are factored in.

Miami landed a star-studded class that includes 23 newcomers (15 freshmen, 6 junior college transfers and two 4-year transfers).

“This is a great class,” said Hurricane Recruiting Coordinator Noberto Lopez.

“We had a lot of top end players come to campus and join the program like RHP Victor Mederos (Westminster Christian H.S., Miami, FL), RHP Alejandro Rosario (Miami Christian H.S., Miami, FL), SS Yohandy Morales (Braddock H.S., Miami, FL), C Carlos Perez (Florida Christian H.S., Miami, FL), RHP Jake Smith (State College of Florida), 1B/OF C.J. Kayfus (Palm Beach Central H.S., Wellington, FL), OF Chad Born (Orange Lutheran H.S., CA), RHP/DH Ben Wanger (grad transfer from Univ. of Southern California) and LHP/OF Mike Rosario (St. Johns River State College).

“We feel we brought in an elite class this year that adds several outstanding pitchers and hitters to our program both from high schools and junior colleges as well as two grad transfers who can be key contributors.”

Mederos, Alejandro Rosario, Morales earned high school All-American honors and are high profile pro prospects. They could be high draft picks in the 2023 MLB Draft if they continue to progress.

“We got some guys on campus who are very, very high prospects,” said Miami Head Coach Gino DiMare.

“I mean extremely high prospects who in a few years could be top 10 picks in the draft or top half of the first round.

“That’s saying something about the kind of players you’ve got coming in, and we have a few of those guys. Along with those elite prospects, we got a lot of other very good players who we feel can be impact guys for us.

Wanger, a graduate transfer from the University of Southern California, was a second team All-American by Collegiate Baseball last season. In a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, he hit .410 with 4 doubles and 8 RBI. He also had 3 saves with 8 strikeouts and posted a 0.00 ERA.

Other quality players the Hurricanes landed include:

  • OF C.J. Kayfus (Palm Beach Central H.S., Wellington, FL).
  • C Carlos Perez (Florida Christian H.S., Miami, FL).
  • RHP Nick Regalado (Columbus H.S., Miami, FL).
  • RHP Nate Thomas (St. Thomas Aquinas H.S., Fort Lauderdale, FL).

Collegiate Baseball’s Top 40 Recruiting Classes

  1. Miami (Fla.)                                        
  2. Vanderbilt
  3. Louisiana St.
  4. Arizona
  5. Florida
  6. UCLA                                                               
  7. Texas
  8. South Carolina
  9. Arkansas
  10. Arizona St.
  11. Mississippi St.
  12. Florida St.
  13. Texas Christian
  14. Texas Tech.
  15. Georgia Tech.
  16. Georgia
  17. North Carolina
  18. Mississippi
  19. Auburn
  20. Virginia
  21. Louisville
  22. Oklahoma
  23. Oklahoma St.
  24. Houston
  25. Tennessee
  26. Stanford
  27. Southern California
  28. Clemson
  29. Washington St.
  30. Duke
  31. Florida International
  32. Wake Forest
  33. Missouri
  34. San Diego
  35. East Carolina
  36. Michigan
  37. Kentucky
  38. Texas A&M
  39. Oregon
  40. N.C. State

Other Top Recruiting Classes: Oregon St., San Diego St., Baylor, Washington, U.C. Santa Barbara, Connecticut, Minnesota, Iowa, West Virginia, Coastal Carolina, Alabama, Brigham Young, Tulane, Nevada, Long Beach St., Cal. St. Fullerton, Dallas Baptist, U.C. Irvine, South Alabama, Hawaii, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Nebraska, Wichita St., Grand Canyon, Cal Poly, Illinois, Maryland, Notre Dame, Gonzaga, Charlotte, Florida Gulf Coast, Cal. St. Northridge, Stony Brook, Virginia Tech., Southern Mississippi, Louisiana-Lafayette, Pepperdine, Fresno St., Florida Atlantic, Kent St., Nevada-Las Vegas, Indiana, Rice, Ohio St., Michigan St., Troy, Winthrop, Ball St., Central Michigan, Kansas, Central Florida, Sam Houston St., Creighton, California, Bradley, Stetson, Radford, South Florida, New Mexico, Western Kentucky, North Dakota St., Dayton, Butler, Louisiana Tech., Oral Roberts, Rutgers, Tennessee Tech., Utah, Davidson, Northern Kentucky, Samford, Gardner-Webb, Boston College.

To read more about the top 40 NCAA Division I recruiting classes that came to school this fall, purchase the Oct. 2, 2020 edition of Collegiate Baseball or subscribe by CLICKING HERE.