Michigan State University Athletics
Spartan Baseball Inks Six For 2017-18 Season
11/11/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
2016 Spartan Baseball Signees Photo Gallery
| July 5 Update: Proctor and Heikkinen Earn All-State Honors from Lansing State Journal
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State baseball head coach Jake Boss Jr., announced Friday that the Spartans will add six players to the 2017-18 roster. Peter Ahn (Delafield, Wisconsin/Marquette University High School), Noah Bloye (Wyoming, Michigan/Byron Center High School), Jesse Heikkinen (Holt, Michigan/Holt High School), Ryan King (Munster, Indiana/Brother Rice High School), Adam Proctor (Saint Johns, Michigan/Saint Johns High School) and Brendan Regan (Sagamore Hills, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit High School) will all join the Spartans in the fall of 2017.
"First of all I'd like to commend Coach Sikes, Coach Meade, and Coach Keur for all of their hard work and putting together this recruiting class. Coach Sikes and Coach Meade have spent countless hours on the road identifying and evaluating talent, and this class is the result of all of their tireless effort," Boss said. "We're excited about his new group of Spartans and what they will bring to our program and our University, both on the field and in the classroom. We feel that we have addressed every one of our needs going into the 2018 season. It is a very athletic class with speed and power, and a number of these six student-athletes will have the opportunity to contribute immediately as freshmen should they continue to develop and improve."
Peter Ahn | Delafield, Wisconsin | Marquette University High School | 6-2, 170 | L/R | IF/OF
Will be a three-year letterwinner at Marquette University High School for head coach Sal Bando, Jr. ... A two-time All-Greater Metro Conference honoree ... Helped lead the Hilltoppers to a 27-7 record his junior season and were the 2016 Wisconsin High School State runner-up ... Posted a .375 average with 18 RBI, six doubles, one triple and one home run with 24 runs scored as a junior ... Logged a .443 average with 21 RBI, four doubles, two triples and 23 runs scored as a sophomore ... Also lettered in football and track & field ... Was a member of the football team Leadership Council ... Earned All-Academic All-District accolades as a junior ... A three-time Academic Honor recipient, earning High Honors as a freshman and junior, as well as a member of the Jesuit Honor Society ... Played summer league for STiKS Academy and head coach Sean Smith in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin ... Played in the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship and was named to the All-Tournament team ... Named No. 5 infielder and No. 19 overall player in Wisconsin according to Prep Baseball Report ... Son of Hugh and Patricia Ahn ... Uncle, Ryan Morrissey, played soccer at Yale ... Chose Michigan State for its baseball environment and the family atmosphere with the coaches and players, as well as MSU's great academic opportunities ... Intends on majoring in biosystems engineering ... Picked the Spartans over Ball State, Minnesota-Duluth, Winona State, Wisconsin-LaCrosse and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Meade on Ahn: "Peter is a kid we added late, who has tons of tools. He is going to provide needed depth to us in the infield, he is a left-handed bat, and he is a guy who exudes tons of leadership skills. We feel like he can come in and compete for playing time immediately. His game is going to be very similar offensively to former Spartan Tony Cheky in hitting style and aggressiveness on the bases."
Sikes on Ahn: "First and foremost Peter is a fantastic person. It is rare to find a high school kid with an academic and athletic focus that is so sharp. Athletically, Peter has a really, really high ceiling. As I watched Peter play, his speed and athleticism just jumped out at me. He is a quality left-handed hitter who can play multiple positions and is only going to get better. We feel like we found a hidden gem in Wisconsin with Peter."
Noah Bloye | Wyoming, Michigan | Byron Center High School | 6-0, 165 | R/R | OF
Will be a four-year letterwinner at Byron Center High School for head coach Jeff Gdowski ... A two-time All-Conference honoree ... Already is the Byron Center all-time steals leader with 54 stolen bases, with his senior season still to go ... Has career average of .336 with 42 RBI, three HR and 58 runs scored ... Named team captain for upcoming senior season ... Played summer league for Diamonds Baseball and head coach Billy Peterson ... Also a two-year letterwinner on the Byron Center boys' basketball team ... Named No. 3 outfielder and No. 17 overall player in Michigan according to Prep Baseball Report ... Son of Scott and Michelle Bloye ... Cousin of John VanderWal, who had a 14-year career in Major League Baseball for eight different teams and is currently a scout for the San Diego Padres ... Intends on majoring in education at MSU ... Chose Michigan State because of the coaching staff, the comfort feel of campus and the community ... Selected Michigan State over Central Michigan, Liberty, West Virginia and Western Michigan.
Meade on Bloye: "Noah is a kid with serious speed, 6.5 60-yard dash. He caught our attention at the 2015 Futures Games with his ability then and committed soon thereafter. As Noah continues to refine his game, we think that he could be a guy to cause a lot of havoc on the bases with his unique skill set. We are very excited to see Noah develop here as a Spartan starting next fall."
Sikes on Bloye: "Noah is a very good athlete that really adds a speed component to our team. He generates good bat speed and can use his speed as a weapon. As Noah gets into our strength and conditioning program, I expect his tools to just keep getting better and better."
Will be a four-year letterwinner at Holt High School for head coach Nate Potts ... A three-time CAAC Blue All-Conference honoree ... A two-time All-District selection ... A two-time all-state honoree by Prep Baseball Report ... Named to Lansing State Journal Dream Team as well as a finalist for the Lansing State Journal Baseball Player of the Year ... Fired 82 strikeouts last season, ranking second all-time in Holt history ... Posted a 7-2 record with a 1.10 ERA as a junior ... Helped the Rams to a 30-10 record in junior season, a new school record for wins, as part of back-to-back district titles ... Ranked No. 327 in Prep Baseball Reports Top 400 players in country, as well as No. 52 left-handed pitcher in the nation ... Also ranked No. 2 left-handed pitcher and No. 6 overall player in Michigan according to Prep Baseball Report ... Played summer league for Michigan College Connect and head coach John Judge, where he pitched in the Connie Mack World Series ... Son of Noel and Grace Heikkinen, who are both MSU alums ... Intends on majoring in business management at MSU ... Chose Michigan State because both of his parents went to MSU and it has been a dream of his to pitch for the Green and White, and because of the campus environment and the coaching staff ... Selected Michigan State over Central Michigan, Michigan, Ohio and Wright State.
Meade on Heikkinen: "Jesse is a local guy who has been committed to us for a little over two years. He takes so much pride in being a Spartan, and we plan on him being able to help us right away. He truly knows how to pitch with his arsenal of three pitches. His feel for a change-up is very advanced for a high school arm, and should allow him to compete here at Michigan State right away."
Sikes on Heikkinen: "Jesse was the first player to commit in the 2017 class. He is a tremendous person, first of all. We were looking for athletic pitchers and Jesse jumped out at us very early. He has developed into a very nice player and he is only beginning to scratch the surface of his ability. I think he will add to the long list of quality left-handed pitchers we've had here at MSU."
Will be a four-year letterwinner at Brother Rice High School (Illinois) for head coach John McCarthy, where he earned Rawlings All-America honors ... Was a two-time all-conference selection and helped the Crusaders win the Catholic League Blue Conference title for the second time in three years, reaching the state semifinals last season, finishing with a 35-4 record and the No. 11 team in the country according to USA Today rankings ... Hit .398 during his junior season with 15 RBI and 17 stolen bases ... Has 55 career stolen bases ... Ranked No. 39 shortstop in country and No. 238 overall in Prep Baseball Report Top 400 players in country, as well as No. 2 shortstop and No. 17 overall in Illinois according to Prep Baseball Report ... Played summer league for Illinois Sparks and head coach Mike Massey ... Son of Bill and Lucy King ... Chose MSU because of the academic success, campus atmosphere and the coaching staff and program's reputation ... Undecided on an intended major at MSU ... Selected Michigan State over numerous other schools including Central Florida, Louisville, Michigan, Missouri, Notre Dame and Oklahoma.
Meade on King: "Ryan is a kid who fits the mold of a winner. He is tough, plays fast and has an edge about him. He comes from the Illinois Sparks summer organization that always has kids who just know how to play the game of baseball. We truly feel that Ryan is going to be a dynamic player here in East Lansing once he sets foot on campus."
Sikes on King: "Ryan is another complete ballplayer and superior athlete with so many tools that can win you games in a lot of different ways. The first thing that jumps out at you when you see him play is his speed. His defense and arm strength are also plus tools that will allow him to play almost anywhere on the diamond. As I got to know Ryan and his family, it became clear that this is the type of person we want in our program. Ryan comes from a great Brother Rice program in Chicago and will be well-prepared for the college game."
Will be a four-year letterwinner at Saint Johns High School under head coach Jake Parker, where he is a three-time All-Division I All-Area, as well as three-time All-Capital Area Conference ... Named to Lansing State Journal Dream Team as well as a finalist for the Lansing State Journal Baseball Player of the Year ... Also a three-time all-district honoree, as well as two-time all-region selection ... Ranked as the No. 6 catcher and No. 84 overall in Prep Baseball Report Top 400 players in country ... Also ranked as the No. 1 catcher and No. 4 overall player in Michigan according to Prep Baseball Report, as well as the No. 1 catcher and No. 6 overall player by Perfect Game rankings ... Batted .437 with 35 RBI, including seven HRs, which tied for first in the mid-Michigan statistical rankings ... Played summer league for Capitol City Kings and head coach Joe McDonald ... Son of Jeff and Becky Proctor ... Chose MSU because of coaching staff and their involvement with his career ... Intends on majoring in exercise science at Michigan State ... Selected MSU over Ball State, Central Michigan, Kentucky and Missouri.
Meade on Proctor: "Adam is a monster of a high school kid. His physicality is something that you cant teach. We expect him to be able to come in immediately and handle our pitching staff. Additionally his stick is very potent from the left side, and could be a guy who benefits from the short porch in right field at Kobs Field. Adam's ceiling is incredibly high, and we can't wait until he reaches his full potential."
Sikes on Proctor: I am really excited to have Adam in our program and looking forward to getting to work with him. Each time I've seen him he has gotten better and he is not done getting better either. Physically he is very advanced at 235 lbs. and very, very strong. His receiving and throwing skills are very advanced and he has the potential to be an extremely dynamic player. I expect Adam to have a very bright future here at MSU.
Will be a four-year letterwinner at Walsh Jesuit High School for head coach Chris Kaczmar, the same program that produced current Spartan senior pitcher Joe Mockbee ... Named second-team All-State as a junior ... Also tabbed the North Coast League Offensive Player of the Year last season ... Helped Walsh Jesuit to its fourth-straight North Coast League Championship, a District title and a 26-4 record as a sophomore , as the Warriors were the number two-ranked team in Ohio by Prep Baseball Report ... Ranked No. 345 in Prep Baseball Reports Top 400 players in country, as well as No. 52 shortstop in the nation ... Also ranked No. 3 shortstop and No. 15 overall player in Ohio according to Prep Baseball Report ... Played summer league for Ohio Elite for head coach Chris Valentine ... Son of Tim and Tracey Regan ... Intends on majoring kinesiology at Michigan State ... Chose MSU because of the rich tradition and the vibe and atmosphere of campus, as well as the coaching staff ... Selected Michigan State over Buffalo, Kent State and Notre Dame.
Meade on Regan: "Brendan is a guy who can flat out hit. Some guys have the hit tool, and Brendan is one of them. He is versatile in the infield, having the ability to play multiple positions. As he gets in the weight room, we think that more power is in the tank as well. Brendan should compete very early in his career for time somewhere in the infield."
Sikes on Regan: "Brendan is a complete ballplayer. He can win you games with his defense, bat and baserunning. Brendan really came on strong at the end of the 2015 summer and each coach he has played for says the same thing: `I love this kid's game.' Additionally, he comes from Walsh Jesuit, the same program that produced Joe Mockbee, with Coach Chris Kaczmar so he will be well prepared for the college game."
