Arizona’s first all-Chip Hale class features bevy of in-state prospects, high-end talent

Chip Hale introduced Arizona baseball’s 2024 signing class Wednesday, and it was the first one he could truly call his own.

When Hale returned to his alma mater as head coach in July 2021, most of the groundwork had been laid for the 2022 and ’23 signing classes. They ended up as amalgams of Jay Johnson’s recruits and players that Hale and recruiting coordinator Trip Couch added to the mix.

The ’24 class is a Hale-Couch production. The group announced Wednesday is heavy on in-state players — eight of the 14 are from Arizona, and two more play junior-college ball here — and features some high-end talent that might not make it to campus.

For example, left-hander Mason Russell, one of three signees from Casteel High School in Queen Creek, is the No. 81-ranked high school player in the country, according to Perfect Game. Right-hander Smith Bailey of Glendale Mountain Ridge is No. 89.

Although they might end up signing pro contracts, that’s a chance Hale is willing to take.

“You go after who you go after,” Hale said. “If it’s the first-rated guy in the country and you’re able to commit him, it’s a feather in your cap, whether he comes here or signs (a pro contract).”

The highest-rated player in Arizona’s 2023 class, right-hander Blake Wolters of Mahomet, Illinois, blossomed as a senior and signed with the Kansas City Royals. Despite having a connection to the UA — his sister, Ella, is a student manager for the baseball team — Wolters couldn’t resist the $2.8 million the Royals offered him to sign.

“We see his parents all the time,” Hale said. “They come down here and see us, and they always are apologizing. I said, ‘Don’t apologize. That’s part of the deal.’

“We understand, and we’re happy for these guys. It’s about relationships, right? We formed that relationship. We’ll never shy away from it. He’s always welcome to come in and see us.

“If … none sign (pro contracts) and they all come and they’re Wildcats next year, we’ll be happy. But if a couple happen to get drafted in the first couple of rounds, then more power to them.”

Local flavor

The class features three players with Southern Arizona ties.

Left-hander Salvador Valenzuela attends Nogales High School. He has a 14-2 record with a 1.05 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 93 1/3 innings in two seasons with the Apaches.

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“He’s a guy we committed as a young kid,” Hale said. “When you commit those guys, you’re wondering, is he gonna get better? Is he gonna fall back? Is he gonna stay the same? He has gotten better and better. And I think our new pitching coach, Kevin Vance, sees a lot of growth ahead of him.

“Right now, he’s pretty much doing it with the fastball. … He did it in the Area Code Games against really good hitters, struck a bunch of guys out.”

Valenzuela is rated as a Top 500 player by Perfect Game. Outfielder Gunner Geile is a Top 200 prospect. He attended Salpointe Catholic before transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Geile had 21 extra-base hits, 36 RBIs and 43 runs in 49 games at Salpointe.

“That’s another one we got as a youngster, and he’s continued to get better,” Hale said. “He projects into being a big-time power hitter for us.”

Two-way player Nate Gray is set to play for Pima Community College this upcoming season. Gray was a Perfect Game Top 500 player coming out of Queen Creek High School.

International flavor

Arizona’s class features two international players: Infielder Mathis Meurant from France and right-hander Kansai Sugimoto of Japan.

Meurant attends Cochise College, where he batted .329 this past season. Hale said Meurant is “extremely talented defensively” and “could come in right away and play in the middle infield for us.”

Sugimoto attends Yavapai College after prepping at Blyth Academy in Ontario, Canada.

“His stuff is extremely good,” Hale said. “He’s a big dude that we’re super excited about.”

Inside pitch

Hale said sophomore infielder Mason White (Salpointe) is set to resume throwing next week after being unable to do so for most of the fall because of an arm injury. White is moving from second base to shortstop after being Arizona’s top freshman last season and its best hitter in fall scrimmages. Hale called White “our cornerstone player.”

Junior Tommy Splaine also has battled an arm injury that has prevented him from playing catcher. But first base “might be the spot he ends most of the time,” Hale said. Transfers Blake McDonald and Adonys Guzman “have both been really good” behind the plate, Hale said.

Third base is the most unsettled position on the team. Hale said about six players remain in the mix and that several could be “auditioning” for the spot early in the season. Defense is a priority at third base because right-handed hitters are apt to pull the ball in college and any ball that gets past the third baseman at Hi Corbett Field could be a double or even a triple.