Chip Hale and his staff have made the state of Arizona their top priority in recruiting, as the Wildcatsβ 2026 class reflects.
The UA announced the signing of 15 players Wednesday. Five are from Arizona, including a pair of catchers from Tucson: Cooper Kruk, who prepped at Catalina Foothills High School and is spending this season at Pima Community College; and Francisco Rivero Jr., whoβs a senior at Canyon del Oro.
Arizona coach Chip Hale goes over the ground rules with the umpiring crew and Central Arizona coach Sean Cashman before first pitch Oct. 25, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.
The class features eight players ranked in Perfect Gameβs Top 500, led by infielder Ayden Deome of Roseville, California. Deome is one of three Californians in the class and one of five infielders. The group also includes three outfielders and five pitchers.
βThis is an exceptionally well-rounded class, one that our staff is excited to welcome into the Arizona baseball family,β UA coach Chip Hale said in a news release. βComing off a trip to the College World Series has given our program tremendous momentum, and this class of talented, high-character players helps us maintain and build on that momentum.β
Hereβs a snapshot of the 15-member UA class of 2026:
OF Ben Ball
Hometown: Phoenix
Previous school: Hamilton HS
Notable: PGβs No. 4 outfield prospect in Arizona, Ball hit .386 across his sophomore and junior seasons at Hamilton.
INF Ashten Ballew
Hometown: Katy, Texas
Previous school: Katy HS
Notable: Ballew is PGβs No. 10 shortstop prospect in Texas and a top-400 prospect nationally.
RHP Jack Byers
Hometown: Artesia, N.M.
Previous school: Artesia HS
Notable: PGβs No. 5 overall prospect in New Mexico, Byers has an 18-3 record with a 1.70 ERA and 225 strikeouts during his high school career.
INF Jory Crocker
Hometown: Villa Park, Ill.
Previous school: Willowbrook HS
Notable: Crocker is PGβs No. 5 overall prospect and No. 3 shortstop in Illinois and a top-250 prospect nationally.
INF Ayden Deome
Hometown: Roseville, Calif.
Previous school: West Park HS
Notable: PGβs No. 7 third base prospect in the nation, Deome has hit .419 with 30 doubles, nine triples, seven home runs and 38 stolen bases for West Park.
RHP Dusty Dunwoody
Hometown: Simi Valley, Calif.
Previous school: Royal HS
Notable: PGβs No. 8 right-hander in California and a top-200 prospect nationally, Dunwoody has a 10-3 record with a 1.72 ERA for Royal.
RHP James Hunt
Hometown: Overland Park, Kan.
Previous school: Blue Valley West HS
Notable: Hunt is PGβs fifth-ranked right-hander from the state of Kansas.
Catcher Cooper Kruk, via Catalina Foothills High School and Pima Community College, is one of 15 players to sign with Arizona baseball for the class of 2026.
C Cooper Kruk
Hometown: Tucson
Previous school: Pima CC
Notable: PGβs ninth-ranked catcher from Arizona in the class of 2025, Kruk batted .402 with 29 doubles and seven home runs across two varsity seasons with the Falcons.
INF Lyndon Lee
Hometown: Las Vegas
Previous school: Basic Academy of International Studies
Notable: PGβs No. 8 overall prospect and No. 4 second baseman in Nevada, Lee has a .358 average and 65 RBIs in 71 varsity games for Basic Academy.
OF Matthew Maize
Hometown: Elk Grove Village, Ill.
Previous school: GateWay CC
Notable: Maize hit .342 with a .440 on-base percentage last season at GateWay Community College in Phoenix.
RHP Quinn OβRourke
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Previous school: Charlotte Catholic HS
Notable: OβRourke is PGβs No. 11 overall prospect and No. 6 right-hander in North Carolina and a top-250 prospect nationally.
LHP Tommy Pascanu
Hometown: Anthem
Previous school: Sandra Day OβConnor HS
Notable: PGβs No. 1-ranked left-hander in Arizona and a top-500 prospect nationally, Pascanu has 94 strikeouts in 61 innings for the Eagles.
Catcher Francisco Rivero Jr., via Canyon del Oro High School, is one of 15 players to sign with Arizona baseball for the class of 2026.
C Francisco Rivero Jr.
Hometown: Tucson
Previous school: Canyon del Oro
Notable: PGβs No. 3 catcher in Arizona and a top-500 prospect nationally, Rivero hit .484 with eight home runs as a junior at CDO.
INF Abram Sherrin
Hometown: Peoria
Previous school: Liberty
Notable: PGβs fifth-ranked shortstop in Arizona, Sherrin has a .347 average with 20 extra-base hits in 80 games for the Lions.
OF Drew Ward
Hometown: Pasadena, Calif.
Previous school: La Salle HS
Notable: PGβs No. 9 third base prospect in California, Ward also played football for the Lancers.
