University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Baseball Announces 2016 Early Signees
11/19/2014 4:41:00 PM | Baseball
Outfielder Kyle Baker (Charter School of Wilmington, Hockessin, Del.)
Baker is a three-year starter and three-year letter winner at Charter. The high school senior helped Charter to the 2012 and 2013 Delaware Baseball State Tournament and, in 2014, earned all-conference honors leading the team and Flight A conference in extra base hits and posted a .380 batting average.
Baker is a member of the 2014 Carpenter Cup North Team and has received All-Academic 
Conference accolades three times. He was named to the 2014 Perfect Game All-American Team and the 2013 and 2014 Perfect Game WWBA All Tournament Team.
While playing for the Delaware Diamonds during the 2014 summer, Baker (right) hit .430 with 44 hits, 17 being extra base knocks. He was also selected to the Mid-Atlantic Phillies Scout team in the summer of 2014.
Jim ShermanRHP Cole Benjamin (Rising Sun High School, Rising Sun, Md.)
Benjamin registered a 1.59 ERA, tallied a 6-1 record, allowed 29 hits in 57.1 innings of work, and struck out 94 during his 2014 junior season at Rising Sun. One of the highlights of his junior season was tossing two no-hitters.
Benjamin was selected first team All-Cecil County and All-State and received recognition as a 2014 Perfect Game Underclass All-American Honorable Mention. In 2012 and 2013 he was named to the Perfect Game WWBA All-Tournament Team.
The right-hander has accrued 252 strikeouts in his high school career. The summer of 2014 saw Benjamin (left) win 12 games, tally six shutouts, and have five games where he recorded 12 or more strikeouts.
“Cole is a hard-throwing right hander who can spin the ball very well too, said Sherman. “If you look at his career so far, he has racked up a ton of strikeouts and wins. In speaking with Cole's coaches, they all said he is a bulldog on the mound who wants the ball in all the big moments. We definitely like that about him.”
Infielder Mark Gentilotti (Malvern Prep, Collegeville, Pa.)
Gentilotti is a three-year starter on head coach Freddy Hilliard's Malvern Prep Pennsylvania State and Inter-AC League championship teams. The Friars' infielder was a 2014 Perfect Game USA Underclass All-American Honorable Mention selection and was named to multiple Perfect Game USA All-Tournament Teams. 
The All-Main Line second team selection hit .391 with 16 extra base hits for the All-Star Baseball Academy (West Chester, Pa.) during 2014 summer and fall seasons and was coached by Mike Manning.
Gentilotti (right) played for University of Delaware baseball alumnus Steve Van Note at the All-Star Baseball Academy during 2013. Gentilotti is also a standout in the classroom as the Collegeville, Pa. native is an honor student at Malvern Prep.
“Mark is what you would refer to as a 'baseball rat.' He is always at the field taking ground balls, hitting in the cages, doing anything he can to get better on a daily basis,” said Sherman. “Mark is also a very smart player with good instincts. We really like his offensive potential and think he is going to be a key part of our offense in the years to come.”
Infielder Matt McKeown (Saints Neumann and Goretti High School, Barrington, N.J.)
McKeown was an all-conference selection as a sophomore when he led his team in extra base hits and stolen bases while playing shortstop. Following his sophomore season, McKeown was 
invited to the Perfect Game Junior All-American game, named a Perfect Game third team Under Class All American, and was invited to the National Showcase event.
After his junior campaign, he was an all-conference selection and led the team in extra base hits and stolen bases, including two steals of home. McKeown (left) was also selected to the New Jersey top 100 Under Class event after his junior year.
The infielder was a key member in helping lead his Tri State Arsenal travel club to a nationally-ranked season. He was also an all-conference football player at Paul VI High School before transferring to Saints Neumann and Goretti High School, and was recently named to the Philadelphia All-Catholic football team at defensive end.
“When you think of Delaware baseball historically, you think of big, physical players who can really swing the bat,” said Sherman. “That is Matt in a nutshell. He can run, throw, field, and hit all at a very high level. We really like his athleticism and physicality on the field and we think he has a chance to be a tremendous player in this program. The sky is the limit for him.”
Infielder Tyler O'Dell (Northern Burlington High School, Wrightstown, N.J.)
O'Dell is a three-time baseball varsity letterman and has been named all-conference three times and all-area and all-county twice. The infielder is also a two-time Carpenter Cup Selection as well as being named to the New Jersey Under Class All Star game after his sophomore and junior years.
O'Dell was named Defensive MVP in 2012 and 2013 and Offensive MVP in 2014. He has 59 stolen
bases in his high school career and played in the summer with Bordentown Legion Post 26, managed by Tom Dolan. O'Dell led them to back-to-back Mercer County American Legion Championship and a berth to the New Jersey Final Eight.
In 2013, O'Dell (right) led the team with a .442 batting average and went 4-0 on the mound with a 1.19 ERA as Post 26 finished with a 28-7 record. In 2014 he was named the MCALL Player of the Year while leading Post 26 to another league championship. The Wrightstown, N.J. native posted .438 batting average and had a perfect 5-0 record on the mound with a 0.29 ERA.
Entering his senior year of high school, O'Dell is a three-time letterman in football. As a sophomore wide receiver/defensive back, he led North Burlington to the South Jersey Group III State Championship game and started his final 21 games at quarterback. O'Dell was selected team captain his senior year. During his high school football career, the multisport standout rushed for 1,000+ yards while accounting for 33 total touchdowns and earning all- conference accolades.
“The first time I saw Tyler play, he reminded me of two former Blue Hens – Brian August and Reid Gorecki, both of whom had outstanding careers here at Delaware,” said Sherman. “I think Tyler has the capability to do the same. He is an extremely athletic, high energy type player who gives you everything he's got day in and day out. We are very excited to see how Tyler's career unfolds.”
Catcher Adam Rapp (Northern Burlington High School, Burlington, N.J.)
Rapp was named a 2014 Baseball Factory Preseason All-American and invited to Tucson, Ariz. to compete against other regions best 20 players. The catcher was also a member of Team Northeast, was named to the first team All-South Jersey in 2014, first team all-conference in 
2013 and 2014, and first team all-county in 2014.
In 2013, Rapp hit over .400 and helped Northern Burlington High School win its first baseball sectional title in school history. In 2014, Rapp was one of South Jersey's leaders in extra base hits and played in the New Jersey Underclass Games, which was comprised of the 100 best players in New Jersey in 2014.
During the summer Rapp (left) helped lead the Burlington County to the Carpenter Cup finals against Jersey Shore at Citizens Bank Park. He was named a Perfect Game 2014 All-American Underclass Honorable Mention and played travel baseball for South Jersey Elite, coached by former Blue Hen Keith Garagozzo.
“Adam has the size and tools you look for in a catcher and we feel he has the opportunity to make an impact very quickly in our program,” said Sherman. “He is very advanced with how he receives pitches, has a strong, accurate arm, and is also a left handed hitter. We are very happy that Adam is going to be a part of this program.”
LHP Brandon Walter (Hodgson Vo-Tech High School, New Castle, Del.)
During Walter's junior season, the southpaw posted a 7-1 record with a 1.70 ERA in 69.2 innings. Walter notched 128 strikeouts and allowed 38 hits in 2014.
He was selected first team All-State, first team all-conference, and was named conference 
Player of the Year in 2014. Walter was also named second team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper after his junior season.
The lefty was a member of the 2014 Carpenter Cup North Team and played summer baseball for Stahl Post American Legion, leading them to the state championship and to the Mid Atlantic Regionals. Walter (right) pitched a complete game two-hitter in the regional tournament with 13 strikeouts against Mt. Laurel, N.J.
“We are thrilled to have Brandon in our program because we believe he has a chance to be pretty special,” said Sherman “He has put up some outstanding numbers so far in his high school career and he has proven that he is a winner. There is no doubt in my mind that Brandon will make a major impact here for us. We can't wait for him to step on campus next fall.”
While the players mentioned will not see action in a Blue Hen uniform for some time, the 2015 Delaware baseball team is less than three months away from starting the season. UD will begin the 2015 campaign against Bucknell on Feb. 13 in Winston-Salem, N.C.
