University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Photo by: UNC Asheville
Friedholm Inks 11 Signees for 2019 Baseball Season
07.23.2018 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville baseball head coach Scott Friedholm announced Monday the addition of 11 signees for the 2019 season.
In the 2022 class, seven hail from North Carolina, one from Virginia, one from Pennsylvania, one from Maryland and one from Texas. The group includes two left-handed pitchers, two right-handed pitchers, three two-way players, two infielders, one outfielder and one catcher.
"With the 11 incoming freshmen, we filled needs with graduating seniors and players leaving the program. With the addition of six fielders, we are excited to add some depth in the infield, which was much needed," said Friedholm.
"We also added several two-way players, and that is a necessity at the college level because it allows some versatility in the lineup and fills gaps across the field. One of the biggest additions we needed to assess was the need for left-handed pitching, and I think we did that with four dominant lefties in this class."
Friedholm is overall very excited about the incoming class, not solely based off its versatility but also on its athleticism.
"Overall, this is a very athletic and strong group," said Friedholm. "This group is going to be special because we can move them all over the field and have a strong and dynamic team.
"I want to say this was overall great work by coaches Jonathan Johnston and Chris Bresnahan bringing this class together and signing 11 guys that are going to represent the university and our program the right way on and off the field."
Wade Chandler
5-11 | OF | Apex, N.C. (Middle Creek HS)
Chandler is a 5-11 outfielder, who played at Middle Creek High School for coaches Wesley King and Jeremy Thompson. He is currently ranked the 27th-best outfielder in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game. As the senior team captain, Chandler led Middle Creek to the third round of the 4A State Playoffs, which included an upset victory over top-ranked Holly Springs.
He batted .351 with a .472 on-base percentage his senior year. In his final year, he set the single-season school record for stolen bases with 24, and in that same season, Chandler was named the team's Offensive Most Valuable Player and also earned All-Conference honors.
Chandler was a member of the 2013 Cal Ripken World Series National Championship team. The incoming Bulldog was a three-year starter for the Garner Nationals American Legion team, where the program went to three consecutive state tournaments under coach Chris Cook.
Coach Friedholm on Chandler -
"He is a left-handed hitting center fielder, who provides a lot of speed. He is going to have the chance to play center field right away. Offensively, he is a top-of-the-lineup player that could turn into a middle-of-the-order player down the road. We are going to look to him for some solid outfield defense as a freshman."
David Dobson
6-1 | RHP | Greenville, N.C. (DH Conley HS)
Dobson is a 6-1 right-handed pitcher from DH Conley High School out of Greenville, N.C., and during the summer, he played for the Evoshield Canes organization.
In his varsity career, Dobson posted an 11-4 record, twirled 77.1 innings and struck out 98 opponents. He was named a 2018 Rawlings-Perfect Game Atlantic Region Honorable Mentioned All-American. He also was tabbed 2017 Underclass High Honorable Mentioned by Perfect Game. Dobson was also named to the 17U WWBA (World Wood Bat Association) All-Tournament Team by Perfect Game.
Out of high school, he was ranked the 18th-best right-handed pitcher in the state of North Carolina.
Coach Friedholm on Dobson -
"Dobson is a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher. He has solid control of two pitches right now, which sets him up nicely for a backend bullpen piece that we can utilize late in the game. When his stuff is on, it is really electric. He can throw upper-80s and touch low-90s with a plus slider. He is a big, physical and strong athlete, similar to recent graduate Nick Boyles."
Jacob Edwards
5-9 | LHP/OF | High Point, N.C. (Southwest Guilford HS)
As a two-way player, Edwards begins his UNC Asheville career as a product of Southwest Guilford High School in High Point, N.C.
During his senior campaign, he broke four school records. Offensively, he broke the single-season hits record (39) and batting average record (.494). On the mound, he shattered the single-season strikeout record (132) and wins record (12).
On top of his .494 batting average, he posted a .626 on-base percentage and scored 36 runs. On the hill, Edwards earned a 1.04 ERA with a 10-1 record and also limited opponents to a .085 batting average against.
Edwards is a three-time All-Conference member. He was also tabbed the Conference Pitcher of the Year, while also earning All-State and All-Area honors.
Coach Friedholm on Edwards -
"He is one of the two-way athletes joining the 2022 class. He is going to primarily be a left-handed pitcher for us, but we can also see him play a corner outfield position. He has the ability and the stuff to be a starter. He can toss as hard as upper-80s off the mound along with a pretty good breaking ball. He has a strong work ethic, which I think will develop him into a good ball player."
Dominic Freeberger
5-11 | IF | Calvert Hall, Md. (Calvert Hall College HS)
Freeberger comes to Asheville as a right-handed hitting infielder. He graduated from Calvert Hall College High School out of Calvert Hall, Md.
To conclude his senior campaign, Freeberger tallied a .320 batting average and connected with eight doubles, which was the highest on the team. He started every game for his high school squad with most of the start coming at second base. He capped off his senior season without any errors.
On the hill, Freeberger had a 0.51 ERA in 15 innings pitched (two earned runs).
He begins his college campaign ranked the 7th-best infielder in the state of Maryland, according to Perfect Game. He also garnered Mid-Atlantic Honorable Mentioned by Perfect Game.
Coach Friedholm on Freeberger -
"Freeberger is a grind-it-out and hard-working player from Maryland. He is a middle infielder or third base option for us. The glove and the arm are polished, and we are excited to work with him offensively. He is a physical and big player that has a lot of upside. He is going to really push the middle infielders and third basemen for playing time."
PJ Heintz
6-1 | C | Morrisville, N.C. (Green Hope HS)
As the lone catcher of the 2022 class, Heintz comes to UNC Asheville as a 6-1 catcher out of Green Hope High School in Morrisville, N.C.
Through his four-year career at Green Hope, he posted an impressive .963 fielding percentage.
During his final season, Heintz was named the Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference, while also earning Academic All-Conference too.
Coach Friedholm on Heintz -
"He is a defensive catcher that we think is going to hit well. We want to work with him to get him adjusted to college pitching. He is athletic and physical and also comes from an athletic background (his father is the golf coach at Duke). With him moving to North Carolina, we feel like we got a steal of a defensive catcher late in the recruiting process, and we also feel fortunate he wanted to come to UNC Asheville."
Hunter Hoopes
6-1 | RHP | Fairfax, Va. (W.T. Woodson HS)
As a 6-1 right-handed pitcher, Hoopes graduated from W.T. Woodson High School out of Fairfax, Va. During the summer, he played for the Marucci Stars Red.
He comes to UNC Asheville ranked as the 44th-best right-handed pitcher out of the state of Virginia and the 500th-ranked player in the nation by Perfect Game.
During his senior season, Hoopes earned a 6-2 record, twirled 60 innings and struck out 63 opponents.
As a four-year varsity starter, Hoopes was a three-time All-Conference selection at W.T. Woodson. He also garnered Preseason All-American honors by Perfect Game.
Coach Friedholm on Hoopes -
"Hoopes is a tall right-handed pitcher with an electric arm. We have seen him touch 91-92 mph on the mound. The biggest thing for Hunter we're excited to work on with him is trying to add weight to his big frame. He is a guy that could pitch important and high-leverage innings out of the bullpen but also has the stuff to be a three or four starter for us as a freshman."
Noah Love
6-2 | IF/RHP | Concord, N.C. (Jay M. Robinson HS)
Love comes to Asheville from Jay M. Robinson High School out of Concord, N.C.
In his senior season, Love tallied a .413 batting average, 38 hits and 40 RBIs. In his final two seasons at Jay M. Robinson, he was named All-Conference.
Coach Friedholm on Love -
"We recruited Noah as a very good defensive shortstop, but he also has the ability to be a strong two-way player as well. On the bump, he has been around 89-90 mph. Along with his play at shortstop, we would like to add him for an inning or two pitching each week to help rest the bullpen. He could be a good setup guy as well."
Colin Macko
6-4 | 1B/OF | Mountain Top, Pa. (Crestwood HS)
As a product of Crestwood High School out of Mountain Top, Pa., Macko comes to Asheville as a first baseman and outfielder. He was ranked by Perfect Game as the 49th-best player in the state of Pennsylvania. He was also tabbed a Preseason Honorable Mention All-American by Perfect Game.
Macko led the Comets to the WVC Division I Title, as he posted a record of 3-1 and a 1.28 ERA on the hill. Offensively, he paced the squad with a .372 batting average and led the team with nine RBIs and 10 runs scored. He also led Crestwood to back-to-back appearances in the District 2 Class 5A Championship game as well as back-to-back Division I titles.
Coach Friedholm on Macko -
"We believe Colin has the ability to be a plus left-handed power bat in this lineup. We are excited to work with him to get him acclimated to college pitching because we think he can be an asset in this lineup. He has smooth swing that can play multiple positions across the field and can also be a middle-of-the-order bat."
Jonathan "JP" Perez
5-8 | OF/LHP | Mooresville, N.C. (Lake Norman HS)
Perez is a graduate of Lake Norman High School out of Mooresville, N.C. He also played for the Race City Bootleggers during the summer.
On the mound in high school, Perez posted a 15-3 record. He twirled 115 innings en route to four complete games and three shutouts. Also on the bump, Perez notched a 1.22 ERA and 144 strikeouts while only walking 50 batters.
Offensively, the incoming Bulldog tallied 45 RBIs, eight home runs, 13 doubles, three triples and 38 walks.
Perez is a two-time All-Conference and All-County Team member. He has earned multiple honors in high school, including 2017 Player of the Year by Mooresville Weekly, 2017 All-Lake Baseball Team, 2017 Greater Charlotte Hot Stove Pitcher of the Year and member of Region 7 Team in the North Carolina Powerade State games.
Coach Friedholm on Perez -
"Perez is another two-way player and will add depth to our left-handed pitching staff. He will probably slot in as a reliever, but he has great off-speed pitches, which could also put him as a starter. He has really good command of a slider and changeup. He is also an outfielder and a left-handed bat that we think could be a top-of-the-order player in this type of lineup. He is a high-contact player and posts a lot of quality at-bats."
Joe Sondock
6-1 | LHP | Houston, Texas (Emery HS)
Sondock joins the UNC Asheville squad from Emery High School in Houston, Texas. He is a 6-1 left-handed pitcher, which is one of two left-handed pitchers in the incoming class.
During his high school career, he was a member of the 2017 TAPPS D2 State Championship team, 2017 TAPPS All-State Tournament Team and 2017-18 TAPPS Second Team All-State, and individually, he was tabbed 2017 All-Houston (Private School) Utility Player of the Year.
Coach Friedholm on Sondock -
"Joe is a low three-quarter, sidearm left-handed pitcher out of Texas that we are excited about. He came to camp, and we signed him right there. He had a tremendous spring this year for his high school team. He has a three-pitch command, which is awesome to see. He has a fastball, breaking ball and changeup command that is strong. He could break the starting rotation for us, but we would love to see him fill a long relief role for us out of the bullpen."
Will Westbrock
6-3 | LHP | Asheville, N.C. (Owen HS)
As the lone Bulldog representative from Asheville, Westbrock comes to UNC Asheville as a graduate of Owen High School.
During his senior season, he tossed 43.2 frames, where he struck out 83 batters, allowed only 18 hits and 10 earned runs. He posted a 2-2 record during his final season and earned an impressive 1.60 ERA.
Offensively, he had a .484 batting average and led the team with 31 total hits, which included 10 extra-base hits.
Also during his final season, Westbrock was named Varsity Baseball MVP, NCBCA 2A All-State Team, Western Highlands Conference Pitcher of the Year and an All-WNC First Team utility player.
Coach Friedholm on Westbrock –
"Will is a fly-under-the-radar left-handed pitcher from Western North Carolina. He sits in the mid-80s and uses the fastball that has life to it. With the way his fastball moves, Will gets a lot of groundballs. He is a pitcher we hope to use in long relief or even as a mid-week starter for us. Since he is athletic, we are excited to work with his off-speed pitches and expand his pitching repertoire."
In the 2022 class, seven hail from North Carolina, one from Virginia, one from Pennsylvania, one from Maryland and one from Texas. The group includes two left-handed pitchers, two right-handed pitchers, three two-way players, two infielders, one outfielder and one catcher.
"With the 11 incoming freshmen, we filled needs with graduating seniors and players leaving the program. With the addition of six fielders, we are excited to add some depth in the infield, which was much needed," said Friedholm.
"We also added several two-way players, and that is a necessity at the college level because it allows some versatility in the lineup and fills gaps across the field. One of the biggest additions we needed to assess was the need for left-handed pitching, and I think we did that with four dominant lefties in this class."
Friedholm is overall very excited about the incoming class, not solely based off its versatility but also on its athleticism.
"Overall, this is a very athletic and strong group," said Friedholm. "This group is going to be special because we can move them all over the field and have a strong and dynamic team.
"I want to say this was overall great work by coaches Jonathan Johnston and Chris Bresnahan bringing this class together and signing 11 guys that are going to represent the university and our program the right way on and off the field."
Wade Chandler
5-11 | OF | Apex, N.C. (Middle Creek HS)
Chandler is a 5-11 outfielder, who played at Middle Creek High School for coaches Wesley King and Jeremy Thompson. He is currently ranked the 27th-best outfielder in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game. As the senior team captain, Chandler led Middle Creek to the third round of the 4A State Playoffs, which included an upset victory over top-ranked Holly Springs.
He batted .351 with a .472 on-base percentage his senior year. In his final year, he set the single-season school record for stolen bases with 24, and in that same season, Chandler was named the team's Offensive Most Valuable Player and also earned All-Conference honors.
Chandler was a member of the 2013 Cal Ripken World Series National Championship team. The incoming Bulldog was a three-year starter for the Garner Nationals American Legion team, where the program went to three consecutive state tournaments under coach Chris Cook.
Coach Friedholm on Chandler -
"He is a left-handed hitting center fielder, who provides a lot of speed. He is going to have the chance to play center field right away. Offensively, he is a top-of-the-lineup player that could turn into a middle-of-the-order player down the road. We are going to look to him for some solid outfield defense as a freshman."
David Dobson
6-1 | RHP | Greenville, N.C. (DH Conley HS)
Dobson is a 6-1 right-handed pitcher from DH Conley High School out of Greenville, N.C., and during the summer, he played for the Evoshield Canes organization.
In his varsity career, Dobson posted an 11-4 record, twirled 77.1 innings and struck out 98 opponents. He was named a 2018 Rawlings-Perfect Game Atlantic Region Honorable Mentioned All-American. He also was tabbed 2017 Underclass High Honorable Mentioned by Perfect Game. Dobson was also named to the 17U WWBA (World Wood Bat Association) All-Tournament Team by Perfect Game.
Out of high school, he was ranked the 18th-best right-handed pitcher in the state of North Carolina.
Coach Friedholm on Dobson -
"Dobson is a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher. He has solid control of two pitches right now, which sets him up nicely for a backend bullpen piece that we can utilize late in the game. When his stuff is on, it is really electric. He can throw upper-80s and touch low-90s with a plus slider. He is a big, physical and strong athlete, similar to recent graduate Nick Boyles."
Jacob Edwards
5-9 | LHP/OF | High Point, N.C. (Southwest Guilford HS)
As a two-way player, Edwards begins his UNC Asheville career as a product of Southwest Guilford High School in High Point, N.C.
During his senior campaign, he broke four school records. Offensively, he broke the single-season hits record (39) and batting average record (.494). On the mound, he shattered the single-season strikeout record (132) and wins record (12).
On top of his .494 batting average, he posted a .626 on-base percentage and scored 36 runs. On the hill, Edwards earned a 1.04 ERA with a 10-1 record and also limited opponents to a .085 batting average against.
Edwards is a three-time All-Conference member. He was also tabbed the Conference Pitcher of the Year, while also earning All-State and All-Area honors.
Coach Friedholm on Edwards -
"He is one of the two-way athletes joining the 2022 class. He is going to primarily be a left-handed pitcher for us, but we can also see him play a corner outfield position. He has the ability and the stuff to be a starter. He can toss as hard as upper-80s off the mound along with a pretty good breaking ball. He has a strong work ethic, which I think will develop him into a good ball player."
Dominic Freeberger
5-11 | IF | Calvert Hall, Md. (Calvert Hall College HS)
Freeberger comes to Asheville as a right-handed hitting infielder. He graduated from Calvert Hall College High School out of Calvert Hall, Md.
To conclude his senior campaign, Freeberger tallied a .320 batting average and connected with eight doubles, which was the highest on the team. He started every game for his high school squad with most of the start coming at second base. He capped off his senior season without any errors.
On the hill, Freeberger had a 0.51 ERA in 15 innings pitched (two earned runs).
He begins his college campaign ranked the 7th-best infielder in the state of Maryland, according to Perfect Game. He also garnered Mid-Atlantic Honorable Mentioned by Perfect Game.
Coach Friedholm on Freeberger -
"Freeberger is a grind-it-out and hard-working player from Maryland. He is a middle infielder or third base option for us. The glove and the arm are polished, and we are excited to work with him offensively. He is a physical and big player that has a lot of upside. He is going to really push the middle infielders and third basemen for playing time."
PJ Heintz
6-1 | C | Morrisville, N.C. (Green Hope HS)
As the lone catcher of the 2022 class, Heintz comes to UNC Asheville as a 6-1 catcher out of Green Hope High School in Morrisville, N.C.
Through his four-year career at Green Hope, he posted an impressive .963 fielding percentage.
During his final season, Heintz was named the Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference, while also earning Academic All-Conference too.
Coach Friedholm on Heintz -
"He is a defensive catcher that we think is going to hit well. We want to work with him to get him adjusted to college pitching. He is athletic and physical and also comes from an athletic background (his father is the golf coach at Duke). With him moving to North Carolina, we feel like we got a steal of a defensive catcher late in the recruiting process, and we also feel fortunate he wanted to come to UNC Asheville."
Hunter Hoopes
6-1 | RHP | Fairfax, Va. (W.T. Woodson HS)
As a 6-1 right-handed pitcher, Hoopes graduated from W.T. Woodson High School out of Fairfax, Va. During the summer, he played for the Marucci Stars Red.
He comes to UNC Asheville ranked as the 44th-best right-handed pitcher out of the state of Virginia and the 500th-ranked player in the nation by Perfect Game.
During his senior season, Hoopes earned a 6-2 record, twirled 60 innings and struck out 63 opponents.
As a four-year varsity starter, Hoopes was a three-time All-Conference selection at W.T. Woodson. He also garnered Preseason All-American honors by Perfect Game.
Coach Friedholm on Hoopes -
"Hoopes is a tall right-handed pitcher with an electric arm. We have seen him touch 91-92 mph on the mound. The biggest thing for Hunter we're excited to work on with him is trying to add weight to his big frame. He is a guy that could pitch important and high-leverage innings out of the bullpen but also has the stuff to be a three or four starter for us as a freshman."
Noah Love
6-2 | IF/RHP | Concord, N.C. (Jay M. Robinson HS)
Love comes to Asheville from Jay M. Robinson High School out of Concord, N.C.
In his senior season, Love tallied a .413 batting average, 38 hits and 40 RBIs. In his final two seasons at Jay M. Robinson, he was named All-Conference.
Coach Friedholm on Love -
"We recruited Noah as a very good defensive shortstop, but he also has the ability to be a strong two-way player as well. On the bump, he has been around 89-90 mph. Along with his play at shortstop, we would like to add him for an inning or two pitching each week to help rest the bullpen. He could be a good setup guy as well."
Colin Macko
6-4 | 1B/OF | Mountain Top, Pa. (Crestwood HS)
As a product of Crestwood High School out of Mountain Top, Pa., Macko comes to Asheville as a first baseman and outfielder. He was ranked by Perfect Game as the 49th-best player in the state of Pennsylvania. He was also tabbed a Preseason Honorable Mention All-American by Perfect Game.
Macko led the Comets to the WVC Division I Title, as he posted a record of 3-1 and a 1.28 ERA on the hill. Offensively, he paced the squad with a .372 batting average and led the team with nine RBIs and 10 runs scored. He also led Crestwood to back-to-back appearances in the District 2 Class 5A Championship game as well as back-to-back Division I titles.
Coach Friedholm on Macko -
"We believe Colin has the ability to be a plus left-handed power bat in this lineup. We are excited to work with him to get him acclimated to college pitching because we think he can be an asset in this lineup. He has smooth swing that can play multiple positions across the field and can also be a middle-of-the-order bat."
Jonathan "JP" Perez
5-8 | OF/LHP | Mooresville, N.C. (Lake Norman HS)
Perez is a graduate of Lake Norman High School out of Mooresville, N.C. He also played for the Race City Bootleggers during the summer.
On the mound in high school, Perez posted a 15-3 record. He twirled 115 innings en route to four complete games and three shutouts. Also on the bump, Perez notched a 1.22 ERA and 144 strikeouts while only walking 50 batters.
Offensively, the incoming Bulldog tallied 45 RBIs, eight home runs, 13 doubles, three triples and 38 walks.
Perez is a two-time All-Conference and All-County Team member. He has earned multiple honors in high school, including 2017 Player of the Year by Mooresville Weekly, 2017 All-Lake Baseball Team, 2017 Greater Charlotte Hot Stove Pitcher of the Year and member of Region 7 Team in the North Carolina Powerade State games.
Coach Friedholm on Perez -
"Perez is another two-way player and will add depth to our left-handed pitching staff. He will probably slot in as a reliever, but he has great off-speed pitches, which could also put him as a starter. He has really good command of a slider and changeup. He is also an outfielder and a left-handed bat that we think could be a top-of-the-order player in this type of lineup. He is a high-contact player and posts a lot of quality at-bats."
Joe Sondock
6-1 | LHP | Houston, Texas (Emery HS)
Sondock joins the UNC Asheville squad from Emery High School in Houston, Texas. He is a 6-1 left-handed pitcher, which is one of two left-handed pitchers in the incoming class.
During his high school career, he was a member of the 2017 TAPPS D2 State Championship team, 2017 TAPPS All-State Tournament Team and 2017-18 TAPPS Second Team All-State, and individually, he was tabbed 2017 All-Houston (Private School) Utility Player of the Year.
Coach Friedholm on Sondock -
"Joe is a low three-quarter, sidearm left-handed pitcher out of Texas that we are excited about. He came to camp, and we signed him right there. He had a tremendous spring this year for his high school team. He has a three-pitch command, which is awesome to see. He has a fastball, breaking ball and changeup command that is strong. He could break the starting rotation for us, but we would love to see him fill a long relief role for us out of the bullpen."
Will Westbrock
6-3 | LHP | Asheville, N.C. (Owen HS)
As the lone Bulldog representative from Asheville, Westbrock comes to UNC Asheville as a graduate of Owen High School.
During his senior season, he tossed 43.2 frames, where he struck out 83 batters, allowed only 18 hits and 10 earned runs. He posted a 2-2 record during his final season and earned an impressive 1.60 ERA.
Offensively, he had a .484 batting average and led the team with 31 total hits, which included 10 extra-base hits.
Also during his final season, Westbrock was named Varsity Baseball MVP, NCBCA 2A All-State Team, Western Highlands Conference Pitcher of the Year and an All-WNC First Team utility player.
Coach Friedholm on Westbrock –
"Will is a fly-under-the-radar left-handed pitcher from Western North Carolina. He sits in the mid-80s and uses the fastball that has life to it. With the way his fastball moves, Will gets a lot of groundballs. He is a pitcher we hope to use in long relief or even as a mid-week starter for us. Since he is athletic, we are excited to work with his off-speed pitches and expand his pitching repertoire."
Players Mentioned
Right-Handed Pitcher
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