A pair of local products and a son of a former major leaguer highlights the University of Minnesota Duluth baseball team's early signing period, which ending last month. The six talented prepsters - Evan Knutson, Parker Olson, Lucas Steinbach, Justin Wallace, Aaron Woods and Adam Zwak - head coach Bob Rients received letters of intent from made up the largest class to sign early in the program's storied history.
“This is a great recruiting start and this sends a good message about where our program is headed,” said Rients about the six signees who will come to campus in the fall of 2009. “All of these fine student-athletes are going to have the opportunity to earn playing time their first year.”
A native of Faribault, Minn., Knutson has earned three letters thus far from Faribault High School head coach Brent Hawkins. The pitcher/first baseman will enter his final season this coming spring with the Falcons as a two-time all-conference award winner in the the Big Nine. Knutson has earned a number of team awards during his prep career, including Most Valuable Pitcher, Best Infielder, and the role of team captain for his junior and soon-to-be senior season. The six-foot two-incher has also earned three letters as a member of the FHS hoops squad, earning all-conference awards the past two seasons.
One of the two local products who signed early with the Bulldogs, Olson has earned three letters playing for Duluth East High School program and head coach John Rudolph. A Greyhound team captain for the upcoming season, Olson earned Duluth News Tribune All-Area second team honors last season playing both shortstop and second base. The six-footer from Duluth played a large role in helping the Greyhounds to a 19-win season in 2008, and looks to put an exclamation point on his time in East uniform.
Steinbach, a native of Robbinsdale, Minn., will finish up his senior season at Wayzata High School this spring. The son of former major leaguer Terry Steinbach, the five-foot, 11-incher will look to make a name for himself at UMD, starting in the 2010 season. A two-year starter who has been primarily used in the outfield by Trojans head coach Bob DeWitt, Steinbach will assume the team captaincy duties this coming spring. He also is a two-year starter for the WHS hockey team, playing defense.
A Rosemount, Minn., native, Wallace has maintained a starting role the last two season for Rosemount High School. His junior season saw the six footer rack up a 3-1 overall record on the mound, including two saves. His superb hurling skills were on display in two complete game victories in 2008, the first coming over Park High School (he notched 14 strikeouts, the second-most in school history). Wallace also went the distance against Lakeville South High School in last season's sectional playoffs to advance the Irish to the Minnesota State High School Tournament. The righty finished his junior season with a 2.94 earned run average, 43 strikeouts and just six walks in 35.2 innings pitched.
Woods is in his senior year at Menominee High School, a school located in Menominee, Mich., which coincidently does not offer baseball. Pitching for Menominee in the Fox River Valley Association Legion League in Wisconsin in the summertime, Woods posted a 3-1 overall record in 24.2 innings of work. The five-foot 11-inch lefty gave up only six hits and struck out 44 batters while posting a 2.27 ERA for head coach Dave Boye. Woods plays basketball and tennis for the Maroons of MHS during the winter and spring months.
Not traveling far from home for his collegiate hardball schooling, Zwak is fresh off a junior season at Duluth East High School that saw the Duluth, Minn., native earn Duluth News Tribune All-Area first team honors. The six-footer - who was a team captain for the Greyhounds in 2008 and is slated to hold the same duties this coming spring - posted a 6-1 overall record on the hump last season, including tossing a no-hitter among his four complete games and three shutouts. Also seeing time at shortstop, second base and right field, Zwak was stellar at the plate as well, batting .365 while driving in 14 runs.
