Kats sign 12 for 2025

HUNTSVILLE - The Sam Houston baseball team and head coach Jay Sirianni has announced the recent signing of 12 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent.

The signing class consists of eight high school players and four from the junior college level. The Kats focused on the mound with six right-handed pitchers in addition to six position players.

Sam Houston head coach Jay Sirianni on the Bearkats' signing class …
We are very excited to bring this class into our program. We have addressed several areas of need and these young men and their families fit the personality of our program. This class is composed of six pitchers and six position players who we feel can come in and have an immediate impact on our program and in the community. I would like to thank our entire coaching staff for their time and effort in putting this class together.

Tate Hickman • RHP • R/R • 6-4 • 200 • Chester, Texas / Woodville HS
Hickman is a standout at Woodville High School for head coach Woody McClendon and for the Beaumont Gladiators on the travel circuit. He was chosen as an all-district first team utility player in 2022 and as a pitcher after racking up over 100 strikeouts in 2023, leading WHS to a 24-10 overall record, the district title and to the regional quarterfinals.

He has two older brothers who played college baseball, each at Angelina College. Brother, Torin, also went on to play baseball at Stephen F. Austin. He is ranked third in his class of 74 at WHS

Sirianni on Hickman...
"Tate is a quality arm who we are excited about. He's physical with a fast arm in addition to a good feel for the strike zone and the makings of three quality pitches. Tate had a great summer and we are excited about his future as a Bearkat."

James Janak • RHP • R/R • 6-4 • 215 • Columbus, Texas / Columbus HS
Janak will join SHSU from Columbus High School where he played under coach Kyle Bludau and played travel ball for HTB Espinoza.

He started on his 18U summer team during his sophomore summer and features a low-mid 90s fastball as he enters his senior year at CHS. He threw 42 innings as a junior for the Cardinals, posting a 1.90 ERA on his way to earning second-team all-district honors as a junior and pushing CHS four rounds deep in the state playoffs.

Sirianni on Janak …
"James is a physical arm with a high ceiling. He has a heavy fastball and the velocity will continue to climb while with our program. He has a tight slider and the makings of three quality pitches at this level in addition to a very good presence on the mound."

Conner Mondey • RHP • R/R • 6-2 • 190 • League City, Texas / Clear Springs HS
Mondey will join the Kats after closing out his career at Clear Springs HS where he has played for coach Chris Floyd. He has also taken part in the Professional Baseball Academy (PBA) and played for the Stars on the travel circuit.

Between high school and travel baseball in 2023 he pitched 41 innings, making three starts and going 10 for 10 in save opportunities. Mondey posted a 6-2 overall record and a 0.70 ERA, striking out 55 and walking just 12.

Mondey was a 2023 Rawlings preseason all-American and led his team in saves on his way to setting a school record in that category. His efforts helped CSHS to the Class 6A Region III semifinals.

Away from the diamond he is an honors student and member of the National Honors Society. He plans on majoring in engineering in college.

Sirianni on Mondey …
"Connor is a wirey athletic right-handed pitcher with a high ceiling. He has the natural ability to really spin the baseball and is a strike thrower. With strength, the velocity will continue to rise, and he has a bright future in our program."

Parker Blackman • OF • L/L • 5-11 • 160 • Spring, Texas / Grand Oaks HS
Blackman earned his first varsity letter in 2023 at Grand Oaks High School for Coach Lou Ferrell and played his travel ball for Houston Heat. He hit .480 as a junior on his way to being named the district's Newcomer of the Year.

He plays to major in criminal justice and his father, RJ, is a former collegiate kicker at Stephen F. Austin.

Sirianni on Blackman …
"Parker is a very talented center fielder who is a very good athlete and plays with an edge. He has great bat-to-ball skills and is a true center fielder. As he continues to get stronger he will have the great combination of speed and strength. He fits the style of offense we like to play."

Easton Dean • C/OF • L/R • 6-0 • 200 • Coldspring, Texas / St. Pius X HS
Dean started off his prep career at Coldspring-Oakhurst High School before moving on to play for coach Mike Evans at St. Pius X in the Houston area. A two-time all-district choice, Dean was named his league's newcomer of the year for the Trojans before helping SPX to a 15-11 record in 2023.

He played his travel ball for the Scorpions, and his father, Travis, played collegiately for two seasons at San Jacinto College. Dean plans to major in construction management.

Sirianni on Dean …
"Easton is a physical left-handed hitter that we are excited about. He is a catcher, but more than athletic enough to play other positions on the field. He has a good motor and is a football player that plays with an edge that fits our style."

AJ Atkinson • OF • L/L • 6-1 • 175 • Brookshire, Texas / Katy HS
Atkinson is a current standout at Katy HS for head coach Wes Hearne and plays his travel ball for Twelve Baseball. He was a second team all-district choice in the outfield as a junior in 2023, helping the Tigers advance to the regional finals of the state playoffs.

He comes from a family of ballplayers with his brother, Alec, currently on the roster at Yale. His older brother, Jacob, played baseball at UH Victoria from 2015-19.

Sirianni on Atkinson …
"AJ is a wirey outfielder who has shown the ability to hit every time we saw him play. He has tremendous ability to track the baseball and stay within the strike zone. He's a good athlete and is a very solid defender who throws well. With added strength we feel that AJ will tap into some power and have the ability to challenge the fence."

Braeden Scherzer • UTL • L/R • 5-10 • 165 • Spring, Texas / Tomball HS
Scherzer, along with fellow Bearkat signee Keegan Demmer, played at Tomball High School for head coach Doug Rush. He also played travel ball for Houston Heat and was named a 2023 first team all-district outfielder as a junior while also batting over .400 at each level.

Sirianni on Scherzer …
"Braeden is a very good athlete that plays the right way. He's a teammate of fellow signee Keegan Demmer. Braeden is a good runner who can play in the middle of the field, and has good bat-to-ball skills in addition to playing with a toughness that we like."

Keegan Demmer • C/3B • R/R • 6-0 • 205 • Magnolia, Texas / Tomball HS
Demmer is entering his senior year at Tomball High School, also playing travel ball for Marucci Elite Texas. He has played in 38 career games at THS with a .319 batting average, .437 on-base percentage and a .489 slugging percentage. He has also hit four homers, with a triple and four doubles, driving in 24 and walking 25 times.

He is a teammate of fellow Bearkat signee Braeden Scherzer and has earned second team all-district honors and played on varsity since his freshman season. Additionally, he has stood out on the gridiron as an all-state and first team all-district linebacker for the Tomcats.

Sirianni on Demmer ...
"Keegan is a physical catcher who has the ability to impact the game offensively. He is a natural leader and does a great job of communicating with the pitching staff. He is another multi-sport athlete, shining as a middle linebacker in football, helping give an edge that fits our program."

Cade Griffin • RHP • R/R • 6-0 • 215 • Cypress, Texas / Cy Fair HS / Odessa College
Griffin will join the Kats from Odessa College after a prep career at Cy Fair High School for coach Billy Hardin. He also played his travel ball for Trosky.

He features a three-pitch mix that includes a fastball ranging from 91-93 miles an hour, and a changeup and curve in the low 80s.

At CFHS he earned all-district as both a junior and senior and was an all-state selection. He also earned academic all-conference honors after his freshman year in Odessa. Griffin also participated in the Houston All-Star Game after his senior season and the NM/TX All-Star game as a freshman on the junior college circuit.

His father, Jeff, was a collegiate kicker at Virginia Tech in 1993.

Sirianni on Griffin …
"Cade is a strike pumper who throws three pitches for strikes. He has the ability to use both sides of the plate and handles the running game well. Cade plays in a very talented JuCo league, so he is battle tested. We are excited about his future as a Bearkat."

Cole Marthilijohni • RHP • R/R • 6-2 • 185 • Celina, Texas / Celina HS / Temple College
Marthillijohni is headed into second year with Temple College after making 11 appearances and four starts in 2023. Went 2-1 in his first year at the collegiate level, throwing 19.2 innings with 18 strikeouts and 16 walks.

He will be joined at SHSU by his twin brother, Ty, currently a catcher for Temple College who is also signing with the Kats. A two-year letter winner for Coach Troy McCartney at Celina High School, he was twice named a District 9-4A all-district honorable mention pitcher.

He once earned DFW High School Baseball player of the week and helped CHS reach the state semifinals of the Texas state playoffs. Marthillijohni also stood out on the gridiron as a first team all-district safety where he helped lead the Bobcats to the state semifinals.

Along with his brother, he played summer ball for the North Texas Longhorns and Baton Rouge Rougarou.

Sirianni on Marthilijohni …
"Cole is a junior college arm who is wirey-athletic with some arm strength and the ability to really spin the baseball. When Cole gets with our strength coaches we feel the velocity will continue to climb. We like the fact that he has pitched in many different roles in junior college and has succeeded in each. He will once again be teammates with his twin brother, Ty.

Ty Marthilijohni • C • R/R • 6-0 • 180 • Celina, Texas / Celina HS / Temple College
Marthillijohni will join the Kats from the junior college circuit where he currently plays for the Temple College Leopards, alongside his brother, Cole, a right-handed pitcher also signing with Sam Houston.

He played at Celina High School for head coach Troy McCartney and on the travel circuit for both the North Texas Longhorns and the Baton Rouge Rougarou. He hit .380 for three-year career at CHS where he was named the District 9-4A Utility Player of the Year as a senior. He was also selected to play in the THSBCA 1A-4A All Star Game senior year, as a first team all-district catcher his junior year and to the first team all-district team as an outside linebacker as a senior on the gridiron.

The Marthillijohni's mother, Jennifer, played basketball at Central Missouri from 1994 to 1995 and their father, Shawn, played baseball at Cooke County which is now North Central Texas College in 1993 and 1994.

Marthillijohni was named to the Vice President's honor list after one year at Temple College and was an academic all-state selection at CHS. He plays to major in Engineering Technology with a minor in Electronics.

Sirianni on Marthilijohni …
"Ty is an athletic catcher who does a really nice job behind the plate. He is a very good receiver, blocker and throws the baseball well. He has a really good feel with how to communicate with a pitching staff. Additionally, he has made some good strides from the offensive side of things in the past year and we are very excited about his future as a Bearkat."

Garrett Baumann • RHP • R/R • 6-1 • 195 • Poth, Texas / Cornerstone Christian HS / Temple College
Baumann will be going into his second year on the pitching staff with the Leopards after making 21 appearances, including four starts, in 2023. Threw 47.0 innings with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Punched out 60 hitters and only walked 16, averaging 11.49 strikeouts per nine innings.

He was a two-year letter winner for Coach Jason Stein at Cornerstone Christian High School before heading to TC. There he was named first team all-state as a senior, helping his team win TCAFF state title. He holds school record for career strikeouts (102) and was ranked the 12th-best right-handed pitcher and 44th overall prospect in state by Perfect Game.

He played summer ball for Trosky Southwest.

Sirianni on Baumann …
"Garrett is a physical right-handed pitcher who has shown the ability to throw four pitches for strikes. He was an all-conference performer as a freshman and has continued to make positive strides when we saw him this fall. Garrett is a strike pumper that really likes to compete. He's also junior college teammates with twins Cole and Ty Marthillijohni.

Kats sign 12 for 2025

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