PEORIA, Ill. ? Bradley baseball head coach Dewey Kalmer received four National Letters of Intent during the fall signing period and will welcome catcher Joe Lincoln (Tipton, Mo. /Tipton H.S.), outfielder Nick Mitidiero (Lockport, Ill. /Lockport H.S. /Triton J.C.), shortstop Tommy Fitzgerald (Lenexa, Kan. /Mill Valley H.S. /Fort Scott C.C) and middle infielder/right-handed pitcher Kori Jensen (Wichita, Kan. /Goddard H.S. /Hutchison C.C.) to the team for the 2008 season.
Lincoln is a powerful hitter, who hit .576 with six homeruns and 37 runs batted in as a junior. He was named the third-best prospect in Missouri and the 102nd-best prospect in America according to Perfect Game USA. Lincoln was also a three-time all-state selection in both baseball and basketball.
“Joe is a big time hitter, who was recruited by several big schools,” Kalmer said. “Offensively, he should contribute right away and should develop into one of the best catchers in the league.”
Mitidiero was an all-conference and all-region selection as a freshman at Triton Junior College, hitting.441 last season. He pounded out 64 hits, including 20 doubles, six triples and five homeruns and drove in 54 runs, while swiping 20 bases in 20 attempts. A two-time all-state pick at Lockport High School, he led Illinois in hitting with a .620 average his senior year.
“Nick was originally recruited by Bradley out of high school and he should add an immediate offensive punch to the outfield,” Kalmer stated. “His speed and defense will make him a top contender to start in centerfield the next two years.”
Fitzgerald will come to Bradley after two years at Fort Scott Community College. in Fort Scott, Kan. Last season he hit .312 in 52 games, collecting 54 hits, including 11 doubles, one triple, a homerun and 20 runs batted in. He swiped 15 bases in 18 attempts as a freshman.
“Tommy is a defensive wizard shortstop, who will solidify the defense behind our veteran pitching staff,” Kalmer added. “He is a switch hitter, who has good speed and will probably bat near the top of the order.”
Also joining the Braves from Kansas is Kori Jensen. A two-way player, Jensen will add depth to both the bullpen and in the infield following a superb fall season. During his freshman campaign, he pitched 27.1 innings, surrendering 24 hits, striking out 25.
“Kori will compete for a starting job at second base, plus he would be used as a setup guy or a closer,” Kalmer stated. “He is a great two-way guy, who has great bat speed and possesses a 93 mph fastball.
“I am extremely thrilled with the class we have signed,” Kalmer added. “This is a group of guys who can contribute their first year at Bradley. Middle infield and offense were two key areas that we needed to address with recruiting and these four individuals should be able to step in and help us right away.”
Bradley returns 18 of 25 letterwinners, including seven starters from last year's team that finished with a 26-31 overall record and tied for sixth in the MVC with an 11-12 league mark. Bradley will open the 2007 season at Belmont on Saturday, February 17th at noon in Nashville, Tenn.
