March
25 - The
Santa Maria Indians have announced the signing
of three Cal Poly Mustangs for the 2008 summer.
Joining the Indians in June will be catcher Justin
Hensley, infielder Ricky Rossman, and pitcher
Mark Laugenour.
Hensley is the veteran of the three, a junior
catcher who has seen limited action in 2008, his
first season at Cal Poly. The Indians have signed
a Cal Poly catcher for the third straight season
as Hensley currently backs up Josh Thomas (Santa
Maria Indians ’06-’07) and Wes Dorrell
(’07). Last summer Hensley played for the
local San Luis Obispo Blues, starting 29 games
and stealing 18 bases. He batted .226 with 6 doubles
and 20 RBI for the Blues. Prior to transferring
to Cal Poly, Hensley played for Scottsdale Community
College where he won a gold glove amongst all
junior college catchers in the nation and batted
.309.
Hensley joins recently signed Kyle Leon of Hancock
College, and coach Bobby Brown plans to add one
more catcher to the mix and Hensley will be eligible
June 14.
Joining Hensley in Santa Maria this summer is
true freshman infielder Ricky Rossman from La
Verne, California. Rossman has seen some action
this season as a true freshman and is currently
hitting .125 with only one hit in eight at bats.
Rossman batted .538 as a senior in high school
with 6 home runs and was drafted in the 39th round
by the Florida Marlins in the 2007 MLB Draft.
He is the only first basemen signed by the Indians
so far.
The
last Mustang brought in by the Indians will be
left handed pitcher Mark Laugenour. Laugenour,
a 6 foot freshman from Woodland, CA is currently
redshirting in his first season under Larry Lee.
As a junior in high school Laugneour went 11-1
with a 3.03 era. He also played outfield for four
years in high school.
The signing of these three Mustangs brings the
total on the 2008 Cal Poly roster to 7 who have
played or will play for the Indians: 2B Pat Pezet
(’05), LHP Derrick Saito (’06), C
Josh Thomas (’06-07), 1B Wes Dorrell (’07).
Of those four former Indians, Saito and Dorrell
should hear their names called in the next few
Major League Baseball Drafts.
“Bobby has done a great job with these signings,
and three players from Poly shows his ability
to lock down the best young players from the Central
Coast,” said Indians CEO and Owner Kevin
Haughian. “Each year our relationship with
Larry and the coaching staff has grown and we
look forward to continuing with this exceptional
baseball program.”
The Indians have signed a total of 16 players
to their 2008 roster and will be making an announcement
on other additions in the coming weeks.
