JACKRABBIT BASEBALL SIGNS SEVEN

South Dakota State head coach Rob Bishop announced that seven high school standouts have signed a National Letter of Intent and will further their baseball careers with the Jackrabbits, beginning next fall.

"The 2024 class of Jackrabbit baseball players is full of guys who fit who we are as a program," Bishop said. "The majority of these guys are multi-sport standouts who know how to compete and win. Leadership ability and intangibles are skills that matter, and we love what this group brings to the table in those areas. This class can impact our program in a huge way from the first day that they get on campus."

The signees include:

Brady Brown, 5-10, 190, outfielder, Blair, Nebraska;
Caleb Duerr (pronounced Deer), 6-4, 175, pitcher, West Fargo, North Dakota;
Dayton Franke (pronounced FRON-kee), 6-2, 235, first baseman, Golden Valley, Minnesota;
Nolan Grawe (pronounced Graw), 6-3, 175, infielder, Cedar Rapids, Iowa;
Andrew McDowell, 6-2, 205, pitcher, Billings, Montana;
Owen Siegert (pronounced SEE-gert), 5-9, 170, pitcher/outfielder, Melbourne, Iowa, and
Nicholas Werk, 5-10, 170, infielder, Madison Lake, Minnesota.

BRADY BROWN
Brown has earned honorable mention all-state honors each of the past two seasons at Blair High School, while also being honored as team MVP and Defensive MVP. During the summer season in 2023, he batted .448 with a .647 slugging percentage.

In addition to baseball, Brown has served as team captain for his high school football team. He is a two-time academic all-state honoree who intends to major in exercise science.

Coach Bishop's Comments: "Brady is a terrific athlete who can really defend in center field. He plays the game fast and with a lot of passion, and is a great fit at SDSU."

CALEB DUERR
Duerr has excelled both on the mound and at the plate for a Sheyenne High School program that has won three consecutive state championships. This past season, he posted a 13-1 record and struck out 113 batters in 89 2/3 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .186 batting average.

An all-state selection in 2023, Duerr's offensive numbers included a .465 batting average and a .722 slugging percentage.

A member of the National Honor Society, Duerr plans to major in exercise science.

Coach Bishop's Comments: "Caleb has command of multiple pitches and possesses a ton of upside on the mound. He is a multi-sport standout who really competes."

DAYTON FRANKE
Franke has served as team captain in three sports during a standout prep career at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School in the Twin Cities Metro area.

On the baseball diamond, Franke has put together two first-team all-conference and all-area seasons. He batted .404 as a freshman, then posted a career-best .424 average with 17 runs batted in last spring. In addition, Franke posted a 3-0 record with a 1.75 earned run average and three saves on the mound.

In addition, Franke was an all-conference and all-area selection in football and also served as team captain in hockey.

Coach Bishop's Comments: "Dayton is a physical presence at the plate with terrific intangibles. We are excited about his future in Yellow and Blue."

NOLAN GRAWE
A third baseman, Grawe moved up to the Class 4A all-state first team in 2023 after a third-team selection as a sophomore. He batted .440 and slugged .663 this past season while collecting three home runs and 18 doubles among his 62 hits.

He also has competed in basketball and golf at the prep level. He plans to major in sports management.

Coach Bishop's Comments: "Nolan's bat is very advanced for a high school player. He is another multi-sport guy who is a proven winner."

ANDREW McDOWELL
McDowell has been a first-team all-state selection as a pitcher each of the past two seasons while attending Billings West High School. He helped lead his team to a runner-up finish at the state tournament as a junior, when he posted a 2.58 earned run average and struck out 48 batters in 41 innings.

In addition to baseball, McDowell has competed in football and basketball. An academic all-state honoree in multiple sports and a member of the National Honor Society, he intends to major in pre-medicine or pre-physical therapy

Coach Bishop's Comments: "Drew is physical and shows good arm strength and competitiveness on the mound. He has a chance to make an immediate impact for us."

OWEN SIEGERT
Siegert was named Iowa Class 2A Pitcher of the Year in 2023 after averaging more than two strikeouts per innings pitched for West Marshall High School. Over 63 1 /3 innings, he fanned 133 batters while posting a 0.99 earned run average and holding the opposition to a .097 batting average.

Also selected as the Marshalltown Times Republican Player of the Year, Siegert batted .437 with 14 extra-base hits in 2023. His career totals include 142 hits en route to first-team all-conference honors three times.

A two-time academic all-conference honoree, he plans to major in sports management.

Coach Bishop's Comments: "Owen is a versatile multi-sport athlete who has tremendous feel on the mound. He has dominated within the high school ranks and is ready to take his game to the next level."

NICHOLAS WERK
Werk earned all-conference and all-section recognition after batting .324 with three home runs during his junior season at Mankato East High School, while combining for 44 stolen bases between the high school and American Legion baseball seasons. He also was honored with his team's Gold Glove Award.

Werk plans to major in construction management. His older brother, Matthew, is a sophomore on the Jackrabbit baseball team this season.

Coach Bishop's Comments: "Nicholas can impact the game in all phases with his athletic ability and arm strength. We are looking forward to helping him develop into a great college player."

South Dakota State finished the 2023 season with a 24-28 overall record, including a 13-11 mark in The Summit League as the Jackrabbits advanced to the league championship game.

-GoJacks.com-

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JACKRABBIT BASEBALL SIGNS SEVEN

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