San Jose, Calif. - San Jose State University head baseball coach Sam Piraro has announced the signings of five players to a National Letter of Intent during the early period for the 2011 season.

Of the five, four are from Bay Area high schools, including three from San Jose's own Valley Christian. The final member of the class is Roberto Padilla, a top-flight left-handed starting pitcher from Ohlone College in Fremont, Calif., and a 2010 California Community College Baseball Coaches Association (CCCBCA) Northern California Preseason All-American. The prep quartet is made up of one catcher, a right-handed pitcher, one infielder, and another infielder who can also be a right-handed option on the mound.

The Valley Christian contingent is highlighted by right-hander Danny Davis, the 2009 West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL) Pitcher of the Year as a junior. He is joined by his catcher at VCHS, Trevin Craig, as well as Matt Carroll, both All-WCAL performers themselves as juniors. Jacob Valdez, a senior at Tracy (Calif.) High School who can play third base, shortstop or second base, rounds out the early class.

"We are very pleased with the five commitments that we have received," commented Piraro. "All five of them are outstanding baseball players and athletes. We have three young men from the same high school, which has been a successful baseball program in the area, one that we have great respect for, as we do many of the local programs. In getting players like that, we feel that they already have a culture of winning, and that they're used to a high standard of excellence. We think that's important."

Padilla headlines the early class as one of the most hotly-pursued left-handers in the California junior college system, having received interest from Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State and Fresno State, among others. He went 4-4 with a 3.66 ERA in 2009, making 12 starts among 15 appearances, with one complete game. He struck out 59 and walked 32 over 83.2 innings pitched. Opposing batters managed just a .235 average and three home runs against him.

Padilla adds to an Ohlone pipeline that has brought three other pitchers to San Jose State over the past two seasons, including first-year Spartans David Luna and Sean Martin, both right-handers vying for spots in a revamped rotation. Associate head coach Tom Kunis, who directs the Spartan pitchers, was the head coach at Ohlone for one year prior to returning to his alma mater for the 2009 season. Padilla was a second-team All-Coast Conference Pacific Division selection as a freshman, behind first-teamers Luna and Martin, for head coach Jordon Twohig.

Padilla helped lead the Renegades to a final record of 37-11 and the best single-season win total in program history. Ohlone went 20-5 for its first Coast Conference championship in 18 years, entered the California Community College playoffs as the top seed, and swept a best-of-three Regional from Chabot College, led by future teammates Kerry Jenkins and Graham Rodriguez, before having its state title pursuit end as the first-time host of a Super Regional. Ohlone was ranked as high as third nationally before settling on No. 19 in the final poll.

Padilla is a 2008 graduate of James Logan High School in Union City, Calif., a program that also produced current Spartans Anthony Bona and Andrew Rodriguez. He was recently chosen to participate in a CCCBCA All-Star Game in Sacramento, Calif., for the top junior college sophomores in Northern California, retiring all four batters he faced on infield putouts.

"Roberto Padilla is one of the top left-handed pitchers in the state of California," said Piraro. "He was highly recruited. Roberto is a guy who we would pencil into our rotation immediately. He will probably be drafted (next June), so he is a commodity that is greatly valued."

In addition to his Pitcher of the Year accolade in the conference, Davis was a first-team All-Central Coast Section (CCS) and first-team All-WCAL selection in 2009 after earning All-WCAL honorable mention as a sophomore. He posted a 10-3 record with a 1.41 ERA, one save and 68 strikeouts last season, averaging more than one strikeout per inning. Davis received interest from San Jose State's league opponent, Hawai'i, among other West Coast programs.

"Danny Davis had an outstanding junior year for Valley Christian," said Piraro. "Danny brings real heart to the game. He's not a real big, physical guy, but he is an outstanding competitor. When you say that word, sometimes it sounds rhetorical, but he really has that capability of being a guy that when he gets on the mound, he believes he's going to win the game. Danny doesn't shy away from the tough assignments. In fact, he likes the toughest assignments. He has been a winner his entire career. We think he's going to be a guy that we wouldn't mind having on our staff this year."

Carroll picked up All-WCAL honorable mention a year ago as a first baseman and right-handed pitcher for VCHS. The physical specimen, standing 6-foot-6, hit .378 in league games. His father, Mark Carroll, was roommates with Piraro as a Spartan infielder from 1972-74, and gained induction into the San Jose State Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994.

"Matt Carroll is someone we think has huge ceiling possibilities for us," explained Piraro. "We look at him as a first baseman primarily, a guy who is very strong, with a lot of power, and with the capability of being an RBI and power threat. He has good athleticism in his genes. Matt's father and I were roommates in college and best friends, so I know what kind of family we're getting. His mom and dad are wonderful people, and they have an athletic family. I have high expectations for him. He will fill a void for us, especially from the offensive standpoint."

Craig, like Carroll, garnered All-WCAL honorable mention last season, batting .350 with six home runs. He was pursued by UC Riverside. A solid defensive player behind the plate, he was also recruited to play college football as a standout inside linebacker on the VCHS squad.

"Trevin Craig is a tough athlete," remarked Piraro. "He is a catcher by trade, but an athlete overall. We feel that Trevin will be a great addition for us offensively. He's got really good bat speed, and being a two-sport guy, is a great competitor. We think that bringing him in, he'll be able to compete for a position as early as his freshman year. We're pleased to have him."

Carroll, Craig and Davis paced the Warriors to a 25-9 overall record and 11-3 WCAL mark as juniors for head coach John Diatte. Valley Christian made it to the quarterfinal round of the 2009 CCS Division I playoffs before dropping a narrow 2-1 decision to league rival and eventual section champion Serra, featuring current Spartan freshman Tim Quiery. The Spartans, who also already have one former VCHS standout on the team in sophomore infielder Michael Reiling, a three-time first-team All-WCAL pick, could potentially have at least 11 former All-WCAL selections on their 2011 Opening Day roster.

Valdez is a versatile infielder who provides a left-handed bat and will be a third-year varsity starter at Tracy High School this season. He was the Bulldogs' second baseman as a junior, hitting .370 (34-for-92) with 32 runs, eight doubles, three home runs, 28 RBI, a .487 on-base percentage and 12 stolen bases, earning second-team All-San Joaquin League honors. Tracy went 22-9 overall and 8-2 in league play, advancing to the Sac-Joaquin Section semifinal round under head coach Vic Alkire. Valdez was an all-league pick as a sophomore as well, and the Most Valuable Player of the freshman team in 2007. He maintains a 3.00 grade-point average.

Like Carroll, Valdez has family ties to Piraro. His father, Rudy Valdez, was Piraro's starting first baseman on the 1983 Mission College team that won the California state title. The younger Valdez, Tracy High's Homecoming King this fall, helped guide the Tracy National Little League team to Section 3 and Northern California crowns on their way to the championship game of the 2005 West Region Tournament in San Bernardino, Calif. At San Jose State, he will join fellow Tracy product Kerry Jenkins, a junior walk-on and 2007 graduate of Merrill F. West High School.

"Jake is like his dad, a very fiery, tough player, and a good athlete," said Piraro. "Being able to see (Rudy's) son in action and watch his development has been interesting. Jake runs well, and is a good defender. He is a scrappy player who is going to be a tough out.

"All five of these young men represent characteristics that fit our program," concluded Piraro about the early group for 2011. "They fit the culture of our program here, which is based on being competitive, being tough, loving to play, loving to play hard, and having high standards. I wish all five of these guys great success during their senior year in high school, and in Roberto's case, his sophomore year in junior college. We look forward to seeing them on board next year."

Under the guidance of third-year assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Jeff Pritchard, Piraro and his staff had laid claim to the No. 42 recruiting class nationally for the upcoming 2010 season as rated in September by Collegiate Baseball newspaper, with 13 NLI signees.

2011 San Jose State University Baseball Early Signings

Name   Pos. B/T Ht. Wt. Hometown/Last School
Matt Carroll  1B/P R/R 6-6 220 Gilroy, Calif./Valley Christian HS
Trevin Craig  C R/R 6-0 205 Morgan Hill, Calif./Valley Christian HS
Danny Davis  RHP R/R 5-10 165 San Jose, Calif./Valley Christian HS
Roberto Padilla LHP L/L 6-3 185 Union City, Calif./Ohlone College
Jacob Valdez  IF L/R 5-9 160 Tracy, Calif./Tracy HS