Valley City State University head baseball coach Alec DeMaria and his staff are excited to announce the program's signing class for the 2025-2026 season. VCSU baseball has improved to 20-win seasons each of the past two years and has done so with a young roster. This year the team will return 66% of the total at-bats, 8 of the 10 players with the most at-bats, 52% of the innings pitched, and 3 of the 4 team leaders in innings pitched from the 2024-2025 season. In addition to those numbers, 29% of pitching innings were thrown by true freshman last season.
 
This 2025 signing class will bring a great deal of new talent and leadership to the program, with the goal of helping it take the next step forward in the 2025-2026 season. A blend of a returning roster that is filled with now-experienced players, as well as all of the talented incoming players listed below provides an exciting outlook for VCSU Baseball in the 2025-2026 season, the Vikings' first year in the nationally-respected Frontier Conference.
 
Here is a look at the 2025-26 Recruiting Class
 
Jonathan Perez
RHP/IF
Freshman
Dekaney High School
Houston, Texas
 
Jonathan graduated from Dekaney High School in Houston, Texas where he played baseball at the 6A level. In his high school career Jonathan earned 1st-Team All-District honors 3 times, Conference Newcomer of the Year as a Freshman, and Dekaney HS Pitcher of the year honors. He pitched 112.2 innings, while totaling a record of 11-5 with 132 strikeouts, and earning a 2.98 ERA. Jonathan also hit .343 in 181 at-bats.
 
Coach DeMaria on Jonathan: "Jonathan, VCSU, and the town of Valley City are a perfect match. You could tell from the moment that he got out of the car after arriving to town. Jonathan features great stuff on the mound too. He played a very high level of high school baseball, and while there will be things to learn, I think that his game will translate very well to the collegiate level."
 
Easton Francis
RHP
Freshman
Charles Wright Academy
Tacoma, Washington
 
Easton graduated from Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, Washington. During his high school career, he earned the Tacoma/Pierce County Athletic Commission Multi Sport Male Athlete of the Year Award, was a 2-time 1st Team All-League pitcher, 2nd Team All Area Pitcher, and a National Football Foundation Award Winner. In his senior year, Easton pitched 51 innings while helping to lead his team deep into the state tournament. Easton earned a 1.64 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP while tallying 77 strikeouts and a 5.5 K:BB ratio.
 
Coach DeMaria on Easton: "Easton loved the community so much that he visited the campus on two separate occasions. The second one had nothing to do with the recruiting process. He just wanted to be here. Now he will be here for the next four years, and we are very excited about that. He throws hard and throws all his pitches for strikes. We look forward to working with him and helping him grow into an elite collegiate pitcher."
 
Bryce Meyers
RHP
Junior
Dakota College at Bottineau
Balmoral, Manitoba
 
Bryce spent the previous 2 years at Dakota College at Bottineau. As a sophomore Bryce threw 31 innings while earning a 4.65 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. In his sophomore year Bryce did not give up an earned run from March 10 through April 12, during which time he made 6 appearances and totaled 8.2 innings pitched. 
 
Coach DeMaria on Bryce: "Bryce just began learning how to pitch over the last year or so. He has made great strides since then and was a serious contributor on the mound for his junior college last season. His potential is very high, and we look forward to helping in his progression as a pitcher. He wants to put in the work to get there, which is the most important piece."
 
Nick Senn
Catcher
Junior
College of the Sequoias
Visalia, CA
 
Nick spent the previous 2 years at College of the Sequoias. As a sophomore, Nick hit .375 with a .464 OBP and an OPS of 1.006. Over his 2 years at COS, Nick threw out 70% of runners who attempted to steal against him. In his last 4 starts of his sophomore year Nick had 10 hits, 5 extra base hits, and 9 RBI.
 
Coach DeMaria on Nick: "Nick is a humble leader who is not loud but loves to work hard. He possesses great tools on the field, and we expect him to contribute to our team both on the field and in the clubhouse this year."
 
Evan Gonzalez
Outfielder
Junior
College of the Sequoias
Visalia, CA
 
Evan spent the previous 2 years at College of the Sequoias. Evan is a left-handed hitter with athleticism and power that brings a great deal of potential to the table. As a sophomore, Evan hit .286 and a .444 OBP. He also fielded 1.000 across 31 games.
 
Coach DeMaria on Evan: "Evan is hungry and unselfish, and those are two of the best compliments that you can give a collegiate athlete. The possibilities are very high for him, and I am exceptionally glad that he picked our university to continue his career at."
 
Jax Arcuri
Catcher
Junior
SUNY-Jamestown
Welland, Ontario
 
Jax spent the last 2 years at SUNY-Jamestown. During his sophomore year, Jax was named Team Captain. During that sophomore year Jax hit .320. Over his 2 collegiate seasons in New York, Jax threw out 35% of base stealers. He finished in the top 10 in the NJCAA in runners caught stealing during both of his junior college seasons, while catching over 400 innings.
 
Coach DeMaria on Jax: "Being selected as a team captain speaks for itself. Catching over 400 innings in 2 years speaks for itself. Jax is a team-first guy. His tools on the field are just a plus. I can already tell that I will enjoy having Jax at the field every day."
 
Landon McAnelly
Infielder
Freshman
Cheyenne East High School
Cheyenne, Wyoming
 
During his legion career, Landon was named to the All-State First team once, and the All-State 2nd Team twice. His senior year he was named 1st Team All-State in the AA division by hitting .391 with 84 hits, 27 extra base hits, and 71 RBI. During both his sophomore and junior seasons, his team won the Wyoming State Championship. During his sophomore year the team won the Northwest Regional Championship and qualified for the American Legion World Series, where they made it all the way to the semifinals.
 
Coach DeMaria on Landon: "Landon's success during his high school career does not surprise me in the slightest. This past fall Landon was very impressive at our camp. His swing from the left-side really stood out. He also asked the right questions and had a strong desire to be a Viking. He will add a lot to our program."
 
Owen Harig
Infielder
Freshman
Underwood High School
Fergus Falls, Minnesota
 
Owen was a 3-sport athlete at Underwood High School, playing baseball, basketball, and football. In baseball Owen won the Mr. Hustle Award 5 times in a row, dating back to 8^th grade. He was named all-conference and academic all-conference in both 2024 and 2025. Owen was captain of the baseball team and now holds the career record for total runs scored at his high school.
 
Coach DeMaria on Owen: "Owen stood out to me right away, because he really isn't in it for the personal glory. His questions during the recruiting process didn't revolve around playing time or what his role would be. They revolved around what his potential teammates were like, how hard everyone worked, and how great of a fit the school was for him. He features speed and an exceptional level of hand-eye coordination both at the plate and in the field. His best tool is his grit and desire to win."
 
 
Austin Hendley
Catcher
Freshman
Mankato East High School
Mankato, MN
 
 
Austin had a great high school baseball career for Mankato East High School. As a senior, he helped lead his team to a 2^nd place finish in the state of Minnesota in the AAA division. Throughout his career he averaged an OBP of .446 and played 345 innings behind the plate. During those 345 innings he held a .998 fielding percentage and threw out 20% of base stealers.
 
Coach DeMaria on Austin: "Austin was one of our first commits in this class. He wanted to be a Viking, and very soon he will be starting his first day as one. On and off the field, Austin is a leader. At the plate he features a powerful left-handed bat, and behind the plate he features great actions and a strong arm. He comes from a great family, and we are excited to have him here."
 
 
Grant Kinzel
Freshman
1B/RHP
La Veria High School
La Vernia, Texas
 
Grant was selected to the All-District team in football, basketball, and baseball during his senior year of high school. He was named All-District in baseball his sophomore, junior, and senior years. Grant was named the District Offensive MVP in his senior season after batting .390, hitting 21 extra base hits, earning an OPS of over 1.200, and hitting 5 home runs. Grant was also 3-0 on the mound. While performing well on the field, Grant was also selected as an Academic All-State player during his senior year. His goal is to become an astrophysicist.
 
Coach DeMaria on Grant: "Grant will also be playing tight end for the football team here at VCSU, so we won't have him out here with us for a couple of months. Playing two sports at this level is difficult, but if anyone can do it, Grant can. He is a great kid, he works hard, and he can really crush the ball. We are looking forward to getting Grant's bat and his work ethic out on the field with us in just a few short months."
 
 
 
Hudson Ford
Freshman
Catcher
Battleford Comprehensive High School
Battleford, Saskatchewan
 
Hudson played for the Battleford Beavers during his high school days. For the Battleford Beavers this season, Hudson played in 31 games while batting .389 with 13 extra base hits, 27 RBI, 29 stolen bases, and an OPS of 1.083. Hudson also threw out 20 runners attempting to steal.
 
Coach DeMaria on Hudson: "Hudson has played with current members of our program back in high school. They have nothing but good things to say about him. Even on his campus visit, he snuck away to catch the bullpen of an old teammate of his that is now in our program. He did this with no motive of looking good or being seen. I did not even know where he was and all of a sudden, I see him down in our bullpen from a distance. Sure enough, he was catching a bullpen and helping one of our pitchers get better. At that moment, I knew that he would be a perfect fit."
 
Logan Kim
Junior
Outfielder
LA Pierce Community College
San Ramon, California
 
Logan Kim spent the last 2 seasons playing for LA Pierce Community College. Prior to that he spent time at Sacramento City College. During his sophomore season, Logan batted .328 with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homerun, and an OBP of .406.
 
Coach DeMaria on Logan: "Logan found success in a competitive junior college conference. He has really started to hit his stride in the past year, and he will bring a lot of great qualities to our team on and off the field."
 
Daniel Castillo
Sophomore
Catcher
Lamar Community College
Denver, Colorado
 
Before attending Lamar, Daniel played at Northglenn High School in Denver. At Northglenn he hit .451 with a .650 OBP and was a First-Team All-Conference selection for both his junior and senior seasons. He also hit 15 home runs in his high school career.
 
Coach DeMaria on Daniel: "I recruited Daniel out of high school, before I was actually working here at VCSU. Now, that he is done with junior college, Daniel has chosen to come be a Viking. Daniel can hit, hit for power, and throw. He loves to play the game. In our first conversation, he said he would play any position that the team needed, and you could tell that he 100% meant it. Daniel has leadership qualities, and I can't wait to watch them come out on the field."
 
Jackson Penner
Freshman
RHP/IF
Steinbach Regional Secondary School
Steinbach, Manitoba
 
During juniors and U22 ball this summer, Jackson appeared in 61 games. His 18u team won the gold medal at the Western Canadian Championships, and his 22u team won the gold medal at the Manitoba Provincial Championships. Offensively, Jackson batted .458 with 18 doubles, 11 triples, 7 home runs, 61 RBI, and 31 stolen bases. On the mound, Jackson pitched 56.1 innings with a 2.9 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, 81 strikeouts, and a 6-2 record.
 
Coach DeMaria on Jackson: "Jackson is following in his father's footsteps, Bud Penner. Bud was an all-conference baseball player at VCSU in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Jackson absolutely has the potential to do just that and more. Jackson is a great kid, who's values are in the right place. On the field, he has a great swing with pop from the left-side, he can run, and he can fill up the zone with quality stuff on the mound. I am not sure where exactly he will help us in his freshman year, but I am sure it will be somewhere. He just does so many things well. We are excited to get him here."
 
Derek Peterson
RS Sophomore
RHP
Montreat College
Victoria, British Columbia
 
Derek played the 2025 season at Montreat College (NAIA) where he made 7 appearances on the mound. This summer, Derek pitched for Energy City Cactus Rats of the WCBL. Derek threw 19.2 innings for the Cactus Rats while posting a 7.3 ERA with 16 strikeouts to only 8 walks. Derek had a stretch of 8 WCBL appearances without giving up an earned run from June 15 through July 1.
 
Coach DeMaria on Derek: "VCSU is the perfect place for Derek. He fills up the zone, and he has a great frame for a pitcher. I cannot wait to watch him develop. He knows what he wants, and he is invested. Our coaching staff cannot wait to get to work with him."
 
 
 
Michael Simbulan
Freshman
RHP
Saint Patrick Regional High School
Vancouver, British Columbia
 
During his high school career, Michael was a 2-time national champion (2022, 2024) and was named to the All-British Columbia Team 3 times. He was the team MVP in 2024 and the Pitcher of the Year Award in 2023. During his senior year Michael pitched 63 innings with a 3.1 ERA and 70 strikeouts. He also threw a complete game and held opposing hitters to a .210 average.
 
Coach DeMaria on Michael: "Michael is a pitcher through-and-through. He loves to pitch, and his ability to pitch so well has taken him all over the world. Michael is far more mature as a pitcher than most incoming freshman. I think that he will hit the ground running."
 
 
Gabriel Wheeler
OF
University of Maine Presque Isle
Wasilla, Alaska
 
Gabriel spent his freshman season at the University of Maine Presque Isle. He started 27 games in 2025 while totaling 1 home run and 7 stolen bases. Gabriel opened the 2025 season going 6-13 with 3 walks, 1 triple, 1 home run, 9 RBI, and 3 stolen bases through his first 4 games as a freshman. He was named the North Atlantic Conference Player of the Week on March 17, 2025.
 
Coach DeMaria on Gabriel: "Gabriel can hit, and he can run. However, what Gabriel really wants to do is compete. I am excited for him to bring that desire to our team every day. He has a world of potential. He flashed it last year, and I am excited to watch him grow and become more consistent."
 
Filippo Venditti
IF
Kingsborough Community College
Nettuno, Italy
 
In 2 years at Kingsborough Community College, Filippo batted .386 with 24 doubles, 5 triples, 5 home runs, 81 RBI, and an OPS of 1.095. He featured time at all infield positions and was instrumental in his team's NJCAA Region 15 Championship in 2024.
 
Coach DeMaria on Filippo: "Unfortunately due to some Visa delays, Filippo will not be joining us until the spring semester. However, we are very excited to have had him sign with us. He will bring a steady bat, a solid glove, and an appreciative attitude."
 
The Vikings will open the fall portion of their season on Wednesday, September 24^th when they travel to Bismarck to play Bismarck State College. The first home game will be October 1^st when Mayville State University comes to Charlie Brown Field for a matinee at 2:00 p.m.