2020 Roster

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois baseball team and head coach Dan Hartleb released the 2020 roster, including 18 newcomers. The Fighting Illini turned over more than half its roster after seven student-athletes signed with MLB organizations following the 2019 season, which ended in the NCAA Tournament. 

Newcomers By The Numbers

» 18 newcomers
» 12 freshmen
» 6 transfers (1 sophomore, 4 juniors, 1 senior)
» 11 position players, 7 pitchers
» 8 freshmen singed NLIs last November 

——————————————————————————————

Nathan Aide
OF / 6-0 / 185
Franklin, Wis. / Franklin / Madison College

Junior - 2020 
• Transferred to Illinois with two years of eligibility remaining 

Sophomore - 2019 (Madison College)
• 2019 NJCAA All-America second team
• 2019 All-Region IV first team
• 2019 Region IV Gold Glove
• .358/.430/.523, 13 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 38 RBIs, 15 SB

Freshman - 2018 (Madison College)
• 2018 All-Region IV second team
• .341/.413/.491, 10 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 40 RBIs, 37 R, 4 SB
• Helped Madison to a Region IV championship and a trip to the NJCAA Division II World Series

High School
• Played for head coach Jim Hughes at Franklin
• One-year letterwinner
• All-Greater Metro first team
• All-Suburban first team
• WBCA All-State second team
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel All-Area second team

Personal
• Born March 21, 1999
• Son of Rick and Shelly Aide
• One brother, Nick
• Plans to major in communications
• Chose Illinois because, "it's a winning program every year and has great academics."

——————————————————————————————

Danny Doligale
OF / 5-10 / 165
Chicago, Ill. / Brother Rice
High School
• Played for head coaches John McCarthy and Sean McBride at Brother Rice
• Three-year letterwinner
• No. 9 outfielder in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• Committed to Illinois in July 2018
• Chose Illinois over Bradley, Cincinnati, Minnesota, Xavier, and Wake Forest

Personal
• Born Sept. 1, 2000
• Son of Rich and Ann Doligale
• Two brothers, Matt and Brian
• Mother, Ann, attended the University of Illinois
• Plans to major in finance 
• Chose Illinois because, "of the tradition of academic and athletic excellence, as well as the relationships I made with the recruits in my class and current players prior to committing to Illinois."

——————————————————————————————

Joseph Glassey
RHP / 6-2 / 190
Lindenhurst, Ill. / Lakes
High School
• Played for head coach Robert Holst at Lakes
• Three-year letterwinner
• No. 12 right-handed pitcher in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• National Honor Society 
• Committed to Illinois in Fall 2018

Personal
• Born July 17, 2001
• Son of Rick and Julie Glassey
• Two sisters, Sarah and Annie
• Plans to major in biology 
• Chose Illinois because, "of the academic prestige as well as the baseball teams success and reputation. After getting to know the program and coaches, I knew that being an Illini would be the best fit for me. Not only would Illinois challenge me academically, but it will bring my baseball knowledge and game play to the next level."

——————————————————————————————

Brody Harding
INF / 5-9 / 170
Moline, Ill. / Moline

High School
• No. 2 shortstop in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 51 shortstop in the nation by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 9 recruit in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report and No. 18 by Perfect Game
• No. 322 recruit in the nation by Prep Baseball Report and No. 453 by Perfect Game
• Four-year letterwinner
• Played for head coach Craig Schimmel at Moline
• Two-time all-conference
• Two-time All-Metro
• 2018 WWBA World Championship All-Tournament Team
• 2018 WWBA Kernels Foundation Championship All-Tournament Team
• 2017 WWBA Midwest Underclass Qualifier All-Tournament Team
• 2017 WWBA 16u Underclass National Championship All-Tournament Team
• 2016 WWBA 15u Underclass National Championship All-Tournament Team
• Honor Roll
• Student Council
• National Honor Society
• Also played basketball at Moline, leading the team to the Sweet 16 as a junior
• All-conference in basketball 
• Played with fellow Illini signees Grant Leader and Andrew Pogue for the Reds Scout Team
• Played with fellow Illini Cam McDonald on the Quad City Hitmen summer team
• Chose Illinois over Iowa, Minnesota, UCF, Pepperdine, TCU, and New Mexico State

Personal
• Born Jan. 1, 2001
• Son of Scott and Shannon Harding
• Father, Scott, played baseball at St. Ambrose
• Mother, Shannon, played basketball at St. Ambrose
• Uncle, Quinn Murphy, played in the Cleveland Indians organization
• Uncle, Dustin Murphy, played baseball at North Carolina State
• One younger brother, Brock
• Plans to major in business
• Chose Illinois because, "The coaching staff is amazing and the campus felt like home from the first time I visited."

——————————————————————————————

Taylor Jackson
OF / 5-9 / 170 
Chicago, Ill. / Kenwood Academy / Kirkwood CC

Junior - 2020 
• Transferred to Illinois with two years of eligibility remaining

Sophomore - 2019 (Kirkwood CC)
• 2019 NJCAA All-Region first team
• .361/.435/.545, 13 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 54 RBIs, 52 R, 14 SB 
• Helped Kirkwood to a third-place finish at the NJCAA regional

Freshman - 2018 (Kirkwood CC)
• 2018 NJCAA All-Region first team
• .395/.451/.646, 18 2B, 4 3B, 10 HR, 59 RBI,s 77 R, 30 SB 
• Helped Kirkwood to the NJCAA World Series 

High School
• Played for head coach Bill Hanselman at Kenwood Academy
• Four-year letterwinner 
• Kenwood Academy MVP as a junior and senior
• National Honor Society

Personal
• Born March 3, 1999
• Son of Ronald Jackson and Juli Burrows Jackson
• One brother, Tristen Burrows Jackson
• Plans to major in business and marketing
• Plans to work in business following his playing career
• Chose Illinois over Indiana State, Marshall, UIC, and Louisville
• Chose Illinois because, "I thought it would be a great fit for me and easier for my parents to see me play. Also, Illinois is overall a great environment to be around and the baseball program is one of the best in the country and top of line. I really think I'll look good in the orange and blue!"

——————————————————————————————

Justin Janas 
1B / 6-2 / 230
Homer Glen, Ill. / Marist

High School
• No. 1 first baseman in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 60 recruit in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• Four-year letterwinner
• Played for head coach Kevin Sefcik at Marist
• Hit .319 as a freshman, .343 as a sophomore and .363 as a junior
• All-conference selection as a sophomore and junior
• Played with fellow Illini Brandon Comia and Cam McDonald for the Cangelosi Sparks summer team

Personal 
• Born Sept. 18, 2000
• Son of Matthew and Diana Janas
• Two older brothers, Matthew and Jeremy
• Bone marrow donor for his brother who suffered from leukemia
• Cousin, Mark Payton, played baseball at Texas and spent 2018 in Triple-A with the Yankees
• Plans to major in sports management
• Plans to coach following his playing career
• Chose Illinois over Indiana, Tennessee-Martin, Iowa, and Eastern Illinois
• Chose Illinois because, "I was impressed with the baseball program and coaching. Many of the current players were former Sparks and have good reputations on and off the field. I wanted to be part of this elite group of players. The college is very reputable."

——————————————————————————————

Andrew Kim 
INF/OF / 6-0 / 175
Libertyville, Ill. / Libertyville

High School
• No. 11 shortstop in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 46 recruit in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• Played baseball, basketball and golf in high school
• Played for head coach Matt Thompson at Libertyville
• 2019 all-conference
• 2019 Libertyville Team MVP
• All-conference honorable mention as a sophomore and junior
• .379/.450/.716, 36 H, 6 2B, 4 3B, 6 HR, 20 RBIs, 33 R, 13 SB as a senior
• Trained with former Illini Adam Walton and received his offer from Illinois over the phone during a workout with Walton
• Led Libertyville to a regional title
• Volunteered at Feed My Starving Children, the Lake County Haven to help mothers in need and Wish Leader helping homeless families in need

Personal
• Born April 16, 2001
• Son of Sam Kim Sr. and Elizabeth Kim
• One older brother, Sam Kim Jr.
• Plans to major in kinesiology
• Plans to work in physical training following his playing career
• Chose Illinois over Wisconsin Milwaukee
• Chose Illinois because, "It is close to home, loved the coaches/team, the atmosphere was outstanding and felt like home as soon as I step foot on campus. Also, they offer the major that I aspire to study and continue my career in."

——————————————————————————————

Cole Kirschsieper 
LHP / 5-10 / 165 
Frankfort, Ill. / Lincoln-Way East

High School
• No. 2 left-handed pitcher in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 41 left-handed pitcher in the nation by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 12 recruit in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report and Perfect Game
• No. 327 recruit in the nation by Prep Baseball Report
• Three-year letterwiner
• Played for head coach Eric Brauer at Lincoln-Way East
• 10-1, 0.42 ERA, 70 SO as a senior
• 10-2, 1.09 ERA, 89 SO as a junior
• Set nine school records including season ERA (0.42), career ERA (0.85), season wins (10), career wins (21), season strikeouts (89), and career strikeouts (187)
• Two-time Southwest Suburban Pitcher of the Year
• Two-time all-state
• Two-time Southwest Suburban All-Conference
• Two-time Lincoln-Way East MVP
• 2019 Perfect Game All-Tournament Elite Team Jupiter
• Played with fellow Illini Branden Comia and Cam McDonald with the Cangelosi Sparks
• High Honor Roll as a senior
• Volunteered for Special Needs Night, Youth Baseball Camp, serve the homeless, and various Church events

Personal 
• Born Dec. 27, 2000
• Son of Steve and Nancy Kirschsieper
• Three sisters, Brooke, Hailey and twin sister Casey
• Plans to major in sports management
• Plans to stay involved in sports through coaching and teaching following his playing career
• Family friend of former Illini John Kravitz
• Chose Illinois over Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Kansas, Indiana and Missouri
• Chose Illinois because, "Great educational institution. Comfort level with coaching staff and players. Opportunity to compete against the best teams in the country. Facilities and proximity to home so my family can see me play."

——————————————————————————————

Grant Leader 
RHP / 5-9 / 165
La Grange Park, Ill. / Lyons Township

High School
• No. 3 right-handed pitcher in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 94 right-handed pitcher in the nation by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 10 recruit in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report and No. 22 by Perfect Game
• No. 266 recruit in the nation by Prep Baseball Report and No. 497 by Perfect Game
• Three-year letterwinner 
• Played for head coach Kevin Diete at Lyons Township
• 2019 Perfect Game Central Region All High-School first team
• 2017 Conference Pitcher of the Year 
• 2017 Area Code Underclass Games 
• 2017 USA Baseball 17U NTDP
• Three-time all-conference 
• 2019 Lyons Township Athlete of the Year
• James Stevenson Memorial Award winner
• 65 strikeouts in 42 innings as a senior
• 8-3, 0.89 ERA, 90.1 IP, 144 SO between his sophomore and junior seasons
• Played with fellow Illini Xavier Watson (Area Code 2017), Kellen Sarver (Reds Scout Team 2016), Aidan Maldonado and Caleb Larson (Reds Scout Team 2017), Andrew Pogue and Brody Harding (Reds Scout Team 2018), Danny Doligale (Top Tier 2016-2018)
• National Honor Society
• Volunteered at Feed My Starving Children and Dare2Tri Paratriathlon Club
• Committed to Illinois on his 16th birthday

Personal 
• Born Jan. 23, 2001
• Son of Eric and Anne Marie Leader
• Mother, Anne Marie, played tennis at Minnesota from 1986-90
• Older sister, Greta
• Plans to major in accounting or finance
• Plans to work on the business side of a baseball performance company following his playing career
• Chose Illinois over Northwestern, Michigan, Wake Forest, Duke, Houston, Saint Louis, and Iowa
• Chose Illinois because, "Illinois was the best combination of athletics and academics, and the coaching staff is phenomenal. It felt like home when I stepped on campus."

——————————————————————————————

Garrett McGowan 
1B / 6-3 / 240
Blue Springs, Mo. / Blue Springs / Dodge City CC

Junior - 2020 
• Transferred to Illinois with two years of eligibility remaining 

Sophomore - 2019 (Dodge City CC)
• 2019 NJCAA Academic All-America third team 
• 2019 all-conference honorable mention 
• 2019 KJCCC Gold Glove for first base
• .337/.414/.700, 15 2B, 13 HR, 50 RBIs
• Broke Dodge City career home run record (25)

Freshman - 2018 (Dodge City CC)
• 2018 all-conference honorable mention 
• .357/.421/.729, 14 2B, 12 HR, 45 RBIs

High School
• Played for head coach Tim McElligot at Blue Springs
• Two-year letterwinner
• All-district first team
• All-Suburban Gold honorable mention
• Blue Springs Defensive Player of the Year  

Personal
• Born April 14, 1999
• Son of Donnie and Paula McGowan 
• One sister, Jessie
• Father, Donnie, was a fourth round pick of the Boston Red Sox in the 1985 MLB Draft
• Cousin, Chris, was an All-American hammer and discus thrower at Missouri 
• Plans to major in communications
• Plans to coach following his playing career
• Chose Illinois because, "it was the best fit for me and my family. I'm so excited to play for Coach Hartleb and the rest of the staff. It is also an honor to be able to attend such a prestigious school."

——————————————————————————————

Nick Menken 
OF / 5-10 / 180
Bartlett, Ill. / South Elgin / Iowa Western / Virginia Tech

Redshirt Senior - 2020
• Enrolled at Illinois as a graduate transfer with one year of eligibility 

Senior - 2019 (Virginia Tech)
• Started seven games in center field before receiving a medical redshirt 
• Missed the first month of the season and the last two months to injury
• .161/.333/.193 with five hits, one double, seven runs and three RBIs
• One multi-hit game, one multi-RBI game and two multi-run scoring games

Junior - 2018 (Virginia Tech)
• Started 52 of 54 games played, with all starts in center field
• .246/.308/.347 with 49 hits, eight doubles, four home runs, 28 runs, 30 RBIs, and six steals 
• Tied for third on the team with 13 multi-hit games, including three games with three
• Had five multi-RBI games, including a season-high four at VMI 4/25/18
• Led the team with six outfield assists, which included two against William & Mary  5/15/18 that tied the school record for most in a single game by an outfielder

Sophomore - 2017 (Iowa Western CC)
• 2017 Academic All-Region
• .317 with 38 hits, nine doubles, three triples, two home runs, 31 RBIs and 48 runs
• Team-best 33 walks
• Team-best 18 steals
• Led Iowa Western to a 44-16 record and Region XI tournament title game

Freshman - 2016 (Iowa Western CC)
• 2016 All-Region XI first team
• 2016 Academic All-Region
• .358 in 58 games, with 53 hits, four doubles, three triples, three home runs, 38 RBIs, and 43 runs
• Team-best 18 steals
• Second on the team with 18 walks
• Helped Iowa Western to a 52-15 record, the Region XI Tournament and the Region 4 District titles, and a berth in the semifinals of the NJCAA World Series

High School
• Played for head coach Jim Kaiting at South Elgin
• Four-year letterwinner
• Two-time Fox Valley All-Area
• Two-time all-conference first team 
• Led South Elgin to the Class 4A third-place finish
• .398 (35-91)/.505/.568 with six doubles, three triples, one home run, 24 steals, 21 RBIs, and 24 runs as a senior
• Also played football in high school 

Personal
• Born Sept. 24, 1996
• Son of Thomas and JoAnn Menken
• One brother, John, who played baseball at Winthrop 
• Majored in criminology at Virginia Tech 
• Enrolled in the recreation, sport, and tourism graduate program at Illinois 
• Plans to become a financial adviser following his playing career
• Chose Illinois because, "it felt like home. It offers a tremendous education. The other commits feel like family to me and I believe we will be able to compete with anyone as a baseball team."

——————————————————————————————

Ryan O'Hara 
LHP / 6-2 / 195
Glenview, Ill. / Glenbrook South 

High School
• Played for head coach Steve Stanicek at Glenbrook South 
• Two-year letterwinner
• 2019 Central Suburban League All-Conference 
• 2019 Central Suburban League Pitcher of the Year
• 2019 all-area 
• Led Glenbrook South to the sectional final as a senior 
• Also played football and was the team MVP and all-conference as a senior
• National Honor Society
• Glenbrook Scholar
• Football team award for highest GPA

Personal
• Born Dec. 12, 2000
• Son of Chris and Kelly O'Hara 
• Two brothers, Tommy and Connor, and two sisters, Kylie and Ali 
• Brother, Tommy, played baseball at Tufts
• Aunt, Kari, and uncle, Chris, attended the University of Illinois 
• Plans to major in finance
• Plans to work in investments management or investment banking following his playing career
• Chose Illinois because, "Illinois has a terrific tradition for baseball, as a team and developing pitchers while having outstanding academics and a strong business school."

——————————————————————————————

Andrew Pogue
RHP / 6-4 / 185
Peoria, Ill. / Dunlap

High School
• No. 15 right-handed pitcher in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• Played for head coach Rod Hatch at Dunlap
• Three-year letterwinner
• Also played football in high school
• Played with fellow Illini Grant Leader and Brody Harding on the Reds Scout Team
• Committed to Illinois in Summer 2018
• Chose Illinois over Bradley, Eastern Illinois, Valparaiso, SIU Edwardsville, and UIS.

Personal
• Born July 17, 2001
• Son of Kevin and Tracy Pogue
• Father, Kevin, played baseball at Broward Community College
• One brother, Alex
• Plans to major in business  
• Chose Illinois because, "I like how the coaches treat the players and the campus is ideal. I like the proximity to my home city, Peoria as well."

——————————————————————————————

Will Pudik
C / 6-1 / 205
Peoria, Ill. / Peoria Notre Dame

High School
• Three-year letterwinner
• Played for head coach David Cales at Peoria Notre Dame
• .446 with 12 doubles, three triples, five homers, 42 RBIs and a 1.297 OPS as a senior
• All-Big 12 Conference
• High Honor Roll
• National Honor Society
• Over 150 hours of community service
• Also played basketball in high school

Personal 
• Born Sept. 10, 1999
• Son of Troy and Beth Pudik
• Two older brothers, Nick and Matthew
• Family has long history at the University of Illinois, as his mother, father, brothers, and three uncles attended the university 
• Majoring in economics
• Plans to attend law school
• Chose Illinois because, "of its reputation of academic and athletic excellence."

——————————————————————————————

Ty Rybarczyk
RHP / 5-9 / 170
Spring Valley, Ill. / Spring Valley Hall / Parkland

Sophomore - 2020
• Transferred to Illinois with three years of eligibility remaining 

Freshman - 2019 (Parkland College)
• 2019 NJCAA All-America second team
• 2019 NJCAA Region 24 Player of the Year
• 2019 NJCAA All-Region 24
• 2019 Parkland Male Freshman of the Year
• 2019 MWAC Pitcher of the Year
• 8-1, 0.96 ERA, 56.0 IP, 40 H, 10 BB, 53 SO as a freshman
• Team-best eight wins, 56.0 IP, and 0.96 ERA 
• Tied for team-best five complete games

High School
• Played for head coach Tom Keegan at Spring Valley Hall
• Four-year letterwinner
• Four-time All-TRAC first team
• Four-time all-area 
• 2016 IHSBCA 2A All-State
• 6-2, 1.26 ERA, 5 BB, 72 SO as a senior
• Led Spring Valley Hall to the 2018 Class 2A state title, along with fellow Illini Cam McDonald 
• 21 wins during high school career 
• Also played basketball in high school 

Personal
• Born Feb. 11, 2000
• Son of Tim and Lisa Rybarczyk 
• One younger brother, Trez, and one younger sister, Bella 
• Aunt, Taylor Thornton, graduated from Illinois
• Plans to major in kinesiology 
• Chose Illinois because, "I chose Illinois because it felt like home. Being in Champaign previously at Parkland I felt like it would be an easy transition. Also, it's super close to home so my family, friends, and relatives can still come see me play."

——————————————————————————————

Alex Steinbach
INF / 6-3 / 210 
Plainfield, Ill. / Plainfield North / Parkland

Junior - 2020
• Transferred to Illinois with two years of eligibility remaining 

Sophomore - 2019 (Parkland College)
• 2019 NJCAA all-conference and all-region 
• .343/.431/.686, 11 2B, 9 3B, 10 HR, 50 RBIs as a sophomore
• Led Parkland to a runner-up finish at the 2018 NJCAA national championship 
• Team-best 10 home runs, 50 RBIs, .343 batting average, and .686 slugging percentage 
• Third on the team in hits (59) and doubles (11) 

Freshman - 2018 (Parkland College)
• .313/.416/.397, 2 2B, 3 HR, 23 RBIs as a freshman
• Led Parkland to a runner-up finish at the 2018 NJCAA national championship 

High School
• Played for head coach John Darlington at Plainfield North
• Two-year letterwinner
• 2017 all-state and all-conference 
• Led Plainfield North to fourth place in the 2016 state playoffs 
• .392, 11 HRs, 47 RBIs during high school career
• Also played football and basketball in high school 

Personal
• Born May 28, 1999
• Son of John and Karin Steinbach 
• One brother, Johnny, and one sister, Megan 
• Cousin, Ryan Lin-Peistrup, plays baseball at UIC 
• Grandfather, father, and brother attended the University of Illinois 
• Plans to major in kinesiology 
• Plans to become a strength and conditioning coach and stay involved in baseball following his playing career
• Chose Illinois because, "Illinois gives me the best opportunity to succeed both on and off the field. My family has a long line of success at this institution and I would be proud to wear the orange and blue."

——————————————————————————————

Alex Vera 
LHP / 5-11 / 175
Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic

High School
• No. 7 left-handed pitcher in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 19 recruit in Illinois by Perfect game and No. 58 by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 470 recruit in the nation by Perfect Game
• Played for head coach Jared Voss at Joliet Catholic
• 2019 All-ESCC
• 2019 All-WJOL Tournament
• 2019 all-area first team
• 2018 all-area second team
• 6-2, 2.64 ERA, 72 SO as a senior
• 7-0, 0.64 ERA as a junior

Personal
• Born July 12, 2001
• Son of Rigo Vera and Jennifer Alamillo 
• Two brothers, Tony and Ricky, and one sister, Eva
• Plans to major in human nutrition 
• Chose Illinois because, "of the awesome feeling I got when I visited the campus and the coaching staff and baseball culture here was just awesome."

——————————————————————————————

Xavier Watson 
INF / 6-0 / 195
Cudahy, Wis. / South Milwaukee

High School
• No. 1 shortstop in Wisconsin by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 61 shortstop in the nation by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 7 recruit in Wisconsin by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 367 recruit in the nation by Prep Baseball Report
• 2019 Conference Player of the Year
• 2019 Team MVP
• 2019 team captain
• 2019 Scholar Athlete of the Year
• Hit .380 as a freshman, .320 as a sophomore and .360 as a junior
• 2017 Area Code Games

Personal
• Born April 12, 2001 
• Son of Jesse and Tiffany Watson
• Brother, Cyrillo Watson, played baseball at Illinois and was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019
• Plans to major in sports psychology 
• Plans to work in sports psychology following his playing career
• Chose Illinois over Indiana, Michigan and Purdue
• Chose Illinois because, "I have been around the campus for so long and it felt like home."