SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- As the calendar turns to December and the spring 2022 season quickly approaches, the USF Dons baseball program has been hard at work building the foundation for the future of the program. Coach Nino Giarratano and his staff have notched five commitments for the 2022 recruiting period who will soon be joining the Dons Athletics' family.

USF has signed four pitchers and an infielder for their most recent class, with three of the athletes being natives of Northern California as well as representatives from Oklahoma and Colorado. Now let's meet the next generation of Dons who will be taking the field at Benedetti Diamond. 

Hunter Holzemer, LHP Englewood, Colorado
The newest left-hander on the USF staff, Holzemer joins the Dons program after a strong run pitching for the ThunderRidge High School varsity team. He has professional baseball pedigree as his father, Mark spent numerous playing and working in professional baseball. 

USF Head Coach Nino Giarratano:
"Hunter has an outstanding idea of how to pitch! He can go in on right-handed hitters, throw the off-speed for strikes and pitch off the change up. As Hunter continues to mature and get stronger the sky is the limit. We really like his baseball mind and competitiveness. Hunter is also an outstanding student that will pursue greatness and every level."

Brad Johnson, head coach ThunderRidge High School
"We are incredibly excited for Hunter to become a Don! Hunter is an incredible competitor with tremendous talent and knowledge of the game. Hunter has a great presence on the mound and he knows how to win games. His ability to overcome pressure situations on the mound is one of his greatest assets. Hunter has great command of his pitches and is always in control. We are excited to watch him thrive as he continues his baseball career at USF."




Aaron Brooks, RHP University of Oklahoma
A graduate transfer from the Big-12, Brooks will be a versatile addition to the USF pitching staff after four years of competing in a Power 5 conference against some of the best athletes in the country. Armed with a high velocity fastball and power breaking ball, Brooks also stood out in the classroom in Norman as he was first-team all-academic in the Big 12 all four years he was a Sooner.

USF Pitching Coach Mat Keplinger:
"We are thrilled to welcome Aaron Brooks to the Hilltop. He is a transfer from Oklahoma University and he brings a mid-90s fastball, a power curveball, as well as a wealth of knowledge and experience. Aaron's intangible skills and leadership are what I am most excited for him to add to our program. He has the ability to close or start and impact the team in a number of ways."

Brant Cummings, head coach Walnut Creek Crawdads:
"Aaron brings a wealth of experience to the Hilltop as well as maturity and leadership. His ability will allow him to fill a number of roles from starter to closer. His commitment to academics and athletics will serve the Dons well."



Cal Amborn, RHP Larkspur, California
The first of three Northern California natives in the class, Amborn comes to USF following a stellar career at Archie Williams High School where he served as the varsity baseball captain his senior year. Cal's mother Pam comes from an athletic background as well, as she played tennis at Cal before competing professionally on the WTA Tour and competing in all four major tournaments. 

Coach Keplinger: 
"We are really excited to add Cal Amborn to the USF family. He embodies the Dons' culture in all areas as a player, person, and student. Cal has the ability to locate, change speeds, create movement and through his consistent hard work the velocity has made a big jump. It is going to be a lot of fun to see Cal develop over the course of his career because he has the ability to be a very successful starter in the conference."

Taber Watson, head coach Archie Williams High School:
"Cal is one of the hardest working, most coachable kids I have ever had. He earned this, and I can not wait to see what he does next."



Grant Selig, RHP Mill Valley, California
Hailing from just north of the Hilltop in Marin County, Selig was a standout for Tamalpais High School where he was ranked as the No. 64 overall right handed pitcher for the 2022 class after spending all four years on the varsity baseball team. Away from the mound, Selig enjoys to golf and hopes to one day travel to Scotland to play and he looks forward to moving to the Hilltop to experience the food and diverse culture of San Francisco. 

Coach Giarratano:
"We are very excited to add Grant to our program at USF. He is a perfect fit with a very high baseball IQ and great mound presence. Grant will have a chance to pitch as a starter early in his collegiate career. He has the fastball from 88-93 and a plus slider, as he develops the third pitch he will be a force in the WCC. We see Grant as a future leader in our program."

Nathan Bernstein, Head Coach Tamalpais High School:
"Grant is the ultimate competitor on the mound, he does a phenomenal job at staying level and competing pitch-to-pitch."



Luke Rossi, INF Salinas, California 
A dual-sport star in football and baseball Rossi joins the Dons after determining that he would be playing baseball at the Division I level following a strong run at Palma High School. Rossi hit .416 with three home runs and 20 RBI during his COVID-shortened junior season while also compiling over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns on the football field. 

Associate Head Coach Troy Nakamura: 
"Luke had a challenging decision in front of him to play football or baseball in college. We had an easy one. And that was to go all in on him for his ability to impact USF in so many ways. In addition to all of his impressive physical attributes as an athlete and baseball player, it's Luke's servant leader heart and mental make up that excite us. He will make an immediate impact on the program and we are thrilled to welcome him to the Hilltop family." 

Matt Rosa, head coach Palma High School:
"Luke Rossi is the ultimate competitor both in the classroom and on the baseball field. His commitment to work ethic and attention to detail is second to none. Luke displays leadership qualities by being voted ASB President and tutoring students in need of help as part of the National Honor Society. I believe Luke Rossi is going to have an immediate and positive impact both on campus at USF and within the culture of the baseball program."



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