NEWARK, Del. - Five standout student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent with the University of Delaware baseball team as part of the early signing period, head coach Jim Sherman announced today.

Jimmy Yezzo, Alex Mottle, Dylan Shupe, Joe Giacchino, and Anthony Simon have all signed on with the Blue Hen baseball program and will begin competing for Delaware in 2011. 

Yezzo, a native of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, has been a four-year starter for the Bishop Eustace baseball team as an infielder. Last season, he was a first-team All-Conference selection and was named to the All-Parochial League team after hitting .404 with eight home runs and 10 doubles.

A second-team All-Conference selection as a sophomore, Yezzo was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tom Heinkel Tournament last season. Listed as a “Player to Watch” by the Collegiate Baseball Magazine, he competed for the Philadelphia Senators during the summer where he was coached by Steve Koplove, the father of former Blue Hen Mike Koplove.

“Jimmy is what we would consider to be a typical Delaware offensive guy,” said Sherman. “He has a great understanding of how to hit and can be a fixture in the middle of our lineup for years to come. We are very excited about his potential.”

Mottle, a native of Pennington, New Jersey, has been a four-year starter for Hopewell Valley. Last season, he wrapped up a strong junior campaign after finishing the year with a .430 batting average and 20 RBI while also picking up five saves on the mound.

During his first two seasons, Mottle also garnered honorable mention All-County honors for his performance on the diamond. He also competed for the New Jersey Super 17/Tri-State Arsenal summer baseball team coached by Bob Barth.

“Alex is another guy who can flat out swing the bat,” said Sherman. “He's a gap-to-gap hitter that has a great chance to hit for a high average.  Alex is another player we have high hopes for, and we think his bat will play very well in our conference.”

Shupe, a native of Delmar, Delaware, has been a four-year starter at Delmar High. A first-team All-Conference and third-team All-State selection last season, he also earned second-team All-Conference nods during each of his first two years.

An excellent all-around athlete, Shupe was also a first-team All-Conference punter and second-team linebacker for the state champion Delmar football team. Ranked ninth in his class academically, he earned the junior class chemistry honor and is on the Jefferson Awards committee for public service.

“Dylan is a kid that we think has outstanding potential behind the dish,” said Sherman. “He receives the ball very well, has a great feel for what he's doing, and is a very good catch-throw guy. We also like his competitiveness. Dylan has a chance to be another in a long line of outstanding catchers we have had in this program.”

Giacchino, a native of West Chester, Pennsylvania, has been a three-year starting outfielder for Malvern Prep. During his career, he helped guide the Friars to the Pennsylvania Independent School Championship as a junior and a 40-3 record and eighth-place national ranking during his sophomore season.

Last season, he also competed for the All Star Baseball Academy coached by Mike Manning where he hit .347 with a .411 on-base percentage. An excellent student as well, he has been a perennial Honor Roll selection and is a member of the National Honor Society.

“We are very excited about bringing Joe on board, because he helps to improve our team speed,” said Sherman. “Joe is a 6.5 runner in the 60-yard dash, and that kind of speed is something we have been lacking for quite some time. Joe will do a great job running down balls in the outfield and creating havoc on the basepaths. We are excited about having him in our lineup for years to come.”

Simon, a native of Suffern, New York, is a senior member of the Suffern High baseball team after competing for three years at Don Bosco Prep. In 2008, he teamed up with current Blue Hen Michael O’Keeffe to help guide the Ironmen to a pristine 33-0 record that resulted in a National Championship.

An athletic infielder, Simon was selected to the Northeast Top Prospect List as chosen by Perfect Game. Equally as successful in the classroom, he was also named to the math honor society.

“Anthony is a versatile infielder who is very athletic and can play just about every infield position, whether it’s shortstop, third base, or second base,” said Sherman. “He has great hands and can also swing the bat very well. We expect great things from Anthony and feel that he will be a very good player for us.”

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