SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Head Coach Danny Heep and the University of the Incarnate Word baseball program announced Sunday the signing of six student-athletes to National Letters of Intent and the addition of two walk-ons during the early signing period.
 
Signing NLIs are Aaron Celestino, Johnny Foral, Alek Kubik, Tyler Perez, Ridge Rogers and Jake Zatopek, while Kendall Achilles and Michael McElmeel will join the Cardinals as walk-ons.
 
"This was a small class for us considering our last two," Heep said. "This class was about getting deeper and more athletic, and we feel like we have accomplished that. We like the character and work ethic of these guys, and that usually leads to good production. We will still look to add a piece or two in the spring, but we are very happy with this class, as it will mesh well with what we already have on campus."
 
A 6'0" infielder out of Round Rock, Texas, Kendall Achilles comes to UIW from Cedar Ridge High School.
 
"Kendall is a versatile infielder," Heep said. "We are anxious to see what he can do with the bat when he gets bigger and stronger. He will be able to play both corner infield positions."
 
A 6'0" right-handed pitcher out of Houston, Texas, Aaron Celestino joins the Cardinals from North Shore High School. He was rated a top-1000 player in the nation and the No. 81 pitcher in the state of Texas by Perfect Game.
 
"Aaron is a big, strong kid and may be the most ready-to-pitch player of the group," Heep said. "He has a good arm with speeds up to 88 miles per hour, throws a heavy ball, and most importantly, is a strike thrower. He will be able to fill a number of roles on our staff."
 
A 6'1" left-handed pitcher out of Austin, Texas, Johnny Foral comes to UIW from Vandergrift High School. He joins Celestino as a top-1000 player in the nation and was named the No. 29 pitcher in the state of Texas by Perfect Game.
 
"Johnny is a strike-throwing left-handed pitcher," Heep said. "He can fill any role on our staff, but as he develops physically, he should become a weekend starter for us in the future."
 
A 6'5" righty out of Boerne, Texas, Alek Kubik joins the Cardinals from Boerne Champion High School.
 
"Alec is a long and lanky right-handed pitcher that may have as much upside as anybody we have had come through here in a long time," Heep said. "He pitches 83 to 85 right now and we think he will blow up pretty quick. Alec is really athletic for his size and has a frame that can add 25 to 30 pounds. When he starts to mature physically, the sky is the limit for him."
 
A 5'10" southpaw from San Antonio, Texas, Michael McElmeel Comes to UIW from Antonian Prep High School.
 
"Michael is another strike-throwing lefty," Heep said. "We needed a couple in this class, so he is a great fit. He will be able to fill many roles within our staff and has a chance to be pretty good with experience and some added strength."
 
A 5'9" right-hander out of Arlington, Texas, Tyler Perez joins the Cardinals from Kennedale High School, by way of Weatherford College. A junior college all-star, Perez tossed 19 innings, allowing 15 hits with 27 strikeouts, and averaged 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings. He finished the 2016 season with a 2.84 ERA.
 
"Tyler is a little undersized, but has a very fast arm and a solid breaking ball," Heep said. "We are excited to get him and think that we got a very good and very versatile pitcher. He has been well coached and will be ready to make an impact as soon as he steps on campus."
 
A 5'9" outfielder out of Flower Mound, Texas, Ridge Rogers comes to UIW from Marcus High School.
 
"Ridge is a spark plug type of player," Heep said. "He will most likely play center field for us and eventually hit at the top of the lineup. He brings a toughness as a former defensive back and a level of athleticism that we really need. We can't wait to get him on the field and let him loose."
 
A 6'4" right-handed pitcher out of Sugarland, Texas, Jake Zatopek joins the Cardinals from George Ranch High School. Along with Celestino and Foral, Zatopek was named a top-1000 player in the nation and the No. 82 pitcher in the state of Texas by Perfect Game.
 
"Jake is a big, strong, athletic guy that has a chance to be a very good power arm," Heep said. "He can hit speeds up to 91 miles per hour and just needs to be refined a little bit. With some experience the future for him is in his own hands."
 
Achilles, McElmeel, Celestino, Foral, Kubik, Perez, Rogers and Zatopek will join UIW for the 2018 season and will be the first class eligible to reach the Southland Conference Tournament as the athletic department completes its transition to Division I.
 
The Cardinals open their 2017 campaign on Feb. 17 as the squad faces St. Louis University at the Irish Alamo Invitational.
 
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