MANKATO, Minn. --- Minnesota State baseball head coach Matt Magers has announced that seven student-athletes will be joining the program for the 2023 season. 

All signings are contingent upon admission to Minnesota State and compliance with NCAA rules, including certification by the NCAA Clearinghouse.

This year's early signing class is comprised of three pitchers in Mack Crowley, Zach Romans and Tanner Shumski, a pair of two-way players that can pitch and field in Ben Irsfeld and Louis Magers and a catcher in Chayton Fischer, who have signed National Letters of Intent to continue their education and play baseball for the Mavericks starting in the fall of 2022. In addition, catcher Brady Koeppel has been admitted to Minnesota State and will play baseball for the Mavericks next season. All seven newcomers will arrive from the high school ranks with five hailing from the state of Minnesota and the other two coming out of Wisconsin and South Dakota, respectively. 

"Signing day is always an exciting day, I want to thank Assistant Coaches PJ McIntee and Kyle Dalton for their efforts in putting together this talented group," Magers said. "We're looking forward to getting these guys on campus next fall and watch them develop as Maverick student athletes."

Mack Crowley, a 6-3, 180-lb right-handed pitcher from Green Bay, Wis., comes to the Mavericks from Ashwaubenon High School where he garnered unaminous first team All-Conference honors for his work pitching in the Fox River Classic Conference during the 2021 campaign. As a utility player, Crowley was named second team Fox River Classic All-Conference in 2021. During that season between his time playing school ball and with his travel team, the ISA Stars, Crowley worked in 52.2 innings allowing 47 hits while allowing 13 walks and striking out 66 others. A multi-sport athlete at Ashwaubenon High School, Crowley also plays hockey for the Jaguars. Mack's sister, Madeline, currently plays volleyball at Northern Michigan. He is the son of Chad and Kathleen Crowley.

Assistant Coach McIntee on Crowley: "Mack is a late bloomer who we feel is just starting to tap into his potential on the mound. He has very good command and the ability to throw any pitch in any count. With his strong desire to win and excellent work ethic, we project Mack to have a bright future on the mound as a Maverick."

Chayton Fischer, a 6-0, 220-lb catcher from Maple Grove, Minn., will join the Mavericks next season after playing his school ball at Maple Grove High School. While playing baseball for the Crimson, Fischer has been named to the All-Metro Team, All-Conference in the Northwest Suburban Conference as well as the All-Tournament Team. His stats from playing summer ball last season include sporting a .382 batting average with nine doubles, six triples, a pair of home runs, 46 RBI and five stolen bases. Highlights from Fischer's high school career include being named the Perfect Game Labor Day Most Valuable Player and breaking the all-time hits record for the Minnesota Millers, Fischer's summer ball team, when he had 55 hits in one season. Also a hockey player, Fischer was named the Most Valuable Player for the Crimson on the ice. He is the son of Steve and Nancy Fischer.

Assistant coach McIntee on Fischer: "Chayton is a physical left-handed hitting catcher that we identified from day one in the recruiting process as someone who can make an impact in the middle of our lineup. Offensively he has a fundamentally sound swing with the ability to hit for average and power. Defensively he controls the ball and has a clean exchange. Chayton has a tremendous work ethic and all the intangibles we look for in a catcher."

Ben Irsfeld, a 5-10, 180-lb right-handed pitcher and utility fielder from Sioux Falls, S.D., currently plays school ball at Roosevelt High School while spending the summer months competing with the Minnesota Blizzard baseball club. Last high school season, Irsfeld owned an 11-1 record on the mound while pitching 69.2 innings for the Rough Riders where he struck out 99 batters and issued 23 walks. He finished his junior year with a 1.85 ERA and an opponent average of .172. Last summer with the Minnesota Blizzard, Irsfeld lowered his ERA to 1.79 with an opponent average of .169. He tossed a no hitter in the Perfect Game World Wood Bat National Tournament, marking the first-ever no hitter thrown by a Blizzard player in a national tournament. During his time on the travel ball circuit, Irsfeld has been named to seven different All-Tournament teams. He is set join the Mavericks next school year as right-handed pitcher and utility player. Extending from a baseball family, Ben's dad, Chris, played college baseball at the University of Nebraska Omaha. He is the son of Chris and Kristi Irsfeld.

Assistant coach McIntee on Irsfeld: "Ben is a gamer who has competed on the big stage throughout the summer against some of the top travel teams in the country. He consistently shows the ability to raise his level of play in highly competitive moments. He pounds the strike zone with all his pitches and gives you a chance to win every time he takes the ball."

Brady Koeppel, a 5-9, 160-lb catcher and outfielder from St. Charles, Minn., joins the Mavericks hailing from St. Charles High School where he played his summer ball with the Rochester Pines. While competing last season with the Saints, Koeppel was named All-Conference by the Three Rivers Conference as well as to the All-Section Team. During the 2021 campaign, Koeppel batted .393 with eight doubles and a home run. Also a threat on the base paths, Koeppel stole 18 bases throughout the season. Another multi-sport athlete, Koeppel also participates in football where he was honored with an All-District Honorable Mention and is the captain of the St. Charles Saints wrestling team where he was also received an honorable mention for All-Conference a season ago. He is the son of Jason and Holly Koeppel.

Assistant coach McIntee on Koeppel: "Brady is a true student of the game who brings a dynamic style of play behind the play. He has excellent speed which will allow him to impact the game in a variety of ways. Defensively his skill set is advanced with the ability to block and receive very well.  Brady has the grit and determination it takes to be a Maverick."

Louis Magers, a 6-5, 210-lb infielder and right-handed pitcher from Mankato, Minn., will make the shift from Mankato West to Minnesota State starting in the fall of 2022. While playing baseball with the Scarlets last season, Magers was named to the Big 9 All-Conference Team, the All-Section Team and the All-City Team. He was awarded the Top Newcomer Award in 2021 during their push through as the Big 9 Conference Champions. During the 2021 high school season, Magers batted .388 with three doubles, two triples and a home run as well as 24 RBI, nine stolen bases, 13 walks. Also a threat with his arm on the bump, Magers pitched 24 innings with a 3-1 record a season ago while allowing 17 hits with 34 strikeouts and a 2.04 ERA. Over the summer competing with Mankato National Post 11, Magers batted .479 with seven doubles, four triples, and two home runs along with 31 RBI and 10 stolen bases. On the mound, Magers was 4-0 while throwing 28.2 innings allowing 16 hits with 30 strikeouts and a 0.91 ERA. Also a basketball player, Louis garnered a 2021 All-Conference Honorable Mention, the Scarlets' Most Improved Player when the Scarlets won the Big 9 Conference Championship and the section tournament to make their way to the Minnesota State High School Basketball Tournament. He is the son of Matt and Lora Magers.

Assistant coach McIntee on Magers: "Louis is a two-way player who has the athletic ability to make an immediate impact for us both at the plate and on the mound. He's versatile playing multiple positions on the field and offensively is an exciting player. At the plate, Louis has an advanced approach and uses the whole field, he's a line drive, gap-to-gap hitter with the ability to get the barrel to the baseball consistently. On the mound, he has the arsenal to get swings and misses on multiple pitches. He plays with that competitiveness we look for in recruits and has grown up around the program, so he knows what it takes to be a Maverick and win championships."

Zach Romans, a 6-4, 195-lb right-handed pitcher from Rogers, Minn., is a another addition out of Minnesota expected to pitch for the Mavericks beginning in the fall of 2022. Romans hails from St. Michael Albertville High School and is coming off a season with Knights and his summer ball team, the Minnesota Millers, where he posted a combined 12-1 record with one save along the way. In 75 innings of work over that span, Romans allowed 52 hits, walked 38 batters and struck out 78 others and, as a result, was named to the 2021 Perfect Game All-Tournament Team and named a Perfect Game Underclass All-American. He is the son of Craig and Rebecca Romans.

Assistant coach McIntee on Romans: "We got the chance to see Zach pitch multiple times later this fall and it became apparent that he knows how to win and will get hitters out with various pitches. He fits the mold of another high upside pitcher who is just starting to show his potential. With his frame and mentality, we feel he will fill multiple roles on the mound."

Tanner Shumski, a 6-1, 235-lb right-handed pitcher from Mankato, Minn., is another Scarlet coming the Mavericks' roster in the 2022 from Mankato West High School. Last season, Shumski was a member of the 2021 Scarlets' baseball team which won the Big 9 Conference Championship. Shumski was named Big 9 Conference Pitcher of the Year and garnered All-Conference and All-City honors. During the 2021 campaign, Shumski pitched his way to an 8-1 record for the Scarlets while throwing 52 innings and allowing 35 hits and eight walks while striking out 54 along the way to own a 1.38 ERA. Over the summer while competing with Mankato National Post 11, Shumski owned a 3-2 record and 2.53 ERA in 36 innings of work. He allowed 39 hits, walked six and struck out 28 opponents. Also a football star, he has been named All-City for the Scarlets three times (2019, 2020, 2021), All-Conference twice (2019, 2020) and is currently competing in the Minnesota State High School Football Tournament with the Mankato West Scarlets, who just won a section championship and are 10-0 this season. Tanner's brother, Garrett Shumski, participates in track and field at the University of North Dakota. He is the son of Troy and Cheryl Shumski.

Assistant coach McIntee on Shumski: "Tanner has a strong frame with a bulldog approach on the mound. He's a polished strike thrower with great sink to his fastball and solid fade to his changeup. His ability to locate the fastball and throw offspeed pitches in any count will allow him to make an immediate impact on our pitching staff."

-30-