Mocs Announce Addition of Seven Players for 2013-14 School Year

LAKELAND - First-year Moccasin head coach Lance Niekro has announced the addition of seven players for the 2013-14 school year during the spring recruiting period.

The seven players who will join the Moccasins are right-handed pitcher Stephen Brooks, infielder/outfielder Chris Dennis, shortstop Casey Eddinger, right-handed pitcher Casey Eskew, right-handed pitcher Brandon Leskanic, outfielder Andrew McCoy and catcher Blake Swann. Brooks is a transfer from Army, while Dennis, Eddinger, Eskew and Swann are transfers from junior college and Leskanic and McCoy are currently seniors in high school.

Brooks, who is a native of Glen Allen, Va., and played high school baseball at Deep Run High School, comes to FSC after beginning his collegiate career at the U.S. Military Academy (Army) at West Point. Brooks was a highly recruited and decorated high school player as he reached 92 miles per hour on the radar gun and compliments his fast ball with an above average slider. Along with playing at Deep Run H.S., Brooks also played for one of the top travel teams in the country, Richmond Braves and earned Rawlings All-American honors as a member of that team. In high school, earned All-District, All-Region, and All-Metro honors and pitched two perfect games.

“Stephen has a tremendous arm and has the potential to be an outstanding power pitcher,” Niekro said. “In addition, he can handle the bat and we look for him to perform as a two-way player.” 

Dennis, who is a native of Rockledge, Fla., and played high school at Rockledge High School, is in his second season at Brevard Community College in Cocoa, Fla. He is a versatile player as he has played both the outfield and middle infield for the Titans the past two seasons. This season, playing shortstop, he is one of the top hitter in NJCAA as he is currently hitting .374 with 15 doubles, four triples, three home runs and 30 RBIs primarily at the leadoff spot. In 210 at-bats, he has struck out only 11 times this season and has a .510 slugging percentage. Dennis, who graduated from Rockledge in 2009, has also earned First-Team All-Conference honors this year.

“Chris is an established left handed hitter that looks to be a force in the middle of the line-up,” said Niekro about Dennis.

Eddinger, who is a native of Crawfordville, Fla., comes to FSC after playing the past two seasons at St. John’s River State College in Palatka, Fla. Since arriving at St. John’s River in 2011 from Wakulla High School, Eddinger has been a two-year starter at shortstop for the Vikings. As a freshman in 2012, Eddinger hit .282 and was second on the team in RBIs with 23. This season, he has scored 23 runs and leads the team with 18 hit by pitches and was recently named this year’s Mid-Florida Conference Defensive Player of the Year and earned Honorable Mention All-Conference honors. Eddinger helped lead SJRSC to its first conference title since 1977 this season as the Vikings are 38-16 and will compete at the State Tournament starting May 10 at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland for a chance at advancing to the NJCAA World Series.

“Casey is a proven leader with outstanding intangibles and is a great defender that looks too shore up the middle of our defense,” Niekro said.

Eskew, who is a native of Sarasota, Fla., and a graduate of Sarasota High School, comes to FSC after playing the past two seasons at State College of Florida. He is the second Manatee player that is joining the Mocs next season as his teammate, Colton Davis, signed with the Mocs during the fall recruiting period. On the season, Eskew, who has been a mainstay out of the bullpen this year for the Manatees, has posted a 4-0 record and a 1.69 ERA in 17 appearances. He is averaging nearly a strikeout per inning pitched and has walked only five opposing batters. Eskew has helped lead the SCF to a 41-11 record, a conference title and berth in this year’s State Tournament, which is being held at Lakeland’s Joker Marchant Stadium beginning on May 10.

“Casey possesses a solid three pitch mix and could help us out in the rotation or as a shut-down bullpen arm,” Niekro added.

Leskanic is a native of Longwood, Fla., and plays as a pitcher at Lake Mary High School. He is the son of former major league pitcher Curtis Leskanic, who played 11 seasons in the majors, including six seasons with the Colorado Rockies and was a member of the Boston Red Sox’s 2004 World Series Championship team. Along with playing at Lake Mary, Leskanic also plays for the Orlando Scorpions and will join two of his Scorpion teammates at FSC next year as Kevin Fuller and Craig Savage signed during the fall recruiting period.

“Brandon is a big-bodied pitcher that shows the potential to be a dominant arm for us in the future,” the Mocs coach said.

McCoy is a native of Miami and plays in the outfield at Monsignor Pace High School. This season at Monsignor Pace, McCoy is hitting .396 with four home runs and eight doubles. Along with playing high school baseball, McCoy also plays summer baseball with the South Florida Breakers organization out of Miami.

“Andrew has shown the ability to hit at a high level and hit for power as he has excelled in one of the top high school districts in the state,” said Niekro, who played four seasons in the major leagues with the San Francisco Giants..

Swann, who is a native of Live Oak, Fla., and a graduate of Suwannee High School, comes to the Mocs after playing the past two seasons as a catcher at St. John’s River State College. This season, Swann, who attended the same high school as former Moccasin pitcher Daniel Tillman, who was selected in the second round of the 2010 MLB Draft, is hitting .315 with 13 doubles, three home runs and 40 RBIs and was named a First-Team All-Conference selection and was runner-up for the Conference Player of the Year accolade. As a freshman last season, Swann hit .248 while being the Vikings primary catcher. Swann helped lead SJRSC to its first conference title since 1977 this season as the Vikings are 38-16 and will compete at the State Tournament starting May 10 at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland for a chance at advancing to the NJCAA World Series.

“Blake is a big, strong physical player that has a tremendous arm and hits for power,” the Mocs coach added. “He will look to be a mainstay in the middle of our lineup next season.”     

All seven of these new players will join the Mocs for the 2014 baseball season.