California Golden Bears Athletics

BERKELEY – Just a few months into his return to Cal, head coach Mike Neu took another significant step toward shaping what the Bears will look like in the future as he announced Wednesday a group of six players that has signed National Letters of Intent to join the team for the 2019 season.

Neu welcomes a class that is heavy on pitching as the Bears will look to fill multiple gaps in the staff after the 2018 season. Right-handers Joe Ammirato, Dominic Pipkin, Sam Stoutenborough and Ian Villers along with lefty Lucas Gather will bolster the Cal pitching corps in 2019 while two-way standout Grant Holman also adds to a group that will be counted on to produce at the Pac-12 level. 

"Some of the recruiting class had already started and we finished up on it and continue to work on it," Neu said. "It was pitching heavy and we definitely need to fill some gaps on the pitching staff for the future. I thought we did a really good job of getting some late pitchers that are going to help us be successful in the Pac-12. We want to keep with the tradition that we have here where we're going to have guys that are great in the classroom with great makeup, are going to compete and help us get to Regionals and help us have a chance to win a College World Series.  I think we, and specifically our recruiting coordinator, Noah Jackson, did a really good job of finishing strong with that in this class and getting a couple two-way guys that we've done really well with in the past."

Here is a look at the newest Cal baseball signees:

RHP Joe Ammirato (San Jose, Calif. / Bellarmine College Prep)
Standout right-hander went 8-2 with a 1.59 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 13 appearances for the Bells as a junior…2017 Area Code Games participant for the Oakland A's…two-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclassmen All-American earned High Honorable Mention before the 2017 season…second team All-WCAL selection as a junior.

Neu on Ammirato: "We got Joe a little bit later when we got here. He pitched on the A's Area Code team. Dominant right-handed pitcher. One of the better guys on the Area Code team with a high spin rate with his fastball which created a lot of swings and misses and a lot of missed contacts. Has a really good breaking ball as well. I think he's a guy that can come in day one and help us in some capacity. Comes from a great school at Bellarmine where he's had a lot of success already and is just a solid pitcher that gives you a lot of depth day one."

LHP Lucas Gather (Roseville, Calif. / Roseville HS)
All-Capital Valley Conference selection went 4-1 with a 2.44 ERA in eight appearances as a junior in 2017…struck out 50 in 37.1 innings pitched…also hit .351 with 19 runs and eight extra-base hits…named Underclass High Honorable Mention by Perfect Game.

Neu on Gather: "Lucas is another Area Code pitcher with the A's team. Really solid left-handed pitcher. Gives you a chance to potentially be a starter or a bullpen arm. Good arm with a chance to improve and get better. Good feel for his offspeed pitches and another guy that will have a chance to help us right from the start."

RHP/1B Grant Holman (Chula Vista, Calif. / Eastlake HS)
A finalist for Mr. Baseball State Player of the Year from CalHiSports.com, Holman was named National Junior Player of the Year by MaxPreps.com and State Junior of the Year by CalHiSports after going 10-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 78 innings…also a force on offense as he hit .381 with 32 RBI and 12 home runs (reportedly tied for the state lead)…also named first team All-State Underclass multi-purpose by CalHiSports.com…enters his senior season with a 20-0 record on the mound…starred for Chula Vista at the 2013 Little League World Series by throwing a no-hitter, hitting a grand slam and a game-winning three run home run.

Neu on Holman: "Follows the role of big-time two-way guys we've had here in the past with Tanner Dodson, Andrew Vaughn and Lucas Erceg. He's a guy that is a big-time bat and a big-time arm and you project him to come in and help us right away on both sides and be a really solid mainstay on both sides of the ball in the future. We're really excited to get him. He's San Diego County Player of the Year and was for a reason. He's had a ton of success and is a big time guy."

RHP Dominic Pipkin (Pinole, Calif. / Pinole Valley HS)
Local product out of nearby Pinole, Calif. is another Area Code Games graduate joining the Bears in 2019…as a junior in 2017 went 2-2 with a 2.20 ERA and 50 strikeouts in just 35 innings pitched…opponents hit just .114 off him in 2017…in two varsity seasons, owns a 2.30 career ERA for the Spartans…also a solid hitter who has a career .341 batting average at Pinole Valley…two-time Perfect Game Underclass High Honorable Mention.

Neu on Pipkin: "Dominic is probably one of the most electric arms in the country. He's been up to 96 or 97 on the mound and is another Area Code pitcher. Really has continued to get better. He's one of the top talents in the country and we're really lucky to have him. I think he'll continue to develop and has a chance to be a big-time weekend guy."

RHP Sam Stoutenborough (Monterey, Calif. / Palma HS)
Named first team All-State Medium Schools and first team All-State Underclass by CalHiSports.com as well as second team All-State outfielder for large schools by MaxPreps.com and Monterey Bay Herald All-County Player of the Year…went 9-2 with a 0.61 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 68 innings pitched as a junior in 2017…also a force at the plate and hit .373 with 28 RBIs and 20 runs scored…2017 Area Code Games participant.

Neu on Stoutenborough: "Sam is another Area Code pitcher. Throws all three pitches for strikes. I've seen him be very dominant. I think has a chance to be a weekend starter for us. He's done really, really well at the high school level. Great competitor who has shown really well in every event he's had so we're definitely excited about his potential."

RHP Ian Villers (Walnut Creek, Calif. / Northgate HS)
Product of nearby Northgate High School in Walnut Creek appeared in eight games as a junior and went 5-2 with a 2.62 ERA and 48 strikeouts in just 37.1 innings pitched…three-year varsity player has a career ERA of 2.13 and opponents have hit just .172 against him…also a factor at the plate for the Broncos and has a career .274 average with 35 RBI…earned East Bay Athlete of the Week honors from the Bay Area News Group as a sophomore in 2016 after throwing a no-hitter and hitting a home run against perennial local power College Park…named 2017 third team Underclass All-America and 2016 Underclass High Honorable Mention by Perfect Game.

Neu on Villers: "Big right-handed pitcher. Physical, really good breaking ball. Tons of projection. He's going to graduate as a 17-year old so the sky's the limit for him because he's already a big velocity guy that can run it up past 90 and throw a really tight, hard breaking ball so you're looking for him to improve every year. He has a ton of upside, which is what we like as a pitching guy, you like to have those guys that are going to improve."