TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona Baseball and Head Coach Chip Hale today announced the Wildcats 2026 signing class, one that consists of 15 standout players from the high school and junior college ranks.

The Wildcats 2026 signing class — which includes eight Perfect Game top 500 players, six Perfect Game National Showcase participants, five Area Code Games participants, and more — is expected to join the Wildcats in Tucson next August.

"This is an exceptionally well-rounded class, one that our staff is excited to welcome into the Arizona Baseball family," Hale said. "Coming off a trip to the College World Series has given our program tremendous momentum and this class of talented, high-character players helps us maintain and build on that momentum."
 

Name	Position	Previous School	Hometown
Ben Ball	OF	Hamilton HS	Phoenix, Ariz.
Ashten Ballew	INF	Katy HS	Katy, Texas
Jack Byers	RHP	Artesia HS	Artesia, N.M.
Jory Crocker	INF	Willowbrook HS	Villa Park, Ill.
Ayden Deome	INF	West Park HS	Roseville, Calif.
Dusty Dunwoody	RHP	Royal HS	Simi Valley, Calif.
James Hunt	RHP	Blue Valley West HS	Overland Park, Kan.
Cooper Kruk	C	Pima CC	Tucson, Ariz.
Lyndon Lee	INF	Basic Academy	Las Vegas, Nev.
Matthew Maize	OF	Gateway CC	Elk Grove Village, Ill.
Quinn O'Rourke	RHP	Charlotte Catholic HS	Charlotte, N.C.
Tommy Pascanu	LHP	Sandra Day O'Connor HS	Anthem, Ariz.
Francisco Rivero Jr.	C	Canyon Del Oro HS	Tucson, Ariz.
Abram Sherrin	INF	Liberty HS	Peoria, Ariz.
Drew Ward	OF	La Salle HS	Pasadena, Calif.

Career highlights and superlatives on all 15 members of the Wildcats 2026 signing class can be found below, listed alphabetically by last name.
 

Ben Ball  |  OF  |  Hamilton HS  |  Phoenix, Ariz.

• Ranked as the No. 4 outfield prospect in Arizona by Perfect Game
• Three-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• Five-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection
• Across 61 varsity games as a sophomore and junior he hit .386 with 12 doubles, five triples, two home runs, 34 runs scored, and 52 RBI

 

Ashten Ballew  |  INF  |  Katy HS  |  Katy, Texas

• Perfect Game top 400 prospect nationally
• Ranked as the No. 10 shortstop prospect in California by Perfect Game
• 2025 Perfect Game National Showcase participant
• 2024 Perfect Game Junior National Showcase participant
• Three-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• 26-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection

 

Jack Byers  |  RHP  |  Artesia HS  |  Artesia, N.M.

• Ranked as the No. 5 overall prospect and No. 3 RHP in New Mexico by Perfect Game
• 2022 Perfect Game 15U All-Tournament Team selection
• Across 31 varsity appearances on the mound (19 starts), posted a 1.70 ERA with an 18-3 record and 225 strikeouts
• Participated in the 2025 Area Code Games with the Reds

 

Jory Crocker  |  INF  |  Willowbrook HS  |  Villa Park, Ill.

• Perfect Game top 250 prospect nationally
• Ranked as the No. 5 overall prospect and the No. 3 shortstop in Illinois by Perfect Game
• Two-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• Nine-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection

 

Ayden Deome  |  INF  |  West Park HS  |  Roseville, Calif.

• Perfect Game top 100 prospect nationally
• Ranked as the No. 7 third base prospect in the nation by Perfect Game
• Ranked as the No. 19 overall prospect and No. 1 third baseman in California by Perfect Game
• 2025 Perfect Game National Showcase participant
• Two-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• Six-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection
• Across 90 varsity games he hit .419 with 93 runs scored, 30 doubles, nine triples, seven home runs, and 85 RBI
• Also tallied 38 career stolen bases on 38 attempts
• Participated in the 2024 & 2025 Area Code Games with the Athletics

 

Dusty Dunwoody  |  RHP  |  Royal HS  |  Simi Valley, Calif.

• Perfect Game top 200 prospect nationally
• Ranked as the No. 8 RHP prospect in California by Perfect Game
• 2025 Perfect Game National Showcase participant
• Two-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• Nine-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection
• Across two varsity season and 24 appearances (17 starts), posted a 1.72 ERA with a 10-3 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 106 innings of work
• Participated in the 2025 Area Code Games with the Brewers

 

James Hunt  |  RHP  |  Blue Valley West HS  |  Overland Park, Kan.

• Ranked as the No. 5 RHP prospect in Kansas by Perfect Game
• Two-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• Six-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection

 

Cooper Kruk  |  C  |  Pima CC (Catalina Foothills HS)  |  Tucson, Ariz.

• Ranked as the No. 9 catcher in Arizona for the 2025 class by Perfect Game
• 2025 Perfect Game Preseason All-American
• 2024 Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• Two-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection
• Member of the 2026 Pima Community College baseball team

 

Lyndon Lee  |  INF  |  Basic Academy of International Studies  |  Las Vegas, Nev.

• Perfect Game top 500 prospect nationally
• Ranked as the No. 8 overall prospect and No. 4 second baseman in Nevada by Perfect Game
• Three-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• 17-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection
• Two-time Showcase Top Prospect Team selection
• Across 71 varsity games he hit .358 with 56 runs, 20 extra-base hits, and 65 RBI

Matthew Maize  |  OF  |  Gateway CC (James B. Conant HS)  |  Elk Grove Village, Ill.

• 2023 Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection
• Across 44 games at Gateway Community College in 2025 he hit .342 with 35 runs, 16 extra-base hits, and 25 RBI; also drew 20 walks to post a .440 OBP

 

Quinn O'Rourke  |  RHP  |  Charlotte Catholic HS  |  Charlotte, N.C.

• Perfect Game top 250 prospect nationally
• Ranked as the No. 11 over prospect and No. 6 RHP in North Carolina from Perfect Game
• 2024 Perfect Game Underclass All-American Games participant
• 2025 Perfect Game National Showcase participant
• 2024 Perfect Game Junior National Showcase participant
• Two-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• Eight-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection
• Participated in the 2025 Area Code Games with the Yankees

 

Tommy Pascanu  |  LHP  |  Sandra Day O'Connor HS  |  Anthem, Ariz.

• Perfect Game top 500 prospect nationally
• Ranked as the No. 9 overall prospect and No. 1 LHP in Arizona by Perfect Game
• Two-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• 13-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection
• Posted a 2.87 ERA across 16 varsity appearances (13 starts); logged 94 strikeouts in 61 innings of work

 

Francisco Rivero Jr.  |  C  |  Canyon Del Oro HS  |  Tucson, Ariz.

• Perfect Game top 500 prospect nationally
• Ranked as the No. 11 overall prospect and the No. 3 catcher in Arizona by Perfect Game
• 2025 Perfect Game National Showcase participant
• Two-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• Nine-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection

 

Abram Sherrin  |  INF  |  Liberty HS  |  Peoria, Ariz.

• Ranked as the No. 15 overall prospect and the No. 5 shortstop in Arizona by Perfect Game
• Two-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• 18-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection
• Across 80 varsity games he has hit .347 with 40 runs scored, 20 extra-base hits, and 40 RBI
• Participated in the 2024 & 2025 Area Code Games with the Reds

 

Drew Ward  |  OF  |  La Salle HS  |  Pasadena, Calif.

• Ranked as the No. 9 third base prospect in California by Perfect Game
• 2024 Perfect Game Junior National Showcase participant
• Two-time Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American
• Six-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection