⚾ Kansas Baseball Makes Nine Additions to its Roster

LAWRENCE, Kan. – After finishing his first season at the helm of the Kansas Baseball program in May, Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald and his staff have had the opportunity to bolster the roster this summer. Fitzgerald and his staff have added eight high-impact transfers and one high school recruit to go along with a strong core of returning players.

"We really like the guys we added to our incoming class. As always, Jon [Coyne] did a phenomenal job of leading the effort in putting together a well-balanced and talented class. We return a number of great pieces, but we also had to address some glaring weaknesses, and we feel like we have the right guys on the roster."

Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald

Kansas finished the 2023 campaign with a record of 25-32 and an 8-16 mark in Big 12 play. The Jayhawks doubled their conference win total from a season ago and improved their overall win total by five games.

“I’m really excited what we were able to do as a staff with this recruiting class,” Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Jon Coyne said. “Every player we added makes us a better team. I really feel like we improved in many areas especially our depth.”

Below is a breakdown of each addition.

Grant Adler
RHP • Sr. • 6-3 • 200 • R/R
Wichita, Kan. • Derby HS/Cowley County Community College/Wichita State
2023 Stats: 5-4, 2.55 ERA, 77.2 IP, 23 BB, 75 SO in 14 appearances (14 starts)

Notes: Transferred to Kansas from Wichita State with one year of eligibility remaining … Pitched one year at Wichita State (2023) and two years at Cowley Community College (2021-22) … Named the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Newcomer Pitcher of the Year in 2023 … Led the AAC with a 2.55 ERA over 77.2 innings pitched in 2023 … Seven starts of at least six innings … Tossed a complete game shutout against No. 7-ranked East Carolina on April 23, 2023 … Named All-Region VI First Team, All-KJCCC First Team and the KJCCC East Division Pitcher of the Year after leading Cowley to a runner-up finish at the 2022 NJCAA Division I World Series … Went 12-2 with a 3.18 ERA over 87.2 innings with 85 strikeouts compared to 16 walks in 2022 as a sophomore … All-KJCCC Second Team selection as a freshman in 2021 with a 7-0 record and 3.60 ERA in 60.0 innings of work … Played football and basketball in addition to baseball at Derby High School in Derby, Kansas … All-State selection in baseball and football … All-Metro in baseball … All-Conference in basketball … His cousin, Eric Adler is in the Chicago White Sox organization … His sisters, Emily and Sydney are on the softball team at Oklahoma Baptist … His father, Mike played baseball at Phillips University … His cousin, Ben Adler played football at Kansas State … His cousin, Nate Adler played baseball at Wichita State … His sister, Courtney played softball at Cowley Community College … Committed in June 2023 … Chose Kansas over TCU, Arizona State, Miami, Oklahoma, Kansas State and South Carolina … Son of Mike and Rainey Adler … Has three sisters, Courtney, Emily and Sydney.

Assistant Coach/Pitching Coach Brandon Scott on Adler: “We love Grant because he is a proven winner. He won at Cowley CC and he won at Wichita State. He was rewarded for his hard work last season as the American Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year. He is a guy we fully expect to contend for a rotation spot. Grant possesses a three-pitch mix that should translate to success in the Big 12.”

Lenny Ashby
OF • Sr. • 5-7 • 215 • L/L
Oranjestad, Aruba • Maria College Mavo/Odessa College/New Mexico
2023 Stats: .381/.455/.595 (80-for-210), 18 2B, 9 HR, 51 RBI, 46 R, 26 BB in 51 games (51 starts)

Notes: Transferred to Kansas from New Mexico with one year of eligibility remaining … Played two years at New Mexico (2022-23) and two years at Odessa College (2020-21) … Two-time All-Mountain West Second Team selection in 2022 and 2023 … All-WJCAC selection in 2021 … NJCAA Second Team All-American in 2020 … Started all 51 games at New Mexico in 2023 … Led the team and ranked third in the Mountain West in hits (80) … Second on the team in batting average (.381), on-base percentage (.455), doubles (18) and walks (26) in 2023 … Led the Mountain West with 17 home runs and also led the team in RBIs (59), OPS (1.073), doubles (18), slugging percentage (.667) and batting average (.342) in 2022 … Hit .453 with eight doubles, five home runs, three triples, 32 RBIs, an on-base percentage of .549 and a slugging percentage of .906 in 22 games in 2020 to earn All-American honors … Led the team in batting average (.399), home runs (10), slugging percentage (.673), OPS (1.068) and runs (49) to earn himself a spot on the All-WJCAC team in 2021 … First person from the island of Aruba to compete at the Power Five level … Committed in June 2023 … Son of Lenin Ashby and Ceslin Yarzagaray … Has three brothers, Jayson, Jordon and Lendrick, and two sisters, Janice and Shaindra.

Assistant Coach/Hitting Coach Tyler Hancock on Ashby: “Lenny is a pure hitter. He’s a middle of the order bat with really good bat-to-ball skills. He makes great swing decisions and has the ability to drive the ball to all parts of the field. Lenny has hit every place he has been and we look forward to watching him in a Jayhawk uniform.”

Tegan Cain
RHP • Jr. • 6-0 • 200 • R/R
Ellis, Kan. • Ellis HS/Barton Community College
2023 Stats: 8-3, 3.82 ERA, 73.0 IP, 31 BB, 93 SO in 15 appearances (15 starts)

Notes: Transferred to Kansas from Barton Community College with two years of eligibility remaining … Pitched two years at Barton … Second Team All-KJCCC West (Starting Pitcher) in 2023 … Helped his team become Jayhawk West Champions in 2022 and 2023 … Went 9-4 with a 4.31 ERA in 108.2 innings pitched with 47 walks and 136 strikeouts in 29 career appearances (23 starts) … Tossed two complete games over his 73.0 innings in 2023 … Recorded 93 strikeouts in 2023 for the fifth-most in a single season at Barton … His eight wins were tied for ninth-most in a single season at Barton … Struck out five or more hitters in 12 of his 15 starts, including a career-high nine on two separate occasions … Held opponents to a .207 batting average in 2023 … Played football and basketball in addition to baseball at Ellis High School in Ellis, Kansas … Helped his team become Sub-State Champions in baseball in 2021 … Set single-season school records in 2021 in wins (9), strikeouts (108) and ERA (0.40) … Went 20-2 with a 2.12 ERA in 102.1 innings pitched with 50 walks and 203 strikeouts in his high school career … All-State First Team pitcher in 2019 and 2021 … All-State Second Team outfielder in 2018 … 2-1a Player of the Year in baseball in 2021 … Wichita Eagle Honorable Mention quarterback in 2020 … His father, Brent played baseball at Tabor College … His mother, Darci played softball and tennis at Tabor College … Committed in May 2023 … Chose Kansas over USF, Wichita State, Nebraska, Texas State, and Louisiana-Monroe … Son of Brent and Darci Cain.

Assistant Coach/Pitching Coach Brandon Scott on Cain: “Tegan comes to us from Barton Community College as a right-handed pitcher who can fill many roles for us. He has experience as a starter, but he has the stuff that can translate to a very solid bullpen piece in the Big 12. He has a fastball that can make its way into the mid 90’s along with good secondary stuff.  I am excited to watch him compete. All reports that we have on Tegan speak about how much of a competitor he is. We are thrilled to have him in a Jayhawk uniform.”

JD Callahan
RHP • Sr. • 6-4 • 205 • R/R
Santa Clarita, Calif. • West Ranch HS/UC Santa Barbara
2023 Stats: 2-3, 5.31 ERA, 42.1 IP, 17 BB, 46 SO in 11 appearances (eight starts)

Notes: Transferred to Kansas from UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) with one year of eligibility remaining … Pitched four years at UCSB … Helped UCSB become Big West Champions in 2022 … Went 9-10 with a 4.98 ERA in 150.0 innings pitched with 57 walks and 142 strikeouts in 40 appearances (28 starts) … Big West Academic All-Conference in 2022 and 2023 … Worked three quality starts in 2023, at Pepperdine (April 18), versus UC Davis (April 30), and at UC Riverside (May 7) … Recorded career highs for both innings pitched and strikeouts against the Highlanders on May 7, working seven innings and striking out 10 … Played four years of baseball at West Ranch High School in Stevenson Ranch, California … Set the Wildcats’ single-season ERA record as a sophomore … Helped lead the team to three postseason appearances and a National Classic Tournament championship … Had a 1.54 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 54 innings as senior, earning him All-CIF First Team and Foothill League Pitcher of the Year … Committed in June 2023 … Son of Jim and Janay Callahan … Has one younger brother, Jake.

Assistant Coach/Pitching Coach Brandon Scott on Callahan: “Our goal was to recruit experience from the portal, and nobody we brought in has more of that than JD Callahan. JD started for UCSB and pitched well for them. He has three good pitches. The thing I loved when recruiting JD was he knows what he is. He has goals and we want to be a bridge to those goals. More importantly, he wants to help Kansas compete for a Big 12 title.”

Kasey Crawford
RHP • Fr. • 6-4 • 200 • R/R
Olathe, Kan. • Olathe West HS

Notes: Played four years of baseball at Olathe West High School in Olathe, Kansas … Rated as the No. 6 overall prospect and the No. 3 right-handed pitcher in the state of Kansas and a top-400 national prospect by Prep Baseball Report … Ranked the No. 3 right-handed pitcher in Kansas and the No. 5 overall prospect and a top-500 recruit nationally by Perfect Game … Earned All-State First Team honors as a sophomore and picked up All-State Second Team honors as a junior … Helped his team win two regional championships … Began his high school career at La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, N.M. … His cousin, Devin Crawford played baseball at Eastern Oklahoma State College (2018-19), Oklahoma Baptist (2020-22) and Austin Peay (2023) … Committed in June 2023 … Chose Kansas over Kansas State and Nebraska … Son of Randall Crawford and Shannon McConkey … has two sisters, Britnie and Kyla.

Assistant Coach/Pitching Coach Brandon Scott on Crawford: “Kasey is an interesting story. He is coming off ACL surgery and missed important innings last season on the mound. That’s the bad news. The good news is Kasey has recovered from surgery and is looking great in his return to throwing progression. I couldn’t be more excited from what I’ve seen so far. Kasey will play a significant role for us in 2024.”

Reese Dutton
RHP • Sr. • 6-2 • 210 • R/R
Kenosha, Wis. • Kenosha Tremper HS/Heartland Community College/USC Upstate
2023 Stats: 10-3, 3.29 ERA, 90.1 IP, 30 BB, 102 SO in 15 appearances (15 starts)

Notes: Transferred to Kansas from USC Upstate with one year of eligibility remaining … Pitched one year at USC Upstate (2023) and three years at Heartland Community College (2020-22) … Named to the All-Big South First Team and Big South All-Tournament Team … Set the single-season program record with 102 strikeouts and tied the single-season program record with 10 wins … One of 22 Division I pitchers with 10 or more wins in 2023 … His 102 strikeouts were the 41st most in the country in 2023 … Named to the College Baseball Foundation Pitcher of the Year watch list in April 2023 … Went 16-1 with a 3.55 ERA in 134.1 innings pitched with 44 walks and 178 strikeouts in 26 career appearances (22 starts) at Heartland CC … As a sophomore, named NJCAA Division II Pitcher of the Year … Named NJCAA First Team All-American … Named NJCAA Region 24/Mid-West Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year … Named First Team NJCAA Region 24/MWAC … Helped Heartland CC to the No. 3 Seed in the NJCAA D2 JUCO World Series … Helped Heartland CC to a NJCAA Region 24/Mid-West Athletic Conference Championship … Played four years of baseball and wrestling at Kenosha Tremper High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin … Named the 2019 Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division I Southeast Conference Player of the Year … Named a 2018 WIAA D1 Southeast Conference First Team selection … A two-time Second Team All-State selection (2018 & 2019) … A two-time First Team All-County selection (2018 & 2019) … Helped the Trojans to a pair of WIAA D1 Southeast Conference Championships (2017 & 2018) … Posted a 2.24 ERA and .337 batting average as a senior … A two-time WIAA State Wrestling Tournament qualifier (2015-16 & 2018-19) … Earned a sixth-place finish in the 160 pounds division at the 2018-19 WIAA State Wrestling Tournament … Crafted a 172-48 career wrestling record … Owns the KTHS single-season takedowns record … His brother, Riley played baseball at UW Platteville … His mother, Kathy played softball at UW Parkside … His father, Joel wrestled at UW Parkside … Committed in June 2023 … Son of Joel and Kathy Dutton … Has two younger brothers, Riley and Rory.

Assistant Coach/Pitching Coach Brandon Scott on Dutton: “Reese Dutton is a Friday night guy. When you get a chance to add a guy like that, you find a way to do it. Reese comes to us from South Carolina Upstate where he anchored the rotation, and we fully expect him to do the same thing here. He has tremendous pitch ability with an above-average sinker. Reese is the kind of arm that gets you through six innings every week, while always limiting the damage. When he’s got his good stuff he wins, when he has his okay stuff he gives you a chance to win. That’s what good starting pitchers do in this league. I think fans will enjoy watching him pitch.”

Ethan Lanthier
RHP • Jr. • 6-5 • 230 • R/R
Northfield, Minn. • Northfield HS/St. Cloud State
2023 Stats: 1-2, 4.84 ERA, 35.1 IP, 22 BB, 44 SO, 1 SV in 14 appearances (four starts)

Notes: Transferred to Kansas from St. Cloud State with two years of eligibility remaining … Spent two years at St. Cloud State (2022-23) … Helped the Huskies become 2023 NSIC Tournament Champions … Went 7-2 with a 3.67 ERA in 68.2 innings pitched with 39 walks and 92 strikeouts in 29 career appearances (six starts) … Earned All-Region honors as a true freshman in 2022 … Named to the All-NSIC First Team in 2022 … Cape Cod League All-Star in 2023 … NCBWA Preseason All-Central Region in 2023 … Went 6-0 with a 2.43 ERA in 15 appearances as a freshman in 2022 … Held opponents to a slash line of .138/.270/.207 as a freshman … Struck out multiple batters in 12 of 15 appearances and punched out three or more on 11 occasions … Played four years of baseball and two years of football at Northfield High School in Northfield, Minnesota … earned Class AAA All-State honors as a senior … All-Big 9 Conference honoree … 2020-21 Northfield Men’s Athlete of the Year … as a senior worked 20.0 innings to a 1.05 ERA with 38 strikeouts … also hit .350 with a .400 on-base percentage while driving in 20 … hit .450 in legion ball during the 2021 summer … played his club baseball with HTP … picked up All-Section, All-Big 9 Conference and Team MVP honors in football … Committed in July 2023 … Picked Kansas over Kentucky, Texas A&M, Georgia and Nebraska … Son of Ernie and Jenn Lanthier … Has one brother, Nathaniel.

Assistant Coach/Pitching Coach Brandon Scott on Lanthier: “Ethan is a right-handed pitcher with as good of stuff as we have recruited at Kansas. Ethan transferred from St. Cloud State after a very good summer in the Cape Cod League. His fastball will run up in the mid-to-upper 90’s along with a good slider and above-average changeup. Ethan can start, close, and everything in between. We are really excited to have him here in Lawrence.”

John Nett
OF • Sr. • 5-10 • 200 • R/R
Appleton, Wis. • Kimberly HS/St. Cloud State
2023 Stats: .440/.527/.619 (96-for-218), 21 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 53 RBI, 62 R, 33 BB in 54 games (54 starts)

Notes: Transferred to Kansas from St. Cloud State with one year of eligibility remaining … Spent four years at St. Cloud State (2020-23) … Helped the Huskies become 2023 NSIC Tournament Champions … Slashed .394/.487/.575 with 228 hits, 49 doubles, 10 triples, 12 home runs, 120 RBIs, 172 runs and 92 walks in 148 career games (all starts) … Tied the St. Cloud State single-season hits record in 2023 with 96 hits … ABCA/Rawlings Third Team All-American (2023) … NCBWA Third Team All-American (2023) … Three-time All-NSIC First Team selection (2021, 2022, 2023) … CSC Third Team Academic All-American (2023) … CSC Academic All-District (2023) … D2CCA First Team All-Central Region (2023) … NCBWA First Team All-Central Region (2023) … ABCA/Rawlings Central Region Gold Glove Outfielder (2023) … NSIC Batting Champion (2023) … NSIC Gold Glove Outfielder (2023) … Three-time NSIC Player of the Week (April 18, 2022, Feb. 7, 2023, Feb. 14, 2023) … NCBWA Central Region Player of the Week (Feb. 8, 2023) …  Three-time Academic All-NSIC (2021, 2022, 2023) … Northwoods League Rawlings “Big Stick” (2022) … Northwoods League Rawlings “Finest in the Field” (2022) … Northwoods League Midseason All-Star (2022) … Northwoods League Postseason All-Star (2022) … St. Cloud Rox Player of the Year (2022) … NSIC Academic Team of Excellence (2021) … Played four years of baseball and three years of football at Kimberly High School in Kimberly, Wisconsin … two-time WBCA All-State honoree … three-time WBCA All-North East District and All-Fox Valley Association selection … hit .508 over his prep career … led Kimberly to a WIAA D1 State Championship in his sophomore year while earning All-District and All-Conference honors (2017) … earned WBCA Second Team All-State accolades and was named Fox Valley Association Player of the Year as a senior … 2018-19 Post-Crescent Athlete of the Year…picked up WBCA Third Team All-State honors as a junior … led Kimberly football to three WIAA D1 State Championships (2015, 2016, 2017) … Committed in June 2023 … Son of Todd and Lynn Nett … Has one older sister, Dani.

Assistant Coach/Hitting Coach Tyler Hancock: “John is a true center fielder. He’s a guy who can really go get it in the outfield. John is also an on-base machine. He has great strike zone awareness and has more career walks than strikeouts. John also has the ability to drive the ball gap-to-gap and we are excited about having John in Lawrence.”

Brigden Parker
LHP • Jr. • 6-2 • 195 • L/L
Holly, Colo. • Holly HS/Cowley County Community College
2023 Stats: 4-4, 4.58 ERA, 57.0 IP, 25 BB, 64 SO in 14 appearances (11 starts)

Notes: Transferred to Kansas from Cowley County Community College with two years of eligibility remaining … Spent two years at Cowley … Went 6-4 with a 5.92 ERA in 76.0 innings pitched with 38 walks and 82 strikeouts in 28 career appearances (14 starts) … NJCAA Third Team Academic All American (2023) … Helped his team become 2022 JUCO National Runner-Up, Region 6 Champions and Jayhawk East Champions … Tossed a no-hitter on April 1, 2023 against Highland … Named KJCCC East Pitcher of the Week following the no-hitter … Tossed two complete games … Had 10.11 strikeouts per nine innings pitched in 2023 … Played three years of baseball, four years of basketball, one year of football, one year of golf and one year of track at Holly High School in Holly, Colorado … Helped his baseball team win the 1A Colorado State Baseball Championship … Colorado 1A Baseball Player of the Year (2021) … Colorado 1A All-State Baseball First Team (2021) … Two-time Colorado All-State Baseball Honorable Mention … Three-time All-Conference Baseball First Team … Went 20-4 with a 1.10 ERA in 121.0 innings pitched with 23 walks and 236 strikeouts in his high school career … Did not allow a run his senior year … Had 13 strikeouts in a complete game shutout in the 2021 state title game in 1-0 victory … Hit .482 with 7 HR and 46 RBI which led entire state of Colorado in 2021 … 2019 Colorado 2A Basketball All-State Team (2019) … Committed in April 2023 … Picked Kansas over Houston, Wichita State and Texas A&M Corpus Christi … Son of Russell and Heather Parker … Has one older brother, Caden.

Assistant Coach/Pitching Coach Brandon Scott on Parker: “Brigden is a left-handed pitcher from Cowley County Community College.  Brigden is going to be a very important piece for us out of the bullpen. He has an 88-90 mph fastball with a good curveball. Brigden is the kind of arm that can make 25 appearances this year.”