UCI stars likely to return

The UC Irvine baseball team’s prospects for 2009 appear to be enhanced considerably by the expected return of Major League draft picks Ben Orloff, Bryce Stowell and Tony Asaro.

Anteaters Coach Mike Gillespie said Thursday that none of the aforementioned players have signed with their respective organizations and all are making plans to return to UCI for their senior seasons next year. The return of Asaro, selected in the 47th round by the St. Louis Cardinals, appears certain, though Orloff and Stowell could still opt for the pro ranks, should contract negotiations escalate, Gillespie said.

Orloff, a first-team All-Big West Conference shortstop, was drafted in the 19th round (587th overall) by the Colorado Rockies.

Stowell, a right-handed pitcher who was the Most Outstanding Player at the Lincoln Regional, was taken in the 22nd round (681st overall) by the Cleveland Indians.

Gillespie said Orloff, who hit .344 with 23 runs batted in and 19 stolen bases, is scheduled to begin summer school next week and will not play summer baseball.

Stowell, a redshirt sophomore who was 8-3 with a 3.26 earned-run average in 16 appearances, 15 starts, left Wednesday to report to the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod League, where he plans to play this summer with teammates Sean Madigan and Eric Pettis, Gillespie said.

Stowell’s return could significantly lessen the blow of losing junior All-American Scott Gorgen, who is expected to sign with the St. Louis Cardinals, Gillespie said.

Gorgen, taken in the fourth round (125th overall) in the June 5 First-year Player Draft, had not signed yet, but is expected to, Gillespie said.

Junior center fielder Ollie Linton had also yet to sign as of Wednesday, Gillespie said, after being selected in the 13th round (408th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Linton, the Anteaters’ single-season and career stolen base leader with 40 and 69, respectively, is listed on the roster of the Missoula Osprey, the Giants’ affiliate in the Rookie Pioneer League, on the Giants’ website. Linton’s listing includes a jersey number (eight), unlike that showing Gorgen as a member of the Batavia (N.Y.) Muckdogs of the Single A short-season New York-Penn League.

Senior catcher Aaron Lowenstein, a 44th-round selection by the San Francisco Giants, has signed, Gillespie said, though Lowenstein had not, as of Thursday, shown up on a roster for any Giants’ affiliate.

Additional returners have ventured to various summer leagues, the most prestigious being the Cape Cod League, the Alaska League and the Northwoods League.

In addition to Stowell, Madigan and Pettis, first baseman Jeff Cusick, a sophomore this past season, in which the Anteaters reached the Super Regionals and finished 42-18, is playing for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League.

UCI volunteer assistant coach Bob Macaluso is managing the Brewster Whitecaps on the Cape.

UCI players slated to play in the Alaska League are sophomore pitcher Christian Bergman (Anchorage Bucs), sophomore pitcher Reid Suitor (Alaska Goldpanners), sophomore second baseman Casey Stevenson (Goldpanners), sophomore catcher-outfielder Francis Larson (Peninsula Oilers), Asaro (Alaska Glacier Pilots) and sophomore pitcher Cory Hamilton (Glacier Pilots), Gillespie said.

Representing UCI in the Northwoods League are sophomore pitcher Kyle Necke and Dillon Bell (Green Bay Bullfrogs). In addition, Erick Hamren, who played last season at Pacific, is listed as a UCI player on the website roster of the Mankato Moon Dogs. Hamren, a position player at UOP, is converting to pitching, the website said.

Gillespie, per NCAA rules, could not comment on Hamren, other than saying the Anteaters are recruiting him.

UCI players in the California Collegiate League include sophomore infielder Tyler Hoechlin (Maxim Yankees) and freshman pitcher Crosby Slaught (Santa Barbara Foresters).

Junior third baseman Eric Deragisch is competing for the Lodi Grape Sox of the Sierra League, while sophomore outfielder Nick Farinacci (Oahu Paddlers) and freshman infielder Scott Hong (Hawaii Aliis) are playing in the Hawaii League.

Matt Dufour and Noel Avison, both junior pitchers, are also competing this summer, though Gillespie could not recall for which teams.

Sophomore pitcher Danny Bibona, freshman utility man Ryan Fisher, junior designated hitter Brock Bardeen, junior catcher Sammy Donabedian and freshman pitcher-outfielder Maverick Oliveras are not playing this summer, Gillespie said.

Gillespie also said junior catcher Christian Florido, sophomore pitcher Cole Hathcock, as well as freshman pitchers Jake Morton and Benji Anaya, have all chosen not to return to the program for next season.

In addition to UCI players, former Corona del Mar High standout Jake Lemmerman, who started as a freshman shortstop at Duke in 2008, is playing in the Cape Cod League for the Wareham Gatemen.

Eric Oliver, a junior first baseman from the UC Santa Barbara, who played at Orange Coast College, is also competing for the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Collegiate League.

Brandon Dixon, an All-Orange Empire Conference pitcher for OCC in 2008, is listed on the roster of the Peninsula Oilers of the Alaska League.

Chris Carls, a junior right-handed pitcher at Vanguard University, is listed on the roster of the Cheyenne (Wyo.) Grizzlies of the Mountain Collegiate Summer League.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.