MALIBU, Calif. – After inking 18 newcomers for the 2008 season, the Pepperdine baseball program had its recruiting class ranked the 13^th best in the nation by Baseball America and the 36^th best by Collegiate Baseball.

The Waves will add 14 freshmen and four transfers to the 2008 squad that will look to capture its fourth WCC crown in the last five years. Pepperdine recruiting is led by assistant coach Sean Kenny with assistance from head coach Steve Rodriguez and assistant coach Rick Hirtensteiner.

The incoming class features three players who were drafted in the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft, as RHP Cole Cook (Seattle Mariners, 36th round), LHP Scott Alexander (Cincinnati Reds, 37th round) and infielder Torrey Jacoby (Arizona Diamondbacks, 40th round) all had their names called on the second day of the draft. Additionally, RHP Nate Newman, RHP Tyler Hess, OF David Harris, infielder Bryce Mendonca, LHP Matt Bywater, LHP Jason Butler and RHP Kevin Inman were listed as key recruits by Baseball America. The Waves recruiting class will augment the Waves’ 2008 roster, which includes 17 returners from last season’s team that went 35-22.