Saint Louis head baseball coach Darin Hendrickson announced today that four transfers have joined the Billikens’ roster.
The new Billikens are infielder Shane Benes (St. Louis, Mo./Westminster/Missouri/
“We are fortunate to add these quality transfers to an already talented group of newcomers,” Hendrickson said. “They provide experience, are tremendous students, and all are of high-character with great backgrounds in baseball.”
Benes last played collegiately in 2017 at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. He belted a single-season record 12 home runs while helping the Panthers to a 37-20 record. Benes played at Missouri for two seasons from 2015-16. In 2016, he recorded six homers and was third on the Tigers with 30 RBIs. Benes’ father, Andy, played 13 years in the major leagues with San Diego, Seattle, Arizona and St. Louis (two stints).
“Shane has a powerful middle-of-the-lineup bat and can be a difference-maker for us,” Hendrickson said. “He has been unfortunate with two serious knee injuries, but he is back and hungry to compete again.”
Jordan comes to SLU after a year at College of San Mateo. He hit .294, posted a .379 on-base percentage, registered 42 RBIs and smacked 18 extra-base hits for the Bulldogs. As a freshman at Loyola Marymount in 2017, he hit .267 in 15 games.
“Kevin is a physical and athletic shortstop who played everyday at San Mateo,” Hendrickson said. “He is a gap-to-gap hitter with great barrel awareness. We look forward to him bringing a ton of energy day in and day out.”
Matheny went 7-1 with a 3.23 ERA last year at San Jacinto-North in Texas. He also recorded a save and struck out 47 batters. Matheny spent two seasons at Oklahoma State, his redshirt year in 2016 and the 2017 season, where he appeared in three games for the Cowboys. Matheny’s father, Mike, played 13 years in the major leagues with Milwaukee, Toronto, St. Louis and San Francisco and managed the Cardinals for seven season.
“Luke is a strike-thrower in the upper 80s who will compete for a weekend start role,” Hendrickson said. “He had a great year last season at San Jacinto-North, the sixth-ranked junior college in the country.”
Spicer is a graduate transfer from Illinois State, where he saw just seven appearances the last two seasons due to injury. Spicer also played at Southern Illinois and Santa Barbara Community College. Last summer for the Lombard Orioles of the Wisconsin State league, he went 5-0 with three saves and a 1.82 ERA.
“Jack is an immediate impact arm and will compete for a starting spot and provide depth,” Hendrickson said. “He has battled injuries throughout his career, but he is 100 percent healthy and is coming off a great summer where he threw in the low 90s and featured a terrific slider.”
