KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan University baseball team and head coach Billy Gernon have announced the signing of five student-athletes to National Letters of Intent for the program's class of 2023.
 
WMU welcomed right-handed pitcher Cole Gebben (Vicksburg, Mich.), right-handed pitcher/catcher Adam Lehmann (Granger, Ind.), middle infielder Tanner Mally (Lisle, Ill.), first baseman Lucas Rick (Rockford, Mich.) and right-handed pitcher Zach Vriesenga (Grand Rapids, Mich.) All five are set to join the Broncos in the fall of 2023 and suit up for Western Michigan beginning with the 2024 season.

Cole Gebben • RHP • 5-11 • 205 • Vicksburg, Mich. • Vicksburg High School
Gebben will be a three-year starter and letterwinner for head coach Brian Deal at Vicksburg High School this upcoming season. As a sophomore and junior, he was a First Team All-Conference and All-District selection, while also adding the All-State Dream Team to his honors following his junior campaign. As the ace of the Bulldogs' staff, the righty finished the 2022 season with a 0.64 ERA, the best in program history, and led the team to both conference and district championships. He played summer ball for Grand Rapids Diamonds and head coach Billy Peterson.

Academically, Gebben carries a 3.60 grade point average, and has held a GPA of 3.50 or above each semester. The son of Gary and Wendy, Gebben plans to major in Supply Chain Management through WMU's Haworth College of Business. He has an older sister, Annie, and older brother, Jordan.
 
Coach Gernon on Gebben:
"Cole has an electric fastball and an advanced slider. He is a very strong and explosive athlete. One of the things that stood out the most during the recruiting process was his competitive spirit on the mound. He simply comes right after hitters with his fastball and racked up a ton of strikeouts, complimented by a solid arsenal. Cole definitely has a chance to impact our pitching staff early in his college career."

Adam Lehmann • RHP/C • 6-4 • 210 • Granger, Ind. • Penn High School
Lehmann will head into the spring as a three-year starter and letterwinner for head coach Greg Dikos at Penn High School, the same high school which produced current Bronco right-hander Hayden Berg. In 2022, Lehmann posted a 1.65 ERA in 34.0 innings and struck out 49, while adding a .356 batting average, .484 on-base percentage and 20 RBIs at the plate, to help lead the Kingsmen to a state championship.

The son of Stephanie and Charlie, Lehmann is planning to enter the Haworth College of Business at WMU, where he will look to pursue a degree in either marketing or sales. He has an older sister, Mallory, and an older brother, Jack.

Coach Gernon on Lehmann:
"Adam is a big, strong kid that has some room to grow and develop. He will come into our program as a catcher and a pitcher. He helped lead Penn to a 2022 state championship and will play a dual role again for the Kingsmen this coming season. He possesses advanced receiving skills, as well as flexible hips that allow him great mobility behind the plate. Adam's fastball has been up to 90 mph, with complimenting analytics and an advanced slider. Whether on the mound or behind the plate, he has a chance to impact our program early in his career."
 
Tanner Mally • MIF • 5-11 • 180 • Lisle, Ill. • Naperville North High School
Mally will be a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter for coach James Chiappetta at Naperville North High School. A two-time captain, he was named First Team All-Conference after both his sophomore and junior seasons. He led his team in nearly every statistical category during the 2022 campaign, including hits (40), batting average (.456), on-base percentage (.520), slugging percentage (.698) and fielding percentage, while earning First Team All-Area honors. Mally played summer ball for the Midwest Hitmen and coach Jorge Acosta.
 
A two-time Academic All-Conference Team selection, Mally carries a 3.95 GPA. Upon arriving at WMU, he plans to enter the Haworth College of Business. He is the son of Kevin and Analee, and has a twin sister, Tess, and a younger brother, Zach.
 
Coach Gernon on Mally:
"Tanner is a very athletic middle infielder with a lot of bounce and quick twitch actions. His high-energy motor and intensity are impressive to say the least. He has been named captain each of the last two seasons, which is a reflection of his strong leadership skills. He will be a great addition to our locker room and culture. We are very excited to see how he develops once he steps foot on campus."
 
Lucas Rick • 1B • 6-3 • 250 • Rockford, Mich. • Rockford High School (Rock Valley CC)
Rick was a four-year letterwinner and starter at Rockford High School for Bronco alum Matt Vriesenga. This spring he is set to be a crucial middle of the order bat for coach Chad Herren at Rock Valley Community College.
 
During his senior year at Rockford, he led the Rams to conference and district championships while pacing the team's offense in batting average (.512), hits (54), doubles (17), home runs (7), and slugging percentage (.876). The .876 slugging percentage was the best in school history. Among Rick's other accolades are First Team All-District, All-Region and All-State selections, as well as being named to the Grand Rapids Dream Team and a finalist for USA Today Sports West Michigan Player of the Year.
 
The son of Julie and Art, Rick was a four-year member of the Academic Honor Roll and National Honor Society. At WMU, he plans to either enter the Haworth College of Business or go on to study science.
 
Coach Gernon on Rick:
"It is easy to get excited about Lucas' ability to hit for average and power. He has been a successful hitter at every stop. He finds a way to put the ball in play, which is evident by his very low strikeout totals. Lucas has an outstanding approach and the ball jumps off of his barrel. He will certainly add another level of power to the middle of our lineup and his junior college experience will be vital to our offense."
 
Zach Vriesenga • RHP • 6-6 • 170 • Grand Rapids, Mich. • East Grand Rapids High School
Vriesenga will be a three-year letterwinner and starter for head coach Matt Schepel at East Grand Rapids High School, where he has been a mainstay at the top of their pitching staff. During the 2022 season, he threw 45.0 innings, posted a 2.10 ERA, struck out 68 batters and held opposing hitters to a .190 batting average. The righty was an All-Conference and All-District First Team selection after both his sophomore and junior seasons. He played summer ball for Rockford Baseball Academy and coach Matt Schepel.

The son of Matt and Allison, Vriesenga sports a 3.0 GPA. His father, Matt, is the head baseball coach at Rockford High School and pitched at Western Michigan before he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2000. Vriesenga has a pair of younger brothers, Cam and Carter.
 
Coach Gernon on Vriesenga:
"Zach has tremendous upside and his 6-6, lanky wiry frame makes it easy to get excited about his future. His dad, Matt, pitched for the Broncos in the late 1990's, and was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2000, giving Zach both pedigree and projection. A solid arsenal of secondary pitches will play well in the strike zone, and are complimented by his fastball. It will be exciting to watch Zach continue to develop."