PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland baseball team is bringing in seven recruits as Peter Allegro (RHP/OF, Tacoma, Wash./Bellarmine Prep), Jacob Biesterfeld (RHP/1B, Gresham, Ore./Gresham HS), Austin Dempewolf (RHP, Gig Harbor, Wash./Gig Harbor HS), Jake Holcroft (CF, Upland, Calif./Claremont HS), Trace Tammaro (1B, Clayton, Calif./De La Salle HS), Morgan White (Everett, Wash./Kamiak HS), and Cole Wilkinson (LHP, Eugene, Ore./Churchill HS) have all committed to the Pilots, announced head coach Geoff Loomis. The seven recruits will join the Pilots as freshmen next fall.
 
"We have a group of pitchers graduating from UP in 2018, so the emphasis was to add top-shelf young arms to our pitching staff," Loomis said. "We were able to do that. On the position player side, we added power to our corner positions and speed and athleticism up the middle. Besides their athleticism, this is a group of high character student- athletes, which is a pillar of our baseball program. My staff and I are excited to welcome this class and their families to The Bluff."
 
Peter Allegro comes to The Bluff from Tacoma, Wash., where he's a four-year letterwinner at Bellarmine Prep. Allegro was a Perfect Game Underclass Honorable Mention in both 2016 and 2017, and he was First Team All-SPSL 4A as a pitcher during his junior year. He previously earned all-league second team as a sophomore. On the mound he boasted a 1.71 ERA last spring, and he has a single-game high of 14 strikeouts. A two-time Team Most Valuable Pitcher, he earned the Coaches' Award in 2016, and he helped lead the team to playoffs as a freshman in 2015.
 
He played in the NSSSA State Championship at Cheney Stadium twice, where he tossed a no hitter in 2015 and 2017. Allegro also pitched for the PAC Norwest Regional Team in 2015, and he posted the lowest WHIP at the 2015 Perfect Game Evoshield National Championship in Arizona. He tossed a shutout in the first game at the 2016 Marucci World Series in Texas, and he reached the semifinals of the 2017 Wilson Premier Classic.
 
"Peter has the intangibles," Loomis said. "He has great feel for all three of his pitches with a quick arm and competes with that toughness we look for in a high school pitcher. We are extremely excited to add Peter to our pitching staff."
 
Jacob Biesterfeld is a local product out of nearby Gresham, where he stars on the diamond for the Gresham Gophers. Biesterfeld, who pitches and plays first base, was All-State Honorable Mention as a pitcher in 2016 and as a utility player in 2017. He was also First Team All-Mt. Hood Conference during his junior and senior seasons, and he helped the Gophers reached the state playoffs both years, claim a conference co-championship in 2016. As a sophomore, he posted a sparkling ERA of 0.71, and his ERA was 1.80 last spring. Biesterfeld also belted a team-best four home runs, drove in a team-high 34 RBI's and he was third in the state with 91 K's on the hill. He has a single-game high of 14 strikeouts, he tossed a no hitter as junior, and he once went 3-for-3 at the plate with homer, while fanning six during six scoreless innings on the on the mound against the top-ranked team in the state.
 
"Jacob was his high school's quarterback and team leader in both football and baseball," noted Loomis. "He has an above average breaking ball to go along with a high 80's-low 90's fastball. The type of player we want to build our pitching staff around, Jacob has proven himself a successful dual sport athlete. On top of that he is from the local community."
 
Austin Dempewolf is a right-handed pitcher out of Gig Harbor, Wash. In his one year with the Gig Harbor Tides, Dempewolf posted a minuscule ERA of 0.57, and he held opposing batters to a .138 average. He also hit .300 at the plate, and he hit the go-ahead home run in the state playoff round of 16. He also homered in the round of eight game to help the Tides to stay alive and eventually post a comeback win. Gig Harbor won the 3A Washington State Title in 2017, and claimed a league title as well.
 
Dempewolf also played for Baseball Northwest and the PNW Regional Team, and he had a 1.18 ERA and fanned 37 in 30.0 innings of work. At the plate he hit .341.
 
"We are excited to add Austin to our team," Loomis said. "He is a right-handed pitcher with huge upside and high-end velocity. An imposing figure at 6-5 and 220 pounds, we look for Austin to continue to develop and have a great career on the mound for us."
 
Jake Holcroft hails from Upland, Calif., where he plays in the outfield for Claremont High School. Holcroft landed on the All-Palomares League Second Teams, and he has landed a handful of team awards, including Defensive MVP, Most Valuable Underclassman, and Team MVP. He also plays for Team California (2015-17), and he was named a Perfect Game Preseason Underclassmen All-American Honorable Mention in 2017.
 
"Jake above everything else is a baseball player," noted Loomis "He's a grinder that plays with a high motor and a chip on his shoulder. Jake comes to us from Southern California. A 'dirty uniform' type of guy, Jake is a true centerfielder and will compete as soon as he steps on campus."
 
A first baseman for the De La Salle Spartans, Trace Tammaro landed on the All-State First Team as a junior in 2017. A two-time selection to the All-EBAL First Team, the native of Clayton, Calif., helped the Spartans win the NCS Championship in 2016 and 2017. Tammaro has also led the league in home runs the past two seasons, belting five during his sophomore campaign and six last spring.
 
"Trace is one of the best hitters in northern California," Loomis said. "He comes from a very established baseball program at De La Salle High School. An athletic first baseman that hits for power, we think Trace will step in and have an immediate impact in our line-up."
 
Morgan White is a right-handed pitcher who also plays third base for the Kamiak High School Knights. On the hill, White led the Wesco League in strikeouts by 23, and he tossed five complete game during his high school career. White also played for FM Sports (2014-15) and more recently City Baseball (2015-18). At the GLS Showcase in Centralia, Wash., he fanned 10 in four innings, while only allowing one hit.
 
"Morgan is a tall, lean pitcher with a deceptive delivery," said Loomis. "His fastball really jumps on opposing hitters. Morgan has swing-and-miss type stuff and has been a strikeout machine for both his high school and summer teams. We look for Morgan to make a huge impact here on The Bluff."
 
Oregon native Cole Wilkinson is a left-handed pitcher out of Churchill High School in Eugene. A four-year letterwinner, Wilkinson was named Second Team All-State as a utility player his junior season. He also landed on the All-Midwestern League First Team in 2017 after garnering all-league second team accolades as a sophomore. The Lancers win the Oregon State Title in 2017, with Wilkinson belting a walk-off home run in the 11th inning of the semifinal contest. Churchill reached the state semi-finals in 2016, and they won league titles in both 2015 and 2017.
 
"Cole is a left-handed pitcher with a mid to high 80's fastball, and he throws from different arms slots," Loomis said. "He has good feel for his secondary pitches. Cole has a track record of winning at a high rate and we look for him to continue that trend in our program."