Western Wayne Today

Wayne State University’s baseball program has added four freshmen position players to its roster for the upcoming season. Head coach Ryan Kelley, entering his 18th year with the Warriors, announced the signings as part of a recruiting update. The group includes Cooper Clark from London, Ontario; Carter Cline from Orchard Lake, Michigan; Brayden Crowe from Brighton, Michigan; and Landon Ide from Fort Myers, Florida.

Cooper Clark is a catcher and infielder who graduated in 2025 from Lord Dorchester Secondary School in Ontario. He played in the Canadian Premier Baseball League with the Great Lake Canadians under coach Chris Robinson. According to Wayne State, “Full name -- Cooper R. Clark ... born on April 19, 2006, in London, Ont. ... son of Mark and Kimmy Clark ... has a younger sister, Maya ... plans to major in Early & Elementary Education.”

Carter Cline joins as a middle infielder after graduating from Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in Michigan. He was a three-year varsity letterwinner for coaches Matt Petry and Nick DiPonio and helped lead his team to a state semifinal appearance with a 23-8 record during his senior year. Cline was among team leaders with nine stolen bases in 2025 and received academic honors. He also plays summer baseball for Michigan Elite under coach Mike Rodriguez. “Full name -- Carter D. Cline ... born on March 16, 2007, in Royal Oak, Mich. ... son of Joe and Candice Cline ... has a younger brother, Cole, and two younger sisters, Emerson and Anderson ... plans to major in Finance,” according to information provided by Wayne State.

Brayden Crowe comes to Wayne State as a catcher following his graduation from Hartland High School where he was coached by Brad Guenther—a WSU Hall of Fame inductee—and served as team captain during his senior year. Crowe contributed significantly during Hartland’s run to the MHSAA Division 1 state title this past season and batted .440 in conference play while earning All-KLAA honors and All-County recognition. His summer ball experience includes playing for Legacy Adidas Tousa under coach Scott Tousa where he posted strong batting numbers last year: .435 average with 27 hits over the summer season. “Full name -- Brayden A. Crowe ... born on August 9, 2007, in Brighton, Mich. ... son of Jen Jakubiak-Crowe and the late Brad Crowe ... has three younger brothers, Dylan, Spencer and Declan ... plans to major in Civil Engineering,” according to Wayne State.

Landon Ide arrives at Wayne State as both an infielder and right-handed pitcher out of Bonita Springs High School in Florida where he earned multiple accolades including All-Area First Team honors after batting .365 with a .474 on-base percentage as well as compiling a 1.80 ERA on the mound during his senior campaign. Ide was recognized for pitching achievements such as throwing a five-inning no-hitter against Jesuit High School and striking out ten batters over six innings during playoff competition while also contributing offensively with extra-base hits that helped secure postseason victories for his team. He served as Senior Class President at Bonita Springs High School and was active academically through membership in National Honor Society along with being named twice to the President’s Academic List; additionally he played summer ball for CBU Scout Team coached by Aaron Lawson—a former WSU letterwinner—helping them win several tournament titles including BCS national championship events.“Full name -- Landon J. Ide ... born on June 21, 2007, in Fort Myers, Fla. ... son of Marcus and April Ide ... mother played volleyball at Georgia Southern and ranks in the top 10 all-time in service aces for the Eagles ... has an older brother, Colton ... plans to major in Criminal Justice,” according to Wayne State.

Coach Kelley stated that more information about incoming freshman pitchers will be shared later.