Close announced as second baseball signing

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Bellevue University baseball coach Duane Monlux has announced the signing of Cannon Close (Bonney Lake, Wash.) to a letter of intent to continue his academic and athletic career at BU beginning this fall.

The 6-2, 190-pound right-hander comes to Bellevue from Olympic College in Bremerton, Wash. where he was a two-year starter for the Rangers. He started 22 games across two seasons posting a 4.34 ERA, striking out 120 batters against 44 walks in 126.2 innings. He posted a solid 1.28 WHIP and limiting opposing batters to just a .256 average and only 21 extra-base hits in 461 at-bats.

This past season, Close sported a record of 3-6 but put up a 3.20 ERA, a 3.22 SO:BB ratio, 1.11 WHIP, and held opposing hitters to a .223 average. He did not allow a home run in 70.1 innings, which included a pair of complete game efforts, and yielded just 11 extra-base hits.

Coach Monlux on Close:

"We are thrilled to have Cannon joining the Bellevue Baseball Family for the 2024-25 school year. He was a mainstay in the rotation for Olympic College the last two seasons. He pitched against very good teams in the highly competitive NWAC. He is an upper 80's arm that we feel can come in and compete at a very high level for us. Cannon gained valuable game day experience the past two seasons, pitching in over 126 innings and averaging just under a strikeout per inning with a WHIP at 1.28. We can't wait to get him on campus in the fall."

Close joins the previously announced Kody Butt (LHP, St. John's, Newfoundland/Williston State) in the Bruins' 2024 recruiting class.

Bellevue finished the 2024 season with a 39-14 overall record, going 21-2 in NSAA play to capture both the regular season and tournament titles. The Bruins, who spent the entire season ranked inside the top 20 in the NAIA Coaches' Poll, made their 26^th appearance in the NAIA National Tournament when they played in the Opening Round – Williamsburg Bracket.