The transformation of Kansas UniversityâÂÂs baseball program into coach Ritch PriceâÂÂs own is now in full swing.

The first-year KU coach announced Wednesday the signing of 10 players for the 2004 season, and two more that will be eligible to play this spring.

âÂÂThis is the finest recruiting class that I have been associated with in my nine years at the Division I level,â Price said in a statement.

Price, hired in June to fix a team that finished 5-21 in the Big 12 in 2002, has snagged three players currently playing in California. He coached at Cal Poly-St. Luis Obispo before joining the Jayhawks. All three players will join the squad in the fall of 2003.

Right-hander Kenny Falconer and catcher Tanner Munsey plan to start practicing with the team in January and be eligible to play when KU opens on Jan. 24.

âÂÂWe expect Kenny to make an immediate impact in our program,â Price said. âÂÂHe has the potential to be a high draft pick in the upcoming professional draft.

âÂÂTanner is a big, strong, physical catcher with an outstanding throwing arm. He will add much needed depth behind the plate for us.âÂÂ

Of the 12 recruits to sign on the dotted line, only Sean Land, a 6-foot-6 left-hander, will come straight out of high school.

âÂÂHe has tremendous size, bat speed, and power at the plate,â Price said. âÂÂOn the mound, his fastball has been clocked in the upper 80s. He has the potential to be a big-time player at KU.âÂÂ