High School: Earned an Illinois top-100 senior ranking by Prep Baseball Report ... Was a two-time first-team All-DuPage Valley Conference selection and twice served as team captain ... Posted a 6-4 record, 2.48 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 59.1 innings as a pitcher and hit .333 with a .496 slugging percentage while totaling 39 hits and 12 stolen bases as a first baseman during his senior year ... Earned team's Falcon Award as a senior ... Named first-team all-area as a junior ... Was a two-time academic all-conference selection during his final two prep seasons.

Personal: Business major ... Born July 16, 1988 ... Parents are Mike and Nancy Oates ... Brother, Ryan, was a member of the U.S. Junior Olympic volleyball team and plays for BYU ... High school battery mate of fellow Huskie newcomer C Kevin Smith ... Aspires to own his own business and to write a book ... Hobbies include fishing.