2017 baseball recruiting thread (Updated 10/25/17)

[ellitor 33,062]

Updated per Perfect game. The 3 new signees are SS Tony Ayers from Dallas,  RHP Ford Lutrell from Bob Jones in Madison, & RHP Blake Rivera from Phenix City. Names removed due to signing with a pro team that drafted them are Evan Steele, Ricardo DeLa Torre. Names removed due to signing with other schools: Dylan Gentry & Brendan Venter

Nat Rank	Name	Drafted/Signed	Pos	Ht	Wt	B T	High School	Hometown	St
	Tony Ayers		SS	6-2	178	R R	Wilmer-Hutchins	Dallas	TX
	Carter Bowen		RHP	5-11	195	R R	Cullman	Cullman	AL
	Tanner Burns	Drafted by Yankees	RHP	6-0	205	R R	Decatur	Decatur	AL
	Ricardo De La Torre	Drafted by Twins Signed	SS	6-2	175	R R	Puerto Rico BB Acad.	Juana Diaz	PR
	Cade Evans		SS	6-0	170	S R	Boyd Buchanan	Chattanooga	TN
	Rhett Fetner		RHP	6-3	195	R R	Handley	Roanoke	AL
	Peyton Glavine	Drafted by Angels	LHP	5-11	175	R L	Blessed Trinity Cath	Alpharetta	GA
	Cody Greenhill		RHP	6-4	210	R R	Russellville	Russellville	AL
	Ryan Hoerter	Drafted by Pirates	RHP	6-6	185	R R	Indian Trail Academy	Pleasant Prairie	WI
	Edouard Julien	Drafted by Phillies	2B	6-1	185	S R	Cardinal-Roy Secondary School	Québec	QC
	Ford Luttrell		RHP	6-0	185	L R	Bob Jones	Madison	AL
	Jack Owen		LHP	6-2	170	L L	J Serra	Coto De Caza	CA
	Blake Rivera		RHP					Phenix City	AL
	John Samuel Shenker		3B	6-4	225	R R	Deerfield-Windsor	Albany	GA
	Judson Ward		OF	6-1	190	L R	Russellville	Russellville	AL
	Steven Williams	Drafted by Yankees	C	6-3	220	L R	Deerfield-Windsor	Albany	GA

AU has 14 signed for the class

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Auburn Baseball Secures Elite 2017 Recruiting Class

AUBURN, Ala. -- Auburn baseball and head coach Butch Thompson announced on Wednesday a stellar group of 14 newcomers for the 2018 season featuring some of the top talent from Alabama, Georgia and around the country.

"Overall, this is a great class that really fills all of our needs," Thompson said. "The neat thing about this class has been the ability to build and forge sincere, deep relationships. We think this class will have a great connection to our staff, to our program and ultimately as an alumni of Auburn University. I commend our staff for their hard work to put this group together."

The class features 12 high school players and two junior college signees. Included in the group are nine pitchers, three infielders and one outfielder.

The class marks the first full recruiting cycle for Thompson and his staff, who were hired in October 2015.

"This is a very versatile, balanced group," assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Brad Bohannon said. "It's got speed, it's got power -- both left and right-handed. These are all athletic kids that will provide a lot of versatility. In addition to being very talented, all of these guys are high character, high makeup players that are the kind of men we want in our program. I'm very excited about this outstanding group."

Name	Pos.	B/T	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown/School
Carter Bowen	RHP/IF	R/R	5-11	195	Cullman, Ala./HS
Tanner Burns	RHP/IF	R/R	6-0	205	Decatur, Ala./HS
Cade Evans	IF	S/R	6-0	170	Hixson, Tenn./Boyd Buchanan
Rhett Fetner	RHP	R/R	6-3	195	Handley, Ala./Roanoke
Dylan Gentry	LHP	L/L	6-1	175	Danielsville, Ga./Madison County
Peyton Glavine	LHP	R/L	6-0	170	Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity Catholic
Cody Greenhill	RHP	R/R	6-4	210	Russellville, Ala./HS
Ryan Hoerter	RHP	R/R	6-6	185	Pleasant Prairie, Wisc./Indian Trail Academy
Edouard Julien	IF	S/R	6-1	185	Quebec, Canada/Cardinal-Roy Secondary
Jack Owen	LHP	L/L	6-2	170	Coto De Caza, Calif./JSerra
Judd Ward	OF	L/R	6-1	190	Russellville, Ala./HS
Steven Williams	C	L/R	6-3	215	Albany, Ga./Deerfield-Windsor

 

Carter Bowen
Plays at Cullman High School in Cullman, Ala. for coach Brent Patterson ... Helped Cullman to the 6A state championship in 2015, its first since 2008, and a runner-up finish in 2016 ... pitched in 12 games as a junior with a 1.56 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 31.1 innings ... Recorded a 3-0 record with four saves ... 4-1 as a sophomore with 45 strikeouts ... 1.99 ERA in 14 games with one save ... Appeared in nine games with three saves as a freshman ... Appeared in 40 games in the field as a junior with 23 RBI ... 31 RBI and 12 doubles as a sophomore while hitting .273 ... 2016 Underclass honorable mention

Tanner Burns
Plays at Decatur (Ala.) High School for coach Luke Lamb ... Ranked No. 16 nationally and the No. 5 right-handed pitcher in the country by Perfect Game ... 2016 Under Armour All-American ... 2015-2016 Underclass 1st Team All-America by Perfect Game ... selected for Perfect Game All-American Classic ... 2016 Alabama Class 6A Hitter of the Year ... Batted .472 with 13 home runs, 12 doubles, four triples and 60 RBI ... On the mound, he was 5-2 with a 1.11 ERA ... Added two saves with 80 strikeouts in 50.1 inning pitched ... Named to 2016 AL.com Super All-State team ... two-time ASWA first team All-State selection ... AL.com Huntsville Region Player of the Year ... selected to Team USA U17 national team ... Alabama All-Star sports week selection ... 2015 Decatur Daily Player of the Year ... summer team is FTB Tucci ... father, Mike, is head coach at Calhoun Community College ... brother, Link, is junior at Auburn

Cade Evans
Plays at Boyd Buchanan High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee for coach Josh Rider ... batted .424 as a junior with eight doubles and 18 RBI ... Tallied 35 stolen base and scored 46 runs ... TSWA All-State baseball selection ... All-District and All-Region ... Chattanooga Times Free-Press Best of Preps honoree ... named team defensive MVP ... No. 14 player in state of Tennessee ... No. 400 nationally according to Perfect Game ... 2016 Underclass 3rd team All-American ... Hit. 426 his sophomore season with 18 RBI ... Stole 41 bases in 42 attempts and scored 43 runs ... All-District and All-Region honoree following sophomore season ... selected o All-State Super Freshman/Sophomore team both seasons ... Batted .500 with 35 RBI as a freshman ... named team offensive MVP following ninth grade year ... helped team to a state berth ... For his high school career, has 101 stolen bases and scored 129 runs ... also a three-year basketball letterman ... two-time All-District and All-Region basketball player ... Summer team is Chattanooga Cyclones coached by George Koontz

Rhett Fetner
Plays at Handley High School in Roanoke, Ala. for coach Tyler Hall ... posted a 5-2 record with 2.03 ERA as a junior ... struck out 76 in 51.2 innings ... won seven games during his sophomore season with a 2.39 ERA and 82 strikeouts ... four-time All-County selection ... named second team All-State as a junior ... honorable mention all-state following sophomore season ... 6-3 as a freshman with 67 strikeouts ... 2016 Underclass High Honorable Mention by Perfect Game ... Also starts at quarterback for the football team ... All-County football player in 2016 ... Passed for more than 1500 yards and 15 touchdowns ... guided high school football team to second round of AHSAA playoffs

Peyton Glavine
Plays at Blessed Trinity Catholic in Roswell, Ga. for coach Andy Harlin ... Ranked No. 475 nationally by Perfect Game ... No. 8 LHP in Georgia ... No. 47 player overall in Georgia ... Posted a 6-0 record as a junior with a 0.80 ERA ... Struck out 37 in 26.1 innings ... Helped team to 2016 state runner-up finish and a state title in 2015 ... Summer team is Team DeMarini ... Son of Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Glavine

Cody Greenhill
Plays at Russellville (Ala.) High School for coach Chris Heaps ... Helped Russellville to back-to-back state titles in 2015-16 ... ASWA first team All-State honoree ... No. 112 player in the country according to Perfect Game ... No. 36 right-handed pitcher in the country ... Played for Marlins in 2016 East Coast Pro Showcase ... 13-3 as a junior with a 1.14 ERA ... Struck out 118 in 92.1 innings pitched ... 4-0 as a sophomore with 33 strikeouts in 35.1 innings ... pitched in six games as a freshman ... 2015 All-State honorable mention ... Alabama All-Star sports week selection ... Summer team is East Cobb Astros coached by Jamie Crane

Ryan Hoerter
Plays at Indian Trail Academy in Kenosha, Wisconsin for coach Michael Schmidt ... Posted an 8-0 record as a junior with a 1.17 ERA ... struck out 57 in 42.0 innings pitched ... rated No. 2 player in Wisconsin by PrepBaseballReport.com ... No. 410 nationally according to Perfect Game ... also hit .406 as a junior with two homers, nine doubles and 33 RBI ... first team All-Conference ... first team All-County selection ... second team All-District ... threw first no-hitter in school history in 2016 ... 2016 Underclass Honorable Mention by Perfect Game ... posted a 4-4 record as a sophomore with a 2.64 ERA and 40 strikeouts ... helped team to state appearance in 2015 ... summer team is Rawlings Hitters coached by RJ Fergus

Edouard Julien
Attends Cardinal-Roy Secondary school in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada ... member of the Canadian junior national team ... participated in tournaments in Florida and Cuba with Canada U18 national team during the summer of 2016 ... won gold with Team Quebec at the 18U National Championship in August ... hit .318 in the tournament with six RBI and two extra-base hits ... named top 15-year-old player in Quebec ... Named top prospect in Quebec as a 16-year-old ... Hit team-best .417 with four runs scored in Spring Training camp with Canada JNT in March, 2016 ... Had six hits in seven appearances in Cuba Series played in Havana ... Also saw national team action in the Dominican Summer League and on trip to face extended spring competition in Orlando ... won bronze with Team Quebec at the Baseball Canada Cup ... batted .381 in the event with five RBI and nine stolen bases ... Batted .273 in "Tournament 12" a high school showcase hosted by the Toronto Blue Jays

Jack Owen
Attends JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. ... ranked No. 166 nationally by Perfect Game ... No. 29 player overall and No. 2 left-handed pitcher in California ... 2016 Underclass 2nd team All-American ... 2016 WWBA World Championship All-Tournament selection ... 2015 Perfect Game Underclass National Championship Most Valuable Pitcher ... posted a 4-0 record with one save and a 0.00 ERA in the event ... second team Louisville Slugger High School All-American 2016 ... 2015 California Upper Class World Series MVP ... helped JSerra to state playoffs in 2015 ... second team All-State as a sophomore ... summer team is BPA DeMarini Elite 2017

Judd Ward
Plays at Russellville (Ala.) High School for coach Chris Heaps .... No. 272 player nationally according to Perfect Game ... 2016 Class 5A Player of the Year ... Helped Russellville to back-to-back state titles in 2015-16 ... Hit .488 with 41 RBI, 20 doubles and eight triples and two home runs ... Also stole 27 bases ... Named to AL.com Super All-State team ... ASWA first team All-State ... As a sophomore, batted .511 with five homers and 12 doubles ... Drove in 49 runs with six triples and 19 steals ... MaxPreps All-American ... 2016 Underclass High Honorable mention ... summer team is East Cobb Astros coached by Jamie Crane

Steven Williams
Plays at Deerfield-Windsor High School in Albany, Ga. for coach Jonathan Davis ... selected for Perfect Game All-American Classic ... 2016 Under Armour All-American ... helped Deerfield-Windsor to back-to-back state titles in 2015-16 ... Hit .524 with 16 doubles, three triples, 11 homers and 49 RBIs ... 11 homers are a school record ... Also a perfect 16-for-16 in stolen bases ... named the Albany Herald's Ray Knight Player of the Year ... CBS Max Preps Underclass All American ... East Coast Pro Invitee ... USA Tournament of Stars Invitee... Ranked No. 44 nationally by Perfect Game ... No. 3 catcher nationally ... two-time GISA Coaches first team All-State honoree ... All-Region from 2015-16 ... 2015 underclass high honorable mention by Perfect Game ... 2016 Underclass first team All-American ... batted .521 as a sophomore with five home runs and 29 RBI ... Added seven doubles and three triples ... member of Team USA 15U national team and 17U national team development program ... also starred in football ... All-State and All-Region running back/linebacker ... summer team is Team Elite Prime coached by Brad Bouras ... sister, Teasie, is a sophomore at Auburn

 

 

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Judson Ward

PG Grade: 9.5

 

Judson Ward is a 2017 OF with a 6-1 190 lb. frame from Russellville, AL who attends Russellville HS. Nice athletic build with some present strength and room for more. Left handed hitter, even upright stance, gets to his front side well and has shift and hitting rhythm, has strength to his swing and good bat speed, hits the ball hard and has power potential, can drive the ball the other way with authority. 6.84 runner, full arm action with good arm strength, gets on top of his throws well with good carry. Nice all around athlete with some present tools and the potential for more. Good student, verbal commitment to Auburn.

 

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Steven Williams

PG Grade: 10

 

Steven Williams is a 2017 C/OF with a 6-3 215 lb. frame from Albany, GA who attends Deerfield-Windsor HS. Extremely strong and well proportioned athletic build. Plays both outfield and catcher. 6.89 runner, has right field tools on defense with a very strong arm with carry. Highest ceiling defensively behind the plate, has nice footwork and plenty of athleticism, big arm strength, just needs more repetitions receiving the ball and blocking. Left handed hitter, swing has noticeably improved in its path and extension of the last year, has lots of raw bat speed with lift and extension through contact, swing is a bit timing intensive and there is some swing/miss but the ball explodes off the barrel when squared. Looks to hit the ball hard. Verbal commitment to Auburn. Selected for the Perfect Game All-American Classic.

 

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Tanner Burns

PG Grade: 10

 

Tanner Burns is a 2017 RHP/SS with a 6-0 205 lb. frame from Decatur, AL who attends Decatur HS. Very strong well developed build, especially in the lower half. Simple turn and throw delivery, low effort mechanics, full loose arm action, high 3/4's arm slot, creates angle despite height. Fastball up to 95 mph, ball comes out of his hand easily, showed the ability to work both corners and keep the ball down in the zone with his fastball. Comes over his breaking ball as a curveball despite hard slider velocity, showed nasty bite when he was on top of it, has a feel for spinning the ball. Developing change up. Works quickly and fills up the strike zone and has an idea what he's doing for a young pitcher. Father is the head coach at Calhoun State JC. Reminds strongly of 2012 PG All-American Grant Holmes. Good student, verbal commitment to Auburn. Selected for the Perfect Game All-American Classic.

 

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Jack Owen

PG Grade: 10

 

Jack Owen is a 2017 LHP/OF with a 6-2 170 lb. frame from Coto De Caza, CA who attends J Serra HS. Young and lean build, lots of room for additional strength. Very easy and well balanced delivery, ball comes out of his hand easily, lands closed and creates angle from a 3/4's extended release point, repeats his mechanics extremely well. Upper 80's fastball, velocity plays up with deception in ease of delivery, can spot his fastball anywhere he wants to and does. Change up is a very good pitch with fell and the same arm slot/arm action, will slow his body on change at times. Curveball for strikes, can shorten it up at times for more than a slider look with good tilt. Plus command pitcher with a great performance history, is not going to hurt himself. Very athletic, graded out extremely well in the outfield drills defensively. Left handed hitter with a simple and smooth swing and good hitting rhythm, could easy develop into a position prospect with addition strength to swing the bat. Good student, verbal commitment to Auburn.

 

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Another senior lefthander who turned in a gem was Peyton Glavine (2017, Alpharetta, Ga.) for the Blessed Trinity Titans. The southpaw showed off his traditional loose arm action with relatively easy delivery. He does an excellent job at repeating his mechanics and hides the ball for a deceptive delivery. The fastball was in the low-80s early but once Glavine got comfortable and into a groove he was pretty consistently 84-86 mph. He touched 88 mph late in the game as he was being close to being taken out. The pitch has good arm-side run and almost nothing out of his hand is straight. The Auburn commit's curveball was very impressive as well with late, sharp downward bite to the pitch. He showed solid overall command of both of his pitches, but he wavered with control at times and did walk three batters. Glavine turned in 5 2/3 innings of one-hit baseball and was a big reason that the Titans were able to advance past Brookwood and into the final eight.

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Cody Greenhill

PG Grade: 10

 

Cody Greenhill is a 2017 RHP/1B with a 6-4 210 lb. frame from Russellville, AL who attends Russellville HS. Big and strong athletic build. Very compact arm action from a high 3/4's arm slot, works downhill with good angle and leverage at release. Fastball topped out at 91 mph, lots of sink down in the zone and was able to command it to both sides of the plate, will get lots of ground ball outs. Change up was a nice pitch with proper velocity separation and good cutting life at times. Flashed some two-plane depth on a soft slider but not consistent and will need to improve the power and quality of this pitch to become a true sinker/slider type of starter. Good student, verbal commitment to Auburn.

 

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Ryan Hoerter

PG Grade: 10

 

Ryan Hoerter is a 2017 RHP/1B with a 6-6 185 lb. frame from Pleasant Prairie, WI who attends Indian Trail Academy. Large frame with long limbs, broad shoulder and wiry strength. Frame projects for additional size and strength with continued physical maturity. Primary right handed pitcher with a smooth tempo side step delivery. Stays tall and balanced on back side at gather and utilizes lower half well while driving in line to the plate. Carries momentum well through finish and generated good extension out front. Smooth arm circle back at separation and released from a loose three-quarters arm slot. Fastball jumped out of hand with heavy life through the zone and running action to arm side, topped at 90 miles per hour. Curveball had 11/5 shape with tight rotation and very good, late bite. Also showed a changeup with sinking action in the mid to upper 70's. Very poised and focused demeanor while on the mound and aggressively attacked hitters. Showed the command and feel for fastball and curveball with the ability to work to each edge of the plate consistently. Very good student. Committed to Auburn. Named to the 2017 Pitcher/Catcher Indoor Showcase Top Prospect List.

 

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Edited October 25, 2017 by ellitor

[aujeff11 6,243]

Seems to be recruiting North Alabama very well.

[ellitor 33,062]

Just found this on Rhett Fetner from February Link

There will be an all future-SEC battery for Handley on the baseball field this spring after junior pitcher Rhett Fetner announced his commitment to the Auburn Tigers last Wednesday.

Fetner had an offer on the table from Alabama, which would have given him the chance to play alongside current teammate Will Lumpkin, who signed with the Crimson Tide in November as a catcher.

But Fetner impressed the Auburn coaching staff during a visit in January.

“They gave him 15 pitches and told him to use four different pitches,” said Fetner’s father Jeff. “He threw 13 strikes and topped out at 91. When he did that the recruiting coach walked out of the dugout and told me, ‘He’s not going to Alabama.’”

Auburn bested the Alabama offer, which was enough for Fetner to pull the trigger on his commitment.

“The offer was good,” Jeff Fetner said. “And just being close, he can run home when he wants to. And he was an Auburn fan anyway. I think that’s probably where he really wanted to go from the beginning.”

Rhett is a 16-year-old junior, one of the youngest students in his class at Handley. That youth plus his current velocity of 91 made Auburn optimistic of adding a few miles per hour to his fastball by the time he gets to campus.

“They said by the time he’s a freshman down there they don’t see any reason why he won’t be throwing 95,” Fetner said.

Fetner said that going to play for new Auburn head coach Butch Thompson was a factor in his son’s decision as well.

“He’s really well-known for his pitching, and I think that’s something that Auburn is going to become based on is pitching,” Fetner said.

Rhett has also drawn interest from the professional ranks, and if his velocity continues to climb he could end up being drafted next June after his senior season at Handley.

Rhett is also Handley’s starting quarterback, but for now he does not plan to pursue a college football career.

“He definitely was born to pitch. That’s his deal,” Jeff said. “His passion and his gift is throwing a baseball.”

[ellitor 33,062]

SS Cade Evans commitment article from November Link

Boyd-Buchanan shortstop Cade Evans has committed to play baseball for Auburn University.

The junior was offered a scholarship by new Tigers coach Butch Thompson on Sunday evening and immediately accepted.

Thompson, who has had less than two weeks on the job since coming over from an associate head coach's position at Mississippi State, had been recruiting Evans for the Bulldogs. He was in Jupiter, Fla., a couple of weeks ago and watched Evans go 10-for-14 in a prestigious tournament while playing fall ball for the Chattanooga Cyclones.

"When Coach Thompson got the job I knew Auburn was who I wanted to play for," Evans said. "He flew to Jupiter to watch me play, I went down for a visit last weekend and he called and made the offer last night."

Evans also was being recruited by Tennessee, Central Florida and Coastal Carolina. It's expected that he'll continue as a middle infielder, probably at shortstop, but he can also play the outfield.

"I haven't seen a better fielding shortstop at the high school level, and I felt that way when he was a freshman," Boyd-Buchanan coach Josh Rider. "He's an incredible defensive player, and when you throw in the speed aspect when he's on the bases, he's just a nightmare for opposing teams."

Evans last season batted leadoff much of the year for the Buccaneers, who wound up third in the state tournament. He hit .459 with 33 stolen bases. He also scored 35 runs and added 14 RBIs.

"I have been fortunate enough to coach close to 300 players who have obtained scholarships," Cyclones general manager George Koontz said, "and players who have done so at eight different SEC programs and 58 who have played professionally, and Cade Evans is as good of an all-round baseball player as we have ever had."

Evans also pitched last year for the Bucs, posting a 3-1 record in 21 innings.

"He has touched 86 (mph) off the mound and has gotten better hitting every one of the 12 seasons (summer and fall) he has played with us," said Koontz, who also praised Evans' understanding of "the nuances of the game" and his competitive drive.

It's likely that Evans will continue to pursue his desire to switch-hit, which could enhance his college career.

"It's still a work in progress, but at that tournament in Jupiter he had several doubles and had five stolen bases so, yes, I think he'll hit at the next level," Rider said, adding that the Tigers are getting more than just a good baseball player.

"He's a leader. He holds himself more accountable than anybody. He's unselfish and he enjoys working hard," the Bucs' coach said. "He's a smart youngster and there will be no issues with him moving to the next level academically."

Evans' grandfather, Rudy Simpson, was a pitcher at Florida and later played for the Cleveland Indians.

"If Cade stays healthy, I fully expect him to play in the big leagues within three or four years after he leaves Auburn," Koontz said.

[Mikey 16,546]

Ellitor doin' the diggin'. Good info, thanks. Info on baseball recruits isn't always easy to find.

[ellitor 33,062]

Ellitor doin' the diggin'. Good info, thanks. Info on baseball recruits isn't always easy to find.

I'll add more commits in a couple days. It took a while to find what I did today

[Mikey 16,546]

Ellitor doin' the diggin'. Good info, thanks. Info on baseball recruits isn't always easy to find.

I'll add more commits in a couple days. It took a while to find what I did today

Any chance this can be pinned? It would make a great reference thread.

[ellitor 33,062]

Ellitor doin' the diggin'. Good info, thanks. Info on baseball recruits isn't always easy to find.

I'll add more commits in a couple days. It took a while to find what I did today

Any chance this can be pinned? It would make a great reference thread.

Paging a Mod for help.

[augolf1716 21,096]

Pin it is....... good work e and its appreciated. That's a nice looking class especially strong in North Al. as jeffrey said

[ellitor 33,062]

Added OF Judd Ward to OP. Commit article from February Link

Russellville, Ala.--One of the top class of 2017 baseball prospects in Alabama, speedy outfielder Judd Ward made a visit to Auburn Tigers recently to take part in a baseball camp and it didn’t take long for him to make the decision to commit to Butch Thompson and the Tigers after spending much of the day in and around Plainsman Park.

A 6-1, 190-pounder who bats left and throws right, Ward also strongly considered another SEC program, but he tells Inside The Auburn Tigers that in the end there was only one choice for him and that was Auburn.

“They invited me down there and my travel coach told me they were going to offer me,” Ward said of Auburn. “That’s where I really wanted to be with that coaching staff so I committed.

“The only other school I considered was Mississippi State,” he added. “Auburn was the top school I really wanted to go to and when I got that offer I just jumped on it.”

One of the biggest reasons Ward felt at home at Auburn was his bond with Thompson along with assistant coaches Brad Bohannon and Doug Sisson. Ward said the group on the Plains right now made it a very easy decision for him to choose the Tigers.

“They are incredible,” Ward said of the new Auburn staff. “They are nice people and they exactly what they’re talking about. They are serious about things and they’re really trying to get better.”

Helping the Golden Tigers to the 5A state title as a sophomore, Ward had a season to remember on the way to earning All-State honors. Leading the team with a .504 batting average, Ward had four home runs, six triples, and 12 doubles while adding 68 hits, 58 runs scored, and 49 RBI while striking out just nine times for the year.

Saying his strengths are making contact and his speed, Ward said having a season like he had last year was just a dream come true and made it a year to remember.

“It felt great,” Ward said. “It just gave me a lot of confidence as a player.”

Ward is the second Russellville player to commit to the Tigers, joining teammate and fellow junior pitcher Cody Greenhill in choosing Auburn. Last season Greenhill was 7-1 with a 2.14 ERA and was a perfect 4-0 in the postseason. Ward said Auburn is getting a very good player in his teammate.

“He’s real good,” Ward said of Greenhill. “He’s a hard worker and he doesn’t care, he’ll come right at you.”

Ward and Greenhill are part of a big group of players returning for the Golden Tigers as they look to repeat as 5A champions in 2016.

[augolf1716 21,096]

Getting a Russellville pipeline.......lol

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

Judd Ward---- .504!!!!! wow

[AU64 10,122]

We just may have some good prospects for the next few years. In baseball however it is always a question of what the major league draft will look like and how appealing those signing bonuses are .

You just can't tell what you might have until the guy actually shows up on campus Still, . It's nice to dream when you see some of the stats of these young guys.

[ellitor 33,062]

Steven Williams article w/ stats Link

 

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ALBANY — The list of accomplishments for Deerfield-Windsor junior baseball standout Steven Williams continues to pile up.

From getting selected to play for the 15U Team USA National Baseball Team to being named a Perfect Game All-American, Williams has already been mentioned as a potential high pick in the 2017 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

But when the junior was told he was the 2016 Albany Herald Ray Knight Baseball Player of the Year, he said he was humbled.

“Without the team, I wouldn’t be here,” Williams said. “We had guys who should have received this award. Coach Jonathan Davis did a great job of preparing us and keeping us encouraged. So the award goes to the team as well.”

The Deerfield-Windsor standout isn’t known to be brash or cocky. The Auburn commit batted .524 with 16 doubles, three triples, 11 homers and 49 RBIs to help the Knights win their second straight Georgia Independent Schools Association Class AAA state baseball title last month.

The junior played mostly catcher but also played some in the outfield. In previous seasons, Williams also played third-base and pitched. Davis said he had planned to throw him more this season, but the team won many of its games by lopsided scores and Williams wasn’t needed.

The No. 2 hitter rarely struck out and seemed to play his best in clutch situations. He certainly played a key role in getting the offense started — in his own way.

“I’m not a rah, rah kind of guy. … I’m not the kind of guy who is going to stand up and scream in the dugout,” he said. “Hopefully I lead by example.”

Williams’ personality is what Davis likes the most. He said having the junior on the field is like having another coach.

“His talent is well-documented,” Davis said. “But what a lot of people don’t see is his leadership ability. He has a very calm demeanor and he’s very personable, especially with many of our younger kids. He doesn’t get too high and he doesn’t get too low, and it filters down throughout the team.”

Williams has been dominant in the GISA, and the three-year starter has garnered most of the major awards. With one more season left, Davis said Williams hopes to keep getting better.

“He has set goals for himself and every day is a learning process,” Davis said. “Another year, he has a chance to continue to develop, working on his swing and stuff like that. But he’s very focused and determined. He’s very busy, but he does a great job of balancing his life.”

Williams has been committed to Auburn since his sophomore season. While he wants to continue his career at the next level, he said he’s going to be grateful whether he’s playing professional baseball or college ball.

He spent the past week at the Perfect Game National Showcase in Fort Myers, Fla., and will spend next week at USA Baseball Tournament of Stars in Cary, N.C., two prestigious invitation-only events that showcase the nation’s top high school players. Williams said he’s blessed to have the opportunity to showcase his skills.

“Whatever happens, I’m going to be happy,” he said. “Whether I play in college or go straight to the pros, I’m going to be happy either way.”

The junior said he doesn’t take baseball for granted, especially after going on a spring break mission trip to the Dominican Republic where he watched many youngsters play the game, most with torn gloves and battered equipment that would be trashed in most countries.

He maintains a strong faith in God and is thankful.

“I wouldn’t be anything without my Lord and savior,” he said. “He’s the one who blessed me with the talent. Without him, I certainly wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing.”

 

[ellitor 33,062]

Tom Glavine's son, Peyton, committed to AU. He's an OF & LHP

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Peyton Glavine @peyton_glav14

Blessed beyond belief to say that I have committed to play baseball at Auburn University!! #WarEagle@PerfectGameUSA

5:49 PM - 1 Aug 2016

 

 

Edited August 2, 2016 by ellitor

[augolf1716 21,096]

Well if he's only half as good as his Dad we got a good one.

[RunInRed 16,360]

The Glavine connection is pretty cool ...

[JFDTiger80 790]

Peyton goes to Blessed Trinity HS in Roswell. Very cool to have the Glavine's involved in our baseball program. Tom and his wife Chris are very active in the Atlanta community and with their kids. I expect they will be down to AU a lot. 

[AUBwins 10,064]

Awesome!!  I am sure he learned a thing or two from the old man.  And a lefty! TG had one of the smoothest deliveries I have seen from a southpaw.

[autigeremt 6,569]

Great job, E! Nice work indeed.

[FoundationEagle 637]

Just read an article stating we signed 12 players, 9 of which are pitchers. Forgive my ignorance as I'm not a big baseball recruiting follower....is 9 pitchers out of 12 players a little extreme?  I know it's common for the best athletes in HS to play pitcher, but isn't this odd?  Am I just missing something?  

[Mikey 16,546]

3 hours ago, FoundationEagle said:

Just read an article stating we signed 12 players, 9 of which are pitchers. Forgive my ignorance as I'm not a big baseball recruiting follower....is 9 pitchers out of 12 players a little extreme?  I know it's common for the best athletes in HS to play pitcher, but isn't this odd?  Am I just missing something?  

Nine out of 12 is extreme to say the least. Maybe the coaches feel good about our current position players and decided to concentrate on pitchers, but still... ?????

[ellitor 33,062]

3 hours ago, FoundationEagle said:

Just read an article stating we signed 12 players, 9 of which are pitchers. Forgive my ignorance as I'm not a big baseball recruiting follower....is 9 pitchers out of 12 players a little extreme?  I know it's common for the best athletes in HS to play pitcher, but isn't this odd?  Am I just missing something?  

From the official Auburn Athletics website we signed 14 not 12. And yes we signed 9 pitchers but two of them are also infielders when they do not Pitch. One of which won the Hitter of the Year award in the state of Alabama in Burns. So yes we signed 9 pitchers but we also signed 7 position players.

Edited November 11, 2016 by ellitor

[WEagle24 56]

Do they think Burns is going to make it to AU or is he likely going straight to the pros?

[FoundationEagle 637]

17 hours ago, ellitor said:

From the official Auburn Athletics website we signed 14 not 12. And yes we signed 9 pitchers but two of them are also infielders when they do not Pitch. One of which won the Hitter of the Year award in the state of Alabama in Burns. So yes we signed 9 pitchers but we also signed 7 position players.

Ok, so really 7-9 pitchers and 5-7 position players depending where they end up. Is that normal?  Still seems high but as so said I'm ignorant on the subject. Do we need that many pitchers or did we just get the best players we could regardless of position?