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15
Oct
Jags Land Trinity Presbyterian Righty
JagsJungle.com has learned that RHP Brock Stevens of Trinity Presbyterian in Montgomery, Ala. has committed to the The University of South Alabama as part of the 2013 signing class.
As a sophomore in 2011 Stevens was the ace of the Trinity Presbyterian staff going 7-1 with a 2.13 ERA with 7 Starts in 13 total Appearances. He limited opposing hitters to a .211 Batting Average and struck out 75 in 49.1 Innings.
In between the 2011 and 2012 seasons, Stevens had Tommy John Surgery to repair his right (pitching) elbow. He spent all of the 2012 regular season hitting for Trinity Presbyterian, but he was able to earn a Save in the Wildcats’ series clinching Semi-Final game versus Montevallo. In his only outing of the year, Brock Stevens struck out the only two batters he faced to close out the game and the series sending Trinity Presbyterian to the Class 3A State Finals where they would go on to be crowned 2012 3A State Champions.
Now, less than 12 months removed from Tommy John surgery, Stevens was recently 86 to 88 in a fall game with nice bite on his slider. He’s an excellent looking right-handed. He’s athletic with a good frame for a pitcher and tons of upside. He's a great addition to the 2013 Class.
As a sophomore in 2011 Stevens was the ace of the Trinity Presbyterian staff going 7-1 with a 2.13 ERA with 7 Starts in 13 total Appearances. He limited opposing hitters to a .211 Batting Average and struck out 75 in 49.1 Innings.
In between the 2011 and 2012 seasons, Stevens had Tommy John Surgery to repair his right (pitching) elbow. He spent all of the 2012 regular season hitting for Trinity Presbyterian, but he was able to earn a Save in the Wildcats’ series clinching Semi-Final game versus Montevallo. In his only outing of the year, Brock Stevens struck out the only two batters he faced to close out the game and the series sending Trinity Presbyterian to the Class 3A State Finals where they would go on to be crowned 2012 3A State Champions.
Now, less than 12 months removed from Tommy John surgery, Stevens was recently 86 to 88 in a fall game with nice bite on his slider. He’s an excellent looking right-handed. He’s athletic with a good frame for a pitcher and tons of upside. He's a great addition to the 2013 Class.
26
Sep
Troy Weekend Baseball Visits
Here is the list of prospects making visits this weekend to South Alabama.
Current Jaguar commitments, infielder Matt Bolger of Bob Jones High School (Huntsville, Ala.) and outfielder Cameron Cummings of Chilton Co. High School (Thorsby, Ala.), are both slated to be on campus for the big weekend.
Polk St. Community College teammates Erik Hindmon and Trey Norris are scheduled to take in the weekend festivities as well.
Norris (if he signs) would have the chance to step into the closer’s role vacated after the 2013 season by the graduation of Kyle Bartsch. He had an excellent freshman year at Polk St. (2.18 ERA, 35 strikeouts with just 4 walks in 33 innings in 20 appearances) but really turned it on the Florida Collegiate Summer League. Norris led the FCSL with 12 saves (double that of the closer who finished second) while posting a 3.03 ERA and striking out 34 hitters in 26.2 innings. Opposing batters hit .181 vs. Norris this summer.
Erik Hindmon, a catcher, also took a successful turn in the FCSL, batting .325 (.911 OPS) with 7 doubles and 4 homeruns in 117 at bats, after an errorless turn behind the dish earned him Suncoast Conference Defensive Player of the Year Honors this spring at Polk St.
Norris and Hindmon both played in the FCSL this summer for the Leesburg Lightening with South Alabama’s Kevin Knapp.
Another pair of teammates, both from the class of 2014, will make up the final two visitors of the weekend. Spain Park High School’s (Hoover, Ala.) catcher/utility John Sumner and infielder Josh Rich will be in Mobile for the weekend. Sumner is already committed to South Alabama for the 2014 class. As just sophomores, both players were starters last season on a Spain Park team that advanced to the 6A Semi-Finals before losing to eventual state champion Oxford High School in grueling 3 game battle.
It will be a busy weekend for the Baseball Coaching staff, and hopefully a very successful one for both football and baseball.
Current Jaguar commitments, infielder Matt Bolger of Bob Jones High School (Huntsville, Ala.) and outfielder Cameron Cummings of Chilton Co. High School (Thorsby, Ala.), are both slated to be on campus for the big weekend.
Polk St. Community College teammates Erik Hindmon and Trey Norris are scheduled to take in the weekend festivities as well.
Norris (if he signs) would have the chance to step into the closer’s role vacated after the 2013 season by the graduation of Kyle Bartsch. He had an excellent freshman year at Polk St. (2.18 ERA, 35 strikeouts with just 4 walks in 33 innings in 20 appearances) but really turned it on the Florida Collegiate Summer League. Norris led the FCSL with 12 saves (double that of the closer who finished second) while posting a 3.03 ERA and striking out 34 hitters in 26.2 innings. Opposing batters hit .181 vs. Norris this summer.
Erik Hindmon, a catcher, also took a successful turn in the FCSL, batting .325 (.911 OPS) with 7 doubles and 4 homeruns in 117 at bats, after an errorless turn behind the dish earned him Suncoast Conference Defensive Player of the Year Honors this spring at Polk St.
Norris and Hindmon both played in the FCSL this summer for the Leesburg Lightening with South Alabama’s Kevin Knapp.
Another pair of teammates, both from the class of 2014, will make up the final two visitors of the weekend. Spain Park High School’s (Hoover, Ala.) catcher/utility John Sumner and infielder Josh Rich will be in Mobile for the weekend. Sumner is already committed to South Alabama for the 2014 class. As just sophomores, both players were starters last season on a Spain Park team that advanced to the 6A Semi-Finals before losing to eventual state champion Oxford High School in grueling 3 game battle.
It will be a busy weekend for the Baseball Coaching staff, and hopefully a very successful one for both football and baseball.
21
Sep
Hartselle Lefty Commits
Jags Jungle has learned that Hartselle left-handed pitcher Colton Ord has committed to the class of 2013.
In 2012 Ord was one of the headliners of a very deep Hartselle pitching staff that advanced to the 2012 Alabama State Final Four.
Ord led last year’s staff with a 6-1 record and and won two critical game 3’s during Hartselle’s playoff run.
He figures to be near the front of the rotation again as Hartselle makes its yearly push for a 5A state championship.
Colton Ord is the 11th commitment for the 2013 class.
In 2012 Ord was one of the headliners of a very deep Hartselle pitching staff that advanced to the 2012 Alabama State Final Four.
Ord led last year’s staff with a 6-1 record and and won two critical game 3’s during Hartselle’s playoff run.
He figures to be near the front of the rotation again as Hartselle makes its yearly push for a 5A state championship.
Colton Ord is the 11th commitment for the 2013 class.
24
Aug
LHP Austin Stephens Recruiting Update
I caught up with Grand Rapids Community College closer Austin Stephens to see where he stood in the recruiting process.
Stephens visited South Alabama and UAB over the summer and he’s hearing from Central Michigan, Grand Valley State and NAIA powerhouse Cornerstone College. He had visits set up to Michigan and Michigan State, but they fell through. It’s still early in the process and Stephens doesn’t seem to be in a big hurry.
Stephens was a starter in high school but worked as the closer last season at GRCC. When asked about which he preferred, he replied, “After this college season, I thought I liked starting more. Then, I got a lot of starts this summer and it reminded me how much I like closing, so I’d say closing. I like the pressure of being responsible for those last 3, or sometimes 6, outs.”
Stephens expounded a little more on his summer. “I always take a break every summer, about 2 weeks off just to rest my arm. This year I didn’t do that so I ran into a little pain. Mine was on the inside of my elbow, so I shut it down for 10 days and did rehab and now it feels great. I have been so focused on working out and I have gained a substantial amount of Weight. This workout program has helped me put on a ton of muscle. I now weigh 208. I’ve grown an inch so I’m 6-foot-5 now. The last bullpen I threw, I was clocked at 85 to 88 mph. With some mechanical tweaks, I believe I will be capable of topping out at 90mph by the time we travel to Florida (in the spring).”
“My goals for the upcoming season are to have better all-around numbers than last year” Austin Stephens continued. “To hit 90 by the playoffs. To become a feared and established pitcher. To be the most effective closer in the league and sign with a school that has a great baseball program where the pitching coach will help me max out my potential and be the best I can be. I want to get above a 3.0 gpa. I want the team to win the conference and win the regionals and make it back out to the world series and put the stomp on the first team we play. Last year, we had some fights among our own team. As a team I want to help us eliminate all of that and redirect that energy in a positive way. I want to be the guy that brings the team together when everything is falling apart.”
Jags Jungle will keep an eye on Austin Stephens’ recruitment.
Stephens visited South Alabama and UAB over the summer and he’s hearing from Central Michigan, Grand Valley State and NAIA powerhouse Cornerstone College. He had visits set up to Michigan and Michigan State, but they fell through. It’s still early in the process and Stephens doesn’t seem to be in a big hurry.
Stephens was a starter in high school but worked as the closer last season at GRCC. When asked about which he preferred, he replied, “After this college season, I thought I liked starting more. Then, I got a lot of starts this summer and it reminded me how much I like closing, so I’d say closing. I like the pressure of being responsible for those last 3, or sometimes 6, outs.”
Stephens expounded a little more on his summer. “I always take a break every summer, about 2 weeks off just to rest my arm. This year I didn’t do that so I ran into a little pain. Mine was on the inside of my elbow, so I shut it down for 10 days and did rehab and now it feels great. I have been so focused on working out and I have gained a substantial amount of Weight. This workout program has helped me put on a ton of muscle. I now weigh 208. I’ve grown an inch so I’m 6-foot-5 now. The last bullpen I threw, I was clocked at 85 to 88 mph. With some mechanical tweaks, I believe I will be capable of topping out at 90mph by the time we travel to Florida (in the spring).”
“My goals for the upcoming season are to have better all-around numbers than last year” Austin Stephens continued. “To hit 90 by the playoffs. To become a feared and established pitcher. To be the most effective closer in the league and sign with a school that has a great baseball program where the pitching coach will help me max out my potential and be the best I can be. I want to get above a 3.0 gpa. I want the team to win the conference and win the regionals and make it back out to the world series and put the stomp on the first team we play. Last year, we had some fights among our own team. As a team I want to help us eliminate all of that and redirect that energy in a positive way. I want to be the guy that brings the team together when everything is falling apart.”
Jags Jungle will keep an eye on Austin Stephens’ recruitment.
