The Skyhawk baseball squad just bolstered their roster for the 2021 campaign by adding 12 new faces to the team.
Head coach Ryan Jenkins announced the signings for the 2021 season, which includes two shortstops (SS), two catchers, an outfielder, and seven pitchers.
Associate head coach Matt Heath and recruiting coordinator Hunter Morris brought in mostly southern-grown talent. Of the signings, four come from both Tennessee and Alabama, and one each comes from Kentucky and Mississippi.
Two players come from from north of Kentucky, with one from Ohio and another from Ontario, Canada.
Alec Beaman, a SS from Centennial High School in Franklin, was voted to the All-District 11-AA second-team, named Tennessee Baseball Report Super Sophomore in 2018 and helped lead Gametime Elite to the championship round of the Kentucky Limited Series in July.
Blaze Bell, a SS from Blackman High School in Murfreesboro, helped Blackman win the District 7-AAA Championship while being named All-District, scored three runs during the championship game against LaVergne and received all-tournament honors at both the 2019 WWBA 17U National Championship and 2018 WWBA 16U National Championship.
Cameron Brady, a catcher from Bourbon County High School in Kentucky, helped Bourbon County to a 20-14 record in 2019 and 18-8 in 2018. Brady was also named to the All-Tournament Team at the 2019 PBGA 17U/18U Battle in the Bluegrass event.
Carson Deer, a catcher from Loveland High School in Ohio, received all-Eastern Cincinnati Conference second-team honors, recorded a .914 fielding percentage to go along with 17 runs-batted-in and 17 runs in 25 games in 2019. Deer was also named Preseason Underclassman All-American honorable mention by Perfect Game, a baseball scouting service, in both 2018 and 2019.
Bennett DeTrude, an outfielder from Father Ryan High School in Brentwood, played a key role on a Father Ryan team that went 19-14 in 2019, earning a No. 4 ranking in Division II Class AA state poll. DeTrude also earned All-Tournament accolades in both the 2019 16U National Championship and 2018 Perfect Game Super 25 15U Georgia Super Qualifier.
Brock Hughes, a left-handed pitcher (LHP) from Auburn High School in Alabama, helped Auburn HS to a 27-record in 2019 and was on the 2018 Alabama State Championship team in 2018. Hughes added All-Tournament Honors to his resume at the 2019 17U Perfect Game East-Cobb Invitational.
Garrett Lewis, a right-handed pitcher (RHP) from Starkville Academy in Mississippi, was on a Starkville team that nearly reached the AAA State Championship Series in 2019. Lewis posted some solid pitching numbers during his sophomore year in 2018, recording a 2.15 earned-runs average, 42 strikeouts, 17 walks, and 4 wins over 39 innings.
Eli Martin, a RHP from Smith County High School in Carthage, was named Tennessee Baseball Report Super Sophomore in 2018 after winning five games, recording a save, 2.42 ERA and 85 strikeouts after 78 innings. This impressive performance ranked second-most in the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. Martin was also named All-District 8AA Freshman of the Year in 2017 and earned All-Tournament honors at the 13U Super 25 and the Perfect Game 13U Invitational in 2015.
Addison Parker, a RHP from Hartselle High School in Alabama, earned 2019 Perfect Game Preseason Underclassman All-Amercian Team honors as well as earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team at the 2019 WWBA 17U National Championship event.
Tucker Reed, a RHP from Athens High School in Alabama, helped Aldmore High School to a 22-12 record in 2019 and earned All-Tennessee Valley honorable mention status as a junior. Reed will suit up for Athens HS for his senior year.
Lawson Russell, a LHP from Decatur High School in Alabama, earned All-Tennessee Valley honorable mentions in 2019. At Decatur HS, Russell racked up several achievements such as pitching a no-hitter and 14 strikeouts in 2019, was named to Perfect Game Preseason Underclassman All-American honors in 2019, All-Tournament Honors at 2019 WBWA 17U National Championship and a “Top Prospect” at the 2019 Southeast Showcase.
The Skyhawks capped off their signing class with international signing Grayden Stauffer, a RHP from Maxwell Heights Secondary School in Oshawa, Ontario, was on the Ontario Blue Jays (Canadian amateur program) in 2018, and helped the team win the Canadian Premier League Championship last season.
The Skyhawks will resume action in 2020, though a schedule has yet to be released. More information about these signings can be found on UTM Sports Information. Information used provided courtesy of UTM Sports Information.
Photo Credit / Sports Information
