FROM STAFF REPORTS

University of Montevallo baseball head coach Chandler Rose announced a recruiting class of 23 newcomers for the 2013 season, including six former Shelby County high school baseball standouts.

Of the 23 new players, 17 are freshman and six are transfers. Seventeen hail from Alabama, three from Florida, two from Louisiana and one from Tennessee.

“We had several holes to fill with this class and I feel great about the young men coming in,” Rose said. “Most importantly, these young men are great people and will be fantastic representatives of Montevallo. We were able to keep many talented Alabama kids home in this class which is really exciting for the future. I expect there to be a lot of competition this fall which will only make us better.”

Catcher Jackson Slaid comes to Montevallo as a junior after spending the last two seasons at Louisiana State University. This past season at LSU, Slaid hit .271 with 10 runs scored, 8 RBI and one home run while making 11 starts. During the summer of 2011, he was named a Prospect League All-Star and a Top 25 Prospect, batting .340 with 10 doubles, two homers and 35 RBI. He was also a member of the 2011 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll.

Slaid prepped at Lakeside High School in Sibley, La. He was a three-time First Team All-State selection. He batted .585 his senior year and was named the 2010 Shreveport Times All-Area Player of the Year.

Todd Thompson is a centerfielder who will join the Falcons as a junior. He comes from Central Alabama Community College. During his two-year career at CACC, he hit .324 in 358 at bats. He scored 111 runs, had 11 doubles, 50 RBI, and 31 stolen bases. He also walked 71 times in his two years while at CACC.

Thompson helped lead Auburn High School to two Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 6A state baseball titles his junior and senior year.

Left-handed pitcher Josh Clemen comes to Montevallo after two years at State College of Florida in Manatee, Fla. This past year he went 2-3 with a 6.83 era in 29 innings pitched while striking out 20. His freshman year he was 1-1 with two saves and a 3.50 era in 28 innings while striking out 27.

This summer, Clemen played for Montevallo alum Andy Revell and the Licking County Settlers in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. He went 2-1 with a 2.73 ERA in 29.2 innings with 33 strikeouts, allowed just 23 hits and helped the Settlers win the GLSCL Championship.

Clemen attended Manatee High School in Manatee, Fla. and was named Pitcher of the Year his freshman and senior years.

Right-handed pitcher Josh Rouse comes from Wallace State Community College in Hanceville after one season. Before a season-ending injury, Josh threw 7 1/3 innings with a 4.91 earned run average and 11 strikeouts.

Rouse prepped at Sumiton Christian in Sumiton, Ala. His senior year he was named the Daily Mountain Eagle’s Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. His senior year he went 6-4 with one save. He had a 2.82 ERA and struck out a career-high 107 batters while allowing just 29 hits in 57 innings. For his career, Rouse put together a 35-15 mark with five saves and a 3.10 ERA, striking out 409 batters in 313 2/3 innings.

Catcher Hunter Boudreaus will join the Falcons after two years at The University of New Orleans. His sophomore year he appeared in 14 games, starting 10. He hit .162 in 32 plate appearances. He scored two runs and had 3 RBI on the season. This past summer he played for the Silver Springs T-Bolts of the Cal Ripken Collegiate League.

Boudreaux attended Brother Martin High School in New Orleans, La. He was an All-District catcher his senior year, hitting .364 with a home run and 18 RBIs.

Left-handed pitcher Drew Sikes comes to Montevallo as a redshirt sophomore from Wallace State Community College in Selma. He started 15 games his freshman year with a 4-8 record and 6.29 ERA while striking out 44 in 78 2/3 innings.

Sikes helped lead Auburn High School to two Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 6A state baseball titles his junior and senior year.
Cody Hughes is a utility player and pitcher who will join the Falcons as a freshman. Hughes attended Central High School in Phenix City, Ala.

This past spring Hughes hit .322 with 9 home runs, 30 RBI and 33 runs scored. On the mound he was 4-1 with two saves and a 1.96 ERA. He struck out 56 in 46 innings and helped lead his team to the 6A State Semi-Finals. Last season as a junior, he hit .407 with 10 doubles, five home runs, two triples, eight stolen bases and 41 RBI. On the mound that year he was 4-0 with a 2.32 ERA.

Thomas Bradey is an outfielder that comes from Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Bradey was named the Daily News Journal Position Player of the Year, 7-AAA All District, All Region, and First Team All State. He was also selected to play in the Tennessee Adidas All Star Game and named as the Offensive Player of the Year for Riverdale. His senior year he batted .450 with 27 RBIs, three home runs, 10 doubles, two triples and 24 stolen bases in 25 attempts.

Infielder Chase Bryant comes to the Falcons as a freshman from Oneonta High School in Oneonta, Ala.

He was named Alabama Sports Writers Association First Team Class 4A All-State his senior year. Bryant was also selected to the AHSAA All Star Baseball Game in Montgomery. He was also named Team MVP, Team Captain and invited to the Alabama-Florida All Star Game. His senior year he hit .420 with nine doubles, one home run, 22 runs, 54 RBI, and five stolen bases. He also had a .487 on base percentage and struck out only seven times in 100 at bats.

Outfielder Scotty Smith comes to Montevallo from Ragland High School in Ragland, Ala.

This past season he was named All-Region, All-County and Honorable Mention All-State. He hit .583 with two home runs, 29 RBI, 28 walks and 14 stolen bases. On the mound he was 6-3 with a 2.13 era and 87 strikeouts.

Jeremy Hyde is an infielder that comes to Montevallo from Calera High School in Calera, Ala.

Hyde was named 2012 All County First Team by The Shelby County Reporter. His junior year he was named Honorable Mention All-State by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. He hit .388 his senior year with seven doubles, two triples, five home runs, 29 RBI, and 14 stolen bases.

Aron McRee is a right-handed pitcher that comes to Montevallo from Thompson High School in Alabaster, Ala.

McRee was named Honorable Mention All Area by the Shelby County Reporter. His senior year he was 5-3 with a 3.37 era. He threw 64 innings and struck out 57.

First baseman and left-handed pitcher Brandon Marshall comes to Montevallo from Cape Coral High School in Cape Coral, Fla.

Marshall was named 1st Team All Southwest Florida by the Ft. Myers News Press as a first baseman. Marshall helped a Seahawks resurgence that saw the long-dormant program win 18 games and capture the top seed in its district tournament. Marshall batted .380 with 28 RBI, nine doubles and four home runs.

Right-handed pitcher Jake Christensen is a freshman from Grissom High School in Huntsville, Ala.

Christensen was named Second Team All Area this past year. The side arm pitcher went 2-0 with eight saves and a 2.18 era.

Catcher Nash Osborne comes to the Falcons from Hewitt-Trussville High School. Osborne was named to the Birmingham News All North/East Baseball Team.

Last season he hit .380 with nine doubles, two triples, and one home run. He also added 26 RBI and 15 walks. Osborne was also stellar behind the plate posting a .993 fielding percentage.

David Stasiak is a right-handed pitcher that comes from Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Ala.

Stasiak was named to the Birmingham News All North/East Baseball Team. In 49 1/3 innings his senior year he had a 1.99 ERA.

Right-handed pitcher and utility player Taylor Burr joins the Falcons as a freshman from Montevallo High School in Montevallo, Ala.

Burr was named First Team Class 3A All-State by the Alabama Sports Writers Association this past season. He was also named Honorable Mention All Area by the Shelby County Reporter.

Burr helped lead the Bulldogs to the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 3A semifinals as a senior. On the mound, he was 7-2 with three saves, 70 strikeouts and a 2.22 era. Offensively he hit .416 with 15 doubles, two triples, 54 runs, 33 RBI, and 30 stolen bases.

Catcher John Maxwell comes to Montevallo from Hoover High School in Hoover, Ala. In 94 at bats, Maxwell hit .351 with 19 RBI and a .429 on base percentage. He only struck out four times in 113 plate appearances. He helped the Buccaneers to a 36-12 record his senior season.

Jack Folmar joins the Falcons as a freshman outfielder. He prepped at Lee-Scott Academy in Auburn, Ala.

His senior year he was selected All-State by the Alabama Independent School Association and named First Team All-Area by the Opelika-Auburn News. In 34 games as a senior, he scored 41 runs, had 36 hits, 27 RBI, 16 stolen bases, 14 doubles, and one home run and hit .371. Jack also had a .537 on base percentage and a .546 slugging percentage.

Utility player Tyler Goff is a freshman from Lemon Bay High School in Lemon Bay, Fla. Goff was named Honorable Mention All Area by the Herald Tribune both his junior and senior seasons. He was a team Captain his junior and seniors season as well as team MVP. His senior year he hit .315. During his junior year he hit .500 which was the third highest average in the 4A area.

Utility player and left-handed pitcher Josh Floyd joins Montevallo from Oak Mountain High School in Birmingham, Ala.

Floyd participated in the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Showcase in Troy, Ala. Following his junior season.

Left-handed pitcher Dustin Cowart comes to Montevallo from Spain Park High School in Hoover, Ala.

Cowart completed his senior season with a 4-3 record on the mound and a 3.69 earned run average. Cowart struck out 21 batters in 30 1/3 innings as a senior.

Cowart finished his junior season with a 3-1 record on the mound and a 4.27 earned run average. Cowart made 10 appearances and pitched 21 1/3 innings as a junior with 30 strikeouts and only 13 walks.

Infielder Matthew Graben will come to Montevallo as a freshman from Chelsea High School in Chelsea, Ala.

Graben was the team captain his senior year and hit .230. He also added 22 runs, three doubles, one triple, and 13 stolen bases to go along with a .374 on base percentage.