Baseball Adds 11 Signees for 2003-04 Academic Year

Monday, December 09, 2002

Coach Jim Wells

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- University of Alabama head coach Jim Wells announced the signing of 11 student-athletes that will join the Crimson Tide baseball program for the 2003-04 academic year.

The list includes seven high school players and four junior college transfers that signed with Alabama during the Nov. 14-22 signing period.

“I think we have put together and excellent signing class,” Wells said.  “We have filled many of our needs with some very talented pitchers and hitters.  I think this is a very good signing class.”

The list of Alabama baseball signees includes:

LHP/OF Brandon Belcher
(6-0, 175, Ruston High School Ruston, Louisiana)

Named 2002 Louisiana Player of the Year by the Monroe News Star
2002 All-State Selection by Monroe News Star
2002 All-State Selection by the Louisiana Sportswriters Association
Named to Baseball America’s Top 50 high school prospects
As a junior (2002), Belcher posted an 11-1 record and 1.10 ERA, including two no-hitters
Also batted .478 with 27 RBI as a junior
Member of the 2001 USSSA Shreveport Mariners national championship team
Member of the 2002 Bill Hood Broncos, that finished runner-up in the Connie Mack World Series

1B/3B Matt Bentley
(6-3, 205, Hazel Green HS, Hazel Green, Alabama)

Two-year letterman at Hazel Green High School for coach Jeff Bell
Bentley led Hazel Green with a .506 batting average as a junior (2002)
Also one of the state’s top power hitters as a junior
Played on back-to-back Class 5A State Playoff teams as a sophomore and junior
As a junior, Bentley led his team to a 27-6 overall record and a No. 2 ranking in Class 5A
Also led Hazel Green to back-to-back Area and County Championships (2001, 2002)
First-Team All-State selection by The Birmingham News (2002)
First-Team All-Metro by The Huntsville Times
Participated in the 2002 North-South High School All-Star game in Montgomery, Ala.

C C.J. Bressoud
(6-1, 185, North Cobb HS, Kennesaw, Georgia)

Two-year starter at North Cobb HS for coach Harvey Cochran
First-Team All-State selection following his junior season
Rated as one of the nation’s Top 25 players by Perfect Game/Baseball America
Rated as the No. 2 catching prospect in the nation by Perfect Game/Baseball America
Played with fellow UA signee Michael McCallister in the 2002 C.A.B. A. World Series
Named to the C.A.B.A. World Series All-Tournament Team

RHP Doug Denson
(6-2, 185, Vestavia Hills HS, Vestavia, Alabama)

Two-year lettermen for Sammy Dunn at Vestavia Hills HS
Honorable mention All-State selection by The Birmingham News (2002)
Member of the 2002 Academic All-State team
Participated in the 2002 Perfect Game Showcase at Tropicana Field in Tampa, Fla.
His brother, Joe, plays baseball at Samford University
His grandfather, Charlie Bradshaw, played for Coach Paul Bryant at the University of Kentucky and was an assistant coach under Bryant at Alabama

OF Matt Grooms
(6-0, 205, Chipola, JC, Montgomery, Alabama)

Grooms will play the 2003 season at Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Florida
Spent the 2002 season at Auburn University under coach Steve Renfroe
Appeared in 28 games for Auburn, compiling a .243 batting average (18-for-74) with one HR and 11 RBI
Collected two hits and two RBI in the NCAA Regionals against Alabama.  Grooms did not play in the regular-season series against the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa
Collected five multiple hit games for the Tigers
A three-year letterman at Montgomery's St. James HS for coach Joe Justice
Grooms ranked as one of the state’s top hitters in the class of 2001
As a prep senior, Grooms batted .439 with six HRs and 28 RBI. Also batted .474 with eight HRs as a junior.           
All Metro and All-Capital City Player of the Year as senior
Named First-Team All-State by the The Birmingham News and Montgomery Advertiser as junior and senior
Posted a career-best .539 batting average as a sophomore

RHP T.J. Large
(6-4, 185, St. Pete JC, Largo, Florida)

Begins his sophomore season at St. Pete Junior College
Drafted in the 32nd round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2002 MLB Draft
Attended Seminole High School in Tallahassee, Florida
Posted a 19-0 career record at SHS
Led Seminole HS to the 2001 state championship and national championship
Drafted in the 9th round by San Francisco Giants in the 2001 MLB Draft

OF Jake Manning
(6-1, 210, Mineral Area College, Arnold, Missouri)

Begins his second season at Mineral Area College
Named 2002 First-Team Junior College All-American
Named to the All-Region 16 Team
Manning was tabbed the Region 16 Most Valuable Player as a rookie
As a freshmen last year, Manning batted .410 with 21 HRs and 81 RBI
Played 46 games as starting centerfielder
A 2001 graduate of Fox High School in Arnold, Missouri
A three-year letterman for coach Mike Sears
Played three years (1999-2001) for the St. Louis Blazers summer team under Aaron Kutilek
In 2001, Manning set team records for highest batting average (.481), most home runs (14) and RBI (66)

OF/1B Michael McCallister
(6-4, 210, Clay High School, Green Cove Springs, Florida)

Entering his senior season at Clay High School
A two-year starter and three-year letterman for coach Robbie Thompson
An outstanding power hitter, McCallister is on pace to break the career home run record at Clay HS.  The record is currently held by former South Carolina standout Garris Gonce.
He already holds the single-season home run record for freshman (2000) and junior (2002)
Three-time Clay HS Most Valuable Player and Conference All-Star player
Named First-Team All-State as sophomore and junior (2001, 2002)
Played summer ball for the Jacksonville Warriors, who placed second in the 2001 American Legion World Series in Binghamton, NY
Played with current UA infielder Billy Hogan (freshman) in the 2001 C.A.B. A. World Series
Played with fellow UA signee C.J. Bressoud in the 2002 C.A.B. A. World Series

INF Greg Paiml
(6-0, 175, Hoover HS, Hoover, Alabama)

Currently a senior at Hoover High School
A two-year letterman for coach Rick Davis
Led Hoover HS to Class 6A state semifinals in 2001 and quarterfinals in 2002
Named to the Super All-Over the Mountain Team (2002)
Played this summer for the Bama Bombers in the Perfect Game Tournament in Jupiter, Fla.
Greg’s brother, Brad, is currently a student-manager on the Alabama baseball team

OF Emeel Salem
(6-0, 165, Mountain Brook HS, Birmingham, Alabama)

Set single-season record for highest batting average (.521) at Mountain Brook HS
Also set MBHS record with 28 stolen bases (28 attempts) as a junior (2001)
Two-Time All-State selection by The Birmingham News (2001, 2002)
Two-Time All-Metro selection by The Birmingham News (2001, 2002)
Participated in the East Coast Professional Showcase
Participated in the 2002 North-South High School All-Star game in Montgomery, Ala.
His father, Emeel, Sr., played baseball at South Alabama
Also related to Ed, George and Jimbo Salem, all of whom played football for the Crimson Tide
Off the field, Emeel plays the piano and guitar and is a member of the National Honor Society, Math Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society

RHP Andrew Walker
(6-1, 175, Cowley County CC, Prague, Oklahoma)

Spent the 2002 season as a freshmen at Cowley County Community College under coach Dave Burroughs
Posted an 8-0 record on the mound and a .410 batting average as a rookie last year
Drafted in the 20th round of the 2002 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers
A 2001 graduate of Prague High School, where he was a four-year letterman for coach Dave Rolette
Holds school records for at-bats (136) and hits (60) in a season following his senior year
Named Prague HS Most Valuable Player in 2001
Named First-Team All-Conference at four different positions during his prep career, including shortstop (1998), third base (1999), pitcher/catcher (2000) and pitcher (2001)
Named Most Valuable Player of the 2000 Junior Sun Belt Classic and the 2001 Ozark Classic Tournaments
Also ran cross county in high school and placed 36th in the state as a junior

University of Alabama Athletics

Baseball Adds 11 Signees for 2003-04 Academic Year

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