Alabama Baseball Inks 11 in Early Signing Period
11/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The University of Alabama baseball team announced the signing of 11 student-athletes during the Nov. 8-15, 2006, early signing period, according to head baseball coach Jim Wells.
The class consists of nine high school players and two junior college transfers, who will enroll at Alabama in August., 2007 and be eligible for the 2008 season. Alabama inked eight pitchers and three position players during the early signing period.
"First of all, Coach (Joe) Raccuia and Coach (B.J.) Green did an outstanding job of putting together a very good recruiting class," Wells said. "We placed a lot of emphasis this year on pitching after losing a number of players last year to the draft. We feel like we acquired some really good arms.
"We have a number of young players who will be asked to step in and contribute immediately and with only three position players, they will have to come in and contribute immediately. We feel like this is a talented group of players."
In addition, seven of the 11 signees are from the state of Alabama.
The most recognizable signee is Hoover High School product Ross Wilson, who is the younger brother of Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson. Wilson, who also plays quarterback for coach Rush Propst at Hoover, is a standout infielder for coach Rick Davis' Bucs baseball squad.
Wilson batted .405 with eight home runs and 38 RBI last year as a junior. He was rated by Perfect Game National Showcase as the 89th best player in the nation. He was ranked No. 42 among the Perfect Game position players. He can play three infield (2B, SS and 3B) positions. Wilson has attended the 2006 Perfect Game National Showcase and the 2006 East Cobb Professional Showcase.
The two other high school position players are Josh Rutledge and Chase Weems.
Rutledge batted .436 with five home runs and 33 RBI last year as a junior at Cullman High School. He led the Bearcats to the Class 5A state championship series where his team finished runner up to Stanhope Elmore. He was selected to the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) North-South All-Star Game played at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville. He was a Class 5A All-State honorable mention and won the offensive player award for Cullman High School.
Weems is a catcher at Columbus (Ga.) High School. He participated in the 2006 East Cobb Professional Showcase. He hit .354 last year as a prep junior with four home runs. Weems has played for the state championship each of the last two years, winning the title in 2005 and finishing runnerup in 2006. He was named Columbus High School's Most Valuable Offensive Player in 2006.
The Crimson Tide inked six high school pitchers in this year's class, including Austin Bailey (Prattville HS), Justin Dutton (Russell County HS), Danny Danielson (Russell County HS), Connor Hoehn (St. John's College HS - Demascus, Maryland), Nathan Kilcrease (Glenwood Academy - Phenix City) and Jimmy Nelson (Niceville HS - Niceville, Fla.).
Bailey is a senior at Prattville High School, where he plays for Coach Roger Lambert. Bailey was rated 36th by Baseball America's Top 300 High School prospects. He was also rated No. 44 by Perfect Game Showcase's Top 200 High School players. He played this summer for the East Cobb Braves. Bailey has attended the 2006 Perfect Game National Showcase, 2006 East Cobb Professional Showcase and the 2006 World Wood Bat Association (WWBA) 18-and-under National Championship.
Dutton and Danielson are teammates at Russell County High School in Seale, Ala. They are coached by Tony Rasmus. The duo played on the 2005 Class 5A State championship team that posted a 38-1 record and reeled off 35 consecutive wins en route to the USA High School Baseball National Championship during their sophomore season.
Danielson played this summer for the Ohio Warhawks and this fall for the Las Vegas Meter Stars. He has also attended the 2006 WWBA World Championships, 2006 Southeast Top Prospects Showcase, 2006 WWBA 18-and-under National Championships, 2006 World Showcase and 2005 Perfect Game/Baseball America World Championship.
Dutton also played this summer with the Ohio Warhawks. He has participated in the 2006 WWBA Florida Qualifier, 2006 Southeast Top Prospects Showcase, 2006 WWBA 18-and-under National Championship and 2006 World Showcase.
Hoehn led his team to back-to-back WCAC regular season championships in 2005 and 2006. He was a first-team All-WCAC pick as a junior and second-team All-WCAC selection as a sophomore at St. John's College High School. Hoehn is rated No. 187 on Perfect Game Showcase's Top 200 High School players. He attended the 2006 WWBA World Championship, 2006 East Coast Professional Showcase, 2006 17-and-under WWBA National Championship, 2006 National Showcase and 2005 Perfect Game/Baseball America World Championship.
Kilcrease recorded 102 strikeouts last year as a junior and led Glenwood Academy to the 2005 AISA Class 3A state championship as a sophomore. He has also participated in the 2005 (15-and-under), 2006 (16-and-under) and 2006 (17-and-under) World Championships.
Nelson was 8-0 with five complete games and a 1.48 ERA as a junior at Niceville (Fla.) High School. He plays for former Alabama assistant coach Kevin Berry, who served on Jim Wells' staff in 1995 and 1996. He was also an all-area selection and was named Niceville's Most Valuable Player. Nelson is rated No. 125 by Perfect Game Showcase Top 200 High School players. He has participated in the 2006 WWBA World Championships, 2006 East Coast Professional Showcase, 2006 WWBA 18-and-under National Championship and 2006 Florida Showcase.
The two junior college transfers -- Robert Phares and Jamie Manning -- are both right hand pitchers.
Phares was 6-4 with a 2.77 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa. Phares, who played high school baseball at Tuscaloosa Central and Paul W. Bryant High School, was drafted in the 24th round (733rd overall pick) by the Boston Red Sox in 2006.
Manning was 5-5 with 3.43 ERA and logged 51 strikeouts in 70 innings last year at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville. Manning was drafted in the 45th round (1,445th overall pick) by the Colorado Rockies in the 2006 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
2007-08 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE BASEBALL SIGNEES
Austin Bailey (RHP, 6-1, 195, Prattville High School, Prattville, Alabama)
Justin Dutton (RHP, 6-5, 210, Russell County High School, Seale, Alabama)
Danny Danielson (RHP, 6-4, 190, Russell County High School, Seale, Alabama)
Connor Hoehn (RHP/DH, 6-1, 200, St. John's College High School, Demascus, Maryland)
Nathan Kilcrease (RHP, 5-7, 155, Glenwood High School, Columbus, Georgia)
Jamie Manning (RHP, 6-3, 195, Wallace State Community College)
Jimmy Nelson (RHP, 6-6, 227, Niceville High School, Niceville, Florida)
Robert Phares (RHP, 6-1, 185, Shelton State Community College, Tuscaloosa, Alabama)
Josh Rutledge (INF/P, 6-0, 185, Cullman High School, Cullman, Alabama)
Chase Weems (C, 6-2, 170, Columbus High School, Columbus, Georgia)
Ross Wilson (INF, 5-11, 187, Hoover High School, Hoover, Alabama)
