Baseball Signees: Cal Jones and Will Lumpkin
11/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama baseball team inked 11 recruits to the 2016-17 roster last week during the early signing period. Over the next three days, all 11 players from this year's signing class will be featured on RollTide.com. Today's featured signees are outfielder Cal Jones and catcher Nathan Altstadt.
Cal Jones
OF
6-0, 175
Dadeville, Ala. (Dadeville)
Cal Jones signs with The University of Alabama from Dadeville High School in Dadeville, Ala. The 6-foot speedy outfielder has received a number of accolades during his time at DHS including being named the Alabama 4A Hitter of the Year in 2015, and being selected to the 4A All-State team in 2015 and the All-Area team in three consecutive years. Jones also received the privilege of competing in the annual North-South All Star Game. In addition to baseball, Jones also competed in football, where he received all-area honors. A well-rounded student, Jones is also a member of the student council at Dadeville High School. The Crimson Tide signee was named after two major league baseball players - Cal (Ripken) and (Jeff) Branson for his first and middle name.
Head Coach Mitch Gaspard on Jones:
"Cal Jones is super athletic. His tools really jump out at you. He possesses power, can really run and has a tremendous throwing arm. He's a dual-sport athlete - a really good football player that brings that toughness to the game of baseball. He's a guy that we project to see in center field down the road for us. We can see him developing into a high-end player here due to his athleticism."
Coach Andy Phillips on Jones:
"Cal Jones is a very athletic center fielder. He possesses tremendous bat speed and is a great runner. He's a guy that we think can really do a lot of athletic things for us offensively and defensively, and he is a guy that we think has a tremendous ceiling for what he can be at The University of Alabama when it's all said and done."
Will Lumpkin
C
6-0, 190
Roanoke, Ala. (Handley)
An in-state product, Will Lumpkin joins the Alabama baseball recruiting class as the top-ranked catcher in the state of Alabama. Lumpkin currently attends Handley High School in Roanoke and is the first baseball player in HHS history to receive a scholarship to play in the Southeastern Conference. As a junior, he helped lead the Tigers to a 32-4 record and the second round of the playoffs, the most successful season in school history. In his first two seasons at HHS, his team secured a spot in the playoffs, and Lumpkin was a major part of his team's success, being selected to the all-county first team in each of his three years on the varsity squad. He was also selected as his team's Cy Young winner as a sophomore and followed that with the Tigers' Defensive Player of the Year award following his junior season. Lumpkin has been named to numerous all-tournament teams since 2011, most recently earning a spot on three separate Perfect Game USA all-tournament squads this past year.
Head Coach Mitch Gaspard on Lumpkin:
"Will Lumpkin can really swing the bat. He's a versatile guy who can catch as well as play the corner infield and outfield spots. He's been a big time high school player. He's really tough, has a good attitude, and we think he's going to be a real good offensive player for us. He's a guy that can impact the team offensively pretty quick and early in his career."
Coach Andy Phillips on Lumpkin:
"Will Lumpkin is a guy that can swing the bat extremely well and, he is a really physical kid. He's a catcher that every time you saw him play, it seemed like he was hitting double after double. He's a guy that we're really excited about, and we think he can provide some offense for us early and often."
