Jax State Baseball Signs Six On National Signing Day
11/9/2022 1:26:00 PM | Baseball
JACKSONVILLE - Jacksonville State baseball and head coach Jim Case announced Wednesday that six student-athletes will be joining the Gamecock baseball program for the 2022 season. All six newcomers will arrive from the high school ranks in the state of Alabama.
Case, along with assistant coaches Evan Bush and Mike Murphree, bolstered the future roster by adding high school signees. The JSU staff concentrated on in-state talent. The Gamecocks split the class with three pitchers and a trio of offensive standouts.
Sam Silas (Holtville, Ala./Holtville HS), Gabriel Young (Mountain Brook, Ala./Mountain Brook HS), Drew McCormick (Oxford, Ala./Oxford HS), Colin Woodham (Millbrook, Ala./Stanhope Elmore HS), Hudson Walburn (Vestavia Hills, Ala./Vestavia Hills HS) and Evan Smallwood (Hoover, Ala./Spain Park HS) all returned official paperwork back to JSU during the NCAA signing period that began on Wednesday.
Sam Silas, INF, 6-0, 180, Holtville, Ala. (Holtville HS)
Â
Prep: Attends Holtville High School and coached by Torey Baird…named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association First Team as a junior in 2022 after leading HHS to the AHSAA Class 5A State Championship series on the turf of Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium in Jacksonville…helped the Bulldogs compile 69 wins over the last three seasons, including back-to-back Class 5A Area 6 titles…named to the 2022 All-Elmore County Team by The Wetumpka Herald after finishing the 2002 slate with a .401 batting average…posted a team-high 55 hits, five triples, one home run, 40 RBI, 49 runs scored and 30 stolen bases…named to the Perfect Game WWBA Jupiter roster for the 3n2 Sticks Baseball 18U Brewster/White Sox Scout Team in October…a three-time PG Preseason Underclass All American honorable mention selection for the southeast region…named to 11 Perfect Game All-Tournament teams from 2018-2022… named to the AHSAA North-South All-Star baseball roster during the summer of 2022.
Â
Gabriel Young, OF/LHP, 6-0, 195, Mountain Brook, Ala. (Mountain Brook HS)
Â
Prep: Preps at Mountain Brook High School in the Birmingham area…coached by Lee Gann at MBHS… named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Second Team as a junior in 2022…led the Spartans to over 50 wins over the first three seasons on the high school level and advancing to the second round of the AHSAA Class 6A state playoffs…tabbed to the Starnes Media Group All-South Metro baseball team after hitting .389 as a junior and reached base at an impressive .528 clip…named to the AHSAA North-South All-Star baseball roster during the summer of 2022…named to the Perfect Game Fall Gulf Coast Showcase Top Prospect List… a two-time PG Preseason Underclass All American honorable mention selection for the southeast region (2021, 2022)…earned al-tournament spots on nine different Perfect Game-sanctioned events from 2020-22.
Â
Drew McCormick, RHP, 6-3, 195, Oxford, Ala. (Oxford HS)
Â
Prep: A Calhoun County (Ala.) product out of Oxford High School…coached by former Gamecock Wes Brooks at OHS…helped the Yellow Jackets to a 31-7 overall mark and a Class 6A Area 13 Championship as a junior in 2022…active with the Top Gun travel ball program in Perfect Game events with nine all-tournament honors dating back to 2018.
Â
Colin Woodham, LHP, 5-11, 170, Millbrook, Ala. (Stanhope Elmore HS)
Â
Prep: Preps at Stanhope Elmore High School…coached by Kaleb Shuman at SEHS… named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Second Team as a junior in 2022…also a member of the Montgomery Advertiser All-Metro Team…led the Mustangs to the Elite Eight of the 2022 AHSAA Class 6A state playoffs and finishing with 26 wins in 2022… finished the junior campaign with a 1.65 earned run average with 91 strikeouts and only 16 walks in 68 innings…opposing hitters had a .180 batting average against him…accumulated 151 strikeouts over the first three season on the high school level…active with the Perfect Game travel circuit as a member of TPL National…tabbed to numerous all-tournament teams through PG…a two-way player at SEHS with a career batting average of .297 over the first three seasons on the prep level with 55 hits, including 18 extra base hits and 37 RBI from 2020-22.
Â
Hudson Walburn, C/OF, 5-11, 180, Vestavia Hills, Ala. (Vestavia Hills HS)
Â
Prep: Attends Vestavia Hills High School in the Birmingham area…coached by Jamie Harris at VHHS…helped the Rebels reach the semifinals of the 2022 AHSAA Class 7A state playoffs and finishing the season with a 24-17 overall mark… named to the AHSAA North-South All-Star baseball roster during the summer of 2022…an All-Metro and All-Shelby County performer… a Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All American honorable mention selection for the southeast region (022)…named to nine different PG All-Tournament teams going back to 2017…active with the Excel Baseball Academy based out of Anniston, Alabama.
Â
Evan Smallwood, RHP, 5-11, 195, Hoover, Ala. (Spain Park HS)
Â
Prep: Preps at Spain Park in Hoover, Alabama…coached by Will Smith at SPHS… tabbed to the Starnes Media Group All-South Metro baseball team after recording an on-base percentage of .489 and was not caught 17 stolen base attempts…helped the Jaguars to 45 wins over the past two seasons, including a berth in the 2021 AHSAA Class 7A state playoffs…a two-sport athlete at SPHS as a member of the Jaguar football team…active with Top Gun Baseball on the travel ball circuit…named to many PG affiliated all-tournament teams.
Â
Case, along with assistant coaches Evan Bush and Mike Murphree, bolstered the future roster by adding high school signees. The JSU staff concentrated on in-state talent. The Gamecocks split the class with three pitchers and a trio of offensive standouts.
Sam Silas (Holtville, Ala./Holtville HS), Gabriel Young (Mountain Brook, Ala./Mountain Brook HS), Drew McCormick (Oxford, Ala./Oxford HS), Colin Woodham (Millbrook, Ala./Stanhope Elmore HS), Hudson Walburn (Vestavia Hills, Ala./Vestavia Hills HS) and Evan Smallwood (Hoover, Ala./Spain Park HS) all returned official paperwork back to JSU during the NCAA signing period that began on Wednesday.
Sam Silas, INF, 6-0, 180, Holtville, Ala. (Holtville HS)
Â
Prep: Attends Holtville High School and coached by Torey Baird…named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association First Team as a junior in 2022 after leading HHS to the AHSAA Class 5A State Championship series on the turf of Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium in Jacksonville…helped the Bulldogs compile 69 wins over the last three seasons, including back-to-back Class 5A Area 6 titles…named to the 2022 All-Elmore County Team by The Wetumpka Herald after finishing the 2002 slate with a .401 batting average…posted a team-high 55 hits, five triples, one home run, 40 RBI, 49 runs scored and 30 stolen bases…named to the Perfect Game WWBA Jupiter roster for the 3n2 Sticks Baseball 18U Brewster/White Sox Scout Team in October…a three-time PG Preseason Underclass All American honorable mention selection for the southeast region…named to 11 Perfect Game All-Tournament teams from 2018-2022… named to the AHSAA North-South All-Star baseball roster during the summer of 2022.
Â
Gabriel Young, OF/LHP, 6-0, 195, Mountain Brook, Ala. (Mountain Brook HS)
Â
Prep: Preps at Mountain Brook High School in the Birmingham area…coached by Lee Gann at MBHS… named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Second Team as a junior in 2022…led the Spartans to over 50 wins over the first three seasons on the high school level and advancing to the second round of the AHSAA Class 6A state playoffs…tabbed to the Starnes Media Group All-South Metro baseball team after hitting .389 as a junior and reached base at an impressive .528 clip…named to the AHSAA North-South All-Star baseball roster during the summer of 2022…named to the Perfect Game Fall Gulf Coast Showcase Top Prospect List… a two-time PG Preseason Underclass All American honorable mention selection for the southeast region (2021, 2022)…earned al-tournament spots on nine different Perfect Game-sanctioned events from 2020-22.
Â
Drew McCormick, RHP, 6-3, 195, Oxford, Ala. (Oxford HS)
Â
Prep: A Calhoun County (Ala.) product out of Oxford High School…coached by former Gamecock Wes Brooks at OHS…helped the Yellow Jackets to a 31-7 overall mark and a Class 6A Area 13 Championship as a junior in 2022…active with the Top Gun travel ball program in Perfect Game events with nine all-tournament honors dating back to 2018.
 Colin Woodham, LHP, 5-11, 170, Millbrook, Ala. (Stanhope Elmore HS)
Â
Prep: Preps at Stanhope Elmore High School…coached by Kaleb Shuman at SEHS… named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Second Team as a junior in 2022…also a member of the Montgomery Advertiser All-Metro Team…led the Mustangs to the Elite Eight of the 2022 AHSAA Class 6A state playoffs and finishing with 26 wins in 2022… finished the junior campaign with a 1.65 earned run average with 91 strikeouts and only 16 walks in 68 innings…opposing hitters had a .180 batting average against him…accumulated 151 strikeouts over the first three season on the high school level…active with the Perfect Game travel circuit as a member of TPL National…tabbed to numerous all-tournament teams through PG…a two-way player at SEHS with a career batting average of .297 over the first three seasons on the prep level with 55 hits, including 18 extra base hits and 37 RBI from 2020-22.
Â
Hudson Walburn, C/OF, 5-11, 180, Vestavia Hills, Ala. (Vestavia Hills HS)
Â
Prep: Attends Vestavia Hills High School in the Birmingham area…coached by Jamie Harris at VHHS…helped the Rebels reach the semifinals of the 2022 AHSAA Class 7A state playoffs and finishing the season with a 24-17 overall mark… named to the AHSAA North-South All-Star baseball roster during the summer of 2022…an All-Metro and All-Shelby County performer… a Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All American honorable mention selection for the southeast region (022)…named to nine different PG All-Tournament teams going back to 2017…active with the Excel Baseball Academy based out of Anniston, Alabama.
 Evan Smallwood, RHP, 5-11, 195, Hoover, Ala. (Spain Park HS)
Â
Prep: Preps at Spain Park in Hoover, Alabama…coached by Will Smith at SPHS… tabbed to the Starnes Media Group All-South Metro baseball team after recording an on-base percentage of .489 and was not caught 17 stolen base attempts…helped the Jaguars to 45 wins over the past two seasons, including a berth in the 2021 AHSAA Class 7A state playoffs…a two-sport athlete at SPHS as a member of the Jaguar football team…active with Top Gun Baseball on the travel ball circuit…named to many PG affiliated all-tournament teams.
Â
Wednesday, May 13
Sunday, May 10
Sunday, April 26
Saturday, April 25
