Alabama Baseball Signs Seventeen Players

New Alabama baseball coach Rob Vaughn received 12 National Letters of Intent on November 8th, and had added five more since. The class included nine pitchers and eight position players.

A thumbnail sketch of each player:

* Carter Johnson, 6’2” 180 pounds, infielder, Oxford High School, Oxford, Alabama. Johnson is the consensus number one player in Alabama. Prep Baseball Report has Johnson as the #4 overall prospect in the USA, and #2 shortstop in the country. Perfect Game lists Johnson as #1 in the state, and #25 overall. The shortstop played in the World Cup as a member of team USA and was invited to USA Baseball’s 18U National Team Training Camp. Johnson, who hit .398 as junior, was born on February 22, 2006.

*JoJo Williamson, 5’8” 170 pounds, infielder, Hartselle, Alabama. Williamson is the #1 shortstop in Alabama by PBR and #21 overall. Perfect Game USA names Williamson the #4 shortstop in AL and #14 overall prospect. A teammate of current Alabama outfielder Coleman Mizell, Williamson was born on April 20, 2005 and is the son of former PGA golfer Tyler Williamson.

*Peyton Steele, 6’1” 185 pounds, outfielder, Hartselle, AL. Recruited as an outfielder, Steele is listed as the #3 ranked third baseman and #13 overall recruit in the state by Perfect Game USA. Steele is a current teammate of fellow signee JoJo Williamson and former teammate of current Tide player Coleman Mizell. Steele was born on February 21, 2005.

*Jon Young, Jr., 6’1” 190 pounds, infielder, Cherry Hills, New Jersey. Perfect Game USA has Young as the #2 shortstop and #22 overall player in New Jersey. Prep Baseball Report says Young is the #3 shortstop and 11th overall player in the Garden State. Young birthdate is November 5th, 2005.

*Sean Griggs, 6’2” 190 pounds, infielder, Wall, New Jersey. Prep Baseball Report has Griggs as the #3 third baseman and #8 overall player in New Jersey, as well as the 17th ranked third baseman nationally. Perfect Game calls Griggs the 2nd ranked third baseman and #14 player overall in NJ. Griggs who is also the quarterback for his high school, Red Bank Catholic was born on June 30, 2005.

*Connor Lehman, 6’2” 200 pounds, left handed pitcher Indian Mound, TN. Lehman is the top ranked left-handed pitcher and #16 overall prospect in Tennessee according to Perfect Game USA. PG also lists Lehman as the #51 left-handed pitcher in the nation. PBR calls Lehman #3 LHP and #12 player in the state as well as the 33rd ranked lefty in the country. Lehman was born on May 16, 2006.

*Nash Wagner, 6’5” 215 pounds, right hander pitcher, Zionsville, IN. PG USA has Wagner as the #3 right-handed pitcher and 5th ranked player in Indiana and the 70th best RHP in the country. In 38 innings as a junior Wagner struck out 53 batters while walking only eight and posted an ERA of 1.66. The lanky pitcher was born on October, 19, 2005.

*Jack Ketchum, 6’3”, 210 pounds, right hander pitchers, Columbus MS. Ketchum is the #1 RHP and #4 overall in Mississippi according to Perfect Game USA. Prep Baseball Report lists Ketchum as the #7 RHP and #16 overall in his state. The three sport star- baseball, football, and basketball- attends Heritage Academy and was born May 24, 2005.

*Ashton Alston, 6’6”, 205 pounds, right hander pitcher, Gallatin, TN. PG USA lists Alston as the #2 RHP and #4 recruit in Tennessee while Prep Baseball Report says the lanky hurler is #3 on the mound and #8 overall in the state. Alston is ranked as the 56th RHP and 179 overall recruit in the nation by PG also. The two sport star (football) was born on July 14, 2006.

*Anthony Pesci, 6’4”, 195 pounds right hander pitcher, Commerce Township, Michigan. Pesci is ranked the #7 right-hander pitcher and #26 overall prospect in MI by PG USA. Prep Baseball report calls Pesci the #14 RHP and #43 overall. A product of Orchard Lake, St Mary’s Prep High School, Pesci helped the school win back to back state championships in 2021 and 2022. Pesci’s date of birth is April 11, 2006.

*Ariston Veasey, 6’1”, 190 pounds, right-handed pitcher-utility player, Tyrone, Georgia. Veasey reclassified and will graduate in December and enroll in the University in January. Veasey is ranked statewide and nationally as a pitcher, catcher, and outfielder and played on the USA Baseball 16U/17U National Team Development Program team. Veasey was born on July 18, 2005.

*Jackson Hunter, 6’3”, 190 pounds, RHP, Meridianville, AL. Hunter plays at Hazel Green High School. Hunter is considered a potential high draft pick in the 2024 MLB draft and is ranked the #11 prospect by Prep Baseball Report. Hunter was born in October of 2005.

*Beau Bryans, 6’0”, 190 pounds, LHP, Madison, MS. Bryans currently plays for Jones County Junior College in Mississippi. Coming out of Madison Central High School, Bryans was the 2nd ranked LHP and #7 overall recruit by Perfect Game USA. The incoming junior was born on October 14th, 2003.

*JT Blackwood, 6’2”. 210, right handed pitcher, Cullman, AL- Wallace State Hartselle CC. Blackwood started 12 games for Wallace State in 2023 and recorded an 8-1 record with a 2.49 ERA. The Hartselle High graduate was the 10th ranked RHP and #28 overall prospect in Alabama his senior year by Prep Baseball Report. Blackwood was born on November 11th, 2003.

*Richard Bonomolo Jr, 5’11” 190 pound outfielder from The Bronx, NY. Bonomolo plays for Wabash Valley College in Mount Caramel, ILL. As a freshman Bonomolo was a Second Team All American in the JUCO ranks, hitting .449 with 19 doubles, seven home runs, 62 RBI, 83 runs scored, while drawing 44 walks and stealing 43 bases. Bonomolo was the #16 outfielder and #138 overall player in the nation by Perfect Game when he left Cardinal Hayes High School and was born on October 30, 2003.

*Ahmaad Duff, 5’7”, 155 pounds, outfielder, Indianapolis, IN. Duff attends Lawrence Central High School and is ranked the #36 outfielder and #286 overall player in the nation by Prep Baseball report. Duff is a four sport star, also playing football, track and field, and basketball for his school. The speedy outfielder was born on January 9, 2006.

*Colby Jones, 5’11 170 pounds, infielder, Westville, FL. Jones plays for Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, FL. As a freshman Jones hit .339 with seven home runs, 44 RBI, and scored 50 runs. Jones will come in as a junior in 2024 and wa the Class 1A player of the year in 2022. Jones was born on September 30, 2003.

There will possibly be more NLI coming in over the next few weeks, but the 17 players signed make up a formidable class. Unlike other sports these players will be eligible to be drafted in July 2024 and some may choose to pursue their pro careers rather than come to college.

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