Barbier announces his initial Southeastern Lions baseball recruiting class

HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana University head coach Bobby Barbier welcomed the newest members of the Lion baseball program Wednesday as the first-year skipper announced his initial recruiting class.

The balanced class of 20 newcomers includes six NCAA DI transfers, seven junior college transfers and seven high school student-athletes.

“We are really excited about this recruiting class,” Barbier said. “There was a lot of work done in a short amount of time by our staff to put the majority of this class together. I am so thankful for our coaches and their effort. We believe we have great men in this group that can immediately impact what we are building.”

Coming out of high school, six players were ranked in Perfect Game’s Top 500 nationally and eight were in the Top 1000. Three players also earned player of the year awards. Three players earned All-Conference honors at the collegiate level and one is a gold glove winner.

“When we started recruiting this summer to finish off this recruiting class, we wanted to identify athletes who had the ability to play multiple positions on the field,” recruiting coordinator Taylor Dugas said. “Adding left-handed hitters was also a priority to create more balance throughout the lineup. We are excited to get to work with these guys.”

The DI transfers include first baseman-outfielder Ryan Brome (Texas Tech), infielder Jake Haze (Northwestern State), first baseman-outfielder Gray Rowlett (Northwestern State), catcher-infielder Bailyn Sorensen (Northwestern State), left-handed pitcher Chance Vaught (Little Rock) and left-handed pitcher-outfielder Justin Williams (Louisiana Tech).

JUCO transfers include outfielder Clay Benson (Hinds CC), outfielder Parker Coley (LSU Eunice), outfielder Jude Hall (Yavapai College), catcher Conner O’Neal (Chattahoochee Valley CC), infielder Jeremy Rader (Johnson County CC), outfielder Cole Stromboe (Delgado CC) and right-handed pitcher Aiden Vosburg (LSU Eunice).

High school student-athletes include right-handed pitcher Chase Ambrose (Huntsville, Alabama), left-handed pitcher-outfielder Reese Dean (Denham Springs, Louisiana), right-handed pitcher Kaleb Howell (Denham Springs, Louisiana), right-handed pitcher Josh Lee (Gulfport, Mississippi), left-handed pitcher-infielder-outfielder Dom Letort, left-handed pitcher Harris Waghalter (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) and right-handed pitcher-infielder Peyton Woods (Holden, Louisiana).

DIAMOND CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the baseball program are encouraged to join the Diamond Club. Lion baseball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.

All membership fees and donations to both the Diamond Club and S Club (baseball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern baseball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or by visiting www.LionUp.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Southeastern Baseball social media accounts (@LionUpBaseball) on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to stay engaged with the program.

The latest updates are also available at www.LionSports.net and the Lions Gameday Experience app. Available for both Android and iOS devices, the Gameday app can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.

2023 SLU BASEBALL RECRUITING CLASS CAPSULES
Chase Ambrose – P – R/R – FR – Huntsville, Alabama – Buckhorn HS
Top 500 player nationally and the No. 15-rated right-handed pitcher in Alabama according to Perfect Game … played baseball for coach Jeff Wood at Buckhorn HS in New Market, Alabama.

Clay Benson – OF – L/R – JR – Sterlington, Louisiana – Hinds CC
Played two seasons at Hinds CC in Raymond, Mississippi … appeared in 50 games as a sophomore, slashing .295 / .497 / .384 with 16 doubles, two triples and five home runs … scored 38 runs and drove in another 46 … stole a pair of bases in two attempts … second on the squad in doubles and RBIs … hit for the cycle in the first game of a doubleheader sweep of Coahoma CC on Sophomore Day … appeared in 40 games as a freshman, slashing .324 / .510 / .393 with eight doubles, two triples and five home runs … scored 33 runs and drove in another 25 … swiped one bag in three attempts … third on the squad in batting average.

Ryan Brome – IF/OF – L/R – JR – Katy, Texas – Texas Tech
Appeared in 15 games as a sophomore, starting five … slashed .200 / .200 / .300 … scored five runs and drove in another three … contributed one sacrifice fly … enjoyed a three-hit game (March 15) against UT Arlington, scoring once and driving in one … played summer ball with the Walnut Creek Crawdads of the California Collegiate League … hit .310 with nine doubles in 100 at bats … scored 22 runs and drove in another 22 … stole seven bases in eight attempts … appeared in 13 games as a freshman, starting two … slashed .286 / .429 / .423 with three doubles … scored five runs and drove in another five … made one start as the designated hitter (March 9) against Mississippi State … second start was in center field (April 19) at New Mexico … went 0-for-4 against the Bulldogs and 2-for-5 with two doubles, one RBI and one run scored against the Lobos … Top 1000 player nationally coming out of Katy HS according to Perfect Game.

Parker Coley – OF – R/R – JR – Sterlington, Louisiana – LSU Eunice
Lettered two seasons at LSU-Eunice for coach Jeff Willis … appeared in 55 games as a sophomore, slashing .344 / .639 / .476 with 17 doubles, three triples and 10 home runs … scored 65 runs and drove in another 44 … swiped 19 bases in 20 attempts … lead the squad in hits, doubles and home runs … helped lead the Bengals to a 39-0 start to the season on the way to a 53-5 overall record … appeared in 40 games as a freshman, slashing .345 / .460 / .469 with eight doubles, one triple and one home run … scored 21 runs and drove in another 20 … swiped 12 bases in 14 attempts … enjoyed 11 multi-hit games … played summer ball for the Derby Twins of the Sunflower Collegiate League, the Baton Rouge Rougarou of the Texas Collegiate League and the Green Bay Rockers of the Northwoods League … Top 1000 baseball player nationally and No. 17-ranked outfielder in the state of Louisiana coming out of high school according to Perfect Game … earned Max Preps All-America honors … twice named MVP of the state championship … picked up 3A Hitter and Player of the Year honors.

Reese Dean – OF/P – L/L – FR – Denham Springs, Louisiana – Central Private School
Lettered in baseball, basketball and football at Central Private School in Central, Louisiana … Top 1000 baseball player nationally and No. 12-ranked outfielder in Louisiana according to Perfect Game … earned All-Metro honors … named District MVP twice … earned All-District honors four times in baseball for coach Seth Stevens … career .370 hitter … five-time All-District performer in football … team captain for both baseball and football as a junior and senior.

Jude Hall – OF – L/R – JR – Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada – Yavapai College
Lettered two seasons at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona … twice named Academic All-American … earned Second-Team All-Conference honors … played in all 49 games as a sophomore while slashing .324 / .472 / .669 with 11 doubles, eight triples and eight home runs … scored 49 runs and drove in another 33 … led the team in walks (39) and stolen bases (30), along with runs scored, triples and on-base percentage … played summer ball for the Kamloops NorthPaws of the West Coast League … saw action in 50 games as a freshman for the Roughriders … led the team in steals with 20 while scoring 29 runs.

Jake Haze – IF – L/R – GR – Highlands Ranch, Colorado – Northwestern State
Earned All-Southland Conference honors … led NSU with 41 RBIs and finished second on the team with a .316 average in 2023 … ranked second on the team with 12 multi-RBI games and was tied for second with 15 multi-hit efforts … notched 12 multi-hit games in Southland Conference play … went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI singles in a May 20 loss at Southeastern, capping a series in which he went 6-for-10 … finished the series against McNeese going 5-for-12 at the plate.

Kaleb Howell – P – R/R – FR – Denham Springs, Louisiana – Denham Springs HS
Lettered in both baseball and football at Denham Springs HS … earned All-Parish and All-District honors … compiled a 1.15 in 48.1 innings pitched as a senior, striking out 53 batters … fired a no-hitter against French Settlement, striking out 10 batters.

Josh Lee – P – R/R – FR – Gulfport, Mississippi – Gulfport HS
Top 1000 player nationally and the No. 17-ranked right-handed pitcher in the state of Mississippi according to Perfect Game … played baseball for coach Jamie MacMahon at Gulfport HS … two-time All-State selection … compiled a 2.30 ERA and 90 strikeouts as a senior.

Dom Letort – IF/OF/P – L/L – FR – Mandeville, Louisiana – Lakeshore HS
Played baseball for coach Boomer Nunez at Lakeshore HS in Mandeville, Louisiana … No. 5-ranked first baseman in the state of Louisiana according to Perfect Game … earned All-State honors on the way to being named the Class 4A Player of the Year … also picked up All-Region and St. Tammany Parish Pitcher of the Year honors along with being named the district co-MVP … compiled a 6-4 W-L record and a 1.50 ERA, striking out 65 batters … swung the bat a .408 clip, picking up 15 extra-base hits and 32 RBIs as a senior … helped lead Lakeshore to the state championship game, striking out 12 batters in the semifinals … also a member of the Mandeville Sluggers and Nola Cardinals organizations.

Conner O’Neal – C/IF – L/R – JR – Waverly Hall, Georgia – Chattahoochee Valley CC
Played two seasons at Chattahoochee Valley CC in Phenix City, Alabama … appeared in 37 games as a sophomore, slashing .282 / .400 / .373 with seven doubles and one home run … scored 21 runs and drove in another 15 … walked (18) more often than he struck out (17) … played summer ball for the Columbus Chatt-a-hoots in the Sunbelt Baseball League … hit .386 with four doubles, two triples and four home runs in 101 at bats … scored 20 runs and drove in another 29 … walked (29) more often than he struck out (24) … twice named the league’s hitter of the week … appeared in 41 games as a freshman, slashing .363 / .493 / .602 with 13 doubles, one triple and four home runs … scored 33 runs and drove in another 33 … walked (30) more often than he struck out (18) … Top 1000 player nationally and the No. 22-ranked catcher in the state of Georgia coming out of high school according to Perfect Game.

Jeremy Rader – IF – R/R – JR – Springfield, Missouri – Johnson County CC
Named the 2023 ABCA/Rawlings NJCAA D-I Gold Glove Award® winner at third base as a sophomore … earned All-Conference honors and was named to the NJCAA Plains District All-Tournament Team … recipient of the KJCCC/Region 6 Gold Glove at third base … appeared in 55 games, starting 54 … hit .392 (65-for-166) with 10 doubles, a triple, eight home runs, 52 runs scored and 48 RBI … produced 20 multiple-hit and 12 multiple-RBI games … appeared in 54 games as a freshman … batted .311 (50-for-161) with 12 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 55 runs scored and 42 driven in … registered 13 multiple-hit games and 10 multiple-RBI games … earned NJCAA All-Academic honors … Top 1000 player nationally and the No. 3-rated third baseman in the state of Missouri coming out of high school according to Perfect Game.

Gray Rowlett – IF/OF – R/R – JR – Keller, Texas – Northwestern State
Appeared in 43 games starting 42, as a sophomore … ranked second on the team in hit by pitch (14) … ranked fifth on the team with 34 RBIs and drove in a run in five of his final six games of the season … had game-tying RBIs in SLC Tournament games against UIW (May 24) and New Orleans (May 26) and a go-ahead RBI against UNO (May 25) … hit safely in seven straight games from March 3-25, going 10-for-29 (.345) with nine RBIs in that span … had four hits and five RBIs in two games against Little Rock (March 17, 19) … homered and drove in three runs in a Feb. 25 win against New Mexico State … Top 1000 player nationally coming out of high school according to Perfect Game.

Bailyn Sorensen – C/IF – R/R – JR – Rayville, Louisiana – Northwestern State
Appeared in 47 games, starting 38 at catcher and DH, as a sophomore … went 2-for-4 with an RBI in a May 19 loss at Southeastern … tied the game with a third-inning home run against Nicholls on April 30 … thumped a two-run home run as part of a two-hit game in Game 1 of an April 8 doubleheader against Lamar … swatted a two-run home run as part of a two-hit game in a 13-inning with against Louisiana Tech on April 4 … connected on a solo home run in Game 1 of a March 25 doubleheader at Oregon … went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in a March 11 win against Alabama A&M … connected on the Demons’ first home run of the season in a Feb. 19 loss to Eastern Kentucky … tripled and scored two runs in a Feb. 18 loss to UAB … Top 500 player nationally and the No. 5-ranked catcher in the state of Louisiana coming out of high school according to Perfect Game.

Cole Stromboe – OF – L/L – R-JR – River Ridge, Louisiana – Delgado CC / ULM
Appeared in 31 games, starting 10 at Delgado as a redshirt sophomore … slashed .438 / .542 / .538 with three doubles and one triple … scored 16 runs and drove in another 14 … walked (12) more often than he struck out (10) … swiped four bases in five attempts … produced three sacrifice flies … had a pair of walk-off pinch hits in the Region XXIII Tournament against Baton Rouge CC and Nunez CC … played in 19 games at ULM, starting one … primarily as a pinch hitter or pinch runner … 0-for-11 at the plate with one RBI, one run scored, two walks, four strikeouts and one stolen base … Top 500 player nationally and the No. 10-rated outfielder in the state of Louisiana according to Perfect Game … four-year varsity letter winner and a team captain for Brother Martin HS Crusaders in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Chance Vaught – P – L/L – SR – Daphne, Alabama – Little Rock
Played three seasons at Little Rock … appeared in 17 games as a junior, starting one … compiled a 1-2 W-L record and a 7.52 ERA in 32.1 innings pitched … surrendered 37 base hits and 36 walks, striking out 42 batters … logged scoreless outings against Bradley (Feb. 26), UT Martin (April 6), Eastern Illinois (April 15, May 26) and Central Arkansas (April 25) … earned the win against UT Martin … suffered losses against Valparaiso (March 4) and No. 5-ranked Arkansas (April 11) … fanned a career-high 12 batters in long-relief outing against Tennessee Tech (May 13) … followed up with eight strikeouts in his next outing against Morehead State (May 19) … Top 500 player nationally and the No. 5-ranked left-handed pitcher in the state of Alabama coming out of high school according to Perfect Game.

Aiden Vosburg – P – R/R – JR – Jarreau, Louisiana – LSU Eunice
Played two seasons at LSU Eunice for Coach Jeff Willis … appeared in 19 games a s sophomore, starting 6 … compiled a 9-0 W-L record and a 2.92 ERA in 52.1 innings pitched … surrendered 41 hits and nine walks, striking out 50 batters … opponents hit .205 off the right-hander … earned wins against National Park (Feb. 3), East Central (March 4), Murray State (March 5), Centenary (March 21), Panola (April 17), Wharton County (April 24), South Arkansas (May 2), Northeast Mississippi (May 15) and Pearl River (May 17) … final five wins were in consecutive outings … logged seven scoreless appearances … made eight appearances as a freshman, starting two … compiled a 2-1 W-L record and a 3.77 ERA in 14.1 innings pitched … surrendered 16 hits and six walks, striking out 13 batters … earned wins against Monroe College (Feb. 13) and Delgado CC (April 30) … suffered the loss against Louisiana Christian (Feb. 21) … Top 500 player nationally and the No. 11-ranked right-handed pitcher in the state of Louisiana coming out of high school according to Perfect Game.

Harris Waghalter – P – L/L – FR – Baton Rouge, Louisiana – Catholic HS
Top 1000 player nationally and the No. 6-ranked left-handed pitcher in the state of Louisiana according to Perfect Game … earned All-District honors as a senior … compiled a 6-0 W-L record and a 1.62 ERA … also hit .348 with two doubles … scored 14 runs and drove in another 12 … earned All-State honors as a junior … compiled an 8-1 W-L record and one save to go along with a 1.30 ERA across 52 innings pitched … struck out 44 batters.

Justin Williams – OF/P – R/R – SR – Madison, Mississippi – Louisiana Tech / Hinds CC
Two-way player that saw action in 13 games on the mound and 11 games as a position player for Louisiana Tech … made four starts (two at LF and two at DH) … slashed .200/.500/.273 (BA/SLG/OBP) while recording four hits, five RBIs, and three runs scored … blasted two home runs in first career start as a Bulldog at Middle Tennessee (4/28), going 3-for-6 with four RBIs … picked up an RBI single at Middle Tennessee (4/30) … threw 11.0 innings in relief with a 5.73 ERA, striking out nine batters … struck out two in season opener versus BYU (2/17) in 0.2 innings of work … threw a season-high 1.2 innings against Northwestern (3/5), allowing no runs … struck out two in two appearances against No. 8-ranked Arkansas (3/10 and 3/12) … played summer ball for the Acadiana Cane Cutters of the Texas Collegiate League … hit .329 with five doubles and one home run in 73 at bats … scored 15 runs and drove in another 13 … stole six bases in eight attempts … played at Hinds CC, setting the career home run record … earned All-Region honors … hit .315 as a sophomore with nine doubles, four triples and 13 homers … scored 47 runs and drove in another 33 … stole five bases … also logged 24.2 innings on the mound … compiled an 8.03 ERA in eight appearance, five of which were starts … finished career with .330 batting average, 18 home runs and 56 RBIs.

Peyton Woods – IF/OF/P – L/R – FR – Holden, Louisiana – Doyle HS
Top 500 player nationally and the No. 3-ranked third baseman in the state of Louisiana according to Perfect Game … played baseball at Doyle HS in Livingston, Louisiana … earned multiple All-State, All-Region, All-Parish, All-Metro and All-District honors in his career … named Parish and District MVP as a senior in addition to LSWA 3A Player of the Year, LSWA All-Metro Player of the Year and LBCA Hitter of the Year … also earned state All-Academic honors … compiled an 11-0 W-L record and 106 strikeouts in 76 innings pitched as a senior, walking just 15 batters … also slashed .480 / .770 / .623 at the plate.