MOREHEAD, Ky. – Three position players and three skilled pitchers headline Morehead State baseball’s 2011 recruiting class. Pitchers Ryan Rogers, Noah Smallwood, and Kyle Williams and position players Caden Cleveland, Bud Morton, and Duran Elmore have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Eagle baseball program coach Jay Sorg announced Thursday.
Pitcher Ryan Rogers comes to the Eagle program after completing an impressive season at traditional Division I Junior College powerhouse Wabash Valley College in Mount Carmel, Ill. Rogers boasted a 6-1 record and 3.13 ERA in 63 innings pitched. His 55 strikeouts ranked first on the Wabash Valley club. Ryan unanimously earned 1st Team All Conference in the highly touted GRAC. In high school, Rogers was a standout for Owensboro Catholic in Owensboro, Ky. and had a high school record of 14-2 with a 2.57 ERA.
“We believe Ryan can be in our starting rotation right away. He has the ability to throw three quality pitches for strikes at any time,” stated Sorg. “He knows how to make the big pitch. Ryan is an ultra-competitor and proven winner. His experience against top college hitters will be invaluable to our club. This guy knows how to pitch. Coach Fournier and his staff do a tremendous job of recruiting and developing great players. We are very fortunate to get Ryan into our program.”
Another pitcher, Noah Smallwood, will join fellow West Jessamine High School teammates Bud Morton and current Eagle Travis Ward upon his arrival at Morehead State University. Smallwood was extremely effective as a junior, limiting opponents to just a .198 batting average. Smallwood’s 1.34 ERA put him among the leaders in the state. In 34 innings pitched Noah struck out 42 batters. Noah is coached by former Eagle great Jody Hamilton. Coach Hamilton still owns career records for highest batting average and home runs.
"Noah is one the most improved pitchers in the state. He continues to gain velocity and has developed a sharper breaking ball. His fastball showcases a tremendous amount of run and sink. We really like his upside and feel that he will be a good fit for our staff," Sorg said.
Kyle Williams is another pitcher who also will join the MSU family from the junior college ranks. Williams originally signed as an outfielder at Shawnee Community College, but has been converted into a pitcher over the last year. He originally started as a strong-armed outfielder from Heath High School in Paducah, Ky.
“Kyle really has the chance to be a great signing for us. He has taken to pitching quickly. Kyle has a free and easy arm that showcases in the low to mid 90’s. He already has an idea and feel for pitching,” explained Sorg. “More innings of development could put him over the top. We feel he will have an immediate impact on our staff despite his limited time on the mound.”
Caden Cleveland, a catcher from Christian Heritage Academy in Oklahoma City, is one of a trio of tremendous position players who have decided to become Eagles. Cleveland joins the Eagle program as one of the most decorated recruits to ever step on campus. This year Cleveland has already been selected for the prestigious Ferguson Jenkins Oklahoma Outstanding Baseball Player Award and to the USA Pro-Day Baseball All-American First Team. As a junior, Caden set a school record with a batting average of .541 which included a 30-game hit streak. His impressive season earned him DIAMOND BASEBALL All American First-Team honors as well as the opportunity to participate in the International Home Run Derby at Tropicana Field. He has been named to the Oklahoman Newspaper All-State Teams both his junior and his sophomore years. Cleveland hit .454 with 50 RBIs during his sophomore season.
“Caden is a guy who is capable of being an impact middle of the order hitter for us very early in his career. He had several offers from schools in power conferences,” said Sorg. “Caden is a draftable talent on the field but even more impressive is his high character off the diamond. It speaks volumes about his family and upbringing. This is a big signing for us."
Bud Morton will be the second of two recruits out of West Jessamine High School in Nicholasville, Ky. to join the Eagles in 2011. The shortstop will come to MSU among the career leaders in West Jessamine’s baseball history for stolen bases and runs scored. As a junior the switch hitter hit .385 and claimed an on-base percentage of .497 for former Eagle great Jody Hamilton’s club. He finished the season among the state leaders in stolen bases with 36. Morton was named to the Junior East/West All State Team following his impressive season. Bud will join high-school teammates Travis Ward and Noah Smallwood in the Eagle uniform.
“With Bud, we believe that our program has landed the most exciting position player in the state," Sorg said. "He is one of the fastest players at any level. His speed and athleticism can instantly change the course of a game. He plays with an energy and passion that is contagious. He has been one of the most fun and dedicated players we have ever recruited. We know under Coach Hamilton’s system that he is tough and well-trained. We are excited to get him on campus.”
Dual-threat Duran Elmore from Danville High School in Danville, Ky. is the final signee of the 2011 class. As a junior, Elmore put up gaudy numbers both as a centerfielder and left-handed pitcher for Paul Morse’s Danville squad. Offensively, Elmore was among the state’s elite with 46 stolen bases in 52 attempts. He had a batting average of .408 with an even more impressive .520 on-base percentage. On the bump, Elmore recorded 106 strikeouts in 77 innings with a 1.62 ERA. His eight wins include one no-hit performance. Duran was named to the 2009 Junior East/West All-State Team.
“Duran is another athletic player who fits well into our system. He is a young senior and we believe there is a tremendous upside to an already great player,” stated Sorg. “He follows a long line of impact Eagle players coached by Paul Morse. He is very competitive and knows how to win impact points in the course of a game. He is a great addition to our club.”
Sorg is extremely pleased with the sextet of players his coaching staff was able to ink, and believes the work of his assistant coaches had a direct impact on the successful recruitment of this signing class.
“We are very excited about the talent level of the players we were able to sign during the early period. This was the most heavily recruited class we have signed going on our third year here. We stayed within our philosophy of adding quality arms to our staff and being extremely athletic in our skill positions. We were also able to address immediate needs in positions that will be vacated by our strong senior class. [Assistant] Coach [Jason] Neal played a major role in finding and establishing relationships with these players. He is making a name for himself as one of the top recruiting coordinators in the nation. [Assistant] Coach [Dillon] Lawson in his first year has made an immediate impact with our junior college recruiting. Our program cannot thank them enough for their tireless work and dedication.”
