DURHAM, N.C. – University of South Alabama baseball’s Jordan Patterson and Nolan Earley were named to Baseball America’s summer league top prospects list, as announced by the publication.

Nearly 250 players from 20 collegiate summer leagues, along with Team USA, were evaluated and ranked by Baseball America for the list.

“It’s a great honor for both of those guys, and it’s really no surprise they got some attention because they are two of the hardest-working guys in the program,” South Alabama head coach Mark Calvi said. “It shows that hard work pays off. The one thing I’m proud of is that both of their managers called me personally and thanked us for sending them these two guys. They said that they [Earley and Patterson] were fine people and great team guys, and they would love to have them back – that’s what I was most proud of.”

Patterson, a sophomore from Mobile, was ranked fourth in the Atlantic Collegiate League where he played for the Westhampton Aviators. He helped the Aviators capture the Hampton Division title, and advance to the ACL finals. Patterson batted .263 with four doubles, two home runs and 11 RBI. The left-hander also logged 11 1/3 innings on the mound, where he struck out 16 batters and issued just five walks.

Earley , a junior from Anderson, Ind., was ranked 10th in the Prospect League but was the league’s only outfielder listed. He played for the Richmond River Rats where he earned an all-star bid and finished with a .336 batting average, 13 doubles, five homers, 33 RBI, 38 runs scored and 16 stolen bases.

Patterson and Earley were the only two Sun Belt Conference student-athletes listed among the nearly 250 prospects.

“Nolan Earley is a baseball player; he keeps getting better and better,” Calvi said. “Over the past year, he has really worked hard on his defensive skills in the outfield and he is going to turn himself into a pretty good outfielder before it is all said and done. He is working extremely hard on his speed, so he has a chance to be an exciting player. It doesn’t shock me that he caught the eyes of some people and scouts.

“Jordan Patterson was a three-sport athlete in high school, and never set his attention toward baseball until last year – it was his first year to play baseball full-time. I’m really excited for both of them, and we are looking for big things out of these guys. They are great kids and leaders and do the right things both on-and-off the field.”

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