MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama baseball added 13 student-athletes for the 2020-21 academic year, as announced Thursday by head coach Mark Calvi.

Jackson Boyd • RHP – 6-0 – 185 • R/R – Melbourne, Australia / Northwest Florida State JC
Went 3-2 with nine saves in 21 appearances with one start as a freshman last season at Northwest Florida State JC … Recorded a 0.99 ERA with 42 strikeouts against 19 walks in 45 2/3 innings pitched … Did not allow an earned run in 12 appearances in conference contests, which encompassed 20 2/3 innings pitched … Named the 2019 Florida College System Activities Association Athletics (FCSAA) Fireman of the Year and the FCSAA All-Panhandle Conference Fireman of the Year … Prepped at St. Peter's College in Melbourne, Australia.

Calvi on Boyd:  "I think Jackson Boyd is the best pitcher in the Panhandle (Conference), which is arguably one of the better conferences in the country. He's not the hardest thrower, but I think he is the best pitcher. He has excelled in international play. He is very mature, and has a feel for pitching. He has two outstanding pitches in his changeup and curveball, and his fastball is sneaky at anywhere from 87 to 91 (mph). He just throws strikes with all three pitches, and it is any pitch in any count. He had a sub-1.00 ERA in the Panhandle last year; he is their best pitcher, not their hardest thrower but the best pitcher. Boyd could either close for us next year or he could be a frontline starter. He is that versatile and is willing to do both. He is just competitive, has poise and he loves to pitch."


Hunter Donaldson • IF – 6-0 – 185 • L/R – Smiths Station, Ala. / Smiths Station HS
Batted .446 with five home runs, 25 RBIs, 35 runs scored, 14 stolen bases and .567 OBP as a junior last season … Helped the Panthers to a quarterfinal appearance in the state playoffs … Named to the AL.com 2019 Super All-State Baseball First Team … Also named 2019 Second-Team All-State by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Calvi on Donaldson:  "Hunter is a very athletic infielder who is versatile, can run and should be an offensive threat from the start of his career. He is a left-handed hitter who is an outstanding infielder that is offensive with some speed."


Aries Gardner • IF/OF – 6-4 – 225 • L/L – Detroit, Mich. / University of Detroit Jesuit HS
Tied for the team lead in home runs as a junior last season … Also received the Maroon Award for exhibiting leadership in school … Led the Cubs in doubles as a sophomore in 2018, and was also named to the academic honor roll … Led UDJHS in batting average (.405) and on-base percentage as a sophomore.

Calvi on Gardner:  "Aries has put up good numbers and excelled at a high level of competition in summer leagues. He has done well with wooden bats and at all the national showcases. He's a big, physical young left-handed hitter with some power who could really develop into a serious offensive threat as times goes by in his career."


Carson Hall • RHP – 6-0 – 190 • R/R – Homewood, Ala. / Shelton State (Ala.) CC
Went 3-3 with two saves in 18 appearances as a freshman last season at Shelton State CC … Recorded a 2.95 ERA with 27 strikeouts against seven walks in 21 1/3 innings pitched while limiting the opposition to a .190 batting average … Finished with a 1.64 ERA in 11 appearances in conference contests … Also named to the Dean's List in spring 2019 … Lettered in football and baseball at Randolph School in Huntsville, Ala. … Went 4-0 with five saves in 13 appearances as a senior, while posting a 0.00 ERA with 33 strikeouts and five walks in 23 2/3 innings pitched … Tied for second in AHSAA record books for most saves (10) in a single season, which came in 2016, while also finishing 6-2 with a 1.31 ERA and 68 strikeouts against 12 walks in 48 innings pitched … Holds the AHSAA career record for saves with 20 … Did not allow a home run in his four-year varsity career … Named  2017 First-Team High School Baseball All-America by Collegiate Baseball, and also earned AHSAA Class 4A All-State honors … Originally signed with Memphis out of high school.

Calvi on Hall:  "Carson Hall is a sinker ball guy with some velocity. It's that different sidearm to submarine look with some velocity and very good sink. He's an aggressive, up-tempo and competitive guy with a really good slider that he can throw to righties and lefties; that's what impressed me the most about him. Usually guys like that struggle against left-handed hitters, but I think he is just as good because he has a good feel for his breaking ball – he can move it around, his fastball has heavy sink and he's a very good athlete. He is like an infielder on the mound the way he moves around; he's a very good athlete who is very competitive. He reminds me of Cody Van Aken. Carson was very successful in high school, very successful last year at Shelton (State) and didn't give up a run this fall. I am thinking he is going to have a better sophomore campaign, and will be a crucial piece of our bullpen in 2021. Carson is the kind of guy who can close a game, bridge the gap between the starter and closer or he can come in early behind the starter in the second or third inning and probably take you to the sixth or seventh (inning) and get the win himself." 


Cade Henry • RHP – 6-5 – 190 • R/R – Florence, Ala. / Florence HS
Has earned two letters at Florence HS … Helped lead the Falcons to a quarterfinal appearance in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 7A playoffs last season … Recorded 22 strikeouts against 10 walks with a 4.90 ERA in 19 2/3 innings pitched as a sophomore … Named to the TimesDaily 4A-7A All-Area Baseball Second Team as a junior last season.

Calvi on Henry:  "Cade has command of three pitches with an outstanding changeup. Velocity is coming; he's been up to 90-91 at some events this past year. His brother is the Friday night guy at LSU. The sky is the limit for Cade. The thing we loved about Cade was you could see the velocity is going to come, but his feel for the changeup was off the charts. He has a very good feel for how to pitch, and velocity is coming. He is a starter candidate because of his pitchability, but the sky is the limit with his size and body. He could end up throwing hard with pitchability, which is a very dangerous combination."


Jeremy Lee • IF/RHP – 5-11 – 180 • R/R – Selma, Ala. / Morgan Academy
Named AISA Pitcher of the Year and also earned First-Team All-State honors from the Alabama Sports Writers Association as a junior last season after recording a 1.05 ERA … Also batted .486 with seven home runs in 2019 while helping lead the Senators to a Class AAA runner-up finish … Earned ASWA First-Team All-State honors for Morgan Academy as an athlete in football in 2018 … Lettered in basketball and baseball for four years, and football for three years.

Calvi on Lee:  "Jeremy is a very good athlete with an outstanding arm. He really came on last spring. He is up to 91-92 with a really good slider. We feel very fortunate to have gotten Jeremy. It was the right fit, and he should see significant time as a freshman."


Logan Malone • IF – 5-10 – 150 • R/R – New Market, Ala. / Buckhorn HS
Batted .320 with one home run as a junior last season … Hit .300 as a sophomore in 2018 … Helped the Bucks to a second-round playoff appearance in Class 6A … Earned four letters in baseball, and lettered one year in football at BHS.

Calvi on Malone:  "We lose some infielders over the next year or two, so we felt it was very important to bring in the best young versatile infielders we could get in (Hunter) Donaldson and (Logan) Malone. Malone is a true shortstop who has some swagger about him. He's a tough, hard-nosed player who can really play infield. He is versatile, gives you tough at-bats and just has the makeup of a South Alabama type of player."


Austin Mills • RHP – 6-3 – 190 • R/R – Huntsville, Ala. / Madison County HS
Lettered four years in football and baseball for the Tigers.

Calvi on Mills:  "Austin is a big-time football player who, a lot like (Jeremy) Lee, didn't do the summer circuits. He came on late, and has a very good slider. Both he and Lee have the stuff to step in and make an immediate impact as freshmen. Mills has the breaking ball of a closer, a low-80s slider that is very effective, and has run the fastball up to 92 (mph). He has a football mentality on the mound. We are super excited about Austin."

Allen Roulette • LHP – 6-3 – 210 • L/L – Jacksonville, Fla. / Tallahassee (Fla.) CC
Went 2-2 in 15 relief appearances as a freshman last season at Tallahassee CC … Recorded a 3.71 ERA with 29 strikeouts and 12 walks in 34 innings pitched … Also named to the Dean's List last year at TCC … Lettered three years in baseball at Providence School of Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Fla. … Recorded a 1.30 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched as a senior.

Calvi on Roulette:  "Allen is a big lefty who may start for TCC this year. We just felt as though we needed a quality left-hander. We saw him as a reliever at first, but he is probably going to start. He has a fastball, slider and changeup, and is just a quality lefty from a quality JUCO program and has been taught well. He is facing good competition in the Panhandle (Conference), and should be one of the better left-handers in the Panhandle this year. We feel very fortunate to have him."


Carter Sanford • C/IF – 5-11 – 195 • L/R – Fayette, Ala. / Fayette County HS
Lettered five years in baseball and two in football at Fayette County HS … Batted .340 with six home runs while drawing 45 base on balls … Hit .345 with two home runs as a sophomore, and batted .295 with one home run as a freshman … Has helped the Tiger baseball program to one quarterfinal playoff and two second-round finishes, and helped the FCHS football program to one state runner-up finish and two second-round playoff appearances.

Calvi on Sanford:  "Carter is a guy who is very solid behind the plate, and he really swings the bat. He was an East Coast Pro guy and will garner some professional attention. He was just too good of a package, including as a person, to pass on. He is the kind of guy you can see stepping in and giving you significant help as a freshman, and then taking over as he gets older. You could see him coming in and being able to help us immediately behind the plate and with the bat." 


Cam Smith • IF – 6-1 – 180 • R/R – Lexington, Ky. / Lexington Christian Academy
Has lettered four years at Lexington Christian Academy … Helped lead the Eagles to a District 43 runner-up finish last season.

Calvi on Smith:  "Cam is a solid baseball player – a field-rat kind of kid who is just good across the board. This is where he wanted to be, and we're thrilled to have him. He played at a high level with the Kentucky Baseball Club over the summer, played very good competition and excelled. He is a versatile infielder who can play all infield spots; he's just a baseball player."


Cameron Tissue • IF – 6-0 – 185 • R/R – Sherwood, Ark. / Crowder (Mo.) JC
Earned two letters at Crowder (Mo.) JC … Batted .361 with five home runs, 26 RBIs, 44 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, .432 on-base percentage and .517 slugging percentage in 38 games played as a freshman, while helping Crowder to a 45-17 record and Region 16 championship … Hit .421 in conference contests … Lettered three years at Little Rock Catholic HS in Little Rock, Ark. … Batted .365 with a .434 OBP as a senior, while posting a .376 batting average and .457 OBP as a junior … Hit .383 with a .430 OBP as a sophomore … Helped lead the Rockets to a semifinal appearance in the state playoffs, after capturing a regular-season conference title.

Calvi on Tissue:  "Cameron had a very solid freshman year at an outstanding Crowder Junior College program, which has produced some outstanding players. He is a guy who is good enough to play shortstop when you look at him – he is going to play shortstop for Crowder. He is kind of the Swiss Army knife player. He is athletic, can steal bases and has some power. He doesn't get cheated at the plate, and is a very solid defender. He is a Division I shortstop who we are thinking of moving to third base, but he can also play outfield positions. He is the kind of guy who will play wherever you put him. I like the versatility of him; he is an athlete and a baseball player who plays hard. Those guys find their way on to the field, and he could be part of a very good defense and dangerous lineup next year."


Harrison Ware • C/UT – 5-11 – 185 • L/R – Mountain Brook, Ala. / Mountain Brook HS
Batted .337 with nine doubles, three triples and one home run as a junior last season at Mountain Brook HS … Hit .321 with three doubles, five triples and four home runs as a sophomore … Batted .500 with three doubles and seven triples as a freshman.

Calvi on Ware:  "A lot of these guys are versatile, and (Harrison) Ware is another one of those guys. He can play second base or catcher, and is a left-handed hitter with an offensive track record. He has gotten better the more he has caught behind the plate. He is just a baseball kid from an outstanding family, and he just gives you some options. He can catch or play second base, and if he can play second then I am sure he can play first (base). But he can hit, and guys that hit find their way into the lineup.

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