Date: 2/15
Position: Infielders

Returning Letterwinners (Key stats):  Brandon Auerbach (3 G, 1 GS, 1 H, .333 OBP);  Alden Davis (13 G, 11 GS, .139 AVG, 2 2B, 4 RBIs, 3 R, 1 SB);  Kaleb DeLaTorre (18 G, 18 GS, .161, 3 2B, 7 RBIs, 4 R);  D.J. Law (5 G, 2 GS);  Santi Montiel (18 G, 18 GS, .186 AVG, 3 2B, 3 RBIs, 14 R, .333 OBP);  Reid Powers (17 G, 17 GS, .339 AVG, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 12 RBIs, 11 R, 1 SB, .500 SLG%, .439 OBP);  Richard Sorrenti (6 G, 4 GS, .083 AVG, 1 R); Hunter Stokes (18 G, 17 GS, .136 AVG, 1 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 6 R)

Letterwinners lost (Key stats):  Dakota Dailey (15 GP, 12 GS, .167 AVG, 6 RBIs, 6 R, 1 SB, .348 OBP);  Ross Indlecoffer (7 GP, 2 GS, 1 H, 1 SB);  Noah Fitzgerald (4 GP, 3 GS)

Newcomers (Yr., Previous school):  Noah Bailey (Jr., Northwest Florida State JC);  Hunter Donaldson (Fr., Smiths Station [Ala.] HS);  Aries Gardner (Fr., University of Detroit Jesuit HS);  Logan Malone (Fr., Buckhorn [Ala.] HS);  Carter Sanford (Fr., Fayette County [Ala.] HS);  Cameron Smith (Fr., Lexington [Ky.] Christian Academy);  Cameron Tissue (Jr., Crowder [Mo.] JC);  Tommy van de Sanden (Jr., Mineral Area [Mo.] JC);  Harrison Ware (Fr., Mountain Brook [Ala.] HS)

Miscellaneous Notes
- Powers led the Jags with a .339 batting average last season, and tied for the team lead in RBIs (12) while also adding one double, one triple, two home runs, 11 runs scored, one stolen base, a .500 slugging percentage and .439 on-base percentage in 17 games played and started. He recorded four multiple-hit and a team-best three multi-RBI contests while hitting safely in 13 of 17 games. 
- Powers will open the 2021 season with a three-game hitting streak and five-game on-base streak.
- DeLaTorre was a 2020 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selection at first base last season, where he made the switch from third to first base from 2019.
- DeLaTorre ranked ninth in the Sun Belt in batting average (.349) in conference games in 2019.
- Montiel ranked ninth in the Sun Belt in assists (133) as a freshman in 2019.
- Montiel will open the 2021 season with a four-game on-base streak and three-game hitting streak.
- Montiel was selected to play 2020 summer ball in the Cape Cod Baseball League as a member of the Bourne Braves, but the season was cancelled before it began.
- Donaldson was a 2019 second-team all-state selection by the Alabama Sports Writers Association and AL.com 2019 Super All-State Baseball Team after hitting .446 with five home runs, 25 RBIs, 35 runs scored, 14 stolen bases and .567 OBP as a junior at Smiths Station HS.
- South Alabama finished tied for first in the Sun Belt in fielding percentage (.977) in 2019. The Jaguars posted a .983 fielding percentage in 18 games last season, which marked the sixth straight year the Jaguars have posted a .977 or better fielding percentage. 

Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On the catchers:
"I think Reid (Powers) was a guy in a normal draft year last year who we probably would lose to the draft. He was off to such a great start last year, both offensively and defensively. He was an outstanding first month offensively with the competition we faced, and defensively he is a legit defender back there; he receives and throws well, controls the running game and he has a lot of experience now. The last five weeks of 2019, you could really see him start to take off from a defensive developmental standpoint, but you could also see areas he could work on – just being physically in shape to catch a lot of games. I think he learned a lot from 2019 in how to take care of himself and how to approach that position from a physical-maintenance standpoint. It's not just the games, but the practices and bullpens – the constant pounding on the body, so he has done a really good job of learning how to take care of the body in the weight room and on off days.

"Having Richard (Sorrenti) back is big; a guy who has been in the program for three years. He is very reliable behind the plate, and has gotten better offensively. It's a very solid one-two punch. And then the future back there is Carter Sanford for us. Being a freshman, there will be where he plays and times where he gets in there because he has a chance to have a power bat. He will get some at-bats this year; there is a chance that he will DH some, but he can go back there even as a freshman. He has worked extremely hard defensively, throws very well and his receiving and blocking continue to get better. I have a lot of faith in him. Harrison Ware missed a lot of the fall with some illness. He had a lot of things interrupting his development, but he is a very good athlete and runner. He plays left field for us as well, but also catches. The future is bright when you look at Ware and Sanford behind the plate. Both of them are freshman left-handed hitters; I like what we have in those two. D.J. Law has been in the program, and is fighting for playing time as well. He's developing as a defensive catcher. He's a strong guy who swings the bat well, and is getting better defensively. We have some depth behind the plate, and this is a year where if you can keep an extra guy you do it, because you never know."

- On the experience and depth returning in the infield:
"(Brandon) Auerbach can play second (base), shortstop or third, (Kaleb) DeLaTorre is at first and can slide over to third, and it's good having (Hunter) Stokes back – a returner with good experience. Santi has been the staple at shortstop. Ideally, you want a bunch of shortstops in the infield. With (Cameron) Tissue coming in, Stokes was a high school shortstop as was Tissue in junior college. Tissue has been phenomenal for us at third base defensively; he just moves around really well. We can shrink the left side and the middle of the field with those three guys and their range and throwing arms. Alden Davis has really worked hard defensively, and he has made huge strides offensively. He was a good hitter in junior college, but had some adjustments to make and some things to clean up. He has worked tirelessly on his swing, and has had a really good preseason offensively. And he is tough as nails. We have a couple of guys over there at first base who will lay down in front of a ball to keep it from going into the outfield. DeLaTorre has turned himself into a really good first baseman. He hit .300 two years ago and was off to a slow start last year, but a lot of the guys were. 

"I feel really good with the infield. We put a huge price on defense around here, and this year will be no different in the infield and outfield. I like the athletes, experience and ability we have in the infield, and we have some depth. Hunter Donaldson is an outfielder/ infielder, and Logan Malone is a young guy who can play second, third and shortstop. Tommy van de Sanden adds some depth at third. Noah Bailey will play some second and third. He will be, in my opinion, one of the better hitters in the conference. He can play all four positions in the infield. Aries Gardner is a big left-handed hitting first baseman. He is behind some good guys, but you can see the talent and power are there, he just has some things to clean up as he gets older and plays the game a little more. We have some versatility and we can move some guys around on the infield, so we can match up a little bit. I really like the depth and talent, both defensively and offensively in the infield."

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