Baseball 2/13/2025 2:33:00 PM

The Makings of the Jaguars

Baseball 2/13/2025 2:33:00 PM

The Makings of the Jaguars

MOBILE, Ala. - The rhythmic pang from the new Louisville Sluggers rang out across Stanky in the opening minutes of batting practice. They are from South Alabama's new equipment deal with Wilson starting this season.

Kyle Morrison, the Jags' potential opening day starter at third, takes swings inside the mobile batting cage, while sophomore lefty Jaxon Shineflew follows his pregame routine in the home bullpen leading up to his scrimmage start.

"Just trying to put on some weight," Shineflew spoke after his scheduled three innings about the upcoming season and his offseason prep going into his second season. "Keeping the core of my offspeed mix together and throwing a little bit harder".

Expected to be a key contributor this season, Shineflew is coming off a '24 campaign that ended strong, earning Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week in the last week of the regular season for just his second career start. He threw six innings of shutout baseball against the No. 21 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, striking out 10 batters and throwing 101 pitches, only allowing four batters to reach base.

"I didn't know until last year that I had a good fastball, but with my fastball, if it's 92-93 instead of 88-89 it's going to be that much harder to hit."

With a new season comes new faces on the coaching staff. Head Coach Mark Calvi brought in Matt Hancock to work with the pitching staff and former Jaguar Drew LaBounty as an assistant coach.

"Just figuring out how to use my whole body to maximize my pitches," Shineflew remarked about Hancock's work with him. "Make them play the best, you know, get the most spin and efficiency out of each pitch". Hancock joins the staff after spending three years with the Padres organization, working first in the Arizona Complex League, then moving on to take over as the Padre's pitching rehab coordinator.

"They've done a really good job helping us this fall and also helping us understand ourselves better," catcher Duncan Mathews said about the new coaches. "They come from really rich backgrounds. Coach LaBounty played here awhile ago and he understands how this program is run".

LaBounty returns to Mobile by way of Arkansas State, spending the last three years as assistant coach. As a player, LaBounty was named 2016 and 2017 First Team All-Conference shortstop, remembered by fans for his defensive prowess and consistency at reaching base.

"Coach Hancock has done a really good job fitting in and getting the pitchers to love him". Mathews believes that progress has already been made this season that has helped the team buy in early to what the Jags are going for. "We're all different players, but we're all trying to do the same thing, and that's to win games."

Is there a major shift in philosophy from this year to last? "Not necessarily," Calvi explained, "you've got to pitch and play defense. I always harp on that. There's been some years we've been better than others offensively, but pitching and defense gives you a chance every single time you show up at the park".

The Jaguars return 18 players from last season, while bringing in four freshmen, eight transfer fielders, six transfer arms, and four players also return after redshirting 2024. Returning starters include redshirt junior Brennan Holt, who started all 56 games last season, Lucas Ismaili, who fluctuated between first and designated hitter while leading the team in home runs, catcher Duncan Mathews, and outfielder Ethan Melton. Key pieces of the pitching staff returning include Shineflew, fellow sophomore lefty Zach Stevens, the pair of redshirt seniors in Zach Willingham and John Gillis, and senior righthander Mitchell Heer.

The Jags are coming off a 31-25 season with a ninth place finish in the Sun Belt and a first round finish in the conference tournament. South Alabama finished third in the conference in fielding percentage, third in runs allowed, and fifth in team ERA.

Offense, pitching, and fielding working together is winning baseball according to Calvi. "We want to be great in all three areas. Our guys work extremely hard hitting and the assistant coaches have done a great job with the guys. Do we have the personnel to have a dangerous offense? Yes, I think we do."

Some of that personnel was picked up from the junior college ranks. Juniors like John Smith and Michael Young out of Pensacola State College, Greg Pettay from Polk State, Robert Miranda from Arizona Western, and the above mentioned Kyle Morrison, who was named Alabama Community College Conference Player of the Year from Shelton State.

Transfers from other DI schools mentioned by Calvi will also make an impact. Outfielder Josh Stevenson arrives to Mobile from Ohio State, with Mason Zambo transferring from Louisiana as an infielder. Pitcher Brian Garmon II joins the Jags from Georgia State, and lefthander Garrett Kangas comes from Campbell.

"We have some team speed, we have a little bit of power, we have some experience, we have some right and some left, we have some guys that can bunt. I think we have the makings of what could be a formidable offense".

South Alabama begins their season at home, facing SIUE opening night, Friday February 14, at 6:30 p.m.

FOLLOW THE JAGS
For complete coverage of University South Alabama baseball, follow the Jaguars on social media @SouthAlabamaBSB (Twitter), /SouthAlabamaAthletics (Facebook), @southalabamabsb on Instagram, or visit the official home of South Alabama athletics at USAJaguars.com.

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