Southern Miss Signs 15 Players for 2028 Baseball Season
Southern Mississippi baseball coach Christian Ostrander announced Thursday that 15 players have signed to join the program for the 2028 season. The group includes eight right-handed pitchers, two left-handers, a catcher, two outfielders, an infielder and an infielder who also pitches.
Several signees are coming from junior college programs. Right-hander JP Abt and outfielder Jackson Estes helped Pearl River Community College win its third straight Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference championship and the NJCAA Division II national title last spring.
Abt went 7-0 with a save and a 3.54 ERA in 48 1/3 innings as a freshman, striking out 45 and walking 20. He was named to the All-MACCC second team as a pitcher. He also played second base, recording five hits, including a home run, and six RBIs.
Estes hit .423 with 75 RBIs, 82 hits, four triples, 19 doubles and 13 home runs for Pearl River. He added 68 runs and 11 stolen bases, and earned a spot on the NJCAA World Series All-Tournament team after going 7-for-15 with three homers and five RBIs. He was a first-team All-MACCC selection.
Right-hander Trevor Hodges is transferring from Jones College, where he went 10-1 with a 1.55 ERA in his first season. He struck out 77 and walked 12 in 64 innings, holding opponents to a .192 batting average across 21 appearances.
Other pitchers with notable high school or recent-season statistics include Alexandria Senior High’s Jack Lee, who went 6-4 with two saves and a 2.60 ERA, striking out 91 in 56 innings. Clay Tolbert, an infielder and right-hander from West Jones High School, went 6-2 with a 1.06 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 53 innings. He also hit .420 with a .564 on-base percentage, three home runs and 28 RBIs, according to the announcement.
The signees also include right-handers Rece Atkinson, Isaac Boudreaux, Ayden Demoran, Preston McAdory and Jackson Page; left-handers Cruz Jones and Jake Wooten; catcher Colton Boyd; outfielder Cooper Hawkins; and infielder Wesley Moering. They come from Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.
Southern Miss is scheduled to open its 2027 season Feb. 19 against North Dakota State at Pete Taylor Park. The announcement said season-ticket renewals for the upcoming home schedule would be accepted through Dec. 11.
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