APSU Sports Information
Clarksville, TN – A distinct Tennessee flair and family feel dominate the Austin Peay State University baseball team’s eight-man fall signing class.
The Governors fall signing class includes five players from Tennessee and one each from Florida, Georgia and Illinois.
In addition, three of the signees come from high schools headed by former Governors: Matthew Joslin, who plays at Spring Hill High School for alumnus Paul Lamm; Drew McIllwain who plays at Clarksville High School for alumnus Jesse Cash; and Garrett Spain, who plays at Clarksville High School for Govs former assistant coach Brian Hetland.
The entire roster of the Govs signing class includes the following eight student-athletes:
- Luke Brown, a 5-11, 165-pound right-handed pitcher from Greenbrier
- Michael Carey, a 5-10, 175-pound middle infielder from Tinley Park, Illinois
- Cooper Davidson, a 6-5, 230-pound, right-handed pitcher from Alpharetta, Georgia
- Matthew Joslin, a 6-0, 190-pound, third baseman from Columbia
- Chase Martin III, a 6-1, 200-pound outfielder from Collierville
- Sebastian Martinez, a 5-11, 175-pound utility man/right-handed pitcher from Port St. Lucie, Florida
- Drew McIllwain, a 6-0, 200-pound right-handed pitcher from Waverly
- Garrett Spain, a 5-10, 160-pound outfielder from Clarksville
“I want to thank my assistants Greg Byron and David Weber for their efforts that went into securing this recruiting class,” said Governors head coach Travis Janssen. “We are very excited about the young men and their families that are joining our family. When talking about recruiting, the fit has to be right for all parties involved. The student-athlete, their family, and our program all have to be considered. We think we have eight student-athletes, along with their families, that are a great fit with our program.”
The eight-man class includes three pitchers – each a right-hander – four position players and a two-way man, a good thing since Austin Peay enters the upcoming 2018 season with nine seniors on its roster.
“We needed to replace pitching and we needed to replace a couple of good bats,” said Janssen. “This class is heavy with Tennessee kids, which was one of our goals. We are very comfortable that we met our needs from a position standpoint. Another nice thing about this class is three of these young men were coached by former Governors. This will be a class that has a chance to make an early impact for our program and has a chance to be another building block for the future for our program. I’m very excited about this group of student-athletes that will be joining us next fall.”
Fall Signing Class Biographies
Luke Brown, a 5-11, 165-pound right-handed pitcher from Greenbrier
“Luke is a local guy we first identified in one of our camps. We followed him this summer and saw him pitch well in some of the best tournaments in the country. One thing that makes him unique is he pitched in the Connie Mack World Series, one of the best amateur tournaments in the nation. He’s a competitive strike thrower that loves Austin Peay. We love his demeanor on the mound and love how he gets after hitters on the mound.”
Michael Carey, a 5-10, 175-pound middle infielder from Tinley Park, Illinois
Played middle infield at Andrew High School for head coach Dave Dehaan… was a first-team all-area and all-conference selection as a junior after batting .420 with 40 runs scored and 20 RBI, leading Andrew High to a 21-7 record… a career .361 batter with 89 runs scored and 62 RBI in first three seasons of varsity play.
“The best characteristic about Michael is he is a ball player. He has a very high baseball IQ, plays the game the right way and always finds ways to help his team win. He has a blue collar work ethic and he carries himself with some toughness. There is no doubt that Michael embodies the characteristics of guys we want in our clubhouse.”
Cooper Davidson, a 6-5, 230-pound, pitcher from Alpharetta, Georgia
Pitched at South Forsyth High School for head coach Russ Baver… was an honorable mention All-State pick after earning second-team all-region honors.
“Cooper has a large frame and we feel has the potential to turn into a power arm for our pitching staff. He has shown flashes of being a guy that can really be dominant and that excites us for what the future holds. As he grows and matures we think Cooper has a very bright future. He has excelled in one of the top rated high school districts in the state of Georgia.”
Matthew Joslin, a 6-0, 190-pound, third baseman from Columbia
“Matt is coached by former Governor Paul Lamm who called me in early June and said, ‘We have one that you need to see.’ He was right. Matt has been the cleanup hitter since his sophomore season for a team that won a state championship last spring. Matt is a tough competitor that can really swing the bat. We think he’s kind of a “throwback” type of kid. Not a lot of frills, just a kid competes and can really play the game.”
Chase Martin III, a 6-1, 200-pound outfielder from Collierville
Plays centerfield for Briarcrest Christian School and head coach Craig Hopkins… Hit .300 with three home runs last season, his first at Briarcrest… Hit two home runs in regional to help Briarcrest win its first regional title and reach the Division II Class AA state tournament… Named to All-Region defense team… Also plays football and is a linebacker for team that has posted a 9-1 record this season.
“Chase is a tough multi-sport athlete that is one of the best players in the Memphis area. He’s a left-handed hitting outfielder that can hit and has some juice in his bat. Along with baseball, he also plays football for Briarcrest and we believe that competitiveness helps him on the baseball field. We like guys that like to compete and play other sports. Chase fits that mold; he’s a competitor and he’s a winner.”
Sebastian Martinez, a 5-11, 175-pound utility man/pitcher from Port St. Lucie, Florida
Pitches, plays shortstop and outfield at Treasure Coast High School for head coach Mike Sindone… Finished junior season with 0.68 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 41.1 innings pitched… Threw a no-hitter in second start of junior campaign, striking out 12 in seven innings, one of four shutouts he tossed.
“Sebastian Martinez is what you’re looking for as a coach. He’s a passionate solid all-around baseball player. Early on we think his biggest chance to impact us will be on the mound. But, he also is a switch hitter that can play everywhere on the diamond. Sebastian is a lot like his brother (current Gov David Martinez) – so passionate about the game and such a hard worker. He loves to play and loves to compete. Sebastian has a really good demeanor on the mound and really has an advanced feel for pitching. It will be a special thing for David and Seba to be in the same uniform at the collegiate level. I’m looking forward to seeing those two compete together for Austin Peay.”
Drew McIllwain, a 6-0, 200-pound right-handed pitcher from Waverly
Pitches at Waverly Central High School for head coach and Govs alumnus Jesse Cash (1987-90)… Named District 10 Pitcher of the Year last season after posting a 1.00 ERA as a junior… is a three-time All-District 10 selection.
“Drew is another local (Waverley Central) right-handed pitcher that we are excited about joining us. Simply put, he has a chance to be electric. He has an easy delivery and the ball jumps out of his hand. On top of that, he is a great student in the classroom and like a lot of these young men, he is a very well-rounded. Former Gov, Jesse Cash, coaches Drew at Waverley Central. We think when it’s all said and done, he will have a really nice career here at Austin Peay.”
Garrett Spain, a 5-10, 160-pound outfielder from Clarksville
Played centerfield at Clarksville High School and head coach Brian Hetland, former Governors assistant coach… Batted .442 with 41 RBI last season, helping Clarksville High win the District 10 AAA regular season and tournament titles… Named to All-District Team… Played hockey with Thunder AAA Hockey the previous three seasons before joining the Nashville Junior Predators program this season.
“We’ve been watching Garrett for the better part of the last year, and have seen him play a lot of games. We believe Garrett has a great chance to impact us early in his career with his bat. He’s a well-rounded kid, really good student with solid character which we’re always looking for. He’s played for one of the best programs in our area led by Brian Hetland. He can really swing it, and has a plus arm in the outfield. He’s another multi-sport athlete, but he’s unique as his second sport is hockey. Garrett has strong wrists at the plate and really makes solid contact swinging the bat. We think Garrett has a bright future here.”
