Clarksville, TN – It didn’t take long for first-year Austin Peay State University (APSU) head baseball coach Roland Fanning to put his fingerprints on the roster he inherited.
In fact, you could say he jumped into the task with both feet. Fanning and his staff combed the transfer portal and added 22 new faces to the 2022-23 roster. With six additions from the fall signing period, APSU will feature 28 newcomers for the upcoming season.
Along with the 28 newcomers, nine players return from the 2022 edition of the Governors. Among those returnees are four pitchers – senior Peyton Jula, redshirt freshman Garrett Sims, sophomore Jacob Weaver, and graduate student Zach Wyatt – along with three outfielders – sophomore Nathan Barksdale, junior Harrison Brown, and redshirt freshman Garrison Goins. Graduate infielder Michael Robinson and redshirt junior catcher Jacob Curtis round out the returning Governors.
A complete, up-to-date roster is available on the Austin Peay State University athletics website – www.LetsGoPeay.com. Below is a snapshot of each of APSU’s 28 incoming new faces.
Season tickets for the upcoming 2023 season, which starts February 17th, 2023, are available now. Bleacher seating is available for $100.00 and reserved chairback seating is $125.00. For more information and to purchase season tickets visit LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets or call the APSU Athletics Ticket office at 931.221.PEAY (7329). Fans are encouraged to reserve their season tickets with new ticket pricing to be announced, on January 1st.
For all the latest information on Austin Peay State University Athletics, please visit LetsGoPeay.com. Follow the APSU Govs on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (@GovsBSB) for up-to-the-minute updates.
APSU Governors Newcomer Snapshots
Matt Aribal – Pearl City, Hawaii
- Transfer from Hawaii
- In final junior college season, batted .311 with 13 stolen bases and 42 runs scored at Central Arizona College
- Won NJCAA Division I College World Series in 2021.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Skilled left-handed hitter with a high contact rate and sure glove on dirt. His enate timing and intangibles for the game will aid his role for the Govs’ in 2023.
John Bay – Shattuck, Oklahoma
- Transfer from Oklahoma State
- Led the Appalachian League in home runs with 10 as a member of the Pulaski River Turtles in Summer 2021.
- In 2022, batted .324 for Oklahoma State
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Potential to provide a high volume of extra-base hits, and confident glove at all three outfield positions.
Jaden Brown – Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
- Transfer from UT Arlington
- Batted .236 over 36 games at UT Arlington in 2022.
- A 40th Round MLB Draft Pick in 2019 (Washington Nationals)
- Former Perfect Game All-American.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Highly-touted Canadian right-handed hitting utility player who has the potential for multifaceted offensive contribution.
Trevor Conley – Loveland, Ohio
- Transfer from Texas Tech.
- His father and brother have both played in the major leagues: Cal, his brother, is a current member of the Atlanta Braves and Brian, his father, played for the Chicago Cubs (1995-99).
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Athletic left-handed hitter adds versatility and impact on both sides of the ball to the ’23 Gov’s roster.
Devin Crawford – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Graduate transfer from Oklahoma Baptist
- Made 24 appearances over two seasons at OBU with 40 strikeouts in 38.0 innings pitched.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Experienced strike thrower with high miss rate and a solid fastball/slider combination.
Gus Freeman – Leawood, Kansas
- Transfer from Louisiana-Monroe
- NJCAA All-American Catcher at Cowley Community College (Kan.), helped the Tigers reach the 2021 NJCAA Division I College World Series.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Veteran backstop with a history of leading and winning who will provide steady personality and play on both sides of the ball for ’23 Govs.
Jon Jon Gazdar – Walnut Creek, California
- Transfer from Chabot Community College
- Batted .325 with 18 stolen bases and 33 runs scored last season.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Skilled defender at shortstop with the offensive wherewithal to collect hits. He brings numerous baseball intangibles to the Govs’ 2023 roster.
Conner Gore – Enid, Oklahoma
- Transfer from Cowley County Community College
- Redshirt at Oklahoma State in 2021.
- Collected .387 helped lead Cowley County to the 2022 Junior College World Series.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Will provide an above-average glove at three infield positions along with balanced offensive production and intangibles to excel as a leader on the field.
- Baseball bloodlines – Father (Brad Gore) and Uncle (Bryan Gore) both played baseball at Oklahoma State University and were members of multiple CWS.
Clayton Gray – Cabot, Arkansas
- Transfer from Crowder Community College
- Member of two NJCAA World Series Teams at Crowder
- Posted a career .336 batting average at Crowder with 11 home runs and 90 RBI.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Potential everyday center fielder who provides steady defense and a high probability of extra-base hits from the left side of the plate.
Tyler Hampu – Berea, Ohio
- Transfer from Colby Community College
- Started nine games and finished with 47 strikeouts in 27.2 innings pitched.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Has a fastball with outlier ingredients to design an elite arsenal of secondary. Exciting arm to watch develop definite MLB potential on the mound.
Campbell Holt – Las Vegas, Nevada
- Transfer from Santa Barbara City College
- Made five appearances for the Vaqueros with eight strikeouts in 5.0 innings in 2022.
- Shows ability to dominate Left Handed Hitters, with lefties hitting .100 avg vs Campbell this summer in the Northwoods League.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Campbell is looking to have the best season of his career as he continues to distance himself from Ulnar Collateral Ligament surgery. His mix is anchored by a dynamic fastball and a slider that shows the ability to generate misses at a high level when healthy.
Baylor Homesley – Cumming, Georgia
- Prepped at North Forsyth High School
- Son of Austin Peay baseball alumnus Joby Homesley.
- A First Team All-Region 6-7A selection as a senior and was selected to play in the Georgia Senior All-State Game.
- Ranked in the top 500 nationally by Perfect Game.
- Ranked as the 44th right-handed pitcher in Georgia.
Nick James – Clarksville, Tennessee
- Transfer from North Carolina
- Made 13 appearances over two seasons in Chapel Hill with 14 strikeouts in 11.2 innings pitched.
- Was a major contributor in the 2022 summer helping Full Count Rhythm win the Ohio Valley League Championship.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Is projected to work his way into the starting rotation this spring.
Andrew Jordan – Adams, Tennessee
- Prepped at Rossview High School
- An All-District 13—4A selection and named to Clarksville Leaf Chronicle All Area Team
- Batted .383 with 54 runs scored and 43 RBI as a senior.
Jabob Kush – Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Graduate transfer from Missouri
- Was 3-0 at Missouri with 19 strikeouts in 12 appearances
- Amassed 51.0 innings pitched with 53 strikeouts in two-plus seasons in Columbia, Missouri.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Potential weekend starter, he brings edge and maturity to the Governors’ pitching staff with a mix capable of performing at a high level this spring. We look to lean on Jacob for the best season of his career.
Kyle Magrans – Clarksville, Tennessee
- Transfer from Vanderbilt
- Did not play last season as a freshman in Nashville.
- Was a major contributor in the 2022 summer helping Full Count Rhythm win the Ohio Valley League Championship
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: A potential weekend starter role in 2023.
Jackson Marcantel – Sugar Hill, Georgia
- Prepped at Lanier High School
- A Second Team All-Region 8-6A selection as a senior
- Ranked in the top 500 nationally by Perfect Game
- Ranked as the 47th RHP in the state of Georgia
Garrett Martin – Westminster, Colorado
- Transfer from Oklahoma State
- Batted .250 in 20 games last season at Oklahoma State.
- Joined OSU after batting .355 with 20 home runs and 69 RBI for 2021 NJCAA Baseball World Series champion McLennan College.
Dan Merrill – Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Transfer from Missouri State
- Made 13 appearances for the Bears with 33 strikeouts in 24.1 innings pitched.
- MLB Bloodlines | His brother, Dan Merrill is a member of the Washington Nationals.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Outlier ingredients to develop into a potential starting pitcher or long reliever. He has a fastball in the 90s and a competitive slider in his arsenal.
Lyle Miller-Green – Burke, Virginia
- Transfer from Oklahoma State
- Won Cape Cod Baseball League Home Run Derby in Summer 2022
- In 2021, Miller-Green led the Cape Cod in home runs and RBIs
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Physically Imposing with an impact power bat and also has the potential to be a relief pitcher with a fastball in the low 90s.
Deaton Oak – La Grange, Kentucky
- Transfer from West Virginia
- Made two appearances during his freshman season at WVU.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: High upside arm with potential to have break out year developmentally. He has MLB starting pitcher ingredients.
Davin Pollard – Olathe, Kansas
- Transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma State
- Made 17 appearances, including 11 starts, as a freshman at NSU with 48 strikeouts over 49.2 innings pitched.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Filled starters role as a freshman on a championship team. He has a high-level fastball.
Paris Pridgen – Clarksville, Tennessee
- Prepped at Clarksville Academy
- A three-sport athlete who also was a kick returner for the Cougars’ football team and played basketball.
- Played for Austin Peay alumnus Dustin Smith at Clarksville Academy.
Paul Rector – Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Graduate transfer from Lamar
- Made nine appearances for 6.0 innings in lone season at Lamar.
- In three seasons at Johnson County Community College, made 39 relief appearances with 121 strikeouts in 82.1 innings pitched.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Rector can handle any role on the staff and with his arm slot has the ability to be very difficult on hitters.
Jackie Robinson – Edmond, Oklahoma
- Transfer from Louisiana-Monroe
- MLB Bloodlines | His father, Brad Robinson played in the Cincinnati Reds organization
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Expected to log 35+ quality innings for the Govs in 2023 from left side of the rubber.
Ashton Smith – Cumming, Georgia
- Prepped at Lambert High School
- A First Team All-Region 6-7A selection as a senior
- Ranked in the Top 100 in the state of Georgia as an RHP
Ambren Voitik – Enid, Oklahoma
- Transfer from Grand Canyon
- Played in 12 of GCU’s final 27 games last season.
- A 2021 NJCAA Second Team All American after batting .408 in final season at Northern Oklahoma-Enid.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: Left-handed hitting utility infielder with a winning mentality who has willingness to wear multiple hats en route of our ultimate cause of bringing a championship to Clarksville.
Solomon Washington – Nashville, Tennessee
- Transfer from Oklahoma State
- Did not make an appearance at Oklahoma State in 2022.
- Began collegiate career at Tennessee Tech during COVID-shortened 2020 season and made two pitching appearances.
- Followed TTU stint with a season at Clinton Community College where he made 15 appearances with 74 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched.
- Fanning’s Scouting Report: High-level talent with elite arm strength to develop on the mound.
