Troy University Athletics
Troy Baseball Inks 12 on Signing Day
11/15/2023 1:52:00 PM | Baseball
TROY, Ala. – Head baseball coach Skylar Meade and the Troy baseball program announced Wednesday afternoon the signing of 12 players on early signing day to boost the 2025 roster.
"This 2024 class is a special collection of talent who will arrive on campus in the fall," Meade said. "The group provides tons of athleticism, power, projection and winning players. We have multiple players in our class who are ranked in the top 5 or 10 in their respective states, accomplished junior college bats and multiple guys who are multi-sport athletes. Our coaching staff did a great job of putting this class together over the last two years. The amount of time that Coach Wolgamot, Godwin, and Landon put into travel, we think, certainly has paid off. However, the work is not done with our current team losing 18 seniors and potentially more players to the draft, so this grouping is a great starting point for us in our pursuit to push the program forward on a national stage."
A pair of Louisiana natives (Tyler Lejeune, Reid Broussard), four from Alabama (Drake McBride, Chase Cartron, Ty McGraw, Cody Markham), three from the north region (Jimmy Janicki, Tyler Cook, Dillon Kuehl), one from the Magnolia state (Peryn Bland), one from the Empire State of the South (Noah Thigpen) and one from the Great White North (Josh Davis) make up the 12-man signing roster.
Tyler Lejeune | Infielder | Iota, La. | Northwest Florida State College
A transfer from Northwest Florida State College, Lejeune heads to Troy after a freshman season where he averaged .299 at the plate and accumulated 26 RBIs. He's also credited with 36 runs, a .462 on-base percentage and 11 stolen bases. In 46 games played, he had 11 multi-hit games, peaking against Motlow State Community College on Feb. 17, where he went 3-for-3 and collected one run and two RBIs.
"Tyler is a competitor in the truest sense of the word," Meade said. "He has great barrel control but can still drive the ball out of the yard as well. He has multiple positions he can play, but Lejeune will find a home in the infield once he lands in Troy. Coach Martin at NWF raves about his commitment to being a great teammate and leader on the field, which can be very hard to find in this day and age. We are thrilled to welcome this winner to campus next fall."
Reid Broussard | Outfielder | Denham Springs, La. | Northwest Florida State College
Through four years at Live Oak, Broussard totaled an 88-30 record before medically redshirting at Northwest Florida State College. Through his three years on varsity, the Denham Springs native averaged a .412, .330 and .310 in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, respectively, to earn 5A All-District First Team, 7A District Defensive Player of the Year, All-Perish First Team and Perish Gold Glove Winner.
"Reid is a kid who shined against us in the fall of 20222 when we played against Coach Martin's NWF team," Meade said. "He homered and had multiple diving catches, so keeping a close eye on him down the road in Niceville wasn't hard. He is a 6.4 runner, has shown juice, and can play an elite centerfield. Reid has a toughness that Trojan fans may find very similar to our star centerfielder, Kole Myers. Reid is a no-nonsense kid and will immediately help grow the culture here at Troy.
Drake McBride | Outfielder | Alabaster, Ala. | Thompson HS
At 6-1, McBride led his program to the final four in his junior season, going 38-7. He was efficient with distance, smacking seven homers for 36 RBIs on a .297 batting average. In his sophomore season, the outfielder had 38 RBIs, six homers and a .360 batting average.
"Drake, like Peryn, comes from a winning program at Thompson HS coached by Frankie Perez," Meade said. "Drake was an East Coast Pro and Area Code attendee, meaning he is recognized as one of the top talents in the United States. When his summer coach and Braves Scout Travis Coleman compared him to MLB outfielder Bubba Thompson, we knew we better work hard to get Drake. He can play an elite CF, and the bat has tons of easy pop. With health, we think Drake has every bit the potential to fall in line with some of the outstanding outfielders that Troy has had historically."
Chase Cartron | Left-Handed Pitcher | Huntsville, Ala. | Huntsville HS
Cartron was a multi-sport athlete at Huntsville, where he played baseball and football. The 6-7 pitcher was electric from the mound to lead a 4-2 record in his junior campaign. Cartron struck out 74 batters in 52 innings pitched for a 1.3 ERA that season.
"Chase is a big get for us, no pun intended," Meade said. "His 6'7 frame has really filled out over the years, and his overall stuff has continued to uptick throughout the last year. Chase played for a great summer organization in VBA and has faced high-level competition throughout his high school experience. He also played football this year, getting some time at QB and WR. As he gets into our strength and conditioning program with Thunder, we feel one more big jump to come in the big left-hander."
Ty McGraw | First Baseman | Gardendale, Ala. | Gardendale HS
From Gardendale, Ala., McGraw shined to accumulate a 73-30 record through his first three years at Gardendale High School. In 2021 and 2023, McGraw received All-Jefferson County Baseball Coaches Association Team, batting .439 and .346, respectively. He continued the accolades in 2023, earning AL.com BHAM Baseball Terrific 20 on a .663 slugging percentage, 14 doubles, two triples, six homers and 45 RBIs.
"Ty was a kid we locked in on last summer with Top Gun baseball under Robbie Brooks and watched shine against the best of the best at PBR's Future Games," Meade said. "He can just flat-out hit. Big left-handed hitters have also been a part of the DNA of Troy baseball, and we felt that Ty fit precisely what was needed in that 2024 class. Ty plays a good first base and, with continued development on his explosion, can be a feared player in the Sun Belt as he gets older. We certainly can't wait to see what his future holds in Troy starting next fall.
Cody Markham | Outfielder | Pike Road, Ala. | Pike Road HS
Markham is a pure leader, earning the Leadership Award in basketball while competing in baseball and football. He also indicates a winning mentality, earning a 2020 and 2021 6A Region Championship in football and a 2023 6A Region Championship and area championship in baseball. In his junior season, 'Houston' led his baseball program to a 25-5 record.
"Cody is a superb kid and one heck of an athlete," Meade said. "He has received offers to be a football player at some schools but made the decision to focus on being an elite baseball player. He has a flat bat path, twitchy hands, and plays totally fearless. Mark Fuller, Cody's coach with SBC, has been high on his future for a long time and always raves about the makeup of Cody. We truly feel he can be an all-conference level player here in the future."
Jimmy Janicki | Catcher | Downers Grove, Ill. | Downers Grove North HS
From being a Trojan at Downers Grove to a Trojan at Troy, Janicki enters after accumulating a 48-19-1 record through two years of varsity from behind the plate. He was a rifle with catching runners, throwing out 95 percent at second. His knack at the plate stands firm, with a .489 batting average to earn All-State First Team.
"Jimmy is one of the top competitors you could ever ask for as a coach," Meade said. "He is the top-ranked catcher in Illinois and an overall top 5 player in a premier state. Jimmy was the only junior to make the PBR All-State team during the 2023 season. He is a D-1 caliber football player at DG North, and right now, he is in the state playoffs as a middle linebacker. His high school coach at DGN, Kyle Briscoe, sings his praises for leading his pitchers and is one of the more clutch hitters he has ever had. We look for Jimmy to come in immediately and be physically ready to play in the Sun Belt."
Tyler Cook | Catcher | Glenwood Landing, N.Y. | Holy Trinity HS
A member of the Catholic State Championship team in New York, Cook shines as an all-around student-athlete, posting a 4.0 GPA in high school while competing as a catcher for Holy Trinity. The catcher continues to shine, building up the program from a 2-11 record his freshman season to 18-5 in his junior year.
"Tyler is a great kid and already has a supreme passion for Troy baseball," Meade said. "His improvement over the last year and change has been very noticeable to us as coaches. He has constantly hit nearly .500 in PG events over the last two years, with a whiff rate under 5. He is very similar to current Trojan Ethan Kavanagh in terms of approach and skill set. Tyler is a multi-position defender, but we love what he brings to the table."
Dillon Kuehl | Outfielder | Urbandale, Iowa | Des Moines Area CC
A three-time All-State First Team member in his sophomore, junior and senior year while in high school, Kuehl joins the Trojans from Des Moines Area Community College. While at Urbandale High School, Kuehl hit 15 homers in his final two seasons, batting .390 and .360, respectively. Kuehl was also a member of a championship roster during his freshman season.
"Dillon is an advanced hitter coming out of the upper Midwest to us in Troy," Meade said. "His coach at DMACC, Nic Mishler, has sung his praises over the last year, so we are so fortunate to land his services. Dillon will remind many people in Troy of current Trojan slugger Kyle Mock in terms of style and physique. We feel Dillon will have some position versatility as an outfielder who still could possibly come to the infield at first base if needed. Dillon should help impact our team when he arrives next August."
Peryn Bland | Infielder | Meridian, Miss. | Thompson HS
From Meridian, Miss., Bland looks to be a threat on all levels of the ballfield. At Thompson High School, the infielder batted a .375 on 58 hits. Meanwhile, he demonstrated speed through 21 stolen bases and four triples. A .450 on-base percentage, 1.018 OPS and three homers boosted him to earning All-Alabama 7A First Team.
"Peryn is a winning ballplayer first and foremost," Meade said. "His body has strengthened over the last year and a half since he decided to be a Trojan. We feel he can be an elite shortstop in this league, and the bat-to-ball skill is as advanced as anyone we have recruited in the past two years. Peryn will come here with tons of experience in high-level atmospheres, which we feel will allow us to thrive and lead our newest crop of players down the road."
Noah Thigpen | Right-Handed Pitcher | Lake Park, Ga. | Lowndes HS
Winning is in Thigpen's DNA after leading his program to three 7A Region Championships and one state championship as a right-handed pitcher. In 70 innings pitched, the Lowndes High School Pitcher of the Year in his freshman season has struck out 72 batters while allowing just 11 runs and giving up 25 walks for a 1.21 ERA.
"Noah was one of the more intense recruiting battles we had in the 2024 class," Meade said. "His talent is immense, and his competitive nature was never more apparent this past spring as he closed out the 7A state championship game. Lowndes High School, coached by Ryan Page, was the first non-Atlanta school to win the highest classification in GA in 28 years. Noah has run his fastball up to 93 and is a high-level strike thrower. The rest of the repertoire continues to improve every time we watch him pitch. Noah will have a chance to be a very advanced pitcher when he enters campus next summer."
Josh Davis | Outfielder | Guelph, Ontario, Canada | John F. Ross CIV HS
From the Great White North, Davis brings to America a .380 batting average that includes 36 RBIs and three homers. In 158 at-bats, Davis holds a .473 on-base percentage, which helped boost him to earning the Athletic Achievement Award at John F. Ross CIV High School. He hopes to join his father, Justin, in the professional ranks, getting drafted into the NHL by the Washington Capitals in the fourth round.
"Josh is a toolsy athlete we brought in from north of the border in Canada," Meade said. "Coach Wolgamot ran across Josh during the WWBA in GA this summer and was blown away by his potential as a player. He runs a 6.6, is still very lean and has some juice from the left side, but still hasn't yet totally scratched the surface in terms of his future skillset. Chris Robinson and Jamie Romak with the Great Lakes Canadians were instrumental in getting us the needed info about Josh and how much they think he will continue to improve at a rapid pace in our atmosphere.
"This 2024 class is a special collection of talent who will arrive on campus in the fall," Meade said. "The group provides tons of athleticism, power, projection and winning players. We have multiple players in our class who are ranked in the top 5 or 10 in their respective states, accomplished junior college bats and multiple guys who are multi-sport athletes. Our coaching staff did a great job of putting this class together over the last two years. The amount of time that Coach Wolgamot, Godwin, and Landon put into travel, we think, certainly has paid off. However, the work is not done with our current team losing 18 seniors and potentially more players to the draft, so this grouping is a great starting point for us in our pursuit to push the program forward on a national stage."
A pair of Louisiana natives (Tyler Lejeune, Reid Broussard), four from Alabama (Drake McBride, Chase Cartron, Ty McGraw, Cody Markham), three from the north region (Jimmy Janicki, Tyler Cook, Dillon Kuehl), one from the Magnolia state (Peryn Bland), one from the Empire State of the South (Noah Thigpen) and one from the Great White North (Josh Davis) make up the 12-man signing roster.
Tyler Lejeune | Infielder | Iota, La. | Northwest Florida State College
A transfer from Northwest Florida State College, Lejeune heads to Troy after a freshman season where he averaged .299 at the plate and accumulated 26 RBIs. He's also credited with 36 runs, a .462 on-base percentage and 11 stolen bases. In 46 games played, he had 11 multi-hit games, peaking against Motlow State Community College on Feb. 17, where he went 3-for-3 and collected one run and two RBIs.
"Tyler is a competitor in the truest sense of the word," Meade said. "He has great barrel control but can still drive the ball out of the yard as well. He has multiple positions he can play, but Lejeune will find a home in the infield once he lands in Troy. Coach Martin at NWF raves about his commitment to being a great teammate and leader on the field, which can be very hard to find in this day and age. We are thrilled to welcome this winner to campus next fall."
Reid Broussard | Outfielder | Denham Springs, La. | Northwest Florida State College
Through four years at Live Oak, Broussard totaled an 88-30 record before medically redshirting at Northwest Florida State College. Through his three years on varsity, the Denham Springs native averaged a .412, .330 and .310 in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, respectively, to earn 5A All-District First Team, 7A District Defensive Player of the Year, All-Perish First Team and Perish Gold Glove Winner.
"Reid is a kid who shined against us in the fall of 20222 when we played against Coach Martin's NWF team," Meade said. "He homered and had multiple diving catches, so keeping a close eye on him down the road in Niceville wasn't hard. He is a 6.4 runner, has shown juice, and can play an elite centerfield. Reid has a toughness that Trojan fans may find very similar to our star centerfielder, Kole Myers. Reid is a no-nonsense kid and will immediately help grow the culture here at Troy.
Drake McBride | Outfielder | Alabaster, Ala. | Thompson HS
At 6-1, McBride led his program to the final four in his junior season, going 38-7. He was efficient with distance, smacking seven homers for 36 RBIs on a .297 batting average. In his sophomore season, the outfielder had 38 RBIs, six homers and a .360 batting average.
"Drake, like Peryn, comes from a winning program at Thompson HS coached by Frankie Perez," Meade said. "Drake was an East Coast Pro and Area Code attendee, meaning he is recognized as one of the top talents in the United States. When his summer coach and Braves Scout Travis Coleman compared him to MLB outfielder Bubba Thompson, we knew we better work hard to get Drake. He can play an elite CF, and the bat has tons of easy pop. With health, we think Drake has every bit the potential to fall in line with some of the outstanding outfielders that Troy has had historically."
Chase Cartron | Left-Handed Pitcher | Huntsville, Ala. | Huntsville HS
Cartron was a multi-sport athlete at Huntsville, where he played baseball and football. The 6-7 pitcher was electric from the mound to lead a 4-2 record in his junior campaign. Cartron struck out 74 batters in 52 innings pitched for a 1.3 ERA that season.
"Chase is a big get for us, no pun intended," Meade said. "His 6'7 frame has really filled out over the years, and his overall stuff has continued to uptick throughout the last year. Chase played for a great summer organization in VBA and has faced high-level competition throughout his high school experience. He also played football this year, getting some time at QB and WR. As he gets into our strength and conditioning program with Thunder, we feel one more big jump to come in the big left-hander."
Ty McGraw | First Baseman | Gardendale, Ala. | Gardendale HS
From Gardendale, Ala., McGraw shined to accumulate a 73-30 record through his first three years at Gardendale High School. In 2021 and 2023, McGraw received All-Jefferson County Baseball Coaches Association Team, batting .439 and .346, respectively. He continued the accolades in 2023, earning AL.com BHAM Baseball Terrific 20 on a .663 slugging percentage, 14 doubles, two triples, six homers and 45 RBIs.
"Ty was a kid we locked in on last summer with Top Gun baseball under Robbie Brooks and watched shine against the best of the best at PBR's Future Games," Meade said. "He can just flat-out hit. Big left-handed hitters have also been a part of the DNA of Troy baseball, and we felt that Ty fit precisely what was needed in that 2024 class. Ty plays a good first base and, with continued development on his explosion, can be a feared player in the Sun Belt as he gets older. We certainly can't wait to see what his future holds in Troy starting next fall.
Cody Markham | Outfielder | Pike Road, Ala. | Pike Road HS
Markham is a pure leader, earning the Leadership Award in basketball while competing in baseball and football. He also indicates a winning mentality, earning a 2020 and 2021 6A Region Championship in football and a 2023 6A Region Championship and area championship in baseball. In his junior season, 'Houston' led his baseball program to a 25-5 record.
"Cody is a superb kid and one heck of an athlete," Meade said. "He has received offers to be a football player at some schools but made the decision to focus on being an elite baseball player. He has a flat bat path, twitchy hands, and plays totally fearless. Mark Fuller, Cody's coach with SBC, has been high on his future for a long time and always raves about the makeup of Cody. We truly feel he can be an all-conference level player here in the future."
Jimmy Janicki | Catcher | Downers Grove, Ill. | Downers Grove North HS
From being a Trojan at Downers Grove to a Trojan at Troy, Janicki enters after accumulating a 48-19-1 record through two years of varsity from behind the plate. He was a rifle with catching runners, throwing out 95 percent at second. His knack at the plate stands firm, with a .489 batting average to earn All-State First Team.
"Jimmy is one of the top competitors you could ever ask for as a coach," Meade said. "He is the top-ranked catcher in Illinois and an overall top 5 player in a premier state. Jimmy was the only junior to make the PBR All-State team during the 2023 season. He is a D-1 caliber football player at DG North, and right now, he is in the state playoffs as a middle linebacker. His high school coach at DGN, Kyle Briscoe, sings his praises for leading his pitchers and is one of the more clutch hitters he has ever had. We look for Jimmy to come in immediately and be physically ready to play in the Sun Belt."
Tyler Cook | Catcher | Glenwood Landing, N.Y. | Holy Trinity HS
A member of the Catholic State Championship team in New York, Cook shines as an all-around student-athlete, posting a 4.0 GPA in high school while competing as a catcher for Holy Trinity. The catcher continues to shine, building up the program from a 2-11 record his freshman season to 18-5 in his junior year.
"Tyler is a great kid and already has a supreme passion for Troy baseball," Meade said. "His improvement over the last year and change has been very noticeable to us as coaches. He has constantly hit nearly .500 in PG events over the last two years, with a whiff rate under 5. He is very similar to current Trojan Ethan Kavanagh in terms of approach and skill set. Tyler is a multi-position defender, but we love what he brings to the table."
Dillon Kuehl | Outfielder | Urbandale, Iowa | Des Moines Area CC
A three-time All-State First Team member in his sophomore, junior and senior year while in high school, Kuehl joins the Trojans from Des Moines Area Community College. While at Urbandale High School, Kuehl hit 15 homers in his final two seasons, batting .390 and .360, respectively. Kuehl was also a member of a championship roster during his freshman season.
"Dillon is an advanced hitter coming out of the upper Midwest to us in Troy," Meade said. "His coach at DMACC, Nic Mishler, has sung his praises over the last year, so we are so fortunate to land his services. Dillon will remind many people in Troy of current Trojan slugger Kyle Mock in terms of style and physique. We feel Dillon will have some position versatility as an outfielder who still could possibly come to the infield at first base if needed. Dillon should help impact our team when he arrives next August."
Peryn Bland | Infielder | Meridian, Miss. | Thompson HS
From Meridian, Miss., Bland looks to be a threat on all levels of the ballfield. At Thompson High School, the infielder batted a .375 on 58 hits. Meanwhile, he demonstrated speed through 21 stolen bases and four triples. A .450 on-base percentage, 1.018 OPS and three homers boosted him to earning All-Alabama 7A First Team.
"Peryn is a winning ballplayer first and foremost," Meade said. "His body has strengthened over the last year and a half since he decided to be a Trojan. We feel he can be an elite shortstop in this league, and the bat-to-ball skill is as advanced as anyone we have recruited in the past two years. Peryn will come here with tons of experience in high-level atmospheres, which we feel will allow us to thrive and lead our newest crop of players down the road."
Noah Thigpen | Right-Handed Pitcher | Lake Park, Ga. | Lowndes HS
Winning is in Thigpen's DNA after leading his program to three 7A Region Championships and one state championship as a right-handed pitcher. In 70 innings pitched, the Lowndes High School Pitcher of the Year in his freshman season has struck out 72 batters while allowing just 11 runs and giving up 25 walks for a 1.21 ERA.
"Noah was one of the more intense recruiting battles we had in the 2024 class," Meade said. "His talent is immense, and his competitive nature was never more apparent this past spring as he closed out the 7A state championship game. Lowndes High School, coached by Ryan Page, was the first non-Atlanta school to win the highest classification in GA in 28 years. Noah has run his fastball up to 93 and is a high-level strike thrower. The rest of the repertoire continues to improve every time we watch him pitch. Noah will have a chance to be a very advanced pitcher when he enters campus next summer."
Josh Davis | Outfielder | Guelph, Ontario, Canada | John F. Ross CIV HS
From the Great White North, Davis brings to America a .380 batting average that includes 36 RBIs and three homers. In 158 at-bats, Davis holds a .473 on-base percentage, which helped boost him to earning the Athletic Achievement Award at John F. Ross CIV High School. He hopes to join his father, Justin, in the professional ranks, getting drafted into the NHL by the Washington Capitals in the fourth round.
"Josh is a toolsy athlete we brought in from north of the border in Canada," Meade said. "Coach Wolgamot ran across Josh during the WWBA in GA this summer and was blown away by his potential as a player. He runs a 6.6, is still very lean and has some juice from the left side, but still hasn't yet totally scratched the surface in terms of his future skillset. Chris Robinson and Jamie Romak with the Great Lakes Canadians were instrumental in getting us the needed info about Josh and how much they think he will continue to improve at a rapid pace in our atmosphere.
Players Mentioned
Skylar Meade Postgame - UNO
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Skylar Meade Postgame - Texas State Game 1
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Skylar Meade, Jimmy Janicki & Drew Nelson Postgame - Florida A&M
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Troy vs. Arkansas State - Game 3 (Full Highlights)
Saturday, April 04