Baseball Welcomes Third-Ranked 2022 Class, 21 Newcomers

Full 2022 Fall Roster

THE FLATS – Highlighted by 11 players ranked in the top 10 for their state, Georgia Tech baseball announced its 2022 signing class, rated as the No. 3 recruiting class in the country by Perfect Game. The Yellow Jackets’ third-ranked class is their highest-ranked class in Perfect Game’s history and the highest-rated signing class in the Atlantic Coast Conference this year.

Georgia Tech has now signed top-5 classes in two of the last four years, top-10 classes in three of the last four years, and four-straight top-20 recruiting classes, leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in all categories.

Already a lauded recruiting class, Collegiate Baseball also ranked the group as the No. 5 class in the country, topping the ACC.

Bolstering the 16 talented freshmen this season will be five transfers – Terry Busse, Drew Byers, Angelo DiSpigna and Nathan Smith.

2022 Georgia Tech Baseball Newcomer Class

CARSON BALLARD
RHP, 6-1, 180, R/R, Alpharetta, Ga./Wesleyan

Rated as a top-40 right-handed pitcher in the state of Georgia … Help pitch Wesleyan to the 2022 State Championship, throwing six innings of four-hit ball in the title game … A two-time Perfect Game Preseason All-Southeast Region honorable mention (2021-22) … An 18-time All-Tournament Team selection … Named Most Valuable Pitcher in the 2020 Perfect Game 16U Southeast Elite Championship, where he helped win one of his five career WWBA titles … Also named to the 2020 16U Tourney All-American Team as both a first-team hitter and pitcher … Played five years of showcase ball, playing 153 games in his career as a utility player … Pitched 88.2 innings, earning a 1.40 ERA and 7-0 record … Struck out 93 hitters overall and surrendered just 73 hits, recording a 1.25 career WHIP … In 2022, pitched 15.1 innings with a 3.70 ERA, allowing 18 hits and just four walks while punching out 19 … At the plate, recorded a .343 career batting average and a .922 OPS … Tallied 121 hits, 26 doubles, three triples and two home runs for 80 RBI … Also drew 46 walks and stole 41 bases … In 2022, played in 25 games and hit a gaudy .400 with a 1.160 OPS … Recorded 24 hits, seven doubles, two triples and a homer from 17 RBI … Also walked nine times for a .526 on-base percentage.

BRANT BAUGHCUM
INF, 6-1, 200, R/R, Buford, Ga./Buford

Rated as the No. 9 shortstop and No. 24 player overall from the state of Georgia … two-year letterwinner at Buford High School … Named a captain his junior and senior year … Helped lead Buford to a Regional Championship in 2021 and 2022 … Named All-District and All-State for Buford in 2021 and 2022 … Also Named All-District and All-State in 2019 and 2020 at Brookwood High School … A four-time Perfect Game Preseason All-Region, including first-team Southeast in 2022 … A 27-time All-Tournament Team selection … Helped Team Elite 17U to WWBA Championships in 2019 and 2020 … Helped lead Buford to win the 2021 Perfect Game High School Showdown … Named All-Tournament in 2018 … Earned tournament batting title honors twice – 2018, 2020 … Played five years of showcase ball, amounting to a whopping 212 games … Hit .362 in those games, recording 186 hits, 31 doubles and 12 triples … A keen eye at the plate, also drew 90 walks and struck out just 48 times for a career on-base percentage of .473 … Drove in 112 runs and stole 71 bases … Had his best year in 2020 when he hit .370 in 35 games, recording 34 hits, 10 doubles and one triple for 15 RBI … In plate appearances, struck out just seven times for a .459 on-base percentage … Father, John, played baseball at West Georgia.

JAYCE BLALOCK
OF, 5-10, 205, R/R, Grantville, Ga./Trinity Christian

Rated as a top-20 outfielder in the state of Georgia … Four-year letterwinner at Trinity Christian … Also played football all four years … Named All-Region in baseball … Played five years of showcase baseball … Named Perfect Game All-Region three times (2020-22) … A 22-time All-Tournament selection … Helped lead to National Showcase teams (2018-19) to be named Perfect Game Top Prospect Team … Helped Foundation Sports 16U to a Perfect Game Championship in 2018 and 2020 … Won two more tournament championships with 14U in 2019 and 16U in 2020 … Over 176 career games, hit .310 and recorded 119 hits, 39 doubles and 10 home runs for 95 RBI … With an OPS of 1.016, he tallied an on-base percentage of .469 for his career.

LOGAN BOGUE
RHP, 6-3, 195, R/R, Habersham, Ga./Habersham Central

Rated as the No. 7 right-handed pitcher in the state of Georgia and a top-30 Georgia recruit overall … A four-year letterwinner at Habersham Central … Played three years of showcase ball … A three-time All-Southeast Region selection, including two first-team honors (2021-22) … A 13-time All-Tournament Team selection … Named the 2020 Perfect Game 16U Battle of the Southeast Most Valuable Pitcher … A three-time WWBA Champion (2020, 2020, 2021) … Helped pitch his team to victory in the 2019 Perfect Game 15U Summer Blowout Tournament … Finished his career with a 7-2 record and a 1.70 ERA over 74.2 innings of work … Surrendered just 64 hits and 27 walks en route to just 18 earned runs while punching out 99 overall … In 2020, he held a 0.00 ERA over 34.2 innings with a perfect 4-0 record … He recorded a sub-1.00 WHIP (0.98), allowing just 24 hits and 10 walks while striking out 52.

PARKER BROSIUS
OF, 6-2, 180, R/L, Suwanee, Ga./Lambert

Rated as the No. 15 outfielder in the state of Georgia and a top-60 Georgia recruit overall … A four-year letterwinner in baseball at Lambert High School … Also lettered one year in football … Top high school achievements include throwing a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts … Played five years of showcase ball … A four-time Southeast Regional All-American … Named second-team Southeast Region in back-to-back years (2021, 2022) … A 25-time All-Tournament Team selection … Helped lead his teams to four WWBA Championships and three Perfect Game Super25 Championships … In 182 career showcase games, hit .305 with 124 hits, 27 doubles, 12 triples and seven home runs … Also drew 106 at-bats for an on-base percentage of .473 … Drove in 98 runs … Caught fire in 2021, hitting .324 over 53 games and 105 at-bats … Recorded an OPS of .941 while tallying 34 hits, four doubles, three triples and a home run … Drew 29 walks for a .493 on-base percentage … Also stole 34 bags on the year.

TERRY BUSSE
RHP, 6-3, 200, R/R, Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso (John A. Logan JC)

Played one year at John A. Logan junior college, helping lead them to winning a regional … Made 22 appearances out of the bullpen for the Vols … Finished with a 1-2 record with two saves in 27.1 innings, working to a 3.29 ERA and a whopping 44 strikeouts … Surrendered just 24 hits and 10 earned runs … Held opponents to a .235 batting average … Made 10 hitless appearances and 13 scoreless appearances overall … In 12 conference games, punched out 22 hitters in 11.2 innings, working to a 3.09 ERA … Allowed just 10 hits and four runs against conference opponents, holding them to a .244 batting average … Four-year letterwinner at Valparaiso High School … Also lettered two years in hockey (one as a captain) … Named salutatorian of his graduating class.

DREW BYERS
RHP, 6-1, 204, R/R, Nashville, Tenn./Ensworth (Samford)

Saw action in eight games in 2022 at Samford … Struck out six batters over 5.1 innings of work … Tallied a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless relief appearance at Alabama on April 5 … Spent the 2021 season at Notre Dame, missing the year due to injury and redshirting … Named ACC Academic Honor Roll at Notre Dame … Helped lead the 2019 Ensworth team to its first state semifinal appearance in 2019 by hitting the go-ahead home run … Named a three-time Perfect Game Preseason All-American … Named a six-time Perfect Game All-Tournament selection … Father, Scott, played baseball at Georgia Tech, was a member of head coach Danny Hall’s inaugural team that went to the 1994 College World Series, and was drafted by the then-California Angels in 1996 … Uncle played baseball at Kennesaw State … Great uncle ran track at Alabama … Great grandfather played football at Wisconsin.

DEMITRI DIAMANT
INF/RHP, 5-11, 195, R/R, Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman

Rated as the top third baseman and No. 4 overall recruit in the state of Nevada, while also rated as the No. 9 third baseman in the country by Perfect Game … Played a variety of positions including third base, middle infield and pitching … Four-year letterwinner at Bishop Gorman High School … Helped lead them to win the 2021 Southern League Championship and the 2022 Mountain League Championship … Played five years of showcase ball … Named a three-time first-team West Region All-American (2020, 2021, 2022) after earning honorable mention in 2019 … An 11-time All-Tournament Team selection … Helped lead his team to three WWBA Championships (2019, 2019, 2020) and two Perfect Game Super25 Championships (2016, 2018) … In 68 career games, hit .377 for 58 hits, 14 doubles, two triples and a home run … Drew 24 walks for a .490 on-base percentage … Also drove in 40 runs for his career … On the mound, he pitched just six total innings last year, recording a 1.20 ERA by allowing just one run and three hits while striking out 10 … Over 32.0 career innings, tallying a 2.40 ERA and 5-1 record, surrendering just 11 runs total while striking out 43.

ANGELO DISPIGNA
INF, 6-6, 229, L/R, Lawrenceville, Ga./Brookwood (Mercer)

Played three years at Mercer … In 2021, started in all 57 games he appeared in, posting a .266 batting average with 14 doubles and a team-high 15 home runs, slugging .563 for the year with a .398 on-base percentage … In 2020, started and appeared in all 16 games, starting at first, second and third base … Batted .328 with 21 hits, nine extra-base hits and seven RBI … Also recorded two home runs … Tallied a .427 on-base percentage with 10 walks … In 2019 as a freshman, played in 64 games with 62 starts at first base … Collected all-Southern Conference second-team and all-freshman team honors … Also named a 2019 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American … Hit .289 with 66 hits and 13 home runs for 43 RBI … Slugged .509 with an on-base percentage of .396 … Ranked second on the team with 19 multi-hit games … Recorded eight hits in the postseason en route to Mercer’s SoCon Championship title … Prior to Mercer, a three-year letterwinner in baseball and football at Brookwood High School … Batted .320 with three home runs and 71 RBI in his prep career … A three-time Region 7-AAAAAAA first-team selection … Rated as the top third baseman in the state of Georgia’s 2018 class by Perfect Game … Starred at quarterback for the Broncos … Set the school records for most passing yards and touchdowns in a single game … Finished with 5,102 passing yards and 46 touchdowns in three years … Father, Angelo, played baseball at Alabama in 1986.

JACKSON GASPARD
UT/RHP, 6-0, 180, R/R, Flowery Branch, Ga./Buford

Rated as the No. 15 middle infielder in the state of Georgia by Perfect Game … Four-year letterwinner at Buford High School … Also lettered his freshman and sophomore year in football … Helped lead them to Regional Championships in 2021 and 2022 … Named All-State three-straight years and All-Region (2020, 2021, 2022) … Played five years of showcase ball … In 167 career games, recorded a .283 batting average with 21 doubles, four triples and one home run … Drove in 80 runs and drew 83 walks … In 133.1 career innings, recorded a 1.80 ERA and a 6-5 record … Allowed 104 runs and struck out 138 … Did not allow an earned run over his final two years and 70.2 innings, striking out 80 hitters … Father, Robert, played baseball at Belhaven (1996-98).

CADEN GAUDETTE
RHP, 6-0, 197, R/R, Alpharetta, Ga./Milton

Rated as a No. 21 right-handed pitcher in the state of Georgia by Perfect Game … Multi-sport athlete at Alpharetta High School, playing baseball and football … Three-year letterwinner in baseball as a pitcher and infielder … Named Team MVP his senior year … A three-time Preseason All-American … Earned All-Region honors all three years … 15-time All-Tournament Team selection … 5-time WWBA Champion … FSS National Showcase participant … Played five years of showcase ball, amounting to a whopping 136 games … In 60 innings pitched, recorded a 1.80 ERA and 2-1 record, surrendering just 48 hits and 15 earned runs, while striking out 70 batters … Allowed just two earned runs over his final 26.0 innings pitched with Perfect Game, striking out 31 and allowing just 13 hits … Also took 265 at-bats where he hit .242 with 23 doubles, three triples and six homers … Also drove in 59 runs … Mother, Shannon, played tennis at Georgia (1988-92) before touring professionally, where, as a doubles player, she was runner up in three WTA Tour tournaments and was ranked as high as 60 in 1993.

DAVIS GREEN
OF, 5-10, 185, R/R, Blackshear, Ga./Pierce County

Rated as the No. 9 outfielder in the state of Georgia by Perfect Game … Ranked as a top-60 outfielder nationally … Four-year baseball letterwinner at Pierce County High School … Also played two seasons of basketball … Helped lead the baseball team to back-to-back conference championships (2021, 2022) … Named All-State (2021, 2022) and All-Region (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022) … Played six years of showcase ball … In 147 career games, hit .312 with 105 hits, 20 doubles, five triples and four home runs … Also drew 70 walks for a .452 on-base percentage … Drove in 74 runs and stole 61 bases … In last full season in 2021, hit .348 with 24 hits, four doubles and two triples for 16 RBI.

AIDAN JOLLY
C, 5-9, 180, R/R, Acworth, Ga./Allatoona

Rated as the No. 10 catcher in the state of Georgia by Perfect Game … Three-year letterwinner as a catcher at Allatoona … Named first-team All-State and first-team All-Region in 2021 and 2022 … Played five years of showcase ball … Named 2021 and 2022 Honorable Mention Preseason All-American Southeast Region …  17-time All-Tournament Team selection … Three-time Tournament MVP selection … Helped lead the East Cobb Yankees to two WWBA Championships in 2022 … Named to the 2020 Tourney All-American Second Team … In 145 career games, recorded a .334 average with 123 hits, 37 doubles, four triples and 14 home runs … Also drew 37 walks and drove in 99 runners … Had a career OPS of .974 … In 2022, hit .420 over 26 games with an OPS of 1.220 … Recorded 29 hits, 13 doubles, a triple and three homers … Tallied 24 RBI.

CARSTEN SABATHIA
INF, 6-4, 240, R/R, Alpine, N.J./Bergen Catholic

Rated as the No. 3 first baseman in the country by Perfect Game … Also rated as the top first baseman and No. 4 prospect overall out of the state of New Jersey … Four-year letterwinner in baseball at Bergen Catholic, also lettered two years in basketball … Helped lead them to 2022 district championship … Named a 2022 All-American … In his last year at Bergen Catholic, hit .363 for 33 hits, eight doubles, a triple and four home runs, driving in 30 runs … Also drew 13 walks … Named two-time first-team Northeast All-American … Played three years of showcase ball … Helped lead his team to the 2019 WWBA Championship … Father is MLB Hall-of-Famer C.C. Sabathia.

NOAH SAMOL
LHP, 6-8, 242, L/L, Mason, Ohio/William Mason

Rated as the top left-handed pitcher and No. 3 prospect out of Ohio … Also rated as a top-35 left-handed pitcher nationally … Three-year letterwinner at William Mason … Helped lead them to a Greater Miami Conference title in 2021 and 2022 … Also won the district championship in 2021 and 2022 before winning regional championship in 2022 … Named 2022 Greater Miami Conference Pitcher of the Year … Named 2022 first-team all-GMC … Named 2022 first-team All-City … Named 2022 first-team All-Ohio by Prep Baseball Report … Named 2022 second-team All-Ohio (OHSBCA) … Pitcher a no-hitter against Kings High School at Prasco Field on April 21, 2022 … Pitched just 4.1 innings in 2019 and 2021 for showcase ball … Named 2022 Central Region All-American … Father, John, played basketball at John Carroll University (1993-97).

KENNETH SCHAEDEL
OF, 6-3, 195, R/R, Virginia Beach, Va./Cape Henry Collegiate School

Rated as the No. 5 outfielder in the state of Virginia and a top-100 outfielder nationally by Perfect Game … Hit .500 with a 1.415 OPS in 25 games his senior season at Cape Henry … Recorded 38 hits, nine doubles, four triples and three home runs .. Drove in 24 runs … Recorded 20 putouts on 20 chances for a perfect fielding percentage … Also played four years of showcase ball … Named 2022 second-team Preseason All-Atlantic Region … Was an honorable mention All-Atlantic Region selection in 2020 and 2021 … Five-time All-Tournament Team selection … In 47 career games, tallied a .313 batting average with 30 hits, eight doubles and one home run, driving in 26 runs … Also drew 29 walks for a .485 on-base percentage.

LUKE SCHMOLKE
RHP, 6-0, 184, R/R, Mooresville, N.C./Lake Norman

Rated as the No. 6 right-handed pitcher out of North Carolina and the No. 12 North Carolinian prospect overall by Perfect Game … Four-year letterwinner at Lake Norman High School … Helped lead them to be conference champions in 2022 … Named first-team All-State and conference player of the year in 2022 after throwing two no-hitters … Named a 2021 and 2022 first-team Preseason All-Region … Also an All-Region honorable mention in 2020 … Six-time All-Tournament Team selection … Helped lead Canes National 17U to the 2021 WWBA Championship … Named second-team Tourney All-American Team in 2020 … Played four years of showcase ball … In 47.1 career innings, recorded a 2-1 record and 0.40 ERA … Allowed just 24 hits and three runs, while striking out 70 … Allowed just one run over his final two years (34.0 innings) … In 2021, recorded a 0.50 ERA over 13.0 innings with just six hits allowed and 17 strikeouts.

NICO SENESE
INF, 6-3, 175, R/R, Senoia, Ga./East Coweta

Rated as the No. 12 shortstop and a top-35 prospect overall in the state of Georgia … Four-year letterwinner at East Coweta … Also lettered twice in football as a wide receiver and quarterback … Four-time All-Region selection, four-time All-County selection and an All-State honorable mention in 2021 … Played four years of showcase ball … Named 2020 Southeast Region All-American honorable mention, first-team All-American in 2021 and second-team in 2022 … A 23-time All-Tournament Team selection … Helped lead his team to the WWBA Championship in 2018 as well as two Youth Tournament Championships in 2018 … In 163 games, hit .362 for 154 hits, 40 doubles, three triples and two home runs for 103 RBI … Also drew 77 walks for a .469 on-base percentage and .967 OPS … Had his best year in 2020 when he hit .343 over a whopping 53 games, recording 48 hits and 14 doubles for 36 RBI … In 2021, he hit .270 in 36 games, recording 24 hits, six doubles and a home run for 19 RBI and a .417 on-base percentage.

NATHAN SMITH
C, 6-0, 204, R/R, Thomasville, Ga./Buford (Tennessee)

Redshirted in 2021 at Tennessee … Rated No. 45 overall prospect and No. 4 catcher in Georgia by Perfect Game … Four-year letterwinner at Buford High School … Three-time Regional Champions … Graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA … Sister, Rebekah, cheered at Georgia Tech … Participated in Perfect Game 2019 Jr. National Showcase … Participated in Perfect Game 2019 Underclass All-American Games … Four-time Perfect Game Preseason All-American (2018-21) … Named 2021 Georgia Dugout Preview Magazine Class 6A … Earned second-team All-State selection … Named first-team All-Region in 2021 … Helped lead Buford High School to a 32-2 overall record and helped the Wolves earn No. 1 national ranking during 2021 season … Helped lead the Wolves to the Class 6A Region 8 title after posting a perfect 18-0 mark in region play … Played club ball for the East Cobb Astros … Helped lead East Cobb Astros to 10 WWBA or Perfect Game tournament titles … 2021 Perfect Game High School Showdown All-Tournament team selection … 2019 Perfect Game 16U Super25 National Championship All-Tournament team selection.

RILEY STANFORD
OF/RHP, 6-4, 235, R/R, Gainesville, Ga./Buford

Rated as the No. 2 outfielder and No. 5 prospect overall out of the state of Georgia … Also ranked as the No. 9 outfielder and a top-50 prospect nationally … Four-year letterwinner in baseball at Buford and two-year letterwinner in basketball … Three-time first-team Southeast All-American … Named Under Armour All-American … Named honorable mention Southeast All-America in 2019 … A 37-time All-Tournament Team selection … Selected to the USA Baseball 18U National Team … Helped lead teams to four WWBA Championships (2020-2021), two Perfect Game Super25 Championships (2018), two BCS Championships (2019, 2021) and the 2016 Youth Tournament Championship … Named a four-time Tournament All-American Team selection … Played five full years of showcase ball, but only played in one game in 2022 … Over 229 games for his career, hit .36 for 202 hits, 55 doubles, eight triples and 11 home runs … Drove in 187 runs … Also walked 66 times for a .455 on-base percentage … Slugged 1.008 for his career … In his last full season in 2021, appeared in 54 games and hit .344 with a .993 OPS … Also a blue-chip pitcher, recording a career ERA of 1.90 over 128.1 innings of work … Allowed just 105 hits and 34 runs, while striking out 145 batters … Did not allow an earned run over his final two years and 38.1 innings of work, punching out 51 batters and surrendering just 35 hits … Father, Ron, was a pitcher at Georgia Southern (1991-93).

JACKSON VAUGHAN
RHP, 5-8, 183, R/R, Bakersfield, Calif./Bakersfield (Pacific University)

Played two years at University of Pacific (2021-22) … Named WCC All-Academic Honorable Mentions in 2021 and 2022 … Selected to receive the Amos Alonzo Stagg Senior Scholar-Athlete Award for the highest cumulative GPA in 2022 … Was also given the Four Pillars Award, given to a student-athlete who exemplifies Pacific’s four core identities: balance, family, innovation and winning spirit … Graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s of science in geology … Had the best ERA on the team (3.27) in 2022 … Led the team with three wins … Pitched 33.0 innings with 32 strikeouts … Allowed the third fewest runs on the team despite being seventh in innings pitched … Had a streak of eight scoreless appearances during the season … Struck out three without allowing a hit over 2.1 innings against Gonzaga (March 19) … Made 16 appearances in 2021, all in relief .. Pitched a scoreless ninth inning to notch a save in the 7-6 win over Cal on Feb. 22 … Came in relief against Fresno State and pitched a scoreless inning, plus picked up the win in the 14-10 game … Pitched a scoreless 1.1 innings against BYU and held the score at 4-3 on the way to a 6-3 Tiger win … Played a year at San Joaquin Delta Community College in 2020 … Helped the Mustangs to a 16-5 record before the COVID-19 shutdown .. Made nine appearances, striking out 24 in 12 innings … Attended UC Santa Barbara in 2019 … Two-year letterwinner at Bakersfield High School … Named valedictorian for the class of 2018 … Led the Drillers in wins in 2015 (4) and 2016 (8) … Was named a First Team All-League selection, Southwest Yosemite League All-Star and All-Star Game Most Outstanding Pitcher his sophomore year in 2016 … First-ever Division I college athlete to compete with a liver transplant.

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