University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
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Baseball Signs 10 for 2027 Season
11/12/2025 3:34:00 PM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss baseball coach Christian Ostrander announced Wednesday the signing of 10 players for the 2027 season.
The list includes outfielder Henry Abt (Brandon, Miss.), outfielder Trey Barnes (Petal, Miss.), left-handed pitcher Logan Buckley (Columbia, Miss.), utility player Shaun Cover (Conway, Ark.), right-handed pitcher Taylor Latham (Brandon, Miss.), right-handed pitcher/infielder Jackson Meehan (Brandon, Miss.), right-handed pitcher Alex Richardson (Belle Chasse, La.), first baseman Gavin Smith (Vestavia Hills, Ala.), right-handed pitcher/first baseman Bankston Walters (Hattiesburg, Miss.) and infielder Justin Word (Madison, Miss.).
Abt, at 6-foot-1, 200 lbs., plays at Hartfield Academy where he collected Class 6A MAIS All-State, All-Metro Jackson selection by both MSScoreboard and Capitol Sports, first team all-conference and MAIS futures player selection on the strength of a .400 batting average. He recorded a league-leading 44 hits to go along with 10 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 32 runs, 32 RBI and 14 stolen bases. He helped lead the Hawks to the state championship final series.
Barnes, at 6-foot-4, 193 lbs., transferred to Petal High School this fall after finishing as the MHSAA Class 1A runner-up at Taylorsville High. He batted .404 with a slugging percentage of .567 and an OPS of 1.187. Barnes added 36 hits, 44 runs, four doubles, four triples, four home runs, 20 walks, 30 RBI and 20 stolen bases. He was named first-team All-State by Capital Sports and the Mississippi Association of Coaches. His other accolades outside of his high school achievements include being named to the 2024 Minority Prospects National Team, as well as invited to Future Stars Series Main Event as well as the Breakthrough Series.
Buckley, at 6-foot-3, 200 lbs., is a four-year varsity player at Columbia Academy who was named MAIS Class 5A all-state last year as well as a MAIS futures player. He helped his school to state runner-up last spring with a .297 batting average with six doubles, a triple, five home runs and 26 RBI to go along with an 8-3 record in 13 appearances with a 1.34 ERA. He added 119 strikeouts and only 30 walks in 62 2/3 innings, while opponents hit just .141 against him.
Cover, at 5-foot-11, 195 lbs., is the top-ranked player from the state of Arkansas by Prep Baseball. He also earned Central All-Conference and Class 6A All-State honors, as well as All-Arkansas Preps by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette for Conway High School as they reached the state semifinals last spring.
Latham, at 6-foot, 185 lbs., also attends Hartfield Academy and garnered Class 6A MAIS All-State honors, as well as earning first team Capitol Sports All-Metro Jackson accolades to go along with earning a second-team nod by MSScoreboard. He posted a 7-2 record with a 2.32 ERA in 12 starts for the Hawks, his junior campaign which also included 75 strikeouts and only 29 walks in 57 1/3 innings as a member of the MAIS Class 6A state runner-up. In his two-year varsity career, he has an 11-2 mark with a 2.53 ERA.
Meehan, at 6-foot-2, 190 lbs., plays for Northwest Rankin where he played in both the infield and on the mound, earning second-team Capital Sports All-Metro Jackson honors. As a pitcher, he registered a 3-5 record last spring with a 3.04 ERA to go along with 66 strikeouts and 25 walks in 46 innings of work.
Richardson, at 6-foot-3, 195 lbs., was an all-district, all-region, All-New Orleans Metro and two-time All-State selection from Belle Chasse High School. He posted a 7-4 record with a 1.44 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings. He possessed a 1.06 WHIP and a .164 opponent batting average.
Smith, at 6-foot-1, 225 lbs., will come to Southern Miss from Vestavia Hills High School where he hit .422 with 25, runs, five homers and 40 RBI this past spring en route to being named to the All-South Metro squad as well as earning second team all-state. He played in the North-South All-Star Baseball Classic, earning Most Valuable Player honors.
Walters, at 6-foot-4, 220 lbs., led PCS to the MAIS Class 6A State championship last season on the strength of an 11-1 record and a 1.64 ERA to go along with 125 strikeouts and 15 walks in 81 1/3 innings. The Pine Belt News Pitcher of the Year, who also earned MAIS All-State honors, was named a MAIS futures player. During his run to the state playoffs last spring, Walters allowed just two earned runs and 17 hits with 34 strikeouts and zero walks over 25 innings of work.
Word, at 5-foot-11, 180 lbs., preps at Jackson Academy where he earned Capitol Sports first-team All-Metro Jackson honors last spring and well as a MAIS futures player. He batted 250 with a .481 on-base percentage that included five doubles, a triple, three home runs and 27 RBI to go along with 21 walks and 35 runs scored for a team that reached the second round of the MAIS Class 6A playoffs. He also enjoyed a .397 batting average and led St. Andrew's with 51 runs scored, 48 RBIs, 5 triples, 4 home runs, and a .636 slugging percentage to the MHSAA Class 2A state championship as a sophomore. He had a 5-0 pitching record and 34 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings. He was the designated hitter on the second team on the MSScoreboard Metro Jackson Team that season.
The Golden Eagles open the 2026 season, Friday, Feb. 13 against UC Santa Barbara.
The list includes outfielder Henry Abt (Brandon, Miss.), outfielder Trey Barnes (Petal, Miss.), left-handed pitcher Logan Buckley (Columbia, Miss.), utility player Shaun Cover (Conway, Ark.), right-handed pitcher Taylor Latham (Brandon, Miss.), right-handed pitcher/infielder Jackson Meehan (Brandon, Miss.), right-handed pitcher Alex Richardson (Belle Chasse, La.), first baseman Gavin Smith (Vestavia Hills, Ala.), right-handed pitcher/first baseman Bankston Walters (Hattiesburg, Miss.) and infielder Justin Word (Madison, Miss.).
Abt, at 6-foot-1, 200 lbs., plays at Hartfield Academy where he collected Class 6A MAIS All-State, All-Metro Jackson selection by both MSScoreboard and Capitol Sports, first team all-conference and MAIS futures player selection on the strength of a .400 batting average. He recorded a league-leading 44 hits to go along with 10 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 32 runs, 32 RBI and 14 stolen bases. He helped lead the Hawks to the state championship final series.
Barnes, at 6-foot-4, 193 lbs., transferred to Petal High School this fall after finishing as the MHSAA Class 1A runner-up at Taylorsville High. He batted .404 with a slugging percentage of .567 and an OPS of 1.187. Barnes added 36 hits, 44 runs, four doubles, four triples, four home runs, 20 walks, 30 RBI and 20 stolen bases. He was named first-team All-State by Capital Sports and the Mississippi Association of Coaches. His other accolades outside of his high school achievements include being named to the 2024 Minority Prospects National Team, as well as invited to Future Stars Series Main Event as well as the Breakthrough Series.
Buckley, at 6-foot-3, 200 lbs., is a four-year varsity player at Columbia Academy who was named MAIS Class 5A all-state last year as well as a MAIS futures player. He helped his school to state runner-up last spring with a .297 batting average with six doubles, a triple, five home runs and 26 RBI to go along with an 8-3 record in 13 appearances with a 1.34 ERA. He added 119 strikeouts and only 30 walks in 62 2/3 innings, while opponents hit just .141 against him.
Cover, at 5-foot-11, 195 lbs., is the top-ranked player from the state of Arkansas by Prep Baseball. He also earned Central All-Conference and Class 6A All-State honors, as well as All-Arkansas Preps by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette for Conway High School as they reached the state semifinals last spring.
Latham, at 6-foot, 185 lbs., also attends Hartfield Academy and garnered Class 6A MAIS All-State honors, as well as earning first team Capitol Sports All-Metro Jackson accolades to go along with earning a second-team nod by MSScoreboard. He posted a 7-2 record with a 2.32 ERA in 12 starts for the Hawks, his junior campaign which also included 75 strikeouts and only 29 walks in 57 1/3 innings as a member of the MAIS Class 6A state runner-up. In his two-year varsity career, he has an 11-2 mark with a 2.53 ERA.
Meehan, at 6-foot-2, 190 lbs., plays for Northwest Rankin where he played in both the infield and on the mound, earning second-team Capital Sports All-Metro Jackson honors. As a pitcher, he registered a 3-5 record last spring with a 3.04 ERA to go along with 66 strikeouts and 25 walks in 46 innings of work.
Richardson, at 6-foot-3, 195 lbs., was an all-district, all-region, All-New Orleans Metro and two-time All-State selection from Belle Chasse High School. He posted a 7-4 record with a 1.44 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings. He possessed a 1.06 WHIP and a .164 opponent batting average.
Smith, at 6-foot-1, 225 lbs., will come to Southern Miss from Vestavia Hills High School where he hit .422 with 25, runs, five homers and 40 RBI this past spring en route to being named to the All-South Metro squad as well as earning second team all-state. He played in the North-South All-Star Baseball Classic, earning Most Valuable Player honors.
Walters, at 6-foot-4, 220 lbs., led PCS to the MAIS Class 6A State championship last season on the strength of an 11-1 record and a 1.64 ERA to go along with 125 strikeouts and 15 walks in 81 1/3 innings. The Pine Belt News Pitcher of the Year, who also earned MAIS All-State honors, was named a MAIS futures player. During his run to the state playoffs last spring, Walters allowed just two earned runs and 17 hits with 34 strikeouts and zero walks over 25 innings of work.
Word, at 5-foot-11, 180 lbs., preps at Jackson Academy where he earned Capitol Sports first-team All-Metro Jackson honors last spring and well as a MAIS futures player. He batted 250 with a .481 on-base percentage that included five doubles, a triple, three home runs and 27 RBI to go along with 21 walks and 35 runs scored for a team that reached the second round of the MAIS Class 6A playoffs. He also enjoyed a .397 batting average and led St. Andrew's with 51 runs scored, 48 RBIs, 5 triples, 4 home runs, and a .636 slugging percentage to the MHSAA Class 2A state championship as a sophomore. He had a 5-0 pitching record and 34 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings. He was the designated hitter on the second team on the MSScoreboard Metro Jackson Team that season.
The Golden Eagles open the 2026 season, Friday, Feb. 13 against UC Santa Barbara.
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