University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
11/12/2026 8:23:00 AM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss baseball coach Christian Ostrander announced Thursday the signing of 15 players for the 2028 season.
Those individuals include right-hander pitchers JP Abt (Brandon, Miss.), Rece Atkinson (Kosciusko, Miss.), Isaac Boudreaux (Lafayette, La.), Ayden Demoran (D'Iberville, Miss.), Trevor Hodges (Watson, La.), Jack Lee (Alexandria, La.), Preston McAdory (Lucedale, Miss.), and Jackson Page (Brandon, Miss.), left-handed pitchers Cruz Jones (Thompson's Station, Tenn.) and Jake Wooten (Prairieville, La.), catcher Colton Boyd (Orange Beach, Ala.), outfielders Jackson Estes (Madison, Miss.) and Cooper Hawkins (Lafayette, La.), infielder Wesley Moering (Dallas, Ga.) and infielder/right-handed pitcher Clay Tolbert (Laurel, Miss.).
Abt, at 6-foot-1, 185 lbs., helped lead Pearl River Community College to its third consecutive MACCC Championship and an NJCAA Division II National Championship last spring. He excelled as pitcher for Pearl River as a freshman, throwing 48 1/3 innings and holding a 3.54 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP, striking out 45 with 20 walks. Abt finished the year 7-0 with one save and one complete game. His playing time also included second base, where he tallied five hits including one home run, to go along with six RBI. He was named Second Team All-MACCC as a pitcher. He also played at Hartfield Academy for Justin Smith, where he hit .368 with 46 RBIs, 34 runs, 14 doubles, eight homers and two triples. On the mound, Abt held a 2.49 ERA and struck out 75 batters across 64 2/3 innings pitched.
Atkinson, at 6-foot-4, 198 lbs., was a two-way player who earned Class 4A all-state selection for his sophomore season at Kosciusko High School, helping lead them to the north state championship series. He missed most of last season with an injury. He played his freshman campaign at Leake Academy, where he batted .353.
Boudreaux, at 6-foot-5, 205 lbs., pitches and plays first base at Teurlings Catholic High School. He represented Team Louisiana at the Prep Baseball Future Games in Emerson, Georgia, and has played with Knights Knation and the Acadiana Cajuns travel ball programs. Boudreaux has added several miles per hour to his fastball between 2025 and 2026, reaching 93 mph at fall showcase events and posting multiple scoreless appearances.
Demoran, at 6-foot-2, 185 lbs., transferred to Jackson Academy for this season after playing his previous three years at D'Iberville High School. Last season, Demoran pitched to a 1.80 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 50.2 innings and, in three seasons at the plate, he batted .385 with 37 runs, 14 doubles, a triple and three home runs with 36 RBI. He was a member of the Sun Herald All-South Mississippi Starting Nine and was the South Miss 6 Sports Player of the Year finalist.
Hodges, at 6-foot, 185, lbs., played for Jesse Cassard at Live Oak (La.), before enrolling at Jones College for the 2026 season. In his first season at Jones, he posted a 10-1 record with a 1.55 ERA with 77 strikeouts and 12 walks in 64 innings. He limited opponents to a .192 batting average in 21 appearances with one start. Hodges helped the Live Oak to a 33-8 record, District 5-5A championship and state runner-up finish his senior campaign. He earned All-Parish and District 5-5A Honorable Mention honors with 54 strikeouts in 39 innings as a senior.
Lee, at 6-foot-3, 215 lbs., plays at Alexandria Senior High School and is ranked as the No. 7 overall player from the state of Louisiana. Last season, he posted a 6-4 record with two saves and a 2.60 ERA, fanning 91 in 56 innings of work on his way to making D1 LBCA All-State accolades. He tossed a five-inning, complete-game shutout allowing three hits and fanning 11 against Pineville to earn Athlete of the Week honors by KALB. Lee also opened the state playoffs with a seven-inning complete-game over Captain Shreve, giving up no runs on three hits with 10 strikeouts.
McAdory, at 6-foot, 224 lbs., aided in Pearl River's run to its third consecutive MACCC Championship and an NJCAA Division II National Championship. He made 13 appearances and started 10 games for the Wildcats as a freshman. McAdory tossed 30 innings, punching out 44 batters. In high school, he played at George County under Brandon Davis, where he was a member of the 2024 State Championship team. His accolades included being named 6A All-State in 2024 and 2025. McAdory was rated the 7th-best RHP in Mississippi and the 32nd-best player overall in Mississippi by Perfect Game.
Page, at 6-foot-4, 200 lbs., plays for Northwest Rankin High School and appeared in 14 games with seven starts a season ago. He posted a 4-1 record with a 3.67 ERA, fanning 47 and walking 21 in 42 innings of work. He earned Class 7A all-district honors and was recently selected to participate in the Prep Baseball Mississippi Preseason All-State showcase.
Jones, at 6-foot-2, 200 lbs., attends Grace Christian Academy where he posted a 2-1 record last season with a 2.33 ERA in seven relief appearances. He fanned 42 and walked 21 in 30 innings of work. He also added a .263 batting average with three doubles, three triples, two home runs and 11 RBI. His notable outings of last season included tossing five scoreless innings with nine strikeouts against Friendship Christian in the Middle Region Tournament and a five-inning scoreless performance with seven strikeouts against Columbia Academy.
Wooten, at 5-foot-11, 180 lbs., plays at Parkview Baptist School, where he was a Class 3A honorable mention all-state honoree last spring. He posted a 1.54 ERA for the school his junior season on his way to making the All-Metro squad by The Advocate. As a sophomore, he recorded a 3-1 record with a save and a 1.52 ERA. He fanned 40 and walked 16 in 27 2/3 innings.
Boyd, at 5-foot-11, 223 lbs., was an honorable mention pick last spring for AL.com's Coastal Alabama Terrific 22 at Orange Beach High School. He hit .377 with nine doubles, three triples, four home runs, 26 RBIs,
28 runs, 20 walks and was hit by pitch 10 times. Boyd also earned selection to the "Double Dozen" All-Star teams, recognizing both Mobile and Baldwin Counties.
Estes, at 6-foot, 205 lbs., helped lead Pearl River CC to its third consecutive MACCC Championship and an NJCAA Division II National Championship last spring. He turned in one of the most dominant freshman campaigns in Pearl River history, scattering himself throughout PRCC's records book for a single season, including third in average (.423), second in RBIs (75), fifth in hits (82), tied for first in triples (4), fourth in doubles (19) and seventh in runs (68). He also hit 13 home runs, walked 34 times, while stealing 11 bases. Estes posted hits in 42 of 69 games and collected 22 multi-hit games. He earned NJCAA World Series All-Tournament team honors, after going 7-for-15 with three home runs and five RBIs and was named First Team All-MACCC. He played at Germantown High, where he was a second team all-state choice in 2025. He also earned first team All-District honors in 2023 and 2025. Estes batted .354 with 2 home runs and 24 RBIs his senior season.
Hawkins, at 6-foot-2, 200 lbs., was an honorable mention Prep Baseball Louisiana honorable mention all-state pick last spring at St. Thomas More Catholic High School as a corner infielder. He was named the Mizuno Sports USA Louisiana Player of the Week in March this past season, while also earning the ranking of No. 8 overall prospect from the state of Louisiana by the Prep Baseball Report.
Moering, at 6-foot-1, 175 lbs., helped his team at North Paulding High School to state runners-up last spring as they finished with a 32-8 record and won Region 5-6A. He was ranked as the No. 17 overall prospect In Georgia by Prep Baseball. He also took part in the 2026 Perfect Game National Showcase.
Tolbert, at 6-foot-3, 205 lbs., was the 2026 Mr. Baseball for Class 6A at West Jones High School during his junior senior. Last season, Tolbert has posted a 6-2 record with a 1.06 ERA, 93 strikeouts, and only allowed 20 hits in 53 innings pitched. Tolbert has also delivered at the plate, batting an impressive .420 with a .564 on-base percentage, three home runs, and 28 RBIs as he and the Mustangs prepare for a second-round playoff series against Pearl River Central.
The Golden Eagles open the 2027 season, Friday, Feb. 19, against North Dakota State at Pete Taylor Park. Ticket renewals for the upcoming home schedule will be accepted through Dec. 11. Fans looking to renew their season tickets can do so by clicking here.
Those individuals include right-hander pitchers JP Abt (Brandon, Miss.), Rece Atkinson (Kosciusko, Miss.), Isaac Boudreaux (Lafayette, La.), Ayden Demoran (D'Iberville, Miss.), Trevor Hodges (Watson, La.), Jack Lee (Alexandria, La.), Preston McAdory (Lucedale, Miss.), and Jackson Page (Brandon, Miss.), left-handed pitchers Cruz Jones (Thompson's Station, Tenn.) and Jake Wooten (Prairieville, La.), catcher Colton Boyd (Orange Beach, Ala.), outfielders Jackson Estes (Madison, Miss.) and Cooper Hawkins (Lafayette, La.), infielder Wesley Moering (Dallas, Ga.) and infielder/right-handed pitcher Clay Tolbert (Laurel, Miss.).
Abt, at 6-foot-1, 185 lbs., helped lead Pearl River Community College to its third consecutive MACCC Championship and an NJCAA Division II National Championship last spring. He excelled as pitcher for Pearl River as a freshman, throwing 48 1/3 innings and holding a 3.54 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP, striking out 45 with 20 walks. Abt finished the year 7-0 with one save and one complete game. His playing time also included second base, where he tallied five hits including one home run, to go along with six RBI. He was named Second Team All-MACCC as a pitcher. He also played at Hartfield Academy for Justin Smith, where he hit .368 with 46 RBIs, 34 runs, 14 doubles, eight homers and two triples. On the mound, Abt held a 2.49 ERA and struck out 75 batters across 64 2/3 innings pitched.
Atkinson, at 6-foot-4, 198 lbs., was a two-way player who earned Class 4A all-state selection for his sophomore season at Kosciusko High School, helping lead them to the north state championship series. He missed most of last season with an injury. He played his freshman campaign at Leake Academy, where he batted .353.
Boudreaux, at 6-foot-5, 205 lbs., pitches and plays first base at Teurlings Catholic High School. He represented Team Louisiana at the Prep Baseball Future Games in Emerson, Georgia, and has played with Knights Knation and the Acadiana Cajuns travel ball programs. Boudreaux has added several miles per hour to his fastball between 2025 and 2026, reaching 93 mph at fall showcase events and posting multiple scoreless appearances.
Demoran, at 6-foot-2, 185 lbs., transferred to Jackson Academy for this season after playing his previous three years at D'Iberville High School. Last season, Demoran pitched to a 1.80 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 50.2 innings and, in three seasons at the plate, he batted .385 with 37 runs, 14 doubles, a triple and three home runs with 36 RBI. He was a member of the Sun Herald All-South Mississippi Starting Nine and was the South Miss 6 Sports Player of the Year finalist.
Hodges, at 6-foot, 185, lbs., played for Jesse Cassard at Live Oak (La.), before enrolling at Jones College for the 2026 season. In his first season at Jones, he posted a 10-1 record with a 1.55 ERA with 77 strikeouts and 12 walks in 64 innings. He limited opponents to a .192 batting average in 21 appearances with one start. Hodges helped the Live Oak to a 33-8 record, District 5-5A championship and state runner-up finish his senior campaign. He earned All-Parish and District 5-5A Honorable Mention honors with 54 strikeouts in 39 innings as a senior.
Lee, at 6-foot-3, 215 lbs., plays at Alexandria Senior High School and is ranked as the No. 7 overall player from the state of Louisiana. Last season, he posted a 6-4 record with two saves and a 2.60 ERA, fanning 91 in 56 innings of work on his way to making D1 LBCA All-State accolades. He tossed a five-inning, complete-game shutout allowing three hits and fanning 11 against Pineville to earn Athlete of the Week honors by KALB. Lee also opened the state playoffs with a seven-inning complete-game over Captain Shreve, giving up no runs on three hits with 10 strikeouts.
McAdory, at 6-foot, 224 lbs., aided in Pearl River's run to its third consecutive MACCC Championship and an NJCAA Division II National Championship. He made 13 appearances and started 10 games for the Wildcats as a freshman. McAdory tossed 30 innings, punching out 44 batters. In high school, he played at George County under Brandon Davis, where he was a member of the 2024 State Championship team. His accolades included being named 6A All-State in 2024 and 2025. McAdory was rated the 7th-best RHP in Mississippi and the 32nd-best player overall in Mississippi by Perfect Game.
Page, at 6-foot-4, 200 lbs., plays for Northwest Rankin High School and appeared in 14 games with seven starts a season ago. He posted a 4-1 record with a 3.67 ERA, fanning 47 and walking 21 in 42 innings of work. He earned Class 7A all-district honors and was recently selected to participate in the Prep Baseball Mississippi Preseason All-State showcase.
Jones, at 6-foot-2, 200 lbs., attends Grace Christian Academy where he posted a 2-1 record last season with a 2.33 ERA in seven relief appearances. He fanned 42 and walked 21 in 30 innings of work. He also added a .263 batting average with three doubles, three triples, two home runs and 11 RBI. His notable outings of last season included tossing five scoreless innings with nine strikeouts against Friendship Christian in the Middle Region Tournament and a five-inning scoreless performance with seven strikeouts against Columbia Academy.
Wooten, at 5-foot-11, 180 lbs., plays at Parkview Baptist School, where he was a Class 3A honorable mention all-state honoree last spring. He posted a 1.54 ERA for the school his junior season on his way to making the All-Metro squad by The Advocate. As a sophomore, he recorded a 3-1 record with a save and a 1.52 ERA. He fanned 40 and walked 16 in 27 2/3 innings.
Boyd, at 5-foot-11, 223 lbs., was an honorable mention pick last spring for AL.com's Coastal Alabama Terrific 22 at Orange Beach High School. He hit .377 with nine doubles, three triples, four home runs, 26 RBIs,
28 runs, 20 walks and was hit by pitch 10 times. Boyd also earned selection to the "Double Dozen" All-Star teams, recognizing both Mobile and Baldwin Counties.
Estes, at 6-foot, 205 lbs., helped lead Pearl River CC to its third consecutive MACCC Championship and an NJCAA Division II National Championship last spring. He turned in one of the most dominant freshman campaigns in Pearl River history, scattering himself throughout PRCC's records book for a single season, including third in average (.423), second in RBIs (75), fifth in hits (82), tied for first in triples (4), fourth in doubles (19) and seventh in runs (68). He also hit 13 home runs, walked 34 times, while stealing 11 bases. Estes posted hits in 42 of 69 games and collected 22 multi-hit games. He earned NJCAA World Series All-Tournament team honors, after going 7-for-15 with three home runs and five RBIs and was named First Team All-MACCC. He played at Germantown High, where he was a second team all-state choice in 2025. He also earned first team All-District honors in 2023 and 2025. Estes batted .354 with 2 home runs and 24 RBIs his senior season.
Hawkins, at 6-foot-2, 200 lbs., was an honorable mention Prep Baseball Louisiana honorable mention all-state pick last spring at St. Thomas More Catholic High School as a corner infielder. He was named the Mizuno Sports USA Louisiana Player of the Week in March this past season, while also earning the ranking of No. 8 overall prospect from the state of Louisiana by the Prep Baseball Report.
Moering, at 6-foot-1, 175 lbs., helped his team at North Paulding High School to state runners-up last spring as they finished with a 32-8 record and won Region 5-6A. He was ranked as the No. 17 overall prospect In Georgia by Prep Baseball. He also took part in the 2026 Perfect Game National Showcase.
Tolbert, at 6-foot-3, 205 lbs., was the 2026 Mr. Baseball for Class 6A at West Jones High School during his junior senior. Last season, Tolbert has posted a 6-2 record with a 1.06 ERA, 93 strikeouts, and only allowed 20 hits in 53 innings pitched. Tolbert has also delivered at the plate, batting an impressive .420 with a .564 on-base percentage, three home runs, and 28 RBIs as he and the Mustangs prepare for a second-round playoff series against Pearl River Central.
The Golden Eagles open the 2027 season, Friday, Feb. 19, against North Dakota State at Pete Taylor Park. Ticket renewals for the upcoming home schedule will be accepted through Dec. 11. Fans looking to renew their season tickets can do so by clicking here.
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