By Sammy O’Brien
Georgia baseball has announced six signees from the state of Georgia for 2015, and plans to release information on two more recruits a day for the rest of the week.
The 2014 recruiting class consisted of 16 players total, all of which hailed from Ga. Today, head coach Scott Stricklin announced Justin Glover and Tucker Maxwell to the 2015 class. Glover is a 6’1, 195 lb. left-handed pitcher from Buford High School. Maxwell plays outfield and also lives in Georgia, coming from Dawson County High School.
So far this week, Stricklin welcomed two pitchers, Zac Kristofak and Christian Ryder. Kristofak is a 5’7 southpaw from Walton High School in Marietta, Ga. and Ryder is a 6’5 right-handed hurler out of North Paulding High School in Dallas, Ga.
Stricklin signed two field players as well. Austin Biggar is a 6’1 200 lb. catcher from Parkview High School in Lilburn, Ga., while shortstop Cam Shepherd (6’1, 185 lb.) is from Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee.
Last year, the Bulldogs finished the season just under .500 (26-28, 10-19 in SEC) missing a spot in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
With 16 recruits in 2014 all from the Peach State, and six more already in 2015, Stricklin continues to look in-state for talent. The Bulldogs only have two players on its’ entire roster from out of state. Senior shortstop, Nick King, joined the team late in recruiting last season from California after Nelson Ward declared for the draft, and senior pitcher Mike Mancuso comes to Georgia from his home state of Ohio.
Georgia just barely missed the SEC Tournament last season, but it’s low numbers of out of state talent is low compared to teams which did make the tournament.
This graphic shows all the teams which made the SEC Tournament, their seeds and the number of out of state players each team carried on the roster. Georgia has the lowest with just two out of staters, while teams like Ole Miss, Arkansas and Vanderbilt lead the way.
The Bulldogs 2016 season will begin on Feb. 19, against Georgia Southern in Athens, Georgia.
