Clemson Signs 11 Baseball Players in Fall Signing Period

Dec. 3, 2004

Clemson Baseball Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan announced the signing of 11 players during the fall signing period on Friday. The players will enroll at Clemson in the fall of 2005 and be eligible for the 2006 season.

“We’re very excited about the signees and the fact that they address our needs,” said Leggett. “Within the group, we have exceptional players who are among the best in the country. Kevin (O’Sullivan) and all our coaches have done a great job in targeting the types of players and student-athletes we want representing Clemson University.”

The pitchers signed include Chris Allen (RHP – DuBoistown, PA), Tyler Herron (RHP – Wellington, FL), Ryan Hinson (LHP – Rock Hill, SC), Nick Miller (RHP – Southport, FL), Tyler Musselwhite (RHP – Gainesville, GA), and Matt Vaughn (RHP – Summerville, SC).

Allen, a junior college player at Lake-Sumter Community College in Florida, was drafted in the 45th round of the 2003 draft by the Florida Marlins and was a Florida junior college All-Star in 2004. Herron, a senior at Wellington High School, is rated the 20th-best player in Florida and 107th-best player in the nation by Baseball America. Hinson, a senior at Northwestern High School, is rated the best pitcher and third-best player in South Carolina by Baseball America, and was a member of Perfect Games 18-U national championship team (Diamond Devils).

Miller, a junior college player at Gulf Coast Community College, was a Florida junior college All-Star in 2004 and a member of the AAAAA state championship team as a junior at Mosley High School. Musselwhite, a senior at Gainesville High School, is rated the 13th-best player in Georgia according to Baseball America and recorded a 10-0 record along with first-team all-state honors as a junior. Vaughn, a senior at Summerville High School, is rated the second-best player in South Carolina by certain publications and is also a top-50 quarterback by Street & Smith.

Also among the signees are Wil Boyd (OF – Hickory, NC), Alex Burg (C – Des Moines, WA), Jordan Schafer (LHP/OF – Haines City, FL), Marquez Smith (INF – Ocala, FL), and Jameson Smith (C/INF – Fresno, CA).

Boyd, a senior at Hickory High School, was an all-state selection as a junior and was a member of Perfect Games 18-U national championship team (Diamond Devils). Burg, a senior at Mount Rainier High School, was a second-team all-state selection as a junior and is rated the 16th-best player in the state of Washington by Baseball America. Schafer, a senior at Winter Haven High School, is rated the 13th-best player in Florida and 81st-best player in the nation according to Baseball America. Marquez Smith, a junior college player at Daytona Beach Community College, was drafted each of the last two seasons (in the 36th round by the Minnesota Twins in 2003 and the 46th round by the Anaheim Angels in 2004) and was a Florida junior college All-Star in 2004. Jameson Smith, a senior at Clovis West High School, is a 2005 Puma Preseason All-American and is rated as a top-100 player in California by Baseball America.

2005 Clemson Baseball Signees