Alabama Baseball Inks 14 to 2019-20 Signing Class

Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon announced the signing of 14 players during the early signing period for the 2019-20 academic year. The Crimson Tide added 12 high school standouts along with two junior college talents, a class that is No. 10 in Baseball America’s initial rankings.

Included in this year’s class of signees are prep standouts CJ Abrams (Alpharetta, Ga.), Myles Austin (Smyrna, Ga.), Blake Bennett (Haleyville, Ala.), Zane Denton (Brentwood, Tenn.), Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada), William Hamiter (Tuscaloosa, Ala.), Garrett Hester (Dade City, Fla.), Logan Keller (Longwood, Fla.), Andrew Pinckney (Peachtree City, Ga.), Connor Prielipp (Tomah, Wis.), Dowd Ritter (Mountain Brook, Ala.) and Peyton Wilson (Hoover, Ala.). Along with the high school signees, the Tide added junior college talents in Ryan O’Connell (Wabash Valley (Ill.) Community College) and Britt Sparks (Shelton State (Ala.) Community College).

“I’m so excited about this group,” said Bohannon. “This recruiting class is representative of how I expect our team to be over time. This is a very deep, balanced group with a good mix of left-right, strength and athleticism. In addition to physical talent, I’m every bit as excited about their intangibles. These young men are great kids with families to match, and they have a burning desire to win all while reaching their maximum potential.”

The Crimson Tide’s class is rated No. 10 by Baseball America, joining six other SEC teams that rank amongst the publication’s top 12 classes in the initial rankings. The Tide cemented its standout recruiting class with nine of the 12 high school players signed being ranked in the top 10 of their respective state by Perfect Game USA. Five of the Tide’s signees hail from Alabama, including the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 players in the state. The 2019-20 class also includes players from the states of Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee and Wisconsin, in addition to one Canadian from Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Alabama’s coaching staff helped secure some of the top players coming out of high school and the junior college ranks thanks to a combined effort from assistants Jason Jackson and Jerry Zulli along with Bohannon. In the class of 14 signees, Alabama welcomes six pitchers, five infielders, a pair of catchers and one outfielder.

“I can’t say enough about the time and energy that Jason (Jackson) and Jerry (Zulli) have invested into identifying and developing relationships with these young men,” Bohannon added. “When I initially put the coaching staff together, I knew it was essential to our success that I hire guys who are really good at both coaching and recruiting. This signing class is just one of the many ways we are starting to see the benefits of having three former recruiting coordinators on staff.”

Click here for more information on all of the signees in the 2019-20 Alabama baseball recruiting class.

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2019-20 ALABAMA SIGNEES

CJ Abrams INF 6-2 180 HS Alpharetta, Ga. (Blessed Trinity)

Myles Austin INF 6-3 185 HS Smyrna, Ga. (Westlake)

Blake Bennett LHP 6-2 205 HS Haleyville, Ala. (Haleyville)

Zane Denton INF 6-0 205 HS Brentwood, Tenn. (Ravenwood)

Owen Diodati C 6-3 210 HS Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada (A.N. Myer)

William Hamiter INF 5-11 185 HS Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Northridge)

Garrett Hester LHP 6-2 165 HS Dade City, Fla. (Pasco)

Logan Keller INF 6-2 190 HS Longwood, Fla. (Lake Brantley)

Ryan O’Connell RHP 6-0 195 JC Wildwood, Mo. (Wabash Valley C.C./Lafayette)

Andrew Pinckney OF 6-3 180 HS Peachtree City, Ga. (McIntosh)

Connor Prielipp LHP 6-2 165 HS Tomah, Wis. (Tomah)