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Mazey Announces 2017 Signing Class
November 17, 2016 12:08 PM | Baseball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University baseball coach Randy Mazey has announced that eight student-athletes have signed to join the Mountaineers for the 2018 season.
Tyler Doanes (Fayetteville, Ga./Whitewater), Sam Fuller (Smyrna, Ga./Whitefield Academy), Connor Hamilton (Forestport, N.Y./Adirondack), Tristen Hudson (Seneca, S.C./Seneca), Will Liverpool (McLean, Va./McLean), Will Reed (Purcellville, Va./Harford CC), Jackson Wolf (Gahanna, Ohio/Gahanna Lincoln) and Christian Young (Hamburg, N.Y./Niagara County CC) will make up the 2017 signing class.
“Our 2017 signing class may be the smallest one we’ve had since we’ve been here, with only eight signees, but this also may be the most talented class we’ve had,” Mazey said. “Coach Derek Matlock and Coach Steve Sabins have spent countless hours on the road watching games and countless hours at home putting visits together to assemble this signing class. We really believe these eight Mountaineers are going to be a part of something special at WVU that hasn’t been done in over 20 years, which is to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
“I also need to thank all of the people in our program that make us so successful and make up the culture of WVU Baseball. Chris Dunaway, our strength and conditioning coach, and Nettie Freshour, our team nutritionist, who I feel in my 25 years of college baseball experience are the absolute best in their field and make a tremendous impact in the success of our program. Also, Ryan Tuntland, a former Mountaineer, who is our director of player development, a position only a few other schools in the nation currently have. Ryan helps our incoming class, on and off the field, make the transition to playing college baseball at the highest level. But most importantly, I want to thank our current players for their efforts in helping recruit great players. They are the ones that really sell our program, and it is very evident to an aspiring baseball player who visits our campus and looks inside our baseball program that we have established a culture of winning here at WVU and that being a Mountaineer baseball player is something to be proud of for the rest of their lives.”
Mazey, beginning his fifth season in Morgantown, led the Mountaineers to a record-setting campaign in 2016, where they won 36 games, the most since 2009, and advanced to their first ever Big 12 Tournament championship game. In his four seasons, Mazey has coached numerous All-Americans and All-Big 12 honorees and has seen 14 Mountaineers get drafted, the most draft picks in a four-year stretch in team history.
Doanes hopes to major in athletic coaching education at West Virginia. His parents are Andre and Teresa, and he has two brothers.
Mazey on Doanes: “Tyler is going to be one of the most fun players to watch wear a Mountaineer uniform since we’ve been here. He is an infielder that can play multiple positions and can really hit, but most importantly he loves to play with passion and energy and shows great leadership qualities. We are expecting great things out of Tyler.”
Fuller comes to WVU from Smyrna, Georgia, where he played for Whitefield Academy and coach Conrad Quiros. A 6-foot-0 right-handed pitcher, Fuller earned All-Region honors as a freshman and sophomore and was named a team captain as a junior and senior. He has earned a pair of Underclass Honorable Mention All-America accolades by Perfect Game and is ranked No. 3 among right-handed pitchers and No. 44 overall in the state of Georgia by Perfect Game.
Fuller is undecided on his major at WVU, but he aspires to coach following the conclusion of his playing career. His parents are Joe and Angie, and he has two sisters.
Mazey on Fuller: “Sam is very athletic and has a tremendous upside. He comes from a very baseball-rich area that has produced a lot of great talent. Sam has a live fastball and a tremendous curveball and is a guy who could blossom into a great pitcher at WVU.”
Hamilton looks to pursue a degree in petroleum engineering at WVU. His parents are Chuck and Colleen, and he has one brother.
Mazey on Hamilton: “Connor is the No. 1-ranked high school catcher in the state of New York. He is extremely physical, athletic, is a great student, loves to play baseball and is extremely focused. He is a tremendous all-around catcher who can really catch, throw, and hit. With three or four years of experience of high-level college baseball, Connor has a chance to be one of the best catchers in all of college baseball. He will be fun to watch.”
Hudson is undecided on what he wants to study at WVU. His parents are Larry and Susan and he has two sisters and one brother. His father, Larry, played at Eastern Kentucky.
Mazey on Hudson: “Tristen is a tremendous athlete who can really play the infield but can also really pitch. Very few high school pitchers have the ability to sink the baseball like Tristen can and with his athleticism, we are expecting him to make great strides in the next few years at WVU, both as a pitcher and as a position player.”
Liverpool is undecided on his major at WVU. His parents are Henry and Susan, and he has one brother.
Mazey on Liverpool: “Will has a really quick arm and loves to compete. With a year of size, strength, and development, Will could be extremely successful as a pitcher at this level.”
Reed is undecided on what degree he hopes to pursue at WVU. His parents are Thomas and Francine, and he has two brothers. Reed’s cousin, Matt Reed, plays baseball at Marshall.
Mazey on Reed: “Will has an explosive fastball at 94-95 miles per hour and a power curveball to go with it. He has pitched in the Junior College World Series and brings high-level experience. With a year of development, Will could have one of the best fastballs in all of college baseball, and could have a lot of success as a closer in the Big 12.”
Wolf looks to pursue a degree in forensic and investigative sciences at WVU and wants to be a crime scene investigator upon graduating and the conclusion of his playing career. His parents are Joe and Christie, and he has one brother. His dad, Joe, played baseball at Columbus State University.
Mazey on Wolf: “Jackson is an extremely physical left handed pitcher at 6-7 and has tremendous life on his fastball and is extremely hard to hit. He has great make-up and we feel like Jackson can step into the Big 12 and have a lot of success as a freshman.”
Young is undecided on his major at West Virginia. His parents are Mike and Jennifer, and he has two brothers.
Mazey on Young: “Christian has a chance to be special. His upside is through the roof, he’s extremely physical at 6’5”, has a great arm and has a great feel for pitching. After a year of development through strength, conditioning and nutrition, Christian has a chance to be one of the best pitchers in the Big 12 and an extremely high draft pick out of WVU.”
The 2017 season unofficially begins with the annual Leadoff Dinner, set for Saturday, January 28, and more information about attending the event can be found at WVUMAC.com/Leadoff. The 2017 schedule is available here, while season ticket information will be released in the coming weeks. Fans are encouraged to stay tuned to WVUsports.com for the latest news and updates on the upcoming 2017 season.
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