Albany State University Golden Rams
Conference: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)
Head Coach: Scot Hemmings 8th Season
2023 Record: 38-11 (.776)
Black College Nines (BCN) 2023 HBCU Baseball Final Poll: No. 2
Top Returning Players:
Jeremiah Reddell, RHP
Landon Kiefer, LHP
Austin Roberts, INF
Zane Ross, OF
Hill Corley, INF
Luke Addison, UTL
Jonathan Logsdon, INF
Quintard Wright, OF
Dominic Rutigliano, C
Top Freshman Recruits:
Sebastian Griffeth, OF/RHP
Chase Ledger, RHP
Seth Stargell, OF
Top Transfers:
Andrew McBride, RHP
Jordan Ackerman, RHP
Gercal Reyes, RHP
Top Portal Transfers:
Kaleb King, LHP (Anderson University)
Nathan Saavedra, OF (Davenport University)
Preseason Overview:
The Golden Rams are looking forward to the 2024 baseball season with a shot at winning the SIAC conference championship and returning to the NCAA Regionals. The last time ASU baseball played in the regionals was in 2018. Albany State is coming off of a record breaking 38-11 season which included an impressive 30-2 conference record and a SIAC regular season conference championship under Head Coach Scot Hemmings. This marks the fourh time in six years the Rams have captured the regular season title.
The Rams are returning six hitters from a team that ranked first in NCAA Division II in on-base percentage (.470), tenth in batting average, and third in the country in runs per game. Key returners for the 2024 season include: INF Austin Roberts, OF Zane Ross INF Hill Corley, UTL Luke Addison, INF Jonathan Logsdon, OF Quintard Wright, UTL Bradley Smith, OF Wade Rodeffer, C Sean Russell, C Dominic Rutigliano, C Xander Little, INF Emory Stephens, OF Andrew Leonard, and 1B Blakely Estes. According Coach Hemmings, Logsdon, Rutigliano, Ross, Corley, and Roberts were a big reason for the 38 wins.
On the mound, the Albany State baseball program is returning nine arms from last year’s staff. Leading the Rams on the mound this year is junior RHP Jeremiah Reddell, who was named to the NCBWA Division II Preseason All-American first team going 12-0, and sophomore LHP Landon Kiefer. Kiefer won nine games for the Golden Rams and was named NCAA Division II Freshman Pitcher of the Year. Other key returners on the mound for the Rams are Tyler Bullock, Calvin Baker, Brady Davis and William Beasley. The team finished with an impressive 3.59 team ERA (eighth in the country).
ASU was able to land a few transfers along with a strong high school recruiting class. Anderson University transfer LHP Kaleb King and OF Nathan Saavedra will be impact players on this year’s team. The Golden Rams added three JUCO transfers in RHP Andrew McBride, RHP Jordan Ackerman, and RHP Gercal Reyes. The junior college transfers are coming in with experience and are ready to contribute to the team’s goals this year.
The Albany State Rams had a strong 2023 high school recruiting class this fall, with nine freshmen arriving on campus. This group is led by OF/RHP Sebastian Griffeth, RHP Chase Ledger, and OF Seth Stargell. Coach Hemmings can see all three of these guys playing immediately.