BEAUMONT – Lamar University head baseball coach Will Davis welcomed a 22-man recruiting class to campus last week. The next generation of Cardinals consists of three four-year transfers, 15 junior college transfers and four high school standouts – a class that included five NJCAA All-Americans.
 
The 15 junior college signees have been ranked among the nation's top 10, for JUCO signings, which marks the fourth consecutive year LU has landed either a nationally class or a class of nationally ranked junior college signees.
 
"I can't say enough about the job that Coach (Scott) Hatten and Coach (Sean) Snedeker did in assembling this class," said Davis.  "This was a total team effort and we are very pleased with the way the class turned out given all of the challenges COVID-19 placed on recruiting. With everyone gaining an extra year of eligibility (due to COVID) and with the uncertainty that came with the one-time transfer we felt it was prudent to predominately go after transfer players and we did just that in signing 18 total. Our junior college class has been ranked as high as No. 7 and we expect it to be ranked very high when the final rankings come out," Davis said.
 
The breakdown of the class includes 14 pitchers (11 right handed and three left handed pitchers), six infielders, three outfielders and two catchers. The class also stretches beyond the borders of Texas with six states to go along with Puerto Rico – Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Texas.
    Four-Year Transfers
Adam Wheaton          RHP                 Trine University                                  Kalamazoo, Mich.
Trine University: A four-year starter … Posted a 10-15 record in 182 innings pitched with 199 strikeouts and only 44 walks … All-time school leader in strike outs … Two-time second-team all-conference … Two-time MIAA Pitcher of the Week.
 
Northwoods League: Kalamazoo Growlers (summer ball) 16-12 record, 2.67 ERA, 215.2 innings … Recorded 184 Ks and 60 walks … Ranked in the top five in Northwoods League history in innings pitched and K's … Named to the 2021 all-star game.
 
Kyle Harper                 C                      Baylor University                               Houston, Texas
Career stats: .258 BA, two doubles, three home runs, 11 RBIs … A 2021 Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection … 2020 Academic All-Big 12 … A 2019 Academic All-Big 12 first-team selection.
 
Landon Odom             RHP                 Oral Roberts                                       Gary, Texas
Career: Recorded 17 punchouts in 18 innings pitches, surrendering 20 hits with the Golden Eagles.
 
JUCO Transfers
Adam Davis                RHP                             Tyler JC                       Melissa, Texas
2021 Season Stats: Posted an 8-0 record with a 3.10 ERA in 40 2/3 innings pitched with 41 strikeouts.
 
A 2021 NJCAA National Champion … Garnered NJCAA First-Team All-America Honors … A JBB First-Team All-America selection.
 
Zach Williams             RHP                             Tyler JC                       College Station, Texas
2021 Season Stats: Posted a 4-1 record in 48 innings pitched with three saves … Struck out 65 batters while posting a 2.63 ERA … Received third-team All-American honors … A second-team all-conference selection.       
 
Kevin Bermudez:        INF/OF            Clarendon College                 Caguas, PR
2021 Season Stats: .378 batting average, 71 hits, 14 home runs, 22 doubles, 4 triples, 69 RBIs and 30 stolen bases.
2020 Season Stats: .455 batting average, 35 hits, 6 home runs, 12 doubles, 2 triples, 27 RBIs and 7 stolen bases.
 
Rated as the 12^th best prospect in 2020 on the NJCAA @theJBB list … A 2020 second-team All-America selection … Received third-team JBB All-American accolades in 2021 … Multiple all-conference honoree.
 
Nathan Carriere         OF                   Baton Rouge CC                      Maringouin, La.
2021 Season Stats: .354 batting average, 63 Hits, 9 home runs, 12 doubles, 1 triple, 38 RBIs and 37 stolen bases.
 
A 2021 all-conference selection who was named to the 2021 all-regional tournament team.
 
Jacob Ellis                   LHP                  Northern Oklahoma Tonkawa           Edmond Okla.
Career Stats: 6-4 record, 3.71 ERA, 77 strikeouts.
 
A 2021 Preseason Junior College All-America selection.
 
Paul Rector                 RHP                 Johnson County CC                Broken Arrow, Okla.
2021 Season Stats: 4-1 record, 5.34 ERA, 46 strikeouts, 26 walks, 32 innings pitched.
Career Stats: 82.1 innings pitched, 55 hits, 52 runs allowed (30 earned), 121 strikeouts, 50 bases on balls, averaged 13.23 Ks/9.
 
A Jayhawk All-Region selection … Received second-team all-conference honors … A standout in the classroom earning JUCO Academic All-America honors and being named to the Dean's List.
 
Carter Hines               LHP                  Northern Oklahoma Tonkawa           Arvada Colorado
2021 Season Stats: 2-1 record, 21 innings pitched, 30 strikeouts, 13 appearances, 10.13 ERA
 
A 2021 Preseason Junior College All-American.
 
Michael Barta             RHP                 Cisco JC                                               Victoria, Texas
2021 Season Stats: 3-1 record, 46.1 innings pitched, 50 strikeouts to just 24 walks.         
 
High School:  Posted a 26-3 overall record in 204 innings pitched with a 1.51 ERA and 239 strikeouts … First-team all-district selection who also received all-state recognition.
 
Patrick Hail                 RHP                 Blinn JC                                               Arlington, Texas
2021 Season Stats: Posted a 1-0 record in 35 innings with 44 strikeouts and 19 walks with a 3.70 earned run average.
 
High School: Named 2019 District 4-6A Pitcher of the Year … A first-team all-district selection … Also named to the NTHSBCA All-Star team.
 
Ty Ringo                      LHP                  Alvin JC                                               Sweeny, Texas
2021 Season Stats: Posted a 2-3 record with a 3.60 ERA in 35 innings pitched with 32 punchouts to just 13 walks.
 
2020 Season Stats (New Mexico JC): Went 2-1 with a 2.59 ERA in 24 innings pitched with 28 strikeouts to eight walks.
 
Trhea Morse               RHP                 Panola JC                                            Alvin, Texas
2021 Season Stats: 0-4 overall record in 40 innings pitched with 45 strikeouts.     
2020 Season Stats: 1-4 overall record in 30 innings pitched with 35 strikeouts
 
High School: Received All-State MVP honors … Also named district MVP … Garnered first-team all-state and all-district honors after posting a 15-0 record with an 0.57 earned run average and 135 strikeouts … A 2021 first-team All-Texas Coastal Baseball League selection.
 
Jack Schell                   INF/of             Blinn JC                                               Houston, Texas
2021 Season Stats: Hit .265 on the season with 30 hits – two doubles – and 13 runs batted in … Also recorded five stolen bases.
2020 Season Stats: Hit .302 with two doubles and five RBIs … Recorded five stolen bases.
 
A 2021 All-TCL team selection.
 
Ethan Ruiz                   INF                  Navarro JC                                          Round Rock, Texas
2021 Season Stats: Hit .214 with 28 Hits, 6 home runs, four doubles and 28 runs batted in.         
2020 Season Stats: Hit .258 with 16 Hits, 4 home runs and 15 RBIs.
 
Named all-state following his junior and senior seasons at Cedar Ridge HS.
 
Westley Shields          INF                  Blinn JC                                               Houston, Texas
2021 Season Stats: Hit .214 – 27 Hits – with 3 doubles, 4 home runs and 13 RBIs … Recorded 5 stolen bases.
2020 Season Stats: Hit .292 – 21 Hits – 4 doubles, 1 home run, 10 RBIs and 5 stolen bases
2019 Season Stats: Hit .252 – 35 Hits – 8 doubles, 2 home runs and 13 RBIs
 
Selected to the Texas – New Mexico All-Star game … A 2020 Academic Deans list selection.
 
High School Recruits
Trent Tompkins          RHP                 Rudder HS                                           Bryan, Texas
2021 Season Stats: Posted a 5-4 overall record with a 1.70 earned run average with 99 punchouts … Ended the season with two shutouts.
 
High School: A first-team all-district selection … Garnered all-state recognition on the mound.
 
Sam Carpenter           C/RHP             Bridge City HS                                     Bridge City, Texas
2021 Season Stats: Posted a .321 batting average while slugging .609 … Recorded 7 doubles, 3 triples and 5 home runs.
2021 Season Stats: Posted a 9-1 record with a 1.98 ERA in 59.2 innings of work … Struck out 71 batters to only 24 bases on balls … Opponents hit just .149 against him.
 
A former team MVP who received first-team all-district honors behind the plate and on the mound ... A first-team All-KOGT honoree … Named to UIL Southern Conference All-Star Team.
 
Gavin Baratta             INF                  Bergan Catholic HS                             Glen Rock, N.J.
2021 Season Stats: Hit .411 with a .516 on-base percentage … Recorded 2 triples and 8 doubles with 16 RBIs.
 
A first-team All-Big North NJ selection … A finalist for defensive player of the year … Has six years of Travel Hockey experience.                      
 
Tyler Shepard             INF                  Sweeny HS                                          Sweeny, Texas
2021 Season Stats: Hit .356 with a home run, 2 triples and 10 doubles.
 
A first-team all-district selection … Garnered all-state honorable mention honors at second base … An academic all-state selection.