BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University added to a nationally ranked junior college class with the announcement of 11 four-year transfers, including 10 NCAA Division I transfers, announced head coach Will Davis Saturday afternoon.
 
The latest additions to the roster bring the Cardinals incoming class to 19 with the eight junior college transfer announced last month.
 
"Our four-year transfer group is as good as they come," said Davis. "We've got several guys that we coached against last year and seeing them up close gives you a good feel for how they will fit in with your team. Many of these guys had several options and we feel honored that they chose Lamar and believe in what we are doing."
 
The incoming class primarily hails from Texas (eight) with three originally coming from Louisiana. Among the eight Lone Star additions include three from the Golden Triangle (Peyton Havard, Logan Hamm and Drake Varnado).
 
The position breakdown for the 11 new Cardinals includes six pitchers (five righties one lefty), three outfielders, two infielders and two catchers as two players are listed at multiple positions.
 
For a look at each of the Cardinals' four-year transfers please see the bios below:
  Cristian Cienfuegos – RHP – Baytown, Texas/Goose Creek HS (Rice)
Rice: A four-year letterwinner at Rice … Led the Owls with 56 appearances during his career, including a career-high  25 appearances (24 relief) … Recorded 20 strikeouts last season … Made a team-best 14 appearances in conference play … Was tied for second most appearances on the team with two saves (2023) … Made a career-high 18 appearances in 2022 all in relief … Recorded a season-high in innings pitched (20) and strikeouts (15) … Made eight relief appearances, during his COVID freshman season, working a season-high 2.0 innings in final outing against Southern Miss … During his true freshman season (2020) he pitched 12.1 innings which was the most of any Owls' freshman … Made five appearances all in relief … Was the first pitcher called out of the pen in the season-opener against nationally ranked Texas going 3.0 innings … Posted a season-best 4.1 shutout innings (with three strikeouts) against Missouri State … Held opponents to a .205 batting averaged in the COVID shortened season.
 
High School: Hit .393 with a .607 slugging percentage as a senior for Goose Creek HS … Ranked as the No. 12 prep shortstop according to Perfect Game.
 
Bryce Grizzaffi – C – Morgan City, La./Central Catholic HS (Southeastern Louisiana)
Southeastern Louisiana: A second-team All-Southland Conference selection (2022) … Also named to the 2022 Southland All-Defensive team … A 2022 Preseason First-Team All-Southland Conference honoree … Former SLC Hitter of the Week selection … A three-time SLC Commissioner's List honoree … Played in 95 games earning 77 starts … Hit five home runs, 14 doubles and drove in 33 runs and scored 49 … Stole 12 bases … Had 16 multi-hit games … Threw out nearly 49 percent of baserunners last season … Ranked seventh in school history for lowest stolen bases against and ninth in total baserunners caught.
 
High School: Perfect Game Top 500 and rated as the No. 4 catcher in Louisiana … Played baseball, basketball and football at Central Catholic … Two-time all-state and three-time all-district honoree … Named district MVP as a senior … A two-time all-district honoree in football.
 
Logan Hamm – OF/RHP – Bridge City, Texas/Bridge City HS (Houston)
Before LU: Posted a .282 batting average (42 hits) with two home runs, 12 doubles and a triple while driving in 30 runs … Also pitched  8.2 innings with nine strikeouts at Alvin JC … Transferred to Houston after his time at Alvin JC.
 
High School: A two-time all-state selection and a two-time district offensive MVP … Named to the Beaumont Enterprise Super Gold Team … Perfect Game rated him as the No. 189 prospect nationally and the No. 57 recruit at his position … He was also considered the No. 4 prospect in the state of Texas.
 
Peyton Havard – RHP – Bridge City, Texas/Bridge City HS (UL Lafayette)
UL Lafayette: Made 18 appearances, with seven starts, in his two seasons with the Ragin' Cajuns … Posted a 2.25 earned run average during his rookie season … Struck out nine batters with just two walks in eight innings that season … Went 1-1 on the mound as a sophomore … Recorded 14 strike outs in seven starts during his sophomore year.
 
High School: A two-time district 4A MVP … Named 2019 Beaumont Enterprise Super Gold Player of the Year … A THSBCA Second-Team All-State selection on the mound … Was a TSWA Honorable Mention All-State selection as a pitcher and at third base … In the Summer 2021, he played for the Alton (Ill.) River Dragons of the Prospect League posting a 4-1 record with a 1.72 ERA in 31.1 innings … Was also named TCL All-Star in 2023 after going 2-1 with a 2.14 ERA in six starts (19.1 innings with 19 strikeouts).
 
Scott Jones – OF – Sulphur, La./Sulphur HS (Butler)
Butler: A two-year letterwinner at Butler playing in 89 games earning 84 starts … Recorded 87 hits during his two seasons, including a .317 batting average during the 2023 campaign … Scored 47 runs … Hit four home runs, eight doubles and six triples during his time with the Bulldogs … Drove in 56 runs and recorded 119 total bases … Stole 15 bases and drew 25 walks … Only made two errors total during his two years on the field … Recorded 22 multi-hit games.
 
High School: Three-year starter and four-year letterwinner … Guided prep squad to a 2018 district title and state runner-up … Hit .438 as a senior with 32 RBIs, 34 runs scored and 28 stolen bases … That coming on the heels of a junior campaign that saw him post a .333 batting average with 31 RBIs and 22 runs scored and 16 stolen bases … Signed with LSU-Eunice out of high school where he helped lead LSU-E to a Region 23 title and the NJCAA Division II national championship … Ranked second on the team that year with a .385 batting average (67 hits), scored 60 runs while driving in 52 … Ranked second in the nation in stolen bases that season (34) … Honorable Mention All-American… Perfect Game Pre-Season Underclassmen All-American Team (2017) … LSWA All-State honorable mention … Two-time All-Southwest Louisiana … A Perfect Game Preseason All-American and All-Region (2018) …  LBCA All-State Team… LBCA All-Region … Selected to the LHSCA All-Star Game… LHSAA All-Academic Team.
 
Kyle Moseley – LHP – Houston, Texas/Cinco Ranch HS (Angelo State)
Angelo State: Made 20 appearances for the Rams with four starts … Went 5-2 on the mound with a 2.54 ERA, 1.07 WHIP while holding opposing batters to a .190 batting average in 158 at-bats … Allowed 30 hits and 16 runs (13 earned) while striking out 45.
 
High School: Broke Cinco Ranch strikeout record as a senior … Named 2019 first-team all-district … The 19-6A Newcomer of the Year (2017).
 
Weston Peninger – C – Flower Mound, Texas/Flower Mound HS (Utah Valley)
Utah Valley: Played in 27 games with 16 starts … Hit .200 on the season with 13 hits … Had five RBIs on the year with one double … Went 3-for-3 against Utah.
 
Before Utah Valley: A two-year letterwinner at Howard JC … Hit .393 as a sophomore with six home runs … Guided JUCO to a 2021 conference title … Played summer ball for the Texas Pirates and Port Angeles Lefties.
 
High School: Guided prep squad to the regional finals.
 
Travis Phelps – RHP – Alvin, Texas/Alvin HS (Houston)
Houston: Posted a 1-0 record with a 3.60 earned average and a .188 opponent's batting average last season … Made six appearances for the Cougars with one start … Made his UH debut pitching a hitless inning against Cal … Recorded a win over Texas Southern after pitching 2.0 allowing just one run with five strikeouts.
 
Junior College: A two-year letterwinner … Made 19 appearances with five starts … Pitched 37.0 innings with 56 punch outs … Posted a 6.57 ERA.
 
High School: A 2019 MLB draft selection of the Minnesota Twins … Perfect Game rated him as the No. 120 right-handed pitcher in the state … Also lettered in basketball.
 
Will Ripoll – RHP – New Orleans, La./John Curtis HS (Houston Christian)
Before LU: Signed with LSU out of high school where he made 10 relief appearances in 2019, posting a 6.48 earned run average in 16.2 innings of work … Recorded five strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work against Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament … Transferred to HCU where he served as a starting pitcher for the Huskies.
 
High School: Posted a 10-0 record with a 0.98 ERA with a 102 strikeouts in 71.1 innings of work … Named 2018 LHSAA Division I Most Valuable Players and Pitcher of the Year leading prep squad to back-to-back state championships … Former first-team all-state selection who was named to the USA Today All-Louisiana squad … Named 2018 Perfect Game Louisiana Player of the Year … Rated as the No. 4 prospect in the state and the No. 114 prospect nationally (Perfect Game) … Considered as the No. 183 prospect by Baseball America.
 
Austin Roccaforte – OF/INF – Tomball, Texas/Tomball Memorial HS (Houston Christian)
Houston Christian: First season at Houston Christian (formerly Houston Baptist) started every game in center field where he hit .280 … Garnered All-Southland Conference honors as an outfielder before moving to the infield … Finished his time at HCU as the second all-time leader in walks … Led the Southland with fewest strikeouts (15) and most walks (40) … His walks were also the 15^th-best mark nationally … Ranked 41^st nationally in terms of being the toughest to strikeout … Named team captain and earned Academic All-SLC honors … He hit .310 as a shortstop for the Huskies with two home runs and eight doubles.
 
Junior College: Started at second base as a sophomore at San Jac where he led them to the 2021 NJCAA College World Series.
 
High School: A four-year starter on varsity.
 
Drake Varnado – INF – Port Neches, Texas/IMG Academy (Arizona State)
Arizona State: Prior to his time with the Sun Devils, he was drafted 498^th overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks … Played in 15 games with ASU … Hit .235 with a double, four RBIs and five total bases … Picked up a season-high two hits in a 13-3 win over Grambling State.
 
High School: Rated as the top shortstop and 10^th overall prospect in state of Florida … A Top-100 recruit by PBR, checking in at 76^th overall, and was considered the 14^th-best shortstop in the nation … Rated as the No. 59 overall player in the class by Baseball America … Perfect Game listed him as the fifth-best shortstop and the No. 16 overall player in Florida … Also considered the No. 37 shortstop and the 147^th-best prospect by Perfect Game … Was selected to play in the Perfect Game 2020 National Showcase and the 2018 and 2019 Junior National Showcase … Garnered 202 PG Preseason Underclassmen All-America Honors and Texas All-Region First-Team recognition … A three-time PG Preseason Underclassmen All-America selection.