Baseball Announces 2015 Signing Class

Photo Credit: Tennessee Athletics and USA Baseball

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- After assembling three consecutive Top-20 recruiting classes since his arrival at Rocky Top, Tennessee Baseball Head Coach Dave Serrano and his staff have put together yet another highly-ranked class of commitments during early signing period this week. As announced this week, a total of 12 commits will join the Volunteer Baseball program for the 2015-16 academic year.

With 11 commits having signed National Letters of Intent on National Signing Day (Nov. 12), the baseball program recently added Tyler Halas to their Volunteer Family. Halas, a former USA Baseball participant, brings the 2015 signing class to a total of 12 players.

By recent Perfect Game reports, Tennessee's 2015 signing class is now ranked 12th in the nation. Earlier this month, the Vols' 2014-15 recruitment class was ranked 13th in the nation by Perfect Game. The previous season, Baseball America listed Tennessee's 2013-14 class as No. 15 overall, while Serrano's first recruitment class was ranked 20th overall by Baseball America in 2012.

"I'm elated with the student athletes that have signed their National Letters of Intent today to our fine university," Serrano said. "I'm not sure if anyone outside of our business realizes the work put in by our Recruiting Coordinator Aric Thomas, the coaching staff and the support staff to secure a class like this.

"Obviously the young men that have signed with us today recognize the commitment being made by many people in this baseball program," Serrano added. "They also realize that they will be around people that will continue to develop them as people first, academically and in the sport of baseball. From a talent standpoint, this class has a very high ceiling and holds many guys who will be courted by Major League Baseball later in their senior season. We recognize that and will continue to recruit them and educate them on why we believe playing at Tennessee in the SEC is a great option for them.

"I'm very proud and thankful for each one of our signees trusting in us and the future success of Tennessee baseball."

Of the 12 new Volunteers, three are Tennessee state players or local Knoxville products. Three hail from the talent-rich home state of California, while the class also brings in individual representatives from Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas.

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2015 Tennessee Baseball Signees
Player	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	B/T	Hometown (School)
Max Bartlett	SS	6-0	170	L/R	Starkville, Miss. (Gulf Coast State College)
Chris Betts	C	6-1	215	L/R	Long Beach, Calif. (Long Beach Wilson)
Trey Cabbage	IF	6-4	195	L/R	Blaine, Tenn. (Grainger)
Garrett Davila	LHP	6-2	180	L/L	Belmont, N.C. (South Point)
Tyler Halas	UTL	6-0	185	R/R	West Chicago, Ill. (St. Rita of Cascia)
Alex Harper-Cook	LHP	6-2	180	L/L	Maryville, Tenn. (Maryville)
Bryant Harris	OF	6-3	200	R/R	Hampton, Ga. (Luella)
Ke'Bryan Hayes	IF/RHP	6-1	210	R/R	Tomball, Texas (Concordia Lutheran)
Daniel Neal	UTL	6-3	195	R/R	London, Ky. (South Laurel)
Will Neely	RHP	5-11	165	R/R	Knoxville, Tenn. (Hardin Valley)
Sean Skelly	C	5-11	185	R/R	Mission Viejo, Calif. (El Toro)
Daniel Vasquez	RHP/OF	5-10	185	R/R	El Cajon, Calif. (Granite Hills)

Here's a breakdown of the newest additions to the Vol Baseball family, with comments from Recruiting Coordinator Aric Thomas.

Max Bartlett, SS (Starkville, Miss.)

As a strong middle infielder for Gulf Coast State College last year, Max Bartlett was a 36th round pick of the Cleveland Indians in the June 2014 Major League Baseball Draft. In 159 games for the Commodores, he hit .289 with 31 RBI and seven stolen bases as the club's primary shortstop. A native of Starkville, Miss., Bartlett was a four-year letterman at Starkville High School, where he hit .410 with two home runs and 28 RBI as a senior, while also posting a 4-2 record with a 1.87 ERA and 37 strikeouts.

Thomas on Bartlett: "Max is a hard-nosed player and an incredible student of the game. He's a plus defender and a very solid offensive player. He has a knowledge and full understanding of the type of offensive player that he is, which gives him a level of maturity that separates him from others. Max will be able to impact the game both offensively and defensively. He comes from a good baseball family and having been drafted last year, we feel he'll only continue to improve into the premier player that scouts and coaches are already beginning to see."

Chris Betts, C (Long Beach, Calif.)

An Under Armour All-American Game and Perfect Game All-American Classic participant entering his senior season at Long Beach Wilson High School, catcher Chris Betts is ranked as the No. 1 high school catcher in the nation by Perfect Game. By additional Perfect Game rankings, Betts stands as the No. 13 overall player in the country, as well as the No. 3 player in the state of California. As a four-year varsity letterman and two-year captain of his Wilson Bruins, Betts hit .330 with five home runs last season as the team's starting catcher.

From 2013-14, he played as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team and was named a Cal Hi Sports All-State UnderClass First Team catcher this year. Betts played summer ball with the CBA Marucci 2015 Team, appearing at numerous showcases including the Perfect Game World Series (Arizona) and the World Wood Bat Championships in Jupiter, Fla. Following his appearance in Florida, Betts was additionally tabbed as a 2014 Jupiter Impact Player by Perfect Game.

Thomas on Betts: "Chris is the ultimate impact player on both sides of the ball. He has plus arm strength behind the plate and has proven that he can really control the running game against opponents. One of the things that stands out about Chris is also his knowledge of how to work his pitching staff. He's very experienced behind the plate. Over the past year, Chris has caught a lot of the top pitchers in the country through travel ball, showcase tournaments and having played in the Under Armour and Perfect Game All-American games. Offensively, he's one of the best left-handed hitters in the country among high school players and has the potential to remain a big time power bat against SEC-caliber pitching."

Trey Cabbage, IF (Blaine, Tenn.)

Ranked as the No. 5 overall player in the state of Tennessee by Perfect Game, Trey Cabbage is a four-year multi-sport athlete in baseball and basketball for Grainger High School in Rutledge, Tenn. As a star infielder for the Grizzlies, he hit .464 with 11 doubles, six triples eight homers and 50 RBI as a junior. Cabbage also stole 23 bases and pitched for Grainger, recording a 2.06 ERA with 106 total strikeouts. He was named a three-time All-District and All-State player, as well as Freshman of the Year in 2012 and Offensive MVP from 2013-14.

Cabbage played travel ball with the Team Elite Roadrunners, a prominent organization in the Tennessee-Georgia region, and was a 2014 Perfect Game Preseason Championship participant with Team Elite. Also a member of the Kansas City Royals Scout Team in 2014, Cabbage is ranked as the No. 125 player in the nation by Perfect Game.

Thomas on Cabbage: "Trey is the best power left-handed bats in the state of Tennessee and one of the best in the country. He made a huge jump in his offensive production over the end of last spring and summer and we consider him as a premier bat in this class of young players. He plays shortstop in high school but has the ability to play multiple positions. He played third base this summer for Team Elite, and because of his strong body, this may be his position in the future. His relentless work ethic will allow him to be a solid defensive threat to match his big bat. The fact that he played with the Team Elite Roadrunners shows that he's garnered a set of solid fundamental skills and will be an asset to our core of infielders moving forward."

Alex Harper-Cook, LHP (Maryville, Tenn.)

A product of Maryville High School in Maryville, Tenn., left-hander Alex Harper-Cook is a four-year varsity letterman for the Rebels' baseball team. He stands as the lone pitcher for Maryville to have tossed two no-hitters in his young career, having thrown one during his freshman season in 2012 and another last year as a junior. Harper-Cook has also spent time playing outfield for Maryville, hitting .350 with one home run in 2014.

Ranked as the fifth-best left-handed pitcher in the state of Tennessee by Perfect Game, Harper-Cook was a member of the Kansas City Royals Scout Team in 2014. He also played travel ball for Diamond Baseball of the Simcox Academy, one of the most-renowned travel ball organizations in the state of Tennessee and led by Tennessee Volunteers assistant coach Larry Simcox.

Thomas on Harper-Cook: "Alex is just beginning to scratch the surface of the player he's going to become. He has really started to develop as a left-handed pitcher and we strongly believe that his best days are ahead of him. He projects very well, with a fastball, curveball, change-up arsenal. He commands his pitches very well and his fastball has been up to the low 90 mph range. Alex played with Diamond Baseball of the Simcox Academy, which is one of the best traveling baseball programs in the state of Tennessee. His experience playing with them will really help his transition into collegiate baseball. Alex has a lot of upside and is a solid pitching addition for us in this class."

Garrett Davila, LHP (Belmont, N.C.)

Named the No. 3 left-handed pitcher in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game, Garrett Davila posted impressive numbers during his junior season with South Point High School in Belmont, N.C. The lefty went 5-2, maintaining a 1.01 ERA and 88 strikeouts to earn All-Conference honors. As a sophomore, he was 4-2 with a 2.50 ERA and 60 strikeouts for his Red Raiders. Now entering his senior year, Perfect Game has tabbed Davila as the No. 8 overall player in North Carolina, as well as the No. 238 overall player in the country.

A multi-sport athlete in baseball, basketball and cross country, Davila played travel ball for the South Charlotte Panthers in 2014 and traveled extensively around the Southeast region. Among his numerous tournament appearances, Davila's top performances included the Perfect Game Invitational in Atlanta, Ga., as well as the Elite Carolinas Showcase in Greensboro, N.C. As a participant in the WWBA World Championship, he was also named to the All-Tournament Team.

Thomas on Davila: "Garrett is a very polished left-handed pitcher with great projection. Physically, he has a prototypical pitchers frame - 6-foot-2, 180 lbs. and knows how to pitch very well. He primarily uses a fastball, curveball, change-up combination with his fastball clocking in the low 90s. He has a long, lanky body with long arms and the arm action works. Garrett is an overall athlete, as well. He played basketball in high school and his natural athleticism will carry him a long way. Over the summer, he played with another really good travel team organization in the South Charlotte Panthers and he has a chance to help our pitching staff very soon."

Tyler Halas, UTL (West Chicago, Ill.)

A former member of Team USA's 14U National Team, Tyler Halas played an instrumental role in helping his St. Rita of Cascia Mustangs (Chicago, Ill.) to a 37-5 team record and a Regional Championship this year. As a four-year varsity letterman, the infielder hit .345 with 13 doubles and 34 RBI in 40 games in 2014. Halas recorded a .956 fielding percentage and went 8-0 with a 1.47 ERA in 10 appearances as a right-handed pitcher for the Mustangs.

Ranked as the No. 28 player in the state of Illinois by Perfect Game, Halas was a participant with the Cincinnati Reds Midwest Scout Team this summer, as well as the Big League Baseball Academy's DiMarini Hayes Team. Additional Perfect Game rankings place Halas as the No. 500 player in the nation.

Thomas on Halas: "Tyler is a gritty player and is a true grinder. He can play multiple positions and has also pitched in the past. He comes into the program with great baseball knowledge and experience, having played with Team USA and Big League Baseball Academy's DeMarini Hayes. He played a lot of travel ball for a player coming out of Illinois and he will probably arrive on campus with just as many at-bats as anybody in the country throughout his high school career. Offensively, Tyler is a real gap-to-gap guy and he has great defensive skills in the field. We're really excited to have Tyler and look to see good things from him."

Bryant Harris, OF (Hampton, Ga.)

Tabbed as a two-time First Team All-American by Perfect Game (2013-14), Bryant Harris comes to Tennessee as the No. 18 overall player from the state of Georgia. Named a First Team All-Region center fielder as a sophomore and junior with Luella High School, Harris hit .450 with two home runs, 40 RBI and 26 stolen bases in 2014. During his sophomore season, he hit .380 with three homers, 35 RBI and 15 swiped bags to earn the All-Region honors. A two-time letterman with the Lions, Harris has served as team captain during each of his varsity seasons.

Ranked as the No. 135 overall player in the nation by Perfect Game entering his senior year, Harris played summer ball with the Homeplate Chili Dogs in Atlanta, Ga., partners of Marucci.

Thomas on Harris: "Bryant has big time offensive tools. The ball just jumps off of his bat and he has a lot of power in his right-handed swing. As a right-handed power hitter, he has a chance to be an impact offensive player for us as a freshman. Defensively, he can really go get it in the outfield, as well. He runs a 60-yard dash in 6.7 seconds and has shown good speed for his size. Bryant has great arm strength too, which gives him the ability to play all three outfield positions and will make him a versatile outfield player."

Ke'Bryan Hayes, IF/RHP (Tomball, Texas)

Known for being a complete player, Ke'Bryan Hayes ranks as the No. 1 third baseman in the country according to Perfect Game. Also listed as the No. 32 overall player in the nation, Hayes is the son of former big leaguer Charlie Hayes (1988-2001). A product of the Houston, Texas area, Hayes is listed as the No. 7 overall player from his home state and made the USA Baseball 18U National Team as a junior in 2014. While with Team USA this summer, Hayes hit .486 with a .629 slugging percentage over 11 games and played primarily third base.

This summer and fall, Hayes spent time with the Texas Yankees Scout Team, as well as the Big League Baseball Academy's DeMarini Hayes travel team led by his father. From 2013-14, the Concordia Lutheran High School standout also played in front of Major League scouts and organizations as a part of the Texas Rangers Area Code Team. He was also a participant in the Under Armour All-American Game and the Perfect Game All-American Classic.

Thomas on Hayes: "Ke'Bryan really developed this summer and pushed himself to become the No. 1 third baseman in the country. He is as good of a defender as any player in the country and has a strong bat with the ability to not only be a gap guy, but also provide power. He has shown to be a really good combination of an offensive and defensive player, a really complete player. Ke'Bryan's assets also include a potential right-handed arm on the mound. Although he's not necessarily coming to Rocky Top to pitch, he can run it in the low 90s and we may see some appearances in short relief from him. He's a very well-rounded player with a lot of baseball experience, including time with Team USA, and is a very hard-working student of the game, which is everything you would want."

Daniel Neal, UTL (London, Ky.)

A multi-sport athlete with size, speed and strength, Daniel Neal received Perfect Game Second Team All-American honors during his junior season with South Laurel High School in London, Ky. Ranked as the No. 2 overall player in the state of Kentucky by Perfect Game, he put together an dominating offensive season in 2014, hitting .487 with seven home runs, 37 RBI and 12 stolen bases. He was an All-State and All-Region player as a junior and was named the 13th Region Player of the Year in 2014. Neal also earned Third Team All-American accolades from Perfect Game as a sophomore, finishing his campaign with a .412 average, eight home runs and 35 RBI in 2013.

Perfect Game lists Neal as No. 208 in the nation entering his senior year at South Laurel. He played travel ball and competed nationally with the Kentucky Baseball Club, a leading travel baseball organization in the state of Kentucky which has produced three, Top-10 round draft picks over the past two years.

Thomas on Neal: "Daniel is a solid right-handed bat with plus power. He played shortstop and third base in high school in Kentucky, but can also play outfield positions. Daniel is another great example of a good student-athlete and a student of the game. He runs very well for his size, running a 60-yarder in 6.9 seconds, and throws 90 mph across the diamond. He played for the Kentucky Baseball Club, which is a well-known travel team in the state of Kentucky and in the region, and he will definitely add power to our lineup."

Will Neely, RHP (Knoxville, Tenn.)

A Knoxville native and product of Hardin Valley High School, Will Neely is the No. 2 right-handed pitcher in the state of Tennessee according to Perfect Game. Named a Second Team Underclass All-American, the righty holds three All-District honors as a member of Hardin Valley's squad. Neely played for the All-State Two Way Team from 2012-13 and was selected to Team Tennessee as a sophomore and a junior (2013-14). Named the District 4 AAA Most Valuable Pitcher, the right-hander was a TSWA All-State player and was selected to the East Cobb Pro Showcase in 2014.

As a member of the Knights Baseball 18U National Team, an elite travel baseball system out of Nashville, Tenn., Neely helped the club to a Perfect Game 18U WWBA National Championship title and received Most Valuable Pitcher honors as well as an All-Tournament Team bid at the showcase. Tabbed as the No. 106 player in the nation by Perfect Game, Neely also played for the Kansas City Royals Scout Team in 2014.

Thomas on Neely: "Will is a very polished pitcher for his age and his grade level. He's calm, collected and has the ability to command all of his pitches for strikes. He runs his fastball in the low 90s with a plus breaking ball and change-up. Will has electric stuff. He's a local product from Knoxville, a very good student and played for the Kansas City Royals Scout Team, along with a few other players in this class. He played very well for the Knights Baseball organization out of Nashville this summer and will become a key piece of our pitching staff when he arrives on campus."

Sean Skelly, C (Mission Viejo, Calif.)

A disciplined player with a wealth of experience, Sean Skelly is the No. 25 catcher in the state of California and is among Perfect Game's 2015 Top Prospect List. He received a 2014 Underclass Honorable Mention nod from Perfect Game as a Top 1,000 player, while also being named to the Scouting News Top Prospects list for 2015. He hit .280 with 13 RBI as a junior with the prominent El Toro High School in California, and posted a .430 mark with 18 RBI during his sophomore season.

Skelly played on the travel ball circuit for the Orange County Giants of USA Premier Baseball over the past two summers, helping his club to a State Championship title and a Western Regional semifinalist spot. He was also a member of the Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team in 2014.

Thomas on Skelly: "Sean is a plus defender and a true catch-and-throw type of guy. He has proven to be very good behind the plate and comes from a talent-rich high school in El Toro in one of the most competitive parts in the country. That being said, he's ranked as the No. 25 catcher in the entire state of California, which we feel says a lot for the type of player he is. Offensively, Sean has a lot of bat control and will function very well within our system when he arrives."

Daniel Vasquez, RHP/OF (El Cajon, Calif.)

A versatile player with two-way tools, Daniel Vasquez is a four-year varsity letterman and 2014 State Champion at Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, Calif. Ranked as the No. 25 player in the state of California, Vasquez helped his Eagles to a Division Championship as a junior, following a Division Runner-Up finish in 2013. In 2014, he hit .307 with 19 RBI and seven stolen bases, while maintaining an 8-0 record with a 2.25 ERA and 54 strikeouts on the mound.

Vasquez was named to the Cal Hi Sports All-State UnderClass First Team as a multi-purpose player, joining fellow Tennessee commit Chris Betts, along with receiving All-League First Team, All-East County First Team and San Diego Tribune All-Academic Team nominations. He played travel ball for the San Diego Show Baseball Club and was named a Perfect Game UnderClass All-American in 2013, having also appeared on the 17U Perfect Game World Series All-Tournament Team.

Thomas on Vasquez: "Daniel is a great two-way player. As a right-handed pitcher, he can really compete on the mound and possesses a great sinker and slider. Daniel is a true leader, whether he is on the mound or in the outfield, that was an instrumental part in helping guide Granite Hills High School to a runner-up CIF Championship finish his sophomore year and a CIF Championship his junior year. Daniel also played for the San Diego Show and you could see they tried to use him in all of their key games and playoffs. He's a really strong competitor, he's tough and doesn't get rattled easily. This year, he was named to the Cal Hi Sports All-State UnderClass First Team, which is one of the best recognitions you can receive as a high school player in California. Daniel is a solid addition to this class and will bring a lot of talent to our team."

University of Tennessee Athletics

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