BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford baseball program recently has added 10 new signees for the 2021-22 signing class, head coach Tony David announced Friday afternoon.
 
Outfielder Aaron Walton, infielders Jayden Davis, Joseph Massa, Nicholas Noto and Parker McDaniel, catchers Hayden Perry and Lucas Steele, and pitchers Alex Gaeto, John Whitney and Noah Berry were included in the Bulldogs' 2021 early signing class.
 
"As a staff we are ecstatic about this group we have assembled," David said. "The calculus on roster management has changed so much with the lingering Covid issues and the transfer portal. Like all classes, we needed to add some guys that can help immediately while improving and fill the class with players we feel will develop into guys that will have an impact, long term."
 
This is the first signing class in the early signing period of high school athletes, but the second group of additions for David's staff after the summer signing period with transfers.
 
"While we have no intention of using the transfer portal as a crutch, it was great to see that we can be a destination for great players that depart power 5 programs," David said. "If we have to address last minute needs, we know we can land the guys that everybody else wants too. They wanted to play, trust what they've been told and get better with an opportunity to increase their draft options."
 
David praised the work of his staff in signing this impressive class.
 
"Our staff has a proven track record of making guys better," David said. "Coach (Tyler) Shrout does an amazing job with our pitchers throughout their careers here and Coach (Brad) Moss has shown the last few years the impact he has on our hitters.  Coach (Tommy) Rohling is going to make them all stronger and more athletic in the weight room.  TJ (Dixon) and Carlisle (Koestler) have been impactful in their first fall with us along with Marlon (Anderson). The talent level of our signees continues to rise each year, and we are excited about getting them in our program and system and watching them get even better."
 
Below are short bios on each signee.
 
Aaron Walton (OF, 6-3, 216, Brentwood, Tenn./Brentwood HS)
Walton played shortstop, third base, outfield and pitcher at Brentwood High School in Tennessee . . . he batted .419 with 19 RBI in 36 games . . . he was the 11^th-ranked outfielder in Tennessee and a top 500 national player . . . he was named All-Region in 2020 . . . Walton also played football in high school, amassing 2,639 receiving yards and 37 touchdowns while earning All-Region honors.
 
"Aaron has tremendous tools," David said. "He was a two-sport athlete at Brentwood High School who turned down numerous football scholarship opportunities to pursue his baseball career.  He is a great athlete with a big frame who possesses real power potential."

Alex Gaeto (P, 6-4, 190, Albuquerque, N.M./Albuquerque Academy)
Alex Gaeto was a standout pitcher for Albuquerque Academy in New Mexico . . . he posted an impressive 1.56 ERA, with just seven earned runs in 32.1 innings of work . . . he recorded 47 strikeouts and accumulated a 5-1 record on the mound . . . he also recorded a .365 batting average . . . Gaeto was a two-time team captain and led his team to the 2021 state championship . . . he was ranked the third-best right-handed pitcher and ninth-best prospect in New Mexico.
 
"Alex is another guy with a great physical frame," David said. "He is showing some good velocity numbers now but has the type of frame and make up that we have had a lot of success developing over the years."
 
Hayden Perry (C, 6-1, 210, Jacksonville, Fla./Episcopal School of Jacksonville)
Hayden Perry was a four-year letterwinner at catcher for Episcopal School of Jacksonville in Florida . . . he threw out over 35 runners on the base paths, including 23 in his junior season alone . . . he posted a .991 fielding percentage and a .305 batting average . . . he also served as a two-time team captain . . . he was named a top 1,000 national player . . . he also played football for two seasons.
 
"We had a chance to see Hayden a little over the summer," David said. "But he came to our camp and did an incredible job behind the plate and showed some power potential."

Jayden Davis (INF, 5-10, 190, Cookeville, Tenn./Cookeville HS)
Jayden Davis played both shortstop and pitcher at Cookeville High School in Tennessee . . . he set school single-season records with 60 hits and a .625 batting average . . . he was the first-ranked shortstop in Tennessee, and third in the state overall . . . he was named All-American and All-State in 2021 . . . he was a two-time All-District honoree, including being named District MVP in 2021, and he was a two-time All-Region selection . . . Davis was his team's Offensive Player of the Year in 2019 and 2021, and the Defensive Player of the Year in 2019.
 
"Jayden is one of the top players in Tennessee and one of the best bats in the region," David said. "He is a natural leader who flat out hits and will hit for power for us right away."
 
John Whitney (P/OF, 5-11, 175, Venice, Fla./Venice Senior HS)
John Whitney was a left-handed pitcher and outfielder for Venice Senior High School in Florida . . . he earned first team All-Area honors . . . he was named a top 500 national player . . . he helped lead his team to the 2021 district title . . . he also played for Ostingers Baseball Academic, winning the 2021 WWBA World Championship . . . he also played one season of football.
 
"John came up for one of our camps and showed us a lot," David said. "He has really good velocity and command from his arm slot.  He is a great athlete and can swing the bat as well."

Joseph Massa (SS, 6-1, 183, Salinas, Puerto Rico/Lakeland Senior HS, Fla.)
Joseph Massa was a standout shortstop at Lakeland Senior High School in Florida . . . he was named All-State by Perfect Game . . . he earned Defensive Player of the Year honors as a freshman . . . he was named a top 500 national player . . . also played for Five Star Jones from 2019-2021.
 
"Joseph is an outstanding shortstop that can drive the ball with some power now that will continue to develop into a true power bat in the middle infield," David said.

Lucas Steele (C/1B, 5-11, 205, Hoover, Ala./Hoover HS)
Lucas Steele played catcher and first base at nearby Hoover High School . . . he batted .303 with 11 home runs, 11 doubles, three triples and 47 RBI . . . had an impressive slugging percentage of .645 . . . he was ranked the second-best catcher in Alabama and a top 500 national player . . . he was named All-South Metro, All-Over the Mountain and All-State honorable mention . . . he played in the AHSADCA North-South All-Star Game, and he was named Hover High School's Offensive MVP.
 
"Lucas is another local product for us that is finishing off an incredible high school career for Coach Moseley at Hoover," David said. "He is one of the top bats in the state and will have a chance to impact our roster immediately."
 
Nicholas Noto (INF, 6-2, 185, Huntersville, N.C./Southlake Christian Academy)
Nicholas Noto played third base, shortstop and second base at Southlake Christian Academy in North Carolina . . . he batted .303 with seven home runs, one triple and 32 RBI in . . . he was ranked as the 10^th-best shortstop in North Carolina and a top 500 national player . . . he was named the Florida Leagues High School MVP . . . he also played for Five-Star Select in Fayetteville and for SBA.
 
"Great frame that is a good defender with power potential at the plate," David said. "Niko came to our camp this summer and made a great impression on our staff."

Noah Berry (P, 6-5, 200, Madison, Ala./James Clemens HS)
Noah Berry was a standout pitcher at James Clemens High School . . . he posted a 3.43 ERA in 10.2 innings of work . . . he recorded 14 strikeouts, allowing just five earned runs . . . he was named a top 1,000 national player.
 
"Noah is a tall, lean guy that has some pitch ability right now," David said. "We are excited about adding him to our program and watching his continued growth."

Parker McDonald (INF, 5-11, 170, Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles HS)
Parker McDonald was a standout middle infielder at Lawton Chiles High School in Florida . . . he played in 51 games, batting .372 with 51 hits, 39 RBI and a .508 on-base percentage . . . he also had 12 stolen bases . . . he was named first team All-Big Bend and the Big Bend Player of the Year in 2021 . . . he was a finalist for Florida Panhandle Player of the Year in 2021 as well . . . he was named a top 1,000 national player.
 
"Parker is a very good player that comes out of an outstanding high school baseball program," David said. "He is a perfect fit for us here at Samford."
 
David talked about what he sees for the future of his program.
 
"Our charge as a staff and program is not only to maintain a high level of success, but to keep it moving forward and continue to reach new heights from year to year," David said. "Our expectation is to be a program that consistently reaches regionals, but also wants more than that. We believe these additions will help us accomplish that as a program."
 
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