MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis Baseball team will begin its Fall World Series on Monday at 4:15 p.m. at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field.
The three-game intrasquad series will be played Monday, Nov. 18 through Wednesday, Nov. 20 with first pitch at 4:15 each day.
Head coach Matt Riser and his staff have welcomed 27 newcomers to the roster for the 2025 season with the Fall World Series serving as a chance to see those new faces in action.
“We are ecstatic about our 2024 recruiting class,” head coach Matt Riser said. “There were a ton of needs and our staff did a fantastic job of fulfilling them We were intentional about three things in this class. We wanted to become more left-handed, get more physical and find the most competitive players we could possibly find. I’m extremely grateful to Coach Pemberton, Coach Barton, Coach Manola and Coach Cameron on helping accomplish these goals. The ability to locate and sign 27 new players is a great feat. We can’t wait to see what they bring to the Memphis Baseball program and the city of Memphis.”
MEET THE NEWCOMERS
The 27 newcomers are comprised of 14 junior-college transfers, seven four-year transfers and six incoming freshmen. This class of talent includes student-athletes from 11 different states, including Mississippi (9), Tennessee (7), California (4), Texas (2), North Carolina (2) and one apiece hailing from Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Missouri and Pennsylvania.
Creek Robertson – INF / (R/R) / Oxford, Miss. / Pearl River CC
· “We are so excited to have such an elite defender and leader in our locker room. Creek embodies everything we want to remap this program with. A sense of toughness, maturity and competitiveness that never waivers. He may be one of the best defensive shortstops in the country.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Ranked as the No. 34 player and No. 8 shortstop in the state of Mississippi coming out of high school by Perfect Game. Batted .290 with an .830 OPS in 2024 at Pearl River. Played in 31 games for Southern Miss in 2024.
Will Vasseur – INF / (R/R) / Fort Collins, Colo. / Monterey Peninsula CC
· “Will is an athletic and physical presence who can play anywhere in the infield. He does not swing and miss much, which is rare for a player of his stature. He brings a real feel on how to play the game and has a high baseball IQ.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Hit .353 with 47 RBI and 53 runs scored at Monterey Peninsula CC in 2024. Reached base at a .445 clip and walked 19 times with just 21 strikeouts.
Logan Stelling – RHP / (R/R) / Gilroy, Calif. / West Valley College
· “Logan is an old-school throwback type player. They don’t come much more competitive than Logan. The strength he has at the plate and his wipeout slider on the mound give him a chance to be a good two-way player for us.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- A 2023 Second Team Coast Conference honoree, Stelling went 3-0 on the mound and batted .354 offensively in 2024.
Eli Curtis – LHP / (L/L) / Chatham, Ill. / Lincoln Land CC
· “Memphis is in his blood. Eli has some real arm talent from the left side that we couldn’t pass up. We really needed some more quality left-handed arms, and we got a good one in Eli.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- The younger brother of former Tiger shortstop and current Director of Video & Data Analytics Jake Curtis comes to Memphis after striking out 21 batters in 14.0 innings at Lincoln Land CC in 2023. Curtis joins his brother Jake, father Scott Curtis and uncle Jeff Curtis in a lineage of Tiger baseball players.
Cy Turner – INF / (L/R) / Pacific Grove, Calif. / Monterey Peninsula CC
· “Cy is a long and very springy utility player who hits from the left side. He has great athleticism that allows him to play anywhere on the field. We are excited to see his development with such a high ceiling.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Played in 75 games over two seasons at Monterey Peninsula CC. Stole 24 bags on 27 attempts.
Justin Fogel – C / (L/R) / Yardley, Pa. / Pitt
· “Fogel is a premium left-handed hitting catcher that was a huge get for our program. He’s a self-made man going from DIII to performing at a high level in the ACC last year. The bat will play in the middle of the order and can play the outfield as well. Fogel is a veteran with great leadership qualities.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Hit .299 with 36 RBI in 52 games for Pitt in 2024 while walking more times than striking out.
Daniel Perez – INF / (L/R) / Greenwich, Conn. / Manhattan College
· “Perez was another nice pickup from the portal. He’s a true ballplayer who hits from the left-side. We are excited to add his experience and DI success to our roster.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Perez was ranked by Perfect Game as the fifth-best shortstop in Connecticut. He batted .328 with 14 stolen bases at Manhattan College in 2024 and fielded at a .974 clip with 124 assists.
Davis Oswalt – RHP / (R/R) / Plantersville, Miss. / UL-Monroe
· “Davis is a tough-as-nails right-hander who fills the zone up with a ton of strikes and three true pitches. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty as he was raised on a farm and loves hard work.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Went 5-3 as a freshman on the mound at Northeast CC along with 41 strikeouts to just 14 walks. In his sophomore season, Oswalt started 14 games, striking out 66 batters and finishing with a 6-2 record. At UL-Monroe last season, he threw 17.1 innings and registered 14 punch outs.
Chase Nixon – OF / (L/R) / Wilmington, N.C. / NC State
· “Chase brings some great experience and knowledge to our program. He was raised in a big-league clubhouse and has been where we want to go as a program, Omaha. He has great left-handed bat control and can really hit for average. We are looking for Chase to make a big impact on our lineup.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Son of Boston Red Sox legend and World Series Champion Trot Nixon, Chase Nixon attended NC State out of high school and played in 50 games with 20 starts over his first two seasons in Raleigh. Last year as a junior, Nixon started 29 games and made 39 appearances. He hit .255 with a .402 OBP, walking 10 more times than he struck out.
Charlie Smith – RHP / (R/R) / Knoxville, Tenn. / Chattanooga State CC
· “He is well known for his competitiveness and had a ton of success in junior college. Charlie was one of the first junior college recruits we went after last fall and brings a quality starter profile.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Recorded 136 strikeouts in 135.2 innings over two seasons at Chattanooga State. He went 15-3 across 24 appearances with 10 of those being starts.
Cade Tucker – INF/OF / (L/R) / Krum, Texas / Arkansas State
· “The bat has big time power. We really wanted to add an experienced left-hander with real power. Cade has had some success at the DI level, and we look forward to him to being able to do even more.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Attended Hill College out of high school and hit .345 with a 1.089 OPS. From there, he went to Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa where he hit .386 with 80 RBI and 11 home runs. Last year at Arkansas State, Tucker hit .286 in 32 games played.
Isaac Lucas – LHP / (L/L) / Oakland, Calif. / Chabot CC
· “Issac is a very aggressive and competitive left-handed pitcher. His fastball and slider have a unique profile that excites us about him making a major impact on this staff. With his makeup and pure stuff, he could start or finish games.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Lucas started out at Charleston Southern before transferring Chabot CC. There, he started 16 games, appearing in 17. He went 9-5 overall and racked up 106 strikeouts in 96 innings while posting a 2.91 ERA.
Michael Dallas – RHP / (R/R) / Arlington, Tenn. / Jacksonville State
· “Michael is a local product who just committed to only pitching after being an infielder his entire career. He has real arm strength and feel for a breaking ball. His natural competitiveness excites us to be able to contribute in a significant way his senior year.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Dallas was ranked as the No. 1 shortstop in the state of Tennessee in 2021 coming out of high school, along with being ranked the No. 88 shortstop in the country by Prep Baseball Report. He hit .316 as a senior at Briarcrest High School, helping them to a regional championship and state runner-up season. Started his collegiate career in the SEC at Kentucky before transferring to Jacksonville State where he appeared in 50 games over two seasons.
David Case – LHP / (L/L) / Pasadena, Calif. / Grand Canyon
· “Case is a premium left-handed arm with one of the better breaking balls I’ve seen. We needed a guy to fight for a rotation spot and David will compete for it.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Case was the fifth-ranked left-handed pitcher by Perfect Game in California coming out of high school. After appearing in two games at Oregon State, he transferred to El Camino College, going 6-0 in 10 starts, striking out 68 and posting a 1.09 ERA. Last season at Grand Canyon, he struck out 12 in six appearances.
Austin Hannigan – INF/OF / (L/R) / Olive Branch, Miss. / Lewisburg HS
· “He’s a solid freshman left-handed bat that could impact a lineup early in his career. We are still working on figuring out where he will play on the field but his athleticism and coachability will give him a chance to be a solid utility piece for us.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Perfect Game ranked Hannigan as the No. 15 player coming out of Mississippi for 2024. Through nearly 100 varsity games with Lewisburg High School, he batted .421 as a top player for a nationally ranked-team.
Michael Politte – INF / (R/R) / St. Louis, Mo. / Lindbergh HS
· “Michael is a physical shortstop who has some real tools. He profiles to be an elite shortstop as well a real threat in our lineup. We are excited about what’s to come from him as he’s soaking up a lot of information quickly.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Politte was a First Team All-Conference and All-District shortstop for Lindbergh High School in 2024. In his senior year, he posted a .976 OPS with three home runs and eight stolen bases.
Cade Mattison – RHP / (R/R) / Hattiesburg, Miss. / Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
· “Cade can really spin a couple of different breaking balls. He’s a frame we can add some weight to and really help his low-nineties fastball play up. He brings experience of finishing games in junior college which will help him have success in some high-leverage situations at this level.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- In his senior year with Lamar Christian High School, Mattison pitched 51.1 innings with a 1.91 ERA, striking out 95. He began his collegiate career at Jones College where he threw 9.2 innings and registered 14 strikeouts. Last season at Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, he made 19 appearances and struck out 24 batters.
Jacob Prokarym – LHP / (L/L) / Plano, Texas / Dallas College Eastfield
· “Jacob had two great years in junior college as a starter and we will look for him to do the same for us. He’s a 6-foot-6 left-hander with a premium splitter.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Prokarym 20 starts and 25 total appearances on the mound for the Harvester Bees, finishing his time with a 13-4 record. In 109 innings of work, Prokarym struck out 128 batters and held a 1.35 WHIP, only giving a free base to 51 batters in two seasons. He was also named First Team All-Dallas Athletic Conference as both a freshman and sophomore. Prokarym also was named NJCAA DIII Pitcher of the Week twice (03/13/2024; 03/15/2023) and DAC Pitcher of the Week twice (03/13/2024; 03/14/2023).
Carter McKay – INF / (L/R) / Arlington, Tenn. / Arlington HS
· “Carter comes from a pedigree and bloodline of hitters. His raw power is as good as anyone in the country. He’s athletic at 250 pounds, which allows him to make adjustments quickly. His maturity and drive give him a chance to have star power.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- The cousin of former Tiger All-American and current Colorado Rockies slugger Hunter Goodman, McKay chose to follow in those footsteps and play for the Tigers. McKay comes in as Tennessee’s No. 1 first baseman and No. 18 player overall, also ranking as the No. 18 first baseman in the country by Perfect Game. He was a four-time All-Region and All-District honoree at Arlington High School.
Connor Pittman – RHP / (R/R) / Waynesboro, Miss. / Copiah-Lincoln CC
· “Connor is a 6-foot-6 right-hander with a unique profile. He had some great success at the junior college level as a starter and he’ll have the ability to do the same at this level. With his four-pitch mix and low slot, he will make hitters uncomfortable in the box.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- In two seasons at Co-Lin CC, Pittman started 24 games on the mound and posted a record of 11-10 overall, including five complete games. He struck out 157 batters in 143 innings while carrying a 4.22 ERA over two seasons.
Hayden Donahue – RHP / (R/R) / Booneville, Miss. / Northeast Mississippi CC
· “Hayden closed and started in junior college with a lot of success. He can really spin the ball and will have the ability to keep hitters off balance. The maturity and smarts he’s shown gives him a chance to have success at the DI level.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Donahue started a dozen games in two season at Northeast Mississippi, racking up 101 strikeouts over 85.1 innings on the mound. In 2022, he registered a 2.77 ERA over 26 innings pitched.
Jack Pitts – C / (R/R) / Lakeland, Tenn. / Arlington HS
· “Jack is a physical and strong catcher. He’s shown a real ability to drive the ball out of the yard. There are still some things to clean up defensively, but he likes to work on his craft. This will give him a chance to become a good player in our program.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Pitts played for Arlington High School where he was a two-time All-District and All-Region selection. In his senior season, Pitts earned a State All-Metro selection and helped Arlington to a third-place finish at state.
Seth Giamportone – C / (R/R) / Olive Branch, Miss. / Northpoint HS
· “Seth is a very mature player who can catch and throw with the best of them. He has a physical presence in the box with a ton of upside there.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Giamportone was a member of the 2A West Regional Champions and was named 2A West Regional Tournament MVP.
Shane Thorson – LHP / (L/L) / Cary, N.C. / Gaston College
· “Shane is a crafty left-hander who had a ton of success in junior college. He has a chance to add some depth to our bullpen, especially against left-handed hitters.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Thorson appeared in 23 games, primarily as a reliever, for Gaston College in 2024, finishing with a 5-2 record on the mound. As a Rhino, Thorson struck out 54 batters in 37.1 innings pitched, only walking 12 and allowing less than half a run per inning pitched.
Cade Greer – OF / (R/L) / Lewisburg, Miss. / Northwest Mississippi CC
· “Greer is an elite defender in center field who won a Rawlings Gold Glove in junior college. He can set the table at the top of lineup with his speed and bat to ball skills. The aggressiveness he has on the bases will create a real offensive threat.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Greer started 35 games as a freshman at Northwest Mississippi, batting .333 with nine doubles, a home run and 25 RBI. In 2024, he hit .409. with 16 doubles, a home run, a triple and 36 RBI, also swiping 26 bags. Put together a .529 OBP by drawing 34 walks – and striking out just 20 times in 164 at-bats.
Webb Watson – INF/OF / (L/L) / North Little Rock, Ark. / Central Arkansas Christian HS
· “Webb is a strong, left-handed hitter who can play first base and the outfield. He is part of a solid freshmen class that has a chance to have a ton of success.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- Watson was a ranked as No. 18 player in Arkansas by Perfect Game. Watson earned All-State, All-Tournament and All-Conference selections as a senior and was a 3A state finalist with Central Arkansas Christian. Watson also earned a Team West All-Star Team selection.
James Smith IV – RHP/OF / (R/R) / Olive Branch, Miss. / Northwest Mississippi CC
· “James is the most talented player in this class. He is a true five-tool player who will make an impact on the mound and in the box. There is a glass ceiling on his career that is primed to be broken, and we look forward to him impacting our program in a big way.” – Head Coach Matt Riser
- A potential two-way star, Smith has been making noise at the plate and on the mound since high school. As a senior at Northpoint Christian School, he hit .557 with 64 hits, 17 doubles and four home runs, also going 7-1 on the mound with 30 strikeouts in 45.1 innings. In 2024 at Northwest Mississippi, Smith hit .328 with six home runs, five doubles, a .672 SLG, .471 OBP and five stolen bases, while also going 8-3 in 18 appearances on the mound and striking out 27 batters in 22.1 innings.
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