Three Top-50 Prospects Highlight Tulane Baseball's Signing Class
Nov 15, 2002 | Baseball
Nov. 15, 2002
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Three players ranked among the Top 50 recruits by Baseball America highlight the Green Wave signing class, as the Tulane University head baseball coach Rick Jones announced the signing of five high school seniors to National Letters of Intent.
Louisiana natives Xavier Paul, an outfielder/pitcher from Slidell, and Daniel Latham, a right-handed pitcher from Covington, join Chris Worster (RHP/West Palm Beach, Fla.), Mark Hamilton (1B/Bellaire, Texas) and Philip Stringer (SS/Spring, Texas) in the signing class for the 2004 season as Tulane is one of just five schools in the country to ink three players ranked in Baseball America's Top 50.
"I'm very excited about this year's signing class," Jones said. "I'm really proud of the work that recruiting coordinator Mark Kingston and assistant coach Chad Sutter have done in signing a nationally-elite class. Our goal is always to fill our needs in the recruiting process and this signing class accomplishes that goal. We were able to sign some of the foremost high school prospect, all of whom are also outstanding students.
"The task at hand now is to make sure they attend that first class in September. But on the positive side, they are all good students with great families that are committed to their sons' getting a great education."
Stringer, a right-handed hitter who ranks 18th in the Baseball America poll, signed with the Green Wave after a standout junior season at Klein Oak High where he hit .535 with four home runs, 23 stolen bases, 34 RBI and 36 runs scored. He earned first-team all-state honors and was named to the Greater All-Houston team.
Last summer, Stringer played with the Junior National Team where he hit .385 with a home run, two doubles and four RBI as Team USA went 7-1 and won the bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in Quebec, Canada.
"Philip is one of the, if not 'the' premier middle infielder in the country," Jones said. "He's brings the acrobatic, Ozzy Smith-type tools you look for in a middle infielder. He's that kind of player. He's also proven to be an offensive threat with the bat and runs very well on the basepaths."
Paul, the 24th-ranked prospect by Baseball America, inked an NLI after hitting .465 with eight home runs and going 3-1 on the mound last season for Slidell High where he earned first-team all-state honors. Paul is a two-time member of Team USA, playing for the 16-and-under Youth National Team in 2000 before suiting up for the Junior National Team in 2001.
In 2000, Paul hit .444 as Team USA went 8-0 and won the gold medal at the Pan-America Games in Monterey, Mexico. He also appeared in two games as a pitcher that summer, hurling 3.1 scoreless innings while striking out three. In 2001, Paul hit .250 with a double and an RBI to help lead the Junior National Team win the gold medal at the IBAF World Youth Championship in Vera Cruz, Mexico.
"Xavier is the most talented high school player from the area that I've seen since I've been at Tulane," Jones said. "We only have three seniors on our team this year, and all three are in the outfield. He's going to fill a real need for us next year, and he can give us a helping hand on the mound as well."
Worster rounds out the Tulane signees to rank among Baseball America's Top 50, ranking 47th, was the No. 1 pitching prospect according to TeamOneBaseball.com, and was the No. 3 overall prospect at the TeamOne South Showcase. Last year at W.T. Dwyer High School, Worster went 5-4, losing a pair of one-hitters, while posting a 1.12 ERA. During the summer, he went 7-0 with a 0.28 ERA in 42.0 innings pitch to go along with 65 strikeouts for the Gulf Coast Yellow Jackets.
"Worster is a 6-5, 195-pounder who is going to continue to fill out as he matures," Jones said. "He's got three quality pitches with good command. He's also very competitive and knows how to mix his pitches well."
Hamilton, meanwhile, is a power-hitting lefty first baseman who hit .498 with seven home runs and 52 RBI at Episcopal High School. Last August, he played for Team USA in the Goodwill Games where he hit .600 with a home run and two doubles against Japan. Hamilton was also an All-Star at the Area Code Games in 2002.
"Mark combines power and average," Jones said. "He's got a keen eye, he's very selective and is an extremely polished hitter, and he's a solid first baseman. With the status of Michael Aubrey in the upcoming draft, he'll be able to fill a very big need for us there."
Tulane's final signee, Latham, has had a solid career at Covington High where he is 12-6 with a 1.89 ERA in 118.1 innings while tallying 145 strikeouts and just 16 walks. As a junior, Latham went 7-3 with a 2.00 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 66.1 innings of work.
"Daniel is a polished right hander with a fastball in the high 80s and three quality pitches," Jones said. "He's 6-2, 180, and will no doubt continue to get stronger."
Tulane opens the 2003 season on Friday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. when the Green Wave plays host to St. Joseph's at Turchin Stadium. For season ticket information, contact the Tulane Athletics Ticket Office at (504) 861-WAVE.
