Three Commodores Sign to Newport
February 20, 2018 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
Newport, RI- After losing to Oregon St. in the Super Regionals in 2017, SEC powerhouse Vanderbilt is looking to return to Omaha in 2018. The Commodores roster features plenty of youth with 16 true freshmen on Head Coach Tim Corbin's roster. Three of these freshmen will be Gulls this summer; LHP Robert (Hugh) Fisher III, RHP Mason Hickman, and INF Jayson Gonzalez.
Fisher, a 6' 5" southpaw out of Eads, Tennessee lettered four years at Briarcrest Christian High School, leading the Saints to the TTSSAA Class AA State Tournament his junior and senior year. As a 15-year-old, Fisher represented Team USA in the 15U World Cup in Mexico and stated Vanderbilt as one of his dream schools during an interview following the event. Prior to committing to Vandy, Fisher was ranked as the best left-handed pitcher in the state of Tennessee, 10th overall in the country, and was named to the Rawlings-Perfect Game All-American Second Team.
Fellow freshman pitcher Mason Hickman will be joining Fisher in Newport this summer. Hickman tosses from the right side and stands 6' 6". He hails from Hendersonville, Tennessee, lettering all four years at Pope John Paul II High School. His performance led to three years on Tennessee's All- State team. The tall right-hander has an easy low 90s fastball in addition to a sharp slider and firm changeup. Hickman has already had a taste of summer collegiate baseball, playing for the Martha's Vineyard Sharks of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. Following his senior year of high school, the righty made four starts, recording 16 strikeouts in 17 innings against established collegiate players. Hickman has seen action in this young college baseball season picking up a win after hurling five shutout innings in the rubber match of the Commodores series against Duke this past weekend. Perfect Game ranked Hickman as the 43rd best RHP in the country and 3rd in Tennessee.
The last Vandy Boy headed to Newport is infielder Jayson Gonzalez. Gonzalez attended Bishop Amat High School in Covina, California where he helped the Lancers capture a 2017 National Classic Championship. Gonzalez was the Classic MVP and Home Run Derby Champion as well as a first team All- Del Rey League performer and the Del Rey League MVP. The awards aren't limited to his senior year as the 6' 2" 205 pounder was an All-American as a junior, a California State Champion as a sophomore, and named first team All- San Gabriel Valley as a freshman. Gonzalez heads into Vanderbilt as the 58th ranked player in the country and the 10th overall middle infielder. Tim Corbin has started Gonzalez all three games thus far this season.
The Newport Gulls wish Coach Corbin and his roster littered with former and future Gulls the very best as they set their sights on Omaha this season.
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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from February 20, 2018
- Three Commodores Sign to Newport - Newport Gulls
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