EVANSVILLE - University of Evansville head baseball coach Wes Carroll has announced the signing of eight student-athletes for the 2021 season during the early signing period.

The eight signees represent four Midwestern states with five of the newcomers coming from Indiana.

"I would like to thank our coaching staff for putting together such a great recruiting class.  I feel like we have added talented student-athletes not only on the field but in the classroom as well.  This class has a chance to be very special and I can't wait to have them on campus next fall. "



The first member of the Aces 2021 signing class is right-handed pitcher Ethan Bell from Huntingburg, IN. Bell plays for Southridge HS and helped the Raiders to a pair of 2A State Championship Game appearances. The 6'2" right-hander was named 2A All-State Honorable Mention as a sophomore in 2019 and was selected to the all-Pocket Athletic Conference team.

"I'm excited to be able to add a competitor like Ethan to our pitching staff," said Aces pitching coach A.J. Gaura. "He's a low heart beat guy that the moment never seems too big for. We are also excited to see the development of his stuff as he continues to work in the weight room over the next 4 years."






The second signee in the class is outfielder Blake Herrmann from Newburgh, IN. Herrmann plays his prep baseball for Castle HS where he hit .379 for the Knights in 2019. Herrmann has helped Castle make two postseason runs, leading the Knights to a 4A Semi-State appearance in 2018 and a spot in the 4A Regional Finals in 2019.

"I'm always excited to add a Castle student-athlete to the roster," mentione Carroll. "Blake is a twitchy athlete that can play all over the field with plus bat speed that will give him a chance to contribute early in his career.  He has great potential that I look forward to seeing him maximize here at UE."






The next signee for the Aces is infielder Kevin McCormick from Orland Park, IL. McCormick plays for St. Laurence HS where the infielder started the 2019 playoffs eight-for-nine with seven RBI to help the Vikings get to the State Championship. 

"Kevin is a pure left-handed hitter with a really good feel for the game of baseball," remarked Carroll on the Illinois product. "He is the perfect type of player that will develop in our system. Kevin has been well coached and will transition to college baseball very well."






The next signee for the Aces is hometown outfielder Ty Rumsey from Evansville. The. 5'10" outfielder stars for North HS, where Rumsey hit .320 Batting average and stole 16 bases in 2019, en route to being named second-team all-SIAC. In 2019, Rumsey helped lead the Huskies to an opening-game victory over Harrison in the IHSAA sectionals.

"Ty is a local player that will make an enormous impact on our program.  He possesses 5 tools on the baseball field and is a prototypical lead off hitter.  Ty will not only roam CF for many years but will be a great leader." 





Coming to the Aces from Fond du Lac, WI is right-handed pitcher Ryan Schneider. Schneider plays for Fond du Lac HS where the 6'2" righty, who he helped lead to the 2019 state semifinals. Schneider's fastball hits 90 MPH, placing him in the 93rd-percentile in the 2021 class.

"Ryan will be a great addition to our pitching staff. He currently possess a high level of pitchability to go along with very projectable frame," said Gaura. "I'm excited to be a part of Ryan's development and can't wait to see the future holds for him during his time here at UE."






Joining his high school teammate Ethan Bell in the 2021 class is catcher Chase Taylor from Huntingburg, IN. Taylor joins Bell as signees from Southridge HS, where the two helped the Raiders to a pair of 2A State Championship Game appearances. Taylor has twice been honored as all-Pocket Athletic Conference and has also earned honorable mention all-state.

"Chase comes from a great high school program that has played in big games," stated Carroll on Taylor. "He is a physical athlete that has power at the plate and a strong arm behind it.  Chase has also had a great career at QB in high school so he will bring leadership skills to our locker room as well.  We see him making an impact early in his career in the middle of our order." 





A native of Bowling Green, Ky., Cade Thornton joins the Aces as a talented outfielder. Thornton played his prep baseball for Greenwood High School where he started as a sophomore, hitting .307 with six doubles, two triples, nine RBI, and stole nine bases for the Gators.

"Cade is a great addition to our program.  He is an athletic outfielder and has such a high ceiling at the plate from the left side," said Coach Carroll. "He will be a force in the middle of the lineup in the Missouri Valley Conference for years to come."





The final signee for the Aces is catcher Evan Waggoner from Bedford, IN. Playing for Bedford North Lawrence High School, Waggoner recorded a .365 batting average with 38 hits and 24 walks. Defensively, Waggoner caught 50% of runners stealing against him.

"I am thrilled to welcome Evan to the Aces baseball family," said Carroll. "He is a physical catcher that has played at a high level for many years.  Evan has great leadership skills to command a pitching staff and has some pop from the left side of the plate.  I look forward to him being on campus next fall."