NEW ORLEANS – Head Coach Blake Dean and his staff brought in a class of junior college signees for the 2024 season that earned high marks as they were recently ranked the 13th-best Junior College class in the nation by The JBB, a junior college publication.
There are 15 newcomers who hail directly from the JUCO ranks. Several played on top 30 teams in the NJCAA. 11 of the 15 JUCO transfers are pitchers.
Christopher Olivier was an NJCAA All-American on a 47-13 Delgado squad last season. He went 11-2 on the mound with 85 strikeouts in 73 innings pitched. In his penultimate start of the season, Olivier went nine innings and struck out 12 batters against Baton Rouge CC.
Grant Edwards (East Central), Cortez Dennis (Pearl River) and Alexander Saunier (LSU-Eunice) all played on teams that finished in the top 15 in the final NJCAA Division II poll.
Edwards pitched on an East Central team that made their first ever appearance in the JUCO World Series. He went 5-0 with three saves and 62 strikeouts in 47 innings pitched.
That East Central team beat LSU-Eunice to get to the World Series. Saunier, who was a team captain, hit .333 with seven home runs, 11 doubles and 48 RBI for the season. He was also on the NJCAA All-Academic Team.
Dennis finished with 62 strikeouts to 16 walks in 58 innings and earned All-Conference Honorable Mention. He had an 8-0 record in 14 appearances (11 starts) for Pearl River CC.
The Privateers also got Bryce Calloway who was a two-way player at Central Alabama. On the mound, Calloway hit .354 with 11 doubles in 50 games. He also pitched in 14 games and started 10 while he accrued 80 strikeouts in 62 innings.
Diego Villescas, a shortstop from Hill College, joins the Privateers after a season in which he hit 10 home runs and stole 25 bases while hitting at a .315 clip while earning a…
Read the full article here
