Nov. 12, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont baseball announced the signing of three athletes to National Letters of Intent on Thursday during the early signing period. The class includes left-handed pitcher James Buckelew, shortstop Greg Brody -- both club teammates from Georgia -- and Kentucky native Spencer Petett, a catcher with a powerful offensive upside.

"This recruiting class addresses some very specific needs for next year's team with all three having a great opportunity to come in and make an immediate impact," head coach David Jarvis. "We are very pleased with the quality young men we are bringing in here both on and off the field. They are a very talented group athletically and academically. Coach Barnett and Coach Hall have done a great job of finding players that are both an academic fit as well as an athletic fit for our program."

Buckelew is from Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Ga., where he played for Coach Paul Pierce. The 6-foot-2 southpaw is listed on the Georgia Dugout Club Top 100 Underclassmen and also was a member of the club's Team Georgia - the 2009 Junior Sunbelt Champions. At Collins Hill, Buckelew was twice named Gwinnett (County) Dugout Club Player of the Month, while garnering All-County nods the past two seasons. Buckelew has also been at the top of the rotation Team Elite, a highly-successful travel program coached by Brad Bourus.

"James is the kind of pitcher that we expect to come in and develop into a top notch pitcher in the Atlantic Sun," Jarvis said. "He has been very successful at the highest level in a very competitive area of Georgia and we think the sky is the limit for this left-hander. With a frame that will most certainly add size and strength, we anticipate James adding velocity to become a dominant left-handed pitcher for us"

Shortstop Greg Brody from Hoschton, Ga.

Brody was a four-year starter at Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Ga., under head coach Doug Jones. The 6-foot, 175-pound shortstop is coming off a stellar junior season, hitting .369 with seven homeruns and 14 stolen bases, to earn Gwinnett Dugout Club All-County recognition. Much like his Team Elite teammate and future Belmont teammate, Buckelew, Brody was named to the Georgia Dugout Club Top 100 Underclassmen list.

"Greg has an opportunity to come in and fill an immediate need in the infield in 2010," Jarvis said. "Greg possesses the coveted combination of power and speed, and we feel that he can be a difference maker in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Greg has played at a very high level in the state of Georgia and we expect the transition to the college game to one he makes very quickly"

Catcher Spencer Petett of Tompkinsville, Ky.

Petett comes from Tompkinsville, Ky., where he played under his father, Max Petett, at Monroe County High School. Petett used his 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame to set three single-season records for the Falcon baseball program his junior season, including hits (53), batting average (.525), and slugging percentage (.851). On top of All-District and All-Region honors, Petett played in the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association East/West Junior All-Star game.

"Spencer is an offensive minded catcher that we believe will give us some immediate punch in the lineup," coach Jarvis said. "Spencer also has the intangibles that a catcher in the Atlantic Sun must contain. We believe Spencer can come in and compete for immediate playing time for us at the catching position."

Belmont Baseball 2010 Signees

James Buckelew LHP | Suwanee, Ga. | Collins Hill High School Greg Brody SS | Hoschton, Ga. | Mill Creek High School Spencer Petett C | Tompkinsville, Ky. | Monroe County High School