Notes of Congratulations |
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Congratulations 2023 All-Region Selections
Congratulations – Top Gun Shipyard Invitational All-Tournament Team
Congratulations to Josh Smith from Wren High: 2022-23 SMC Commit Congratulations to Eli Hudgins – 2022 Region II AAA Player of the Year, All-State selection, team Most Valuable Player Powdersville High Congratulations to Evan Moon – 2022 All-Region II AAA selection Congratulations to Josiah Bell – 2022 Powdersville High JV Most Dedicated Award Congratulations to Daniel Rentz – 2022 Langford Middle All-Region selection Congratulations to Kent Crowe – 2022 Perfect Game All-Tournament Team Congratulations to Braden Williams – 2021 Region II AAA All-Region Selection Congratulations to Evan Moon, Garrison Cartee, Robert Manges, and Wells Anderson for being selected to the Diamond Prospects 2021 Fall All-star Team. Congratulations to Matthew Dickson – 2021 Newberry commit Congratulations to Maddox (Mad Dawg) Robinson – 2021 WWBA National All-Tournament Team Congratulations 2019 All-Region High School Selections Joe Freeman Easley Evans Capps Travelers Rest Hayden Barrett Travelers Rest Mac Reaney Travelers Rest All-Tournament Selections Wells Anderson Perfect Game Austin Tanksley Black Bear Classic Special Awards Evans Capps Defensive MVP Travelers Rest Mac Reaney Offensive MVP Travelers Rest Ben Freeman Best Hitter Easley High Maddox “Maddawg” Robinson Powdersville C-Team Most Dedicated Eli Hudgins Powdersville JV MVP Congratulations Joe Freeman Spartanburg Methodist Commit! Congratulations Ashton Hawkins Montreat Anderson Commit! Congratulations Matt Smith – New head baseball coach Pickens High School Special notes of congratulations and best wishes to all the outstanding players and great people that we have been honored to know through high school, American Legion, college, and BLWL Baseball. Also, the many friends made through private instruction and participation in Sports Academy programs. Thank you for allowing us to participate with you, in this, the greatest game of all. Players, parents – please update us and correct us when necessary. We want to honor you here for your special accomplishments. Included in this list will be the approximate dates of our privilege to have shared baseball moments with these special people. |
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| 1984 | Ken Dickson | Houston Astros Signee |
| 1990 | Alex Tolbert | Pittsburgh Pirates Signee |
| 1990 | Rhett Ingerick | New York Yankee Signee |
| 1998 | Hal Chafey | St Louis Cardinals Signee |
| 1997-1999 | Lee Curtis | Southern Conference Player of the Year Boston Red Sox Signee |
| 1998-2000 | Nick Achberger | Frontier League |
| 2003 | Shelton Cisson | NCAA All-American (Erskine) All-Time NCAA II Hits Leader |
| 1998-2005 | Chas Anthony | Multiple times NCAA All-American NCAA II (Erskine) All-Time NCAA II Doubles Leader |
| 2003 | Tommy Lentz | Big South Player-of-the-Year |
| 1998 | Will Callaway | San Francisco Giants Signee |
| 1998 | Jared Locke | Frontier League |
| 1998-1999 | Clinton McKinney | Colorado Rockies |
| 1998-2000 | Emilio Pagan | Seattle Mariners |
| 1998-2000 | Daniel Palka | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| 1998-2014 | J. D. Burgess | Clemson Signee Head Baseball Coach Pickens High |
| 1998-2014 | Matt Smith | Head Baseball Coach Pickens High, Assistant Byrnes High Assistant Pickens High |
| 1998-2012 | Kevin Pucetas | San Francisco Giants Signee MLB Futures Game Participant All-Prospect Team Class A Starting Pitcher-of-the-Year Class A All-Star PCL Mid-Season All-Star |
| 1998-2000 | Brett Harker | Philadelphia Phillies Signee Pitching Coach Furman University Head Coach Furman University |
| 2000-2001 | Taylor Black | Assistant Coach NC State St Louis Cardinals Draftee Started 95 consecutive games at Kentucky SEC and Big South All-Academic |
| 2007 | John Bolding | NCAA All-American (Erskine) |
| 2001 | Kyle Enders | Member of the USC National Champions |
| 2001-2003 | Brady Thomas | Member of the USC National Champions |
| 2007 | Scott Wingo | Member of the USC National Champions Assistant Coach North Greenville University Assistant Baseball Coach Jacksonville Univ |
| 1998-2000 | Jason Burke | Assistant Coach Wofford College, Gardner Webb University, Southern Wesleyn Head Coach Lander University |
| 2000-2008 | Jake Koenig | SMC, UNC-Wilmington Assistant Coach SMC |
| 2010-2013 | Bradley Jones | Toronto Blue Jays draftee |
| 2009-2010 | Jonathan Rosenberger | Assistant Baseball Coach Anderson Univ. |
| 2016 | Chase Ferguson | UCS-Salkehatchie signee |
| 2016 | Griff Cassell | Milligan College signee |
| 2016 | Andrew Stanifer | Milligan College signee |
| 2016 | Chase Stephens | Anderson University signee |
| 2016 | Trey Weisner | Anderson University signee |
| 2016 | Austin Morgan | USC Upstate signee |
| 2016 | Mason Stewart | USC Upstate signee |
| 2017 | Ashton Hawkins | UCS-Salkehatchie signee |
| 2017 | Joshua “Bones” Morrow | UCS-Salkehatchie signee |
| 2017 | Kolby Giles | Perfect Game All-Tournament Selection |
2016 Thomas Jones Miami Marlins – Round 3
2018 Zach Waddell Anderson University
Congratulations to Daniel Nations
Newberry College pitcher Daniel Nations won the 2016 Division II Gold Glove, as announced by the American Baseball Coaches Association. Nations was Newberry’s first-ever national Gold Glove winner and the first South Atlantic Conference honoree since 2012.
Nations – who graduated from Newberry College – is a native of Central, S.C., and was the winner of the South Atlantic Conference’s Gold Glove honor and was also an honorable mention all-conference starting pitcher.
Nations committed no errors that year in 88 innings of action on the mound, recording four putouts and 23 assists. Nations was also effective with runners on base, as only three of nine potential base stealers were successful against him. He finished the year with an 8-1 record with two saves and a 3.48 earned run average, striking out 80 and walking 42.
Thank you, Daniel Nations, for your valuable contributions to the 2012 Big League World Series US Championship. Congratulations on your Gold Glove Award at Newberry and also on your outstanding baseball career.
Tribute to My Favorite Baseball Players 
The year 2015 was special. My two favorite baseball players Brett and Matt (“Whitey”) Youngblood have been inducted into two special Halls of Fame. Brett is a member of the Travelers Rest High School 2015 Hall of Fame class. Matt is a member of the All-Time South Carolina District One baseball team. He is also honored to be a member of the BLWS All-Time team. Tremendous honors for my two favorite baseball players.
Brett was named Travelers Rest High’s 2001 Male Athlete of the Year. He made history in 2000 and 2001 when he was named All-Western AAA at two different positions in two different seasons. He was All-Region as a pitcher and a first baseman. Brett also earned All-County and All-State honors in 2001. The 6’1” lefty was named TRHS MVP in 2000 and 2001. His senior season saw the Devildogs claim District and Upperstate Championships. Brett participated in the 2001 SCBCA North/South All-Star Baseball games. He was selected to the 2001 BLWS Host team. He was also a vital member of the 2000 North Greenville American Legion baseball team which won the only league championship in program history. A side note: Brett was also named All-Region , All-County, and East-West All Star for the TRHS basketball team.
Matt Youngblood’s baseball career is highlighted by winning games. His college career saw his teams amass over 145 wins. He was a .310 hitter with a .995 fielding percentage. He committed only five errors in his college career. Matt was captain of the 2007 BLWS World Champions, driving in crucial runs and directing the game from behind the plate. “Whtey” lettered four years at TRHS and was named All-Region and All-State in 2006. He was selected Defensive MVP and was chosen to participate in the SCBCA North/South All-Star games. Matt, now an assistant coach at Erskine College, played in the Fleet’s first ever NCAA postseason win. Coach Kevin Nichols nicknamed him “Sparky” calling Matt the team leader during this celebrated time in Flying Fleet baseball. Nichols made many references to “Whitey’s” ability to come up with clutch hits igniting rallies or driving in crucial runs.
My favorite baseball players. They displayed some skills. More importantly they were and are intense competitors that respect the game, coaches, opponents, and teammates. They are men of character with a love of the game and a desire to help players. After a distinguished career at Anderson University, Brett now works as a webmaster for three baseball companies. He is an assistant coach at TRHS. Matt continues to enjoy his job as an assistant coach at Erskine.
Hall of Famers. Even better men. They have done so much to have their part in making me feel like the most fortunate man alive. Congratulations to my two favorite baseball players. Even more so remember that one day our Lord will say, “Well done. Enter into the joy of your salvation.”
Special Notes of Congratulations to Jay Jackson
Jay. YOU DID IT! You made it to “the show!” The San Diego Padres have given you the opportunity to show the world what he saw here in Greenville, SC. A young man with talent but also with a competitive fire that is unmatched. I am honored to know you and your special family. Thank you for being a great example to younger players. Your drive and determination is an inspiration to all. Congratulations again to my wonderful friends Jay, Randy, Janice, and Jaz. Enjoy every moment of a dream come true.
Special Notes of Congratulations to Lee Curtis
Congratulations Lee Cutis, 2015 College of Charleston Baseball Hall of Fame inductee. Lee holds the all-time career hitting mark at C of C. He hit .404 in his two years with the Cougars. Curtis was named Southern Conference player of the year both seasons. Curtis holds records with a .742 career slugging percentage and 20 triples. These are also league records. In 2003, Lee was the only player in college baseball to have double figure totals in homers (11), RBI’s (64), doubles (26), stolen bases (20), and triples (11). My congratulations to one of the best SC has ever produced. Thanks for choosing to be a part of our program.