Four CVCC players sign Division I scholarships

Chattahoochee Valley Community College has been to the Junior College World Series each of the past two years. If Thursday's signing ceremony at the school is any indication, then the Pirates would appear to have the nucleus of a team for 2016 that could make a third straight trip.

Four CVCC players -- Chad Adkins, JT Thomas, Logan Haner and Jordan Lee -- signed Division I letters of intent Thursday's ceremony.

"It's great for the program," CVCC coach Adam Thomas said. "What it does is that it continues to solidify and verify the things that we work hard here for. When the local high school or even the regional high school players will see is if I go to Chatt Valley, then I have an opportunity to play Division I baseball.

"That is the recruiting factor, but I am happy for those guys and their families."

Thomas, a catcher who batted .317 last season with 17 RBIs, signed with Mercer.

"They gave me a scholarship I couldn't pass up," Thomas said. "I have some family that lives in Macon. My mom's sister and her husband and kids live in Macon. It is a good baseball program and it is a good academic school, so it will be a good fit for me."

Haner, a right-handed pitcher who was 3-1 with a 2.86 ERA last season, signed with Western Kentucky.

"It is a great place to be, great campus, great coaching staff," Haner said.

Lee, a right-handed pitcher who went 7-2 with a 2.40 ERA last year, signed with Georgia State.

"It is really close to home, only about 30 minutes," Lee said. "I will still get to see my family, and they will be able to see my games."

Adkins, a right-handed pitcher, signed with Georgia. He has not played with CVCC yet, having just transferred from Coastal Carolina.

"I have been a Georgia fan my whole life," Adkins said. "My parents actually met at a Georgia game. They started recruiting me out of high school. It is a dream come true."

The Pirates went 43-17 last season and advanced to the final four in the JUCO world series.

"This is a very special group," Adam Thomas said. "Who knows if we get to go again or not? But the good thing is our talent level is the same place it was last year and also in '14. Obviously, we are not defending anything, the program is defending something. But these guys are going to walk out of here as the best class in school history."

Kevin Price, Follow Kevin on Twitter@lesports

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 10:35 PM with the headline "Four CVCC players sign Division I scholarships ."