Cougar Baseball Announces Recruiting Class
BY CSU Sports Information
COLUMBUS - Columbus State University head baseball coach Greg Appleton announced the addition of seven players to the Cougar baseball program for the 2021 season.
Carson Bell, Gavin Harmon, Colin Koprowski, Cooper Krause, Seth Nelson, Chase Norris, and Stevie Szucs are all a part of the latest Cougar recruiting class.
"Overall, I feel very good about our early signing class this fall," commented Appleton. "We addressed all of our needs and inked a host of excellent players. Associate head coach Patrick Collins did another excellent job identifying these players and I would like to thank our entire staff for their hard work."
Carson Bell - River Ridge High School - Woodstock, Ga.
Bell is a standout at River Ridge High School. One of the best infielder defenders in the state, Bell earned a Golden Glove award last season. He was named an All-County performer in both his sophomore and junior years while being named the Offensive Player of the Year at River Ridge in his freshman season.
Appleton on Bell: "Carson is a very talented athlete that will play third base in the future for the Cougars. He has a tremendous ceiling as a player and we are looking forward to seeing his development."
Gavin Harmon - Georgia Highlands College - Douglasville, Ga.
A versatile player, Harmon will be playing his sophomore season at Georgia Highlands College. This summer, Harmon played with the Lima Locos of the Great Lakes League helping the team to the league championship hitting .300 with a team best four home runs.
At the high school level, Harmon was named to the 2016 5A Georgia Dugout Club Region Five team at Alexander High School in Douglasville, Ga. Also, he was a 2017 Perfect Game Preseason All-American selection.
Appleton on Harmon: "Gavin brings us an immediate power bat to the middle of our lineup. He is a versatile defender that can play outfield and also can catch. He can run very well and has a plus arm. He is going to be an excellent fit in our program."
Colin Koprowski - Sequoyah High School - Canton, Ga.
A right-hander from Canton, Koprowski is a two-time Region Six 6A All-Region selection. Last season for Sequoyah, he struck out 54 in 42.1 innings of work. In his sophomore season, Koprowski posted a 1.94 ERA in 36 innings while punching out 51 batters.
Koprowski has been named Sequoyah's Cy Young award winner in each of the past two seasons and ranks inside the top-five in program history for strikeouts.
Appleton on Koprowski: "Colin is a young, power arm that has great potential to be an excellent pitcher for Columbus State. I like his makeup and competitiveness and feel like he will fit right into our program."
Cooper Krause - Pope High School - Marietta, Ga.
A catcher from Pope High School, Krause is an excellent defensive backstop. He has been the recipient of both the Student-Athlete Award as well as the Coach's Award. With his travel team, Krause was chosen to the all-defensive team with the 17u 643 DP Cougars.
Appleton on Krause: "Cooper is a fine addition to the team and will fit in well here at Columbus State. He has a good skill set behind the plate and has a great baseball mind."
Seth Nelson - Lee County High School - Leesburg, Ga.
Another catcher, Nelson is a two-time All-Region One 6A selection at Lee County High School. In over 60 games, Nelson is a career .358 hitter at Lee with 20 extra-base hits. In addition, Nelson has posted a .445 on-base percentage.
In 2019, he was named to the preseason Rawlings All-America honorable mention team and was awarded the "In the Game Next" award for outstanding performance in baseball.
Appleton on Nelson: "We are very excited about Seth signing here at Columbus State. He is an excellent defensive catcher from a very good Lee County program and he has the potential to be a great collegiate hitter as well."
Chase Norris - St. Albans High School - St. Albans, W. Va.
A lefty from West Virginia, Norris was brilliant on the hill over his junior season for St. Albans High School. In over 35 innings, he posted a minuscule ERA of 0.91, the third-best mark in the Mountain State Athletic Conference. He held opponents to a .147 batting average while racking up 47 strikeouts.
St. Albans has won two state championships with Norris' help and he is ranked as the 13th best prospect in the state of West Virginia by Prep Baseball Report.
Appleton on Norris: "Chase is a quality lefty that has a chance to step in as a freshman and help our ballclub. We are thrilled he chose to come down south for his college days and can't wait to welcome him home to Columbus State."
Stevie Szucs - Georgia Highlands College - Myrtle Beach, S.C.
A junior college transfer, Szucs started 11 games last season at Georgia Highlands. In conference play, he shined on the hill. He went 3-1 with a 3.55 ERA in 33 innings of work.
Appleton on Szucs: "Stevie is a talented pitcher that brings collegiate experience to the roster. He has a plus fastball and a sharp slider that will be weapons for us immediately."