BAY MINETTE, Ala. - The Coastal Alabama - South Baseball program continues to develop talent at the next level as eight student-athletes from head coach JD Pruitt's 2026 squad have signed to continue their collegiate baseball careers at four-year institutions.

Leading the group are a pair of standouts headed to NCAA Division I University of West Florida in shortstop Derek Jelen and versatile two-way player Seth Payne.

Jelen turned in one of the top offensive seasons on the team in 2026, appearing in 44 games while batting .390 with a .475 on-base percentage and .591 slugging percentage. He recorded 60 hits, including 16 doubles and five home runs, while driving in 27 runs and stealing nine bases.

For Payne, the two-way player made a major impact both at the plate and on the mound for the Coyotes in 2026. Offensively, he hit .375 with 57 hits, 12 doubles, three home runs and 30 RBIs across 46 games while also swiping a team-best 33 bases, ranking him second in the ACCC Division I in that category. On the mound, the right-hander led the team in innings pitched (56.0) and strikeouts (55), posting an 8.84 strikeouts-per-nine average across 14 appearances.

Bryson Morman will also continue his career at an NCAA Division I institution, signing with University of Alabama - Birmingham (UAB) after totaling 30 strikeouts in 31 innings pitched during the 2026 campaign. The right-hander made seven appearances, including six starts.

Chris Floyd also earned an NCAA Division I opportunity, with the right-handed hurler signing with Alabama State after leading the team with a 9.75 strikeouts-per-nine rate. Floyd struck out 26 batters in 24 innings over 16 appearances from out of the bullpen.

Finally, Jackson Kilcreas becomes the fifth Coyote to advance their collegiate careers to the NCAA Division I, with Killcreas continuing his collegiate career at Northwestern State (La.) after making 12 appearances on the mound and totaling 15 strikeouts in 14.1 innings.

Other signees include right-handed pitcher Trevor Ferris and southpaw Spencer Nicholas, who both inked commitments with NCAA Division II programs. Ferris, signed with the University of West Alabama after making 20 appearances on the rubber for Coastal Alabama - South. Ferris struck out 39 batters in 38.2 innings while recording a strong 9.08 strikeouts-per-nine rate in 2026. Meanwhile, left-handed pitcher Spencer Nicholas signed with the University of Montevallo (Ala.) after logging 44 innings across 13 appearances and six starts during the season.

Finally, right-handed pitcher Cole Arnett signed with NAIA program Point University (Ga.) following a season in which he struck out 12 batters in 12.2 innings pitched.

In addition to the eight signees already announced, several other members of the Coastal Alabama - South Baseball program currently have offers on the table and are weighing their options. Additional signing announcements are expected later this summer.

Under Pruitt's leadership, Coastal Alabama - South Baseball continues to establish itself as a strong pipeline for student-athletes seeking opportunities at the next level, both academically and athletically.

 

For coverage of Coastal Alabama South Athletics, follow the Coyotes on social media at /CoastalAlabamaSouth (Facebook), @CoastalAL_south (Twitter), and @coastalal_south (Instagram), or visit the official home of the Coastal Alabama South Athletic Department at https://coastalcoyotessouth.com/index.aspx