KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State head baseball coach
Ryan Coe announced the signing of 12 high school prospects on Friday. The class is ranked No. 40 nationally by Perfect Game and is the highest-ranked signing class among Conference USA programs.
The class features eight prospects from Georgia, three from Tennessee and one from Florida.
Robby Chiaffredo | RHP | Atlanta, Ga. (Holy Innocents' Episcopal)
Recorded 29.0 innings with 32 strikeouts and a 3.80 ERA during his junior season, helping lead the Golden Bears to a runner-up finish in the GHSA Private classification ... Will join former Holy Innocents' teammates Taylor Fuller and
Davis Harper in Kennesaw.
"Robbie is a projectable RHP with a tremendous upside. He currently plays for tradition-based high school and travel organizations and that foundation will help him compete here early in his career." - Ryan Coe
Haydenn Downes | OF | Douglasville, Ga. (Carrollton)
Earned second team All-Region honors following his junior season ... Posted career highs across all offensive categories, batting .340 with three home runs and 40 RBIs ... Will join teammate Gunner Fokken in the Owls' signing class.
"Haydenn Downes has as high of a ceiling as you can hope for in a player. He was an easy player to identify and he continues to develop into a really exciting player." - Ryan Coe
Gunner Fokken | C | Winston, Ga. (Carrollton)
Ranked No. 491 nationally by Perfect Game ... A two-time first team All-Region selection ... Batted .350 with four home runs as a sophomore before hitting .330 with one home run and 14 doubles as a junior ... Earned first team All-State honors following his junior season.
"Gunner is everything you're looking for in a catcher, from the tools behind the plate to the intangibles and make up. Adding to that, he has feel to hit from both sides of the plate as a switch hitter." - Ryan Coe"
Parker Free | C | Oak Ridge, Tenn. (Oak Ridge)
A two-time region and district champion under head coach Travis Free at Oak Ridge High School ... Recorded at least 55 hits and batted above .369 in both his sophomore and junior seasons ... Named District Hitter of the Year after collecting 57 hits and 10 home runs as a junior ... Also earned district honors as a sophomore (Defensive Player of the Year) and freshman (Rookie of the Year).
"Parker Free is a great ball player. He plays for his Dad in high school at a nationally renowned program with a strong history of success. He has as pure of a hit tool as we saw in this class and also plays a premium position." - Ryan Coe
Dylan Honore | SS/OF | Powder Springs, Ga. (Hillgrove)
Named a Preseason second team All-American by Perfect Game entering his senior season ... Recorded 24 hits and stole 25 bases last summer ... Earned second team All-Region honors as both a sophomore and junior, recording at least 24 hits and 27 runs in each season.
"Dylan is as exciting of an athlete as you will find in this class. His ability to play multiple positions and impact the game in a variety of ways gives him an opportunity to compete early in his career." - Ryan Coe
Maddox McCollum | RHP | Peachtree Corners, Ga. (Wesleyan)
Helped lead Wesleyan to the 2026 GHSA Private School state championship ... Recorded 61 strikeouts in 68.1 innings, earning Most Valuable Pitcher honors ... Will join his brother, Grayson, in Black and Gold.
"Maddox has the skill set and upside to develop into a front-line starter for us. He has been surrounded by great coaches at both the high school and travel ball levels. We are thrilled to have him join our program." - Ryan Coe
Mason Peek | RHP | Calhoun, Ga. (Calhoun)
A three-time All-Region selection ... Named Region Pitcher of the Year and earned All-State honors following his junior season after posting a 1.53 ERA with 97 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings ... Held opposing hitters to a .163 batting average.
"Mason brings a strong arm and a competitive edge that you love to see on the mound. His intensity and willingness to compete are traits that will make him a great addition to our program." - Ryan Coe
Garrett Smith | OF | Hull, Ga. (Madison County)
A three-time All-Region selection, including Region Player of the Year following his junior season ... Batted .371 with nine doubles and seven home runs while helping lead the Red Raiders to the GHSA AAA playoffs ... Also named Athens-area Baseball Player of the Year.
"Garrett is a physical outfielder with tremendous upside. His ability to impact the game with his power at the plate, combined with his athleticism in the outfield, gives him an exciting skill set." - Ryan Coe
Jaxson Vassallo | SS | Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy)
Ranked as the No. 291 prospect in the country by Perfect Game ... Posted a .352 average with 24 RBIs and six steals during his junior season with IMG Academy National Black.
"Jaxson is the epitome of an all-around player. His ability to play a premium position in the infield, hit for both contact and power, and impact the game on the basepaths makes him a very exciting addition to our program." - Ryan Coe
Dylan White | SS | Statesboro, Ga. (Georgia Premier Academy)
Batted .410 with a 1.204 OPS and three home runs during his junior season at Georgia Premier Academy ... Earned first-team All-State honors.
"Dylan had as good of a summer with the bat as you can have. He showed a real hit tool - he hit for power and he showed the ability to control the zone. He plays for a great coach who continues to develop players at the highest level and Dylan is another example of that." - Ryan Coe
Sam Wilkinson | 1B/LHP | Memphis, Tenn. (Christian Brothers)
Batted .342/.388/.608 with three home runs and 24 RBIs during his junior season ... Posted a 1.91 ERA in 35 2/3 innings on the mound, earning All-Region honors for his two-way performance ... Hit .361 with two home runs and 19 RBIs last summer with EBC Griggs.
"Sam has the ability to impact the game both on the mound and at the plate. His ability to both hit and pitch at a high level will allow him to impact the game immediately." - Ryan Coe
Jonah Winton | RHP/SS | Chattanooga, Tenn. (Silverdale Baptist)
Ranked No. 179 nationally by Perfect Game and No. 10 among Tennessee's 2027 prospects by Prep Baseball Tennessee ... Earned first-team All-Region, All-County and Rookie of the Year honors following his freshman season, batting .385 with one home run.
"Jonah is as good of an athlete as you'll find in this class and currently pitches and plays shortstop. He is up to 95 on the mound and has the skill set to be an impactful two-way guy at this level." - Ryan Coe
The Champions Fund
The Champions Fund is a newly created, 100% tax deductible, philanthropic opportunity to contribute strategic revenue to Kennesaw State Athletics, with the goal of strengthening our ability to recruit and retain top-tier talent in this new era of collegiate athletics. Contributions to the Champions Fund will help aid in funding student-athlete recruitment and retention, as well as helping the Owls provide competitive excellence through investments in coaching, travel and facilities. The fund will also give an elevated student-athlete experience, including enhanced academic, nutrition, wellness and leadership programs. Donate to the Champions Fund here and help us support our Kennesaw State Owls.
Â
