2026 Fall College Baseball Reset: Southern Miss

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2026 Fall College Baseball Reset: Southern Miss

Originally posted on New Baseball Media
By Chris Studley | Last updated Oct 16, 2026 6:16 PM ET

While the Southern Miss Golden Eagles had a very difficult season in the NCAA tournament inside their own home confines, last year was still a significant success. No, Southern Miss didn’t take full advantage once the postseason began. But still, the Eagles hosted a Regional and were one of the best baseball schools in the country last year. Now, Southern Miss will look to do better in a competitive Sun Belt conference in 2027.

The Returnees

Three of the top four hitters from the Golden Eagles’ 2026 team are gone. Joey Urban, the hits leader, was drafted after his senior season. Matthew Russo and Kyle Morrison are also no longer with Southern Miss.

Davis Gillespie is back for his senior season. Gillespie batted .322 with 76 hits as a junior, along with 15 home runs, tied with Urban for second-most on the team. The infielder had two home runs and five RBI during the NCAA tourney for Southern Miss.

Two other key contributors from 2026, Seth Smith and Drey Barrett, also returned for 2027. Smith had 68 hits over 59 games for the Eagles last year, while Barrett had 22 extra-base hits as a sophomore.

Other notable returning players are now-redshirt senior Tucker Stockman, two-way player Ty Long, and sophomore Gray Eubanks.

Moving to the pitching staff, that has been the real key to why the Golden Eagles have been so successful in the Sun Belt over the past three seasons. The top three innings eaters from 2026, Grayden Harris, Camden Clark, and Camden Sunstrom, are all on the roster for 2027.

Harris struck out a team-high 107 batters and walked just 19 over 87 innings last year. Part of the 2026 USA collegiate national team, Harris can pound the zone with the sinker and mix it up with a changeup and slider.

(via New Baseball Media)

Clark, the harder thrower of the bunch, worked as both a reliever and starter for Southern Miss last season. The right-hander posted a stellar 2.93 ERA, struck out 81 over 55 innings, and has that mid-90s four-seamer with carry to play off the changeup and slider.

(via New Baseball Media)

Sunstrom, like Clark and Harris, also limited the walks. A sinker/slider pitcher, Sunstrom punched out 80 over 78 innings in 2026.

(via New Baseball Media)

Thomas Crabtree, Bruce Littleton, Teague Broadhead, and Cole Richardson are among the other returning pitchers.

The Newcomers

Much of the transfer focus was on bringing in new hitters this year.

Southern Miss picked up Grand Canyon infielder Cannon Peery, who will join the Golden Eagles after a coaching change in Arizona. Peery hit well as a junior, as he finished second on GCU’s 2026 team with nine home runs, plus 54 total hits to finish second on the team.

Brady Waugh hit .322 with UAB in his junior season. Waugh notched 67 hits, 20 of which were extra-base hits, seven home runs, plus a .431 on-base percentage for the Blazers.

Cade Baker hit eight home runs for Toledo in the MAC last season. He batted .312 for the Rockets as a junior.

Luke Williams, not to be confused with the former Braves infielder, hit .313 with East Central CC in limited time this past year.

This article first appeared on New Baseball Media and was syndicated with permission.

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