Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) head baseball coach Roland Fanning closed the Governors 2023 recruiting class by signing four pitchers, three of those transfers.
Joining the Govs for the upcoming season are right-handed pitcher Kyle Klingenbeck, a transfer from Northern Kentucky; right-handed pitcher Adam Walker, a transfer from Oklahoma; left-handed pitcher and utility player DJ Merriweather, a standout prep athlete at Clarksville Academy last season; and left-handed pitcher Khaden Washington, a transfer from Indian River State College.
Klingenbeck, a Cincinnati, Ohio native, comes to Clarksville after three seasons at Northern Kentucky. He made 50 career appearances for the Norse, beginning his career as a starter before becoming a full-time reliever in 2023. Klingenbeck made 26 starts as a freshman and sophomore, finishing those two seasons with eight wins and 128 strikeouts in 128 innings. Last season, he made 22 relief appearances and recorded 32 strikeouts in 21.0 innings.
Walker, a Woodland, California product, made five appearances at Oklahoma last season. Before his year in Norman, the right-hander appeared in 14 games at Dodge City Community College, where he struck out 72 batters in 41.2 innings pitched over 14 appearances, including seven starts. Walker began his collegiate career at UC Davis but did not play in his season with the Aggies.
Merriweather batted .337 with 31 RBI as a senior at Clarksville Academy while posting a 3-1 record with 52 strikeouts in 28.1 innings on the mound. During his junior season with the Wildcats, Merriweather batted .580 (62-of-107) with 59 RBI and posted an 8-2 record with 82 strikeouts and a 1.39 ERA on the mound. Merriweather was named a 2022 Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association’s Mr. Baseball Award finalist. A three-sport athlete at Clarksville Academy, he was named the 2022 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Award Winner for Division II, Class A.
Washington, a Fort Smith, Arkansas native, joins the Governors after two seasons at Indian River State College in Florida. He made 10 appearances last season, including one start, and posted a 2-1 record with 41 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched. In his freshman season, Washington made 15 appearances and was 4-4 with 77 strikeouts in 68.2 innings pitched.
This quarter of signees rounds out a group of 15 newcomers on the Governors 2023 roster. Eleven of those newcomers are transfers, including four from other Division I programs.
Austin Peay State University starts its fall practice schedule on September 22nd. The 2024 College Baseball Opening Day is set for February 16th.
APSU Govs’ 2024 Signee Class
| Player | Pos | B/T | Ht | Wt | Hometown / High School / Previous School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Devine | RHP | R/R | 5-9 | 160 | Simi Valley, Calif. / Simi Valley HS / Texas Tech |
| Easton Frazier | RHP | R/R | 6-3 | 187 | Fayetteville, Ark. / Fayetteville HS |
| Titan Hayes | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 218 | Enid, Okla. / Enid HS / San Jacinto College |
| Mateo Hernandez | IF | L/R | 5-4 | 151 | Fort Worth, Texas / North Crowley HS / Western Oklahoma State College |
| Kyle Klingenbeck | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 209 | Cincinnati, Ohio / Elder HS / Northern Kentucky |
| Andres Matias | IF | R/R | 6-2 | 208 | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic / Americas Bicultural School / Connors State College |
| DJ Merriweather | UT/LHP | L/L | 5-11 | 200 | Clarksville, Tenn. / Clarksville Academy |
| Justin Olson | IF | L/L | 6-2 | 247 | Colorado Springs, Colo. / Pine Creek HS / New Mexico |
| Tre Speer | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 195 | Stillwater, Okla. / Glencoe HS |
| Luke Rolland | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 197 | Pangburn, Ark. / Pangburn HS / Connors State College |
| Cannon Rice | RHP | R/R | 5-10 | 203 | Clarksville, Tenn. / Clarksville HS |
| Shawn Scott | LHP | L/L | 6-0 | 170 | Clarksville, Tenn. / Clarksville Academy / Tennessee |
| Brody Szako | IF | L/R | 5-10 | 220 | Magnolia, Texas / Magnolia West HS / Fort Scott CC |
| Adam Walker | RHP | R/R | 6-1 | 186 | Woodland, Calif. / Woodland HS / Oklahoma |
| Khaden Washington | LHP | L/L | 6-4 | 234 | Fort Smith, Ark. / Northside HS / Indian River State |
