Chatt-a-Hoots Commit Trio of Mountaineers

Columbus, GA - The Columbus Chatt-a-Hoots are excited to announce our next batch of commitments for the 2021 season.

The team has secured three incoming West Virginia University players for the inaugural season. 1B Josh Heath, RHP Trent Hodgdon and 3B Alex Khan have all agreed to play in Columbus for 2021.

"We are excited about the trio of guys committed to the University of West Virginia coming to our team" Hoots manager Steve Smith said. "They've each got very strong Division 1 skill sets that will make us very formidable."

Heath is a native of Lewisburg, PA set to debut for the Mountaineers program this spring. His 6-2 frame allows him to swing the bat with the best in the country.

"Josh is a tall and athletic first baseman with big power from the left side and the athleticism to also play in the outfield" Smith said. "He is a big time prospect out of Lewisburg High School that we are excited about his impact to our lineup."

According to Perfect Game, Heath's barrel speed, acceleration, and impact momentum all rank in the 99.7 percentile and above for the class of 2021. His career average in high school was .396.

"I am extremely excited to be accepted into the program and I am ready to grow not just as a player, but a person" Heath said. "I’m ready to get to work!" 

Hodgdon is a high school senior heading to WVU by way of Smiths Station. A tall right handed pitcher at 6-2, Smith is excited for the power and variety of pitches Hodgdon can bring to the mound.

"Trent is a power RHP with a fastball that has been up to 94mph and features a strong mix of secondary's" Smith said. "We believe he will be an impact arm on our staff this summer."

Hodgdon's sophomore season stands out on paper as he went 6-1 with 56 strikeouts and a 2.12 ERA while helping his high school to a semifinal appearance in the Alabama state 7A playoff bracket.

"I am very honored to be part of the Columbus Chatt-a-Hoots, and able to play in front of family and friends at Golden Park" Hodgdon said. "This also gives me a great opportunity to play with and get to know the other players going to West Virginia University and take the field again with former Smiths Station baseball brothers. I look forward to playing for coach Steve Smith and his coaching staff." 

Khan is coming to Columbus by way of Calvert Hall High School in Maryland where he's a 2019 MIAA State champion. His championship resume continued into 2020 where he was a part of Cane's American 2020 WWBA championship team. Both teams saw Khan play exceptionally on the left side of the infield, so much so that he was listed as the #1 3B prospect in Maryland for the class of 2021.

"Alex is a tall athletic shortstop that will be transitioning to 3rd base at the next level" Smith said. "With his bat and defense he will help to solidify our corner infield."

Khan's choice to go to WVU runs in the family too as his mother is an alum of the school.

"I'm excited to head down south to Columbus this summer and getting to work." Khan said.

Heath, Hodgdon and Khan bring the Hoots commitment total up to 10 players as the days continue tick down until the 2021 season. Historic Golden Park will be back open for baseball action in early June! Stay tuned to the Hoots social media pages (@HootsonFirst) for the latest info on how to get tickets when baseball returns to Columbus!