Charleston Baseball Welcomes 11 Transfers to 2024 Roster
9/5/2023 10:15:00 AM | Baseball
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston baseball and head coach Chad Holbrook announced the addition of 11 transfers for the 2023-24 roster.
Davis Aiken | Jr. | RHP | Florence-Darlington Tech
Aiken comes to Charleston after spending two seasons with Florence-Darlington Tech where he was part of a Stingers roster that posted a 99-26 record the last two years. A native of Simpsonville, S.C., Aiken attended Mauldin HS before heading to Florence-Darlington Tech. He tossed 21.1 innings and posted a 2.95 ERA as a freshman then followed with a 3.33 ERA over 27 innings of work as a sophomore.
Aiken made his first collegiate start in a win-or-go-home contest and proceeded to toss 6 shutout innings allowing just three hits to help keep the Stingers' season rolling. He also tossed five innings of relief, including going into extra innings, to help secure an Eastern District win as a sophomore. He joins four Florence-Darlington Tech teammates Noah Cadiz, Dylan Johnson, Garrick Murray and Ben Venables in the move to Charleston for the 2024 season.
Noah Cadiz | So. | C | Florence-Darlington Tech
Cadiz returns to his hometown of Charleston after spending the 2023 at Florence-Darlington Tech. Cadiz graduated from Pinewood Prep in Summerville, S.C. and was the No. 13 ranked catcher in the state of South Carolina according to Perfect Game when he committed to the Stingers. He joins teammates Davis Aiken, Dylan Johnson, Garrick Murray and Ben Venables in the move to Charleston from Florence-Darlington Tech ahead of the 2024 season.
Hogan Garner | R-Fr. | C/INF | Clemson
Garner returns to his hometown of Charleston after spending a redshirt season at Clemson in 2023. Garner was a highly-touted catching prospect from James Island Charter where he ranked as high as the No. 2 catcher in the state of South Carolina and No. 25 player overall. He was a five-time letterwinner at James Island Charter and was named the 4A Region Player of the Year in 2022. Garner was also named the No. 136 catcher in the nation by Perfect Game when he first committed to the Tigers.
Dylan Johnson | Jr. | C | | Florence-Darlington Tech
Johnson comes to Charleston from Florence-Darlington Tech where he helped lead the Stingers to a 99-26 record over two seasons. Johnson was a two-time Region 10 catcher and was named to the 2023 NJCAA Region 10 All-Defensive Team. In two seasons with the Stingers, Johnson collected 107 hits with 22 doubles, three triples, eight homers and drove in 81 RBI while scoring 88 times. He also stole 18 bags, drew 55 walks and threw out seven base runners while at Florence-Darlington Tech.
Johnson spent the 2023 summer with the Cotuit Kettleers alongside Charleston teammates Trotter Harlan, Cole Mathis and Aidan Hunter in the Cape Cod League. He was a 2021 All-Region Player, American Legion Team MVP and played in the North/South game his senior season at White Knoll HS where he was teammates with current Cougar Alex Lyon.
Kevin Madden | Gr. | INF | South Carolina, Virginia Tech
Madden comes to Charleston after spending his undergraduate career at Virginia Tech of the ACC and South Carolina of the SEC. With the Hokies, Madden played in 118 games starting 117 of those and hit .306 with 10 homers, 75 RBI, 141 hits and scored 73 runs. Madden also slugged .425 and reached base at a .353 clip for the Hokies over three seasons with 21 doubles and a pair of triples.
Madden spent two seasons in Columbia where he had five doubles and six homers with 29 RBI and 50 hits. He was primarily a third baseman at the Power 5 level where he had a career slash line of .284/.338/.408 and is just nine hits from 200 in his collegiate career.
Garrick Murray | Jr. | RHP | Florence-Darlington Tech
Murray returns to his hometown of Charleston after spending two seasons at Florence-Darlington Tech. Murray pitched for a loaded Stingers roster that went 99-26 over the 2022 and 2023 seasons and finished as the Eastern District Runner-Ups both campaigns. He went 6-1 with a 3.91 ERA in his two seasons of JUCO action tossing 73.2 innings and striking out 84 batters. Murray enjoyed a strong 2023 season posting a 5-1 record and 3.15 ERA in 15 appearances, 11 of those coming as starts.
In conference play, Murray posted a 1.04 ERA across 26 innings of work. He posted a 5-inning, 1-hit performance Feb. 4 against No. 5 Florida Southwestern at the Perfect Game JUCO Invitational then tossed a complete game one-hitter at USC Lancaster April 2 where she struck out six hitters.
Avery Neaves | Gr. | OF | Lynchburg
Neaves comes to Charleston fresh off leading Lynchburg to the DIII National Title in 2023 where the Hornets set the ODAC record for single season wins and became the first for any ODAC baseball or DIII institution in the state of Virginia. Neaves was a two-time First Team All-American with the Hornets where he had a slash line of .360/.513/.673 across three seasons clubbing 34 homers, driving home 194 RBI, stealing 70 bags and drawing 149 walks. He set the program record in career homers, RBI and walks as well as the ODAC record for career walks.
Neaves was also named the 2022 ODAC Player of the Year and became the first player in program history with multiple First Team All-American honors. Neves spent the 2020 spring at Chesapeake College where he had four doubles and hit .310 in nine games before COVID cut the season short.
Dariyan Pendergrass | Jr. | OF | Spartanburg Methodist
Pendergrass comes to Charleston from Spartanburg Methodist where he slashed .403/.489/.546 across two seasons collecting 141 hits – 23 doubles and nine triples. Pendergrass finished the 2023 season with 19 multi-hit games including five three-hit performances. He drew 55 walks to just 27 strikeouts at Spartanburg Methodist while swiping 75 bases and scoring 132 runs.
Pendergrass was also a two-time Region Player of the Year at Harstville HS in baseball and was named Player of the Year in football showcasing his multi-sport prowess. Pendergrass spent the 2023 summer with the Lexington Blowfish of the Coastal Plains League where he played alongside Charleston teammates Alex Lyon and Andrew Duval where they won the League Championship.
Cole Singsank | Gr. | INF | High Point
Singsank comes to Charleston as a graduate transfer from High Point where he hit .273 with 13 homers and 97 RBI. He also drew 75 walks and collected 35 doubles while fielding at a .985 mark for the Panthers. Singsank had at least 10 doubles and 25 RBI each full season while slugging .426 and reaching base at a .380 clip. He played in 160 games with 143 starts for the Panthers earning All-Big South Honorable Mention in 2021.
Singsank is a Durham, N.C. native and attended Northern Durham HS where he was a four-year letterwinner and earned Offensive MVP in 2018 and 19 as well as Big 8 All-Conference both seasons.
JD Suarez | Jr. | INF | Charlotte
Suarez comes to Charleston from Charlotte where he was part of a 49ers squad that made it to the 2023 Clemson Regional Final as they knocked out the No. 4 National Seed and host Clemson. Suarez played in 42 games while at Charlotte with 14 starts and collected 11 hits in 63 at-bats. He scored 12 runs and had a two-run home run in the 2022 season against Gardner-Webb.
Suarez is a Charlotte, N.C. native where he attended Charlotte Christian and won two state titles. His senior season – 2021 – Suarez helped lead the Knights to their second title in his varsity career and was named the Conference Player of the Year and was an All-State Selection.
Ben Venables | Jr. | INF | Florence-Darlington Tech
Venables comes to Charleston via Florence-Darlington Tech where he spent two seasons as a middle infielder for back-to-back record-setting Stinger rosters that set single season win highs of 49 and 50. He hit .316 in his two seasons and fielded at a .950 clip helping lead Florence-Darlington Tech to back-to-back Region 10 regular season championships and East District Runner-Ups.
Prior to Florence-Darlington, Venables attended Northwestern HS in Rock Hill, S.C. where he was named All-Region, a North-South All-Star and Diamond Prospects All-Star. Venables was also a Junior Legion MVP and State Champion during his varsity career.
Davis Aiken | Jr. | RHP | Florence-Darlington Tech
Aiken comes to Charleston after spending two seasons with Florence-Darlington Tech where he was part of a Stingers roster that posted a 99-26 record the last two years. A native of Simpsonville, S.C., Aiken attended Mauldin HS before heading to Florence-Darlington Tech. He tossed 21.1 innings and posted a 2.95 ERA as a freshman then followed with a 3.33 ERA over 27 innings of work as a sophomore.
Aiken made his first collegiate start in a win-or-go-home contest and proceeded to toss 6 shutout innings allowing just three hits to help keep the Stingers' season rolling. He also tossed five innings of relief, including going into extra innings, to help secure an Eastern District win as a sophomore. He joins four Florence-Darlington Tech teammates Noah Cadiz, Dylan Johnson, Garrick Murray and Ben Venables in the move to Charleston for the 2024 season.
Noah Cadiz | So. | C | Florence-Darlington Tech
Cadiz returns to his hometown of Charleston after spending the 2023 at Florence-Darlington Tech. Cadiz graduated from Pinewood Prep in Summerville, S.C. and was the No. 13 ranked catcher in the state of South Carolina according to Perfect Game when he committed to the Stingers. He joins teammates Davis Aiken, Dylan Johnson, Garrick Murray and Ben Venables in the move to Charleston from Florence-Darlington Tech ahead of the 2024 season.
Hogan Garner | R-Fr. | C/INF | Clemson
Garner returns to his hometown of Charleston after spending a redshirt season at Clemson in 2023. Garner was a highly-touted catching prospect from James Island Charter where he ranked as high as the No. 2 catcher in the state of South Carolina and No. 25 player overall. He was a five-time letterwinner at James Island Charter and was named the 4A Region Player of the Year in 2022. Garner was also named the No. 136 catcher in the nation by Perfect Game when he first committed to the Tigers.
Dylan Johnson | Jr. | C | | Florence-Darlington Tech
Johnson comes to Charleston from Florence-Darlington Tech where he helped lead the Stingers to a 99-26 record over two seasons. Johnson was a two-time Region 10 catcher and was named to the 2023 NJCAA Region 10 All-Defensive Team. In two seasons with the Stingers, Johnson collected 107 hits with 22 doubles, three triples, eight homers and drove in 81 RBI while scoring 88 times. He also stole 18 bags, drew 55 walks and threw out seven base runners while at Florence-Darlington Tech.
Johnson spent the 2023 summer with the Cotuit Kettleers alongside Charleston teammates Trotter Harlan, Cole Mathis and Aidan Hunter in the Cape Cod League. He was a 2021 All-Region Player, American Legion Team MVP and played in the North/South game his senior season at White Knoll HS where he was teammates with current Cougar Alex Lyon.
Kevin Madden | Gr. | INF | South Carolina, Virginia Tech
Madden comes to Charleston after spending his undergraduate career at Virginia Tech of the ACC and South Carolina of the SEC. With the Hokies, Madden played in 118 games starting 117 of those and hit .306 with 10 homers, 75 RBI, 141 hits and scored 73 runs. Madden also slugged .425 and reached base at a .353 clip for the Hokies over three seasons with 21 doubles and a pair of triples.
Madden spent two seasons in Columbia where he had five doubles and six homers with 29 RBI and 50 hits. He was primarily a third baseman at the Power 5 level where he had a career slash line of .284/.338/.408 and is just nine hits from 200 in his collegiate career.
Garrick Murray | Jr. | RHP | Florence-Darlington Tech
Murray returns to his hometown of Charleston after spending two seasons at Florence-Darlington Tech. Murray pitched for a loaded Stingers roster that went 99-26 over the 2022 and 2023 seasons and finished as the Eastern District Runner-Ups both campaigns. He went 6-1 with a 3.91 ERA in his two seasons of JUCO action tossing 73.2 innings and striking out 84 batters. Murray enjoyed a strong 2023 season posting a 5-1 record and 3.15 ERA in 15 appearances, 11 of those coming as starts.
In conference play, Murray posted a 1.04 ERA across 26 innings of work. He posted a 5-inning, 1-hit performance Feb. 4 against No. 5 Florida Southwestern at the Perfect Game JUCO Invitational then tossed a complete game one-hitter at USC Lancaster April 2 where she struck out six hitters.
Avery Neaves | Gr. | OF | Lynchburg
Neaves comes to Charleston fresh off leading Lynchburg to the DIII National Title in 2023 where the Hornets set the ODAC record for single season wins and became the first for any ODAC baseball or DIII institution in the state of Virginia. Neaves was a two-time First Team All-American with the Hornets where he had a slash line of .360/.513/.673 across three seasons clubbing 34 homers, driving home 194 RBI, stealing 70 bags and drawing 149 walks. He set the program record in career homers, RBI and walks as well as the ODAC record for career walks.
Neaves was also named the 2022 ODAC Player of the Year and became the first player in program history with multiple First Team All-American honors. Neves spent the 2020 spring at Chesapeake College where he had four doubles and hit .310 in nine games before COVID cut the season short.
Dariyan Pendergrass | Jr. | OF | Spartanburg Methodist
Pendergrass comes to Charleston from Spartanburg Methodist where he slashed .403/.489/.546 across two seasons collecting 141 hits – 23 doubles and nine triples. Pendergrass finished the 2023 season with 19 multi-hit games including five three-hit performances. He drew 55 walks to just 27 strikeouts at Spartanburg Methodist while swiping 75 bases and scoring 132 runs.
Pendergrass was also a two-time Region Player of the Year at Harstville HS in baseball and was named Player of the Year in football showcasing his multi-sport prowess. Pendergrass spent the 2023 summer with the Lexington Blowfish of the Coastal Plains League where he played alongside Charleston teammates Alex Lyon and Andrew Duval where they won the League Championship.
Cole Singsank | Gr. | INF | High Point
Singsank comes to Charleston as a graduate transfer from High Point where he hit .273 with 13 homers and 97 RBI. He also drew 75 walks and collected 35 doubles while fielding at a .985 mark for the Panthers. Singsank had at least 10 doubles and 25 RBI each full season while slugging .426 and reaching base at a .380 clip. He played in 160 games with 143 starts for the Panthers earning All-Big South Honorable Mention in 2021.
Singsank is a Durham, N.C. native and attended Northern Durham HS where he was a four-year letterwinner and earned Offensive MVP in 2018 and 19 as well as Big 8 All-Conference both seasons.
JD Suarez | Jr. | INF | Charlotte
Suarez comes to Charleston from Charlotte where he was part of a 49ers squad that made it to the 2023 Clemson Regional Final as they knocked out the No. 4 National Seed and host Clemson. Suarez played in 42 games while at Charlotte with 14 starts and collected 11 hits in 63 at-bats. He scored 12 runs and had a two-run home run in the 2022 season against Gardner-Webb.
Suarez is a Charlotte, N.C. native where he attended Charlotte Christian and won two state titles. His senior season – 2021 – Suarez helped lead the Knights to their second title in his varsity career and was named the Conference Player of the Year and was an All-State Selection.
Ben Venables | Jr. | INF | Florence-Darlington Tech
Venables comes to Charleston via Florence-Darlington Tech where he spent two seasons as a middle infielder for back-to-back record-setting Stinger rosters that set single season win highs of 49 and 50. He hit .316 in his two seasons and fielded at a .950 clip helping lead Florence-Darlington Tech to back-to-back Region 10 regular season championships and East District Runner-Ups.
Prior to Florence-Darlington, Venables attended Northwestern HS in Rock Hill, S.C. where he was named All-Region, a North-South All-Star and Diamond Prospects All-Star. Venables was also a Junior Legion MVP and State Champion during his varsity career.
Players Mentioned
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