Four Southern Miss Commits Make Baseball America's Top 500 MLB Draft Prospects

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Baseball America released its Top 500 MLB Draft Prospects list on Monday, and four Golden Eagle commits found their names among the nation's top high school talent.

Outfielders Trey Barnes (Petal), Henry Abt (Hartfield Academy), along with right-handed pitchers Alex Richardson (Belle Chasse) and Taylor Latham (Hartfield Academy), all earned spots on the rankings while remaining committed to Southern Miss for the 2027 season.

Let’s take a gander at the outlook on all four Southern Miss commits:

Trey Barnes | OF/RHP | Petal, MS | Baseball America Ranking: #320

Few players in Mississippi enjoyed a better senior season than Petal standout Trey Barnes. Barnes helped lead the Panthers to the MHSAA Class 7A State Championship and was named State Championship Series MVP after delivering multiple key hits and elite defensive plays throughout the title run.

The Petal product maintained a .380 batting average during his senior campaign and established himself as one of the state's most complete players. Barnes looks to become a versatile outfielder capable of contributing immediately both offensively and on the basepaths.

Henry Abt | OF/RHP | Hartfield Academy | Baseball America Ranking: #366

Hartfield Academy's Henry Abt enters college baseball as one of the most dynamic athletes in the region. The left-handed hitter posted a remarkable .472 batting average while collecting 51 hits and 25 RBIs during his senior season.

His combination of speed, power, and athleticism gives him the potential to make an immediate impact at Southern Miss.

Alex Richardson | RHP/INF | Belle Chasse, LA | Baseball America Ranking: #383

Alex Richardson, USM — Belle Chasse High School

One of the top arms committed to Southern Miss, Richardson is coming off a dominant senior season at Belle Chasse (LA). Richardson posted an incredible 0.47 ERA over 59.2 innings while allowing just 22 hits and recording 124 strikeouts.

During his senior campaign, Richardson elevated his stock even further by reaching nearly 92 mph with his fastball at Prep Baseball Report Scout Days. He also threw a complete-game no-hitter and established himself as one of Louisiana's premier pitching prospects. His pitching ability and power arm could allow him to contribute early to the Southern Miss pitching staff.

Taylor Latham | RHP | Hartfield Academy | Baseball America Ranking: #486

Taylor Latham, USM — Brad Bridges | Epic Photography LLC

Taylor Latham would bring impressive velocity to the Golden Eagles' future roster.

After transferring to Hartfield Academy from Columbia Academy for his senior year, Latham continued to impress scouts throughout his senior season. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound right-hander touched 94 mph at the Prep Baseball Report Super 60 Showcase and showed the ability to dominate hitters during postseason play last season.

With his physical frame and arm strength, Latham could be someone we see sooner than later on the mound at the Pete.

From all of us here at Southern Miss on SI, we are looking forward to seeing how these four commits transition to college ball come next season. That is, assuming they all actually get to campus. We'll be monitoring these four closely as the MLB Draft runs from July 11 to July 13.

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