FORT MYERS, Fla.- Following an All-Conference freshman season for the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers, FSW first baseman Nate Early has signed alongside Bucs teammate Reyn Watson to play at Appalachian State for the 2024-2025 season. 

 

Earley was a regular in the Bucs lineup last season, hitting .281 in 44 games while clubbing eight doubles, three home runs, and driving in 27 to earn 2nd Team All-Southern Conference honors. He had 10 multi-hit games as a freshman including a perfect 3-3 performance in the FCSAA State Tournament against Central Florida. He backed that up going 1-1 with four walks in game two of the Ocala Regional, meaning Earley reached base in all nine plate appearances during the 2023 playoffs. He had the best game of his Buccaneers career in a win over East Georgia State, going 2-4 with a home run and six RBIs, also scoring three runs in the victory.

 

Earley signs with an App State squad that put together a solid 2023 campaign, going 30-25 overall and 16-13 in Sun Belt Conference action. After being picked 12^th in the preseason coaches poll, the Mountaineers defied expectations, making a run all the way to the final four of the conference tournament before falling to #16 Southern Mississippi. 

 

Earley will join teammate Reyn Watson at App State next season and the pair are two of 11 overall early signees for the Bucs this season joining Justin Thomas (Arkansas), Landon O'Donnell (Florida State), Jared Davis (Virginia Tech), Victor Figueroa and Isaac Upole (Pittsburgh), Alex Walsh (Oklahoma State),  Logan O'Leary (UNC-Charlotte), Luca Danos (Loyola Marymount), and Jahir Perez (Southeastern).