Veterans' Tyler Daughtry signs with favorite team, Florida State

KATHLEEN -- Tyler Daughtry has been a Florida State baseball fan for as long as he can remember.

Next year, he'll be playing for his favorite college team.

The Veterans shortstop signed with the Seminoles on Thursday afternoon during the NCAA's fall signing period.

"I've been a fan my whole life," Daughtry said after his signing. "I made the visit, loved the campus, the coaches and just fell in love with the place. It's where I always wanted to be."

Daughtry's ceremony in the school cafeteria was one of four involving Warhawks athletes. Teammate Griff Faircloth signed with Armstrong Atlantic State while softball player Avery Lamb signed with Valdosta State and cross country runner Michael Rowlands signed with Mercer.

A solid skillset and a high level of knowledge for the game were the 5-foot-10, 170-pounder's assets for colleges.

"Tyler has a lot of natural ability," Veterans head coach David Coffey said. "He has great hands, a great arm and a high baseball IQ. You get a lot of guys with similar tools, but they don't have those baseball smarts. Knowing the game, that's why a lot of colleges liked him."

Faircloth, a 6-2, 185-pound pitcher, takes the same baseball acumen and a strong work ethic to Savannah to play for the Pirates of the Division II Peach Belt Conference.

"He's one of smartest players I've ever had," Coffey said of the right-hander. "And his work ethic is second to none."

Daughtry credited a host of coaches, former major leaguer Kal Daniels among them, for helping him develop skills that would advance him into college.

"All the coaches have pushed me to be better, the best I could be," said Daughtry, who throws right-handed and bats left. "I wouldn't have this opportunity if it wasn't for them."

Coffey believes that progression of improvement will continue once Daughtry is exposed to a day-to-day college atmosphere both on the field and on the sidelines.

"When he gets in a weight room with a big-time coach and sees quality pitching every day, he'll just get better and better," the coach said. "His strength will improve and his arm and power will get better."

Both the coach and player acknowledged that improving his speed and quickness will be a focus in the coming months.

"If you're going to play middle infield in the ACC, you're going to have to move pretty good," Coffey said. "Tyler's instincts are good, but the agility will have to improve."

Daughtry said he signed with an eye on not having the pressure of recruiting during the spring when Veterans aims to make another run at a Class AAAA championship. Daughtry and Faircloth were keys in the Warhawks drive to a berth in the state semifinal series where they lost 1-0 and 5-1 to Whitewater.

"A state championship is the goal," said Daughtry, selected a third team 2015 underclassman All-American by Perfect Game recruiting service. "(Losing to) Whitewater was tough to take. We matched up with them pretty well.

"We'll definitely give anybody a run for their money this year."

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 10:36 PM with the headline "Veterans' Tyler Daughtry signs with favorite team, Florida State ."