Bayside Academy junior Carson Joyner announced his commitment to the University of Louisiana-Monroe baseball program before the end of last year, Dec. 30, 2022.

It marks another Division I commit on the Admirals’ roster this spring after seniors Jake DeValk (South Alabama) and Josh Gunther (Wake Forest) signed with their squads as part of National Signing Day Nov. 9, 2022. Similarly, junior classmate Gatlin Pitts committed to Samford earlier this past fall.

Joyner is listed at 5’ 11” and 200 pounds with a max fastball velocity of 89.8 mph and spin rate of 2,269 on the mound, a max exit velocity of 96.4 mph and a bat speed of 80.4 mph at the plate and a 91-mph infield velocity with a 7.48 60-yard dash time in the field according to stats from Prep Baseball Report.

The Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks registered a 20-35-1 overall record in 2022 and earned the No. 10 seed heading into the Sun Belt Championship tournament where they upset No. 7 Georgia State before falling to No. 1 Texas State in the quarterfinals. Nineteen more former Sun Belt players were selected in the most recent MLB Draft to run the conference’s total draft picks up 814.

Joyner was a key component to Bayside Academy’s trip to the regional finals last year and will factor into the Admirals’ fight for the top spot in Class 4A Area 1 this year against Orange Beach, St. Michael and UMS-Wright Prep.

Last offseason, Joyner competed in a few PBR events, including the South Alabama preseason all-state showcase in January, the Top Prospects Game in June and the South Alabama Games and PBR Future Games in July.

He led the first two events in infield velocity at 89 mph then finished atop three categories at the South Alabama Games: infield velocity (91 mph), exit velocity (94.2 mph) and fastball velocity (89.2).

At the Future Games outside of Atlanta, Joyner started Team Alabama’s game against Team Canada and needed only 36 pitches to get through his two-inning outing with two strikeouts.

“The right-hander pumped 85-87 mph to both sides of the plate throughout his outing while inducing weak contact,” PBR scout Austin Sharp wrote in July. “Arguably his most effective pitch, however, was his low-to-mid-70's breaking ball that showed late 11-5 shape getting swings-and-misses both in the zone when landed for strikes and for chase in deep counts.”

After the South Alabama Games, Sharp noted Joyner’s impact on both sides of the ball.

“Strong, workhorse-type build with a physical lower-half. Continues to show impressive two-way ability with power stuff on the mound and a gap-to-gap approach from the right side of the plate,” Sharp wrote July 14, 2022. “Banged balls to the pull side during BP posting a 94.2 mph exit velocity, an event-best.”