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Friday morning was a celebratory occasion at Troup High with members of the baseball team, friends and family packing the media room from wall to wall to support three Tigers signing to play baseball in college — Ty Medders, Josh McDonald, and Devon Murphy. 

“It’s been my honor to be these guys’ head coach,” Tanner Glisson said. “I’m really excited for the future of these guys.”

Medders will be heading just down the road to Chattahoochee Valley Community College. He transitioned to catcher a season ago, giving up his usual spot at first base. The decision paid off for Medders. 

“They were really supportive of me,” Medders said. “They made me an offer on the spot when I visited and with it being so close to home, it felt right.”

Medders transferred into Troup for his final two years of high school and fit in like a missing piece of the puzzle. It was a natural fit for Medders.

“I played catcher as a kid, but I played first base for the majority of my career,” Medders said. “When I got here they needed a catcher and I knew I could do it.”

He is in his final run with the Tigers and this year his father — Chip Medders — is a coach on the team which makes this final ride with Troup that much more special. 

“It is like old days,” Medders said. “He was my coach growing up so for him to come back and coach me during my senior year is amazing.”

McDonald is a towering presence for the Tigers on the diamond but his coaches and Troup family refer to him as the gentle giant. The soft spoken first baseman made his next destination on his baseball journey known on Friday, announcing he will be taking his talents to Andrew College.

“When I went there and visited, the baseball team embraced me and treated me really nice,” McDonald said. “They called me down there for a visit and gave me an offer. It was an immediate connection.”

McDonald had made a name for himself at Troup with the power he brings to the lineup, showing it on Friday by following up his signing day with two home runs against Fayette County on Friday. He is more than just his hulking frame and the power that it provides, he is also nimble and quick on his feet at first.

McDonald will be sticking close to home and looks forward to his family still being able to watch him play.

“It is going to be great for them to come out and see me play and if something goes wrong I can come back in a hurry,” McDonald said.

Murphy has played a multitude of positions over the years for the Tigers and is one of the team’s primary pitchers and infielders. With Coastal Alabama recruiting him to play outfield, Murphy is sad to let go of pitching but is happy to find a role that will suit him in college.

“There have been talks about playing me in the infield, but I think they are looking at me for outfield right now. I don;t really care, I just want to hit,” Murphy said, flashing a smile. “I’m going to miss pitching, but I think it will be best for me to stick with the outfield and infield in college. 

Coastal Alabama already has a Troup connection with former Tiger Brett Haynes going into his second season. Having a connection already there made the decision that much easier for Murphy.

“I’m a pretty shy person, so to have a clique already there is going to help me with the social aspect of it,” Murphy said.

After having his first baseball signing a little over a year ago, the Glisson era of Troup baseball is now seeing a plethora of players signing at the next level. With three other seniors on the roster, this will likely not be the final signing day for Troup baseball in 2023.