FAIRHOPE, Alabama — With a lanky frame, a stance, a swing and a stride reminiscent of some notable major leaguers, it’s not surprising that Fairhope Pirate outfielder Sam Kent was noticed by the University of West Florida coaching staff.

Especially since the defending NCAA Division II national champion Argonauts sent two power-hitting outfielders and a pair of pitchers to the Bigs last year and will graduate more in 2012.

Kent signed a national letter-of-intent to play baseball for the UWF Argos Wednesday.

“It feels good to get a scholarship and build a relationship with them,” Kent said. “I’ve played there before and it’s a nice campus and nice field. The coaches all liked me. It just blossomed into a scholarship because they just liked the way I hit. I like it over there and I like the staff. They are all nice and it just felt like a good fit. I focused on hitting to the opposite field and hitting for an average and not just for power and trying to be consistent.”

Fairhope head baseball coach Stu Fuller said Kent’s move to the outfield last year and his natural hitting ability just helped polish some rough edges into real collegiate potential.

“He had been working on the infield but we had so many infielders and our pressing need was in the outfield. He continues to get better with his first step out there and with his angles to fly balls, he’s blossomed into a pretty good outfielder. His experience last year helped him and he's just got better and better.”

Kent hit .292 last season for the Pirates and finished his summer-ball for En Fuego with a hot .375, 15 RBIs and also pitched well with a 2.74 ERA over 15 innings.

“Sam has tremendous bat speed and he really gets the barrel head going toward the ball,” Fuller added. “Sam has a great opportunity in front of him with the losses of UWF to graduation and (his) ability to fill the Argonaut's need for corner outfielders. He has worked hard over his time here and we are proud of him and for him.”

UWF recruiting coordinator Shane Gierke said,

“Sam Kent has a tremendous amount of upside that will hopefully translate into a bright future at UWF. He has the opportunity to achieve this quickly and contribute very early in his UWF career. He caught our eye with his ability to hit for power in the opposite gap at the first camp he attended. We are fortunate to have him in our program.”

Fuller said the UWF program is one of the best at spotting and developing local talent.

One was Greg Pron from who Daphne graduated this year, after being named the championship series MVP, an All-American twice. He was drafted by the New York Mets in June. Spanish Fort’s Ryan Day is a junior and Baldwin County High’s Josh Huggins a senior at UWF this year.

“It’s a great program and it’s on the rise,” Fuller said. “Sam spent six Mondays in a row in a fall hitting school over there, then started a second last fall and has been through it again this fall. The first day over there he caught their eye with his ability to hit the ball to all fields and to drive the ball to the opposite field. He has been over there quite a bit and that is where that relationship blossomed.”

Kent plans to major in biology.