Imagine a Pied Piper wearing a green and white baseball uniform.

That is Marshall's Jeff Waggoner.

After leading the Herd to a 30-30-1 record and a berth in the Conference USA Tournament championship game in 2008, players are flocking to the third-year head coach's program.

Kanawha Valley products J.R. Bradley and James White are prime examples.

Bradley, a junior at Nitro High School who is arguably the top prospect in West Virginia, recently gave Waggoner a verbal commitment.

"I actually did it a couple of months ago," said Bradley. "I've played with a lot of guys that play here. So, I know the program pretty well."

One of those guys is expected to be White. The former Herbert Hoover High School standout is planning to enroll at Marshall this week, after spending last year pitching for UNC-Greensboro.

White, a 6-foot, 195-pound right-handeder, was 5-1 with a 4.96 earned run average in 38 appearances for UNCG last season. He will have three seasons to play after sitting out this year as a transfer.

As for Bradley, the ultra-talented 6-4, 185-pound right-handed pitcher/shortstop ranks as an extremely impressive coup for Waggoner.

Just consider the schools that were recruiting Bradley.

"Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina and Virginia Tech all offered me," said Bradley. "Louisville talks to me a lot. East Carolina sends me about as much as anybody.

"West Virginia, St. John's ... there's a lot. And, then, there's some junior colleges in Florida and South Carolina."

Yet, Bradley committed to Marshall.

"I'm just more comfortable with the coaching staff here," he said. "Waggs is great. The coaching staff is young and they're getting better players every year.

"I couldn't drive 40 minutes ... I couldn't pass Conference USA knowing that I made a better move.

"So, it wasn't a hard choice. It was easy."

Even though Marshall lacks a home field?

"I talked to them about that," said Bradley with a grin. "Like I told them, my field is 60 feet, 6 inches. So, all I need is a mound and I'm good to go.

"They're building a field and that's the only thing they really need. Appalachian Power Park is as good as it gets, too. So, being able to play there, I'm fine with that.

"I have pretty good luck at Power Park, too."

That's an understatement. Charleston's Appalachian Power Park, which hosts all of Marshall's C-USA home games, was the scene of Bradley's finest prep moment.

He pitched Nitro to a 10-0 mercy-rule win over Fairmont Senior in the Class AAA state championship game last season, scattering five singles and striking out five in five innings.

And when Bradley wasn't pitching shutouts, he was drawing rave reviews about his play at shortstop.

In fact, now that recruiting has been settled, only one question remains.

Will Bradley be a pitcher or position player in college?

"Obviously, my high end is pitching," said Bradley, whose fastball was clocked at 92 mph while playing summer baseball for Cincinnati Midland.

"Coastal Carolina has never seen me pitch and they offered me. They liked me as a shortstop. Ole Miss told me I could play right field in the future. Coach (Greg) Van Zant at WVU, he's all about shortstop.

"But Waggs likes me as a pitcher."

And Bradley likes Waggs.

"The players Marshall is getting are just unreal," he said. "To turn it around that quick, who knows what Marshall will do in a couple years?"

It's just a matter of following a Pied Piper called "Waggs."

Chuck Landon is a sports columnist for The Herald-Dispatch. Call him at 526-2827. E-mail him at clandon@herald-dispatch.com.

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