Tyler High head baseball coach Seth Gibson, speaks during the signing day ceremony of Ja'Davion Lacy Tuesday afternoon at Tyler High Theatre.

Collegiate signings are nothing new at Tyler High School.

The school sends athletes to the next level in multiple sports every year.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Lions were able to add a baseball signing to the list as pitcher Ja’Davion Lacy signed to play for Angelina College in Lufkin inside the Tyler High School Theatre.

“This is very exciting,” Lacy said. “It’s just a blessing. I’m very grateful. I’m really speechless, but I know it’s all God’s willing.”

First-year Tyler baseball coach Seth Gibson said Lacy’s signing could be a program-defining moment.

“It’s a special moment for us,” Gibson said. “I’m not sure how long it’s been since it’s happened here at Tyler High. It gives us motivation. Our whole saying is to change the narrative. We want kids to see that it’s not just football and basketball here at the school, but baseball can also get you to the next level. It can help pay for your education. You can play in college. It’s a great opportunity. It’s really special for these kids to come here and see it in person and see that it’s actually real.”

Angelina competes in the Region XIV North Division with Tyler, Bossier Parish, Paris, Panola, Navarro, Coastal Bend and Northeast Texas. San Jacinto, Alvin, Wharton, Galveston and Blinn are in the Region XIV South Division.

“I’ve been looking real deep into their program, and I just feel like they can help me,” Lacy said. “I feel like I fit best with them.”

Gibson said Angelina is getting a pitcher with an electric arm who has a lot of potential.

“They’re getting a highly recruited baseball player,” Gibson said. “He’s not only getting college interest right now, but he’s getting pro interest, as well. They’re getting a guy, who in our eyes, has the potential to be a top five pitcher in our district. He throws hard. He competes hard on the mound. He’s a really good athlete.

“His latest bullpen, he was sitting in the low 90s and reaching up to 93-94 miles per hour. Obviously, when you throw that hard, people want to come see what he’s about. He’s also got control over his offspeed stuff really well. He throws a really good, tight slider. It comes out of his hands almost like a fastball and has that little late spring. He’s throwing a 90-mile per hour fastball with a 77-mile per hour slider, so it makes it tough. He’s definitely an upper-level pitcher.”

While Lacy has signed with Angelina, there’s always the opportunity that he could bypass college and go straight to the professional ranks. Representatives from the New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays are scheduled to come to Tyler to watch him pitch this week.

If Lacy does one day get drafted by a Major League Baseball team, whenever that may be, he knows it will be a dream come true.

“That’s going to be very exciting,” Lacy said. “I feel like I’m a draft type. It’s all about God’s timing.”

Lacy also plays receiver for the Lions football team, and he tied Boston College football signee Montrell Wade with a team-high 27 receptions this season. Lacy led Tyler with 541 receiving yards, and he was tied for second on the team with three receiving touchdowns. Lacy also made 10 tackles and a tackle for loss on defense.

But despite his production on the gridiron, Lacy said it’s always been about baseball for him.

“I’ve been playing baseball since I was 3,” Lacy said. “It’s really the first love.”

Before Lacy continues his career at the next level, he’s ready for one more season with the Lions.

“We want to prove to everybody we can do what they thought we couldn’t do,” Lacy said. “We want to prove them wrong. We’re going to make John Tyler baseball pop out.”