EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Evansville Otters added the next pieces of their 2026 roster with the signings of infielders Shane Fillman and Amani Jones & outfielders Adonis Forte and D’Andre Gaines.
Shane Fillman, a native of Whitehall, PA, joins the Otters for his debut professional opportunity. After a season at East Stroudsburg University, Fillman transferred to Penn State Abington (NCAA DIII) where he spent the final two seasons of his college career.
Across 75 games for the Abington Nittany Lions, Fillman collected a .333 batting average, racking up 32 extra-base hits, 72 RBI and 31 walks to just 25 strikeouts.
Amani Jones hails from Lebanon, PA and is poised for his first full season of pro ball. Jones began his college baseball career with Stevenson University (NCAA DIII), before transferring to Millersville University (NCAA DII), where he completed his collegiate years. Jones had a five-year batting average of .305 across the two levels of college ball.
Jones began his professional career last season with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League, where he had five hits and four runs scored in his seven games.
Adonis Forte, from Omaha, NE, kicks off his professional career this season in Evansville. After a four-year college career with Rockhurst University (NCAA DII), Forte had collected a .375 batting average with 46 doubles, six triples, 21 home runs and 137 RBI across 163 games. He was also 71-for-83 on stolen base attempts across the four seasons.
After completing his college career in 2025, Forte played the summer in the MLB Draft League for the State College Spikes. In 42 games, he had a .286 batting average, with nearly a hit per game.
D’Andre Gaines, coming to Evansville from San Pablo, CA, is also set for his first professional season in 2026. After starting college with the College of Marin (CCCAA), he transferred to Mid-America Christian University (NAIA).
In two seasons with MACU, Gaines put together a .335 batting average, with 34 doubles, nine triples, 28 home runs and 103 RBI. Gaines also brings solid speed, going 34-for-40 on the base paths.
The Otters will announce another group of returners for the upcoming 2026 season later this week. Season tickets and group offerings are available now for the 2026 season. Single game tickets will go on sale in February.
