The Evansville Otters signed infielder Bryce Denton, utility Jordan Estes, and outfielder Josh Henderson to contracts for the 2021 season.

Denton, from Brentwood, Tenn., was drafted by the Cardinals organization in the 2nd round of the 2015 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Ravenwood High School.

“I am hoping to show and prove that I’m in the best shape of my life physically at 23, that I am healthy, and that I am capable of performing at my highest level,” Denton said.

“I hustle everywhere I go, and I want to be the best version of myself every day I play. I play the game with high energy.”

Denton spent 2015-19 in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Overall, Denton batted .237 with 144 runs, 19 home runs, 69 total extra-base hits, 126 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases.

“I am looking forward to playing in the same ballpark that Tom Hanks was at in ‘A League of Their Own,’ and I look forward to coming to a city that I have relatives in,” Denton added.

Estes, an Indianapolis, Ind. native, will head into his first professional season.

“I want to show all five tools at a high level, and I want to take away hits in both the infield and outfield,” Estes said.

Estes played collegiately at California State – East Bay from 2017-19. During the 2018 season for the Pioneers, Estes batted .280 in 10 games played with three runs driven in.

Estes started his collegiate career at Consumnes River College from 2015-17.

“I want to help my team win another title this season, and personally, I have goals to lead the league in OPS and stolen bases,” Estes said.

Henderson, from Glendale, Ariz., has six years of experience in professional baseball, as he was drafted in the 16th round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. He spent two seasons with the Arizona League Dodgers.

From 2014-17, Henderson has also played for independent baseball organizations, including the Washington Wild Things, Florence Freedom, and Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League. He also spent some time in 2015 with the Gary Southshore Railcats of the American Association.

“I am very thankful and excited for an opportunity to play for such a historic organization,” Henderson said.

“I hope to come in and be a dynamic player, helping the team win. I will always play hard and respect the game.”

Overall, in his professional career, Henderson has batted .283 with 61 runs, 33 extra-base hits, and 52 RBIs.

Notching a season-high 15 hits, Evansville’s offense helped deliver a 6-5 win on Sunday in the series finale as the Aces split a four-game set with Southern Illinois at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.

“Found a way to finish the weekend with a win. Clearly we needed a deep pitching performance from our starter Donovan Schultz and he delivered.,” said Evansville head baseball coach Wes Carroll. “We also got an outstanding performance from Shane Harris and Jakob Meyer. Tanner Craig had a big day and we overcame leaving 10 runners on base to get the win. ”

After a tough start, Evansville showed its resiliency, battling back. The Salukis scored three runs off Aces starter Donovan Schultz in the top of the first inning to take an early advantage. Evansville got a run back in the bottom half of the first as Simon Scherry drove a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Kenton Crews.

Following the first inning, Schultz locked in and was impressive on the mound, recording three-straight innings sitting SIU down in order in the second, third, and fourth innings. Evansville continued to get steady production from its offense, tying the game in the third. Tanner Craig added to his monster weekend with a solo home run in the third to trim SIU’s lead to one at 3-2. with the bases loaded, Robbie Wilkes reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Scherry, tying the game at three.

Evansville took its first lead of the afternoon in the fourth, as Scherry again was involved, ripping a double to right that scored Ben Komonosky.

SIU would retake the lead in the fifth with a two-run base hit that put the Salukis back up, 5-4. As was true in the first, Evansville answered each of the Salukis attacks, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fifth. Wilkes tallied his second RBI of the day as Danny Borgstrom scored to tie the game on a groundout. The Aces would go in front for good later in the inning with an RBI single to center from Brent Widder that plated Eric Roberts, handing UE a 6-5 lead.

On in relief of Donovan Schultz, Shane Harris looked dominant. The redshirt freshman turned-in three innings of work, allowing just one hit and sitting down three Salukis via strikeouts to preserve the Evansville lead.

In the ninth with SIU down to its final three outs, Jakob Meyer tallied his team-high sixth save of the season, pitching a perfect inning, including a strikeout as the Aces earned the 6-5 win.

Evansville returns to Missouri Valley Conference competition on Friday with the series-opening game of a four-game set with Valparaiso in Valparaiso, Ind.