Prep Baseball Report

2025 Arab Knights Team Preview


Austin Sharp
Alabama Scouting Director

The 2025 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Alabama.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in the Jacksonville/Oxford/Montgomery area at the AISA or AHSAA state championships, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Alabama. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews and by continuing our scheduled podcasts and releasing our preseason top-10 rankings in each AHSAA classification.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state.

Each week we will be releasing our Players of the Week, updating the top-10 ranks in each AHSAA classification, as well updating our Power 25 overall rankings. One thing, especially, you don’t want to miss are our scheduled podcasts with guests from across the state, as well as the recaps and previews of the big games we’re covering.

*Please note the information has been gathered from head coaches across the state, based on their replies to the questionnaire we distributed over this offseason.

High School: Arab Knights
Head Coach: Chad Hudson
Classification: AHSAA Class 5A
Area Number: Class 5A, Area 15
2023 Record (Finish): 18-15 (Eliminated in 1st Round)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 6
No. of Returning Pitchers: 2
Team Strengths: Returning Offense, Ability to Manufacture Runs, Good Defensively

 


TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

SS Drew Puccio (7/2/24)

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

  • RHP/3B Wesley Holland (2027)
  • INF/RHP Chase Kirkland (2028)

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Arab Knights had plenty of spots to replace in 2024 after losing a large chunk of talented seniors, but did an excellent job finding some newer pieces to help lead them to success and reach the Class 5A playoffs once again. Offense is once again looking to be a primary strength for the Knights moving into 2025, as they will aim to win their area for the third-consecutive season.

The Knights return a strong majority of their offensive production in 2025, as six positional starters are slated to come back and once again help generate plenty of runs for their pitching staff. While there are still some holes to fill on that pitching staff, the coaching staff feels optimistic there are some newer pieces who are ready to slide into bigger roles in 2025. Defense should also once again be a major strength for the Knights, and will likely need to be as they figure out their options on the mound in the early part of the season. Starting at the top, Coach Hudson & Co. are ecstatic to bring back INF Drew Puccio (2025) for his senior season. A four-year starter and special three-sport athlete, the uncommitted senior has all the traits to look for when searching for someone to lead this team. Puccio has shown the ability to hit for extra bases from the right side of the plate, sporting a .360 batting average in 2024 as a junior with 9 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, & 17 RBI. He's an excellent defender up the middle and a real threat on the base paths where he swiped 18 bases last season. OF Evan Brazelton (2025) is another multi-year starter coming back for the Knights who bounced back in a big way in 2024 after he missed he sophomore season due to injury. A quality middle-of-the-order hitter, the senior will look to drive in plenty of runs once again this season after he hit .343 with 11 2B, HR, & 34 RBI in 2024 as a junior. Moving behind the plate defensively this spring, C Dylan Kirkland (2026) is an athletic player who brings back plenty of value to both sides of the ball for the Knights in 2025. Kirkland started in center field as a sophomore last season, but makes the change to catcher this spring and looks poised to handle their pitching staff. He will also be another primary offensive threat, as he hit .397 with 5 2B, 2 3B, HR, 22 RBi, & 14 SB. OF Luke Hudson (2026) and INF Noah Mann (2025) both performed well in their first year as starters in 2024 and hit over .330 in batting average and are going to be relied on even more this spring, while RHP/1B Luke Martin (2026) should also play a vital role on the mound and at the plate once again this season. Martin was an anchor in the rotation last spring and should be the ace this spring after posting a 3.26 ERA as a sophomore. He will also be expected to provide some offense after hitting .280 with 6 2B & 15 RBI. Behind Martin on the mound, RHP Frank Clark (2025) was a big part of the bullpen last spring and accumulated an impressive 1.96 ERA in 25 IP, and should see even more innings this season. Taking a glance at some of the younger talent for the Knights, RHP/3B Wesley Holland (2027) and INF/RHP Chase Kirkland (2028) are a pair of underclassmen who have a chance to see significant playing time this season. Holland should make an impact on the mound, while Kirkland has a chance to be the starting second baseman and serve as the potential backup catcher.

As evidenced above, the Knights should have plenty of potential this spring with many offensive returners coming back. After reaching the Sweet 16 in 2023 and the 1st round of the playoffs in 2024, they'll be looking to continue to build off their momentum and reach even further in the Class 5A playoffs in 2025. They'll compete in Class 5A, Area 15 with Brewer, Fairview, and Guntersville. Expect Arab to once again be a strong club this spring with aspirations of making a deep playoff run at the end of the season.


Find more information on the 2025 Arab HS program below:

+ Follow them on X: @ArabBaseball
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Alabama, 2025 HS Team Previews


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