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2025 Austin Black Bears Team Preview

February 1, 2025
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: Austin Black Bears
Head Coach: Preston Potter
Classification: AHSAA Class 7A
Area Number: Class 7A, Area 8
2024 Record (Finish): 7-30 (No Postseason)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 3
No. of Returning Pitchers: 2
Team Strengths: Versatility

 

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

  • RHP/INF Owen Prater (2028)
  • INF Trace Sykes (2028)
  • INF/RHP Connor Hill (2028)
  • UTL/RHP Ethan Ratliff (2028)

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Austin Black Bears head into the new season filled with optimism, eager to take a significant step forward under the leadership of new head coach Preston Potter. While there are several key roles to fill, the team is hopeful that some fresh faces can rise to the occasion and perform at their best when area play begins.

Although last season didn't go as planned, the Black Bears are looking to build on the positive momentum from the end of the year, highlighted by a three-game sweep over Florence during area play. This season, the team brings back three positional starters and two pitchers from last year's squad, but they'll need contributions from new players to fill the gaps left by graduated seniors, both at the plate and on the mound. Competing in Alabama's largest classification, the Black Bears consistently face high-quality competition, which should help them prepare for the challenges of area play. Some key returners include RHP/INF Bryant Jones (2025), RHP/UTL Levi Morgan (2026), INF/RHP Bentley Stidham (2026), and 1B/RHP Paxton Branum (2026), all of whom will play important leadership roles early in the season while also contributing on the field. Freshman OF/LHP Trey Harville (2028), who gained valuable varsity experience last spring, is another player to watch. Additionally, underclassmen like RHP/INF Owen Prater (2028), INF Trace Sykes (2028), INF/RHP Connor Hill (2028), and UTL/RHP Ethan Ratliff (2028) will be competing for playing time and could make an impact early on.

Competing in a difficult area in Class 7A where two of the teams reached the Final 4 last season, the Black Bears have a strong task ahead of them but will look to take the next step in the right direction this spring. They'll compete in Class 7A, Area 8 against Bob Jones, Florence, and James Clemens for a spot in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Look for Austin to be playing their best baseball down the stretch and into area play in 2025.

Find more information on the 2025 Austin High School program below:

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

FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL ALABAMA THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball Alabama on X
+ Prep Baseball Alabama on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Alabama on Facebook

 

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