Prep Baseball Report

2025 Glenwood Gators 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: Glenwood Gators
Head Coach: Tim Fanning
Classification: AHSAA Class 3A
Area Number: Class 3A, Area 6
2023 Record (Finish): 36-8 (State Champion)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7
No. of Returning Pitchers: 6
Team Strengths: Starting Pitching, Athleticism, Outfield Defense, Offensive Experience

 


TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

LHP/1B Mason McCraine (7/27/22)

MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2025

INF Logan Henderson (5/28/24)

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

SS Trey Claridy (6/15/24)

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Glenwood Gators closed out their final year of AISA competition with their 24th state title in program history, as they defeated Lee-Scott Academy in a thrilling series in Montgomery, AL. Beginning in 2025, the Gators make the move to join the AHSAA this spring and join a strong field of teams in Class 3A. Expectations continue to be the same, though, as they will look to get acclimated as quickly as possible and begin to contend for AHSAA State Championships with yet another talented roster in 2025.

The art of winning seems to be instilled inside the Gators' program DNA, as they consistently produce 30-win seasons and churn out state championships. Winning 46 games two years ago, the Gators struggled a bit out of the gate going 0-4, quickly righted the ship and would eventually finish with an impressive 36-8 record and an AISA Class AAA State Championship by defeating Lee-Scott Academy by scores of 4-1, 4-5, and 7-5 in the state finals series. Shifting their focus to the 2025 season, successful long-time head coach Tim Fanning brings back a team that will feature many starters on both sides of the ball from last season's state championship squad. Starting at the top, LHP/1B Mason McCraine (Auburn, 2025) is as highly-touted as they come, and can impact the game in a variety of ways for the Gators. Listed at 6-foot-6, 210-pounds, the southpaw possesses an upper-80s fastball on the mound and can bang the ball around the yard from the left side of the plate. In 2024 as a junior, McCraine posted a .534 batting average with 62 Hs, 58 Rs, 24 2Bs, 4 3Bs, 10 HRs, and 45 RBIs at the plate. On the mound, the left-hander recorded a 7-1 record with 54 IP, 27 Hs, 31 BBs, and 94 Ks while accumulating a 1.49 ERA. RHP Tyler Sykes (Columbus State, 2025) is another talented returner senior who has thrown a ton of important innings for Glenwood throughout his high school career. Last season, the right-hander went a perfect 9-0 with 54 IP, 29 Hs, 8 BBs, and 75 Ks while compiling a 0.76 ERA. INF/RHP Levi Pinder (2025) should help out offensively while serving as a key arm on the mound, as well. Pinder, a talented uncommitted two-way prospect, posted a .402 batting average in 2024 with 10 2Bs, 3 HRs, and 48 RBIs. On the back-end in relief, the right-hander was 3-0 with 3 SVs and accumulated a 2.69 ERA. INF Carter Judah (2026) and OF/LHP Hudson Campbell (2026) are a pair of juniors who were nearly everyday-starters for the Gators last season and look poised for even bigger seasons in 2025. Judah bring back a .404 batting average with 9 2Bs, 3 HRs, and 37 RBIs, while Campbell hit .341 in batting average to go along with 8 2Bs, 2 3Bs, and 25 RBIs at the plate. On the mound, Campbell went 5-1 with 33.1 IP, 22 Hs, 19 BBs, and 49 Ks while compling a 1.68 ERA. INF Logan Henderson (2025) should also be a vital piece to this year's offense, as the senior looks to build off of his junior campaign where he hit .400 with 27 RBIs. In the underclassmen group, SS Trey Claridy (2027) and 1B Andrew Wilkinson (2027) appear to be a pair of sophomore prospects who look like viable options to step in and play key roles for this year's team, as well.

With seven positional starters and six pitchers returning from last year's state championship, expectations are high once again for the Gators this spring as they get ready for their first year of competition at the AHSAA level. They'll compete in Class 3A, Area 6 against Beulah, Dadeville, and Lee-Scott Academy for a spot in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Bringing back a talented group of players who have multiple years of varsity experience, the Gators look like real threats in Class 3A in 2025.


Find more information on the 2025 Glenwood program below:

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


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