2025 Opelika Bulldogs Team Preview
January 3, 2025
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: Opelika Bulldogs
Head Coach: Bart Butler
Classification: AHSAA Class 7A
Area Number: Class 7A, Area 4
2023 Record (Finish): 18-18 (No Postseason)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 6
No. of Returning Pitchers: 2
Team Strengths: Experience, Starting Pitching
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
- LHP/OF Davis Ford (2025)
- SS Brodie Jones (Wallace-Dothan CC, 2025)
- 1B Slade Clayton (Lurleen B. Wallace CC, 2025)
- INF TJ Arnold (Lurleen B. Wallace CC, 2025)
LHP Davis Ford (7/18/24)
MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS
Class of 2025
- OF Ty Hudson (2025)
TOP UNDERCLASSMEN
- UTL Will Brandon (2027)
- OF Cam Pilate (2028)
- RHP Carson Holsey (2028)
TEAM OUTLOOK
The Opelika Bulldogs enter the 2025 season looking to take a step in the right direction this spring after missing out on the playoffs last season and finishing at the bottom of the area standings. But watching the Bulldogs play last season, it was easy to see they had plenty of talent to go around and were competitive, but unfortunately compete in one of the toughest areas in the state against Auburn, Central-Phenix City, and Smiths Station. In 2025, Opelika brings in a new head coach in Bart Butler, as he hopes to turn things around and bring the Bulldogs back to the Class 7A playoffs.
Going 18-18 in 2024, the Bulldogs faced some quality opponents throughout the season and even beat some talented higher classification teams like Homewood, Buckhorn, Benjamin Russell, Holtville, and others on their schedule. More than likely, they would have had a good shot at reaching the playoffs if in any other area, but just were the odd man out in addition to Smiths Station. Expectations for the future are high, however, as new head coach Bart Butler has been known as one of the top assistant coaches in the state of Alabama for the past few years helping lead Central-Phenix City to a 145-21 record since 2021 and reaching the Class 7A State Championship during the last three seasons. Now taking over the Bulldogs program, it wouldn't be far-fetched to say Coach Butler and the coaching staff will have Opelika back competing for area championships and deep playoff runs in the years to come. Looking at the team he will inherit, there are a solid amount of offensive returners coming back and a few notable arms at the top of their pitching rotation returning in 2025. Most notable on the mound is LHP/OF Davis Ford (2025), who is a crafty southpaw who can mix pitches effectively and possesses tons of varsity experience. On the offensive side, SS Brodie Jones (Wallace-Dothan CC, 2025), 1B Slade Clayton (Lurleen B. Wallace CC, 2025), and INF TJ Arnold (Lurleen B. Wallace CC, 2025) all bring back plenty of offensive production from a season ago as juniors and will look to lead the way in the heart of their order this spring. Jones is one of the unquestioned leaders of this team and has been for some time after serving as the starting shortstop for the past few seasons. OF Ty Hudson (2025) will be another name to watch for this spring, as well. As one graduating class goes, it's time for the next group of Bulldogs to step into bigger roles and get their feet wet at the varsity level. Coach Butler & co. feel like there a few underclassmen who have a chance to compete for playing time this spring and get themselves ready for the future. Some of those names to watch for this spring are UTL Will Brandon (2027), OF Cam Pilate (2028), and RHP Carson Holsey (2028).
With six positional starters and two pitchers returning to this year's team, there's plenty of reason to believe the Bulldogs can produce another strong season and hope to be playing their best baseball down the stretch and into area play when it matters. They'll compete in Class 7A, Area 4 against Auburn, Central-Phenix City, and Smiths Station for a spot in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Like we previously mentioned, it's one of the toughest areas in the state of Alabama regardless of classification, but they'll be hoping they can take a step in the right direction this spring and compete for a playoff spot in Class 7A in 2025.
Find more information on the 2025 Opelika High School program below:
+ Follow them on X: @BaseballOpelika
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Alabama, 2025 HS Team Previews
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