2025 Pleasant Grove Spartans Team Preview
January 8, 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: Pleasant Grove Spartans
Head Coach: Craig Lehman
Classification: AHSAA Class 4A
Area Number: Class 4A, Area 7
2023 Record (Finish): 18-15 (Eliminated in 1st Round)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 4
No. of Returning Pitchers: 2
Team Strengths: Returning Experienced Pitchers
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
- RHP/SS Kaleb Freeman (2027)
- INF Brandon Whatley (2026)
- OF Amaury Webster (2026)
- UTL Timothy Blue (2026)
TEAM OUTLOOK
The Pleasant Grove Spartans enter the new year with plenty of optimism after reaching the playoffs in Class 5A once again in 2024. Looking to take another step forward this spring, the Spartans will feature a few key pieces both at the plate and on the mound from last year's squad. After increasing their win total from 11 to 18 from 2023 to 2024, Pleasant Grove hopes it can continue build off of a strong year last season.
The Spartans really seemed to hit their stride down the stretch last season which featured a seven-game winning streak going into area play. After sweeping Fairfield and Wenonah and dropping the series the area championship to John Carroll Catholic, the Spartans hit the road in the first round of the playoffs. Traveling on the road is not easy task, and it's especially not easy when you're visiting Russellville, which is consistently one of the top programs in Class 5A year after year. Russellville was able to sweep Pleasant Grove in that playoff series, ending the Spartans season with an 18-15 record. There were still plenty of highs on the season, and the coaching staff hopes that can only help them going into the 2025 season. Returning four positional starter and two pitchers, there are some holes to fill left by graduating seniors, but it looks like the Spartans have some other players ready to make an impact at the varsity level this year. Looking at a few key returners, RHP/SS Kaleb Freeman (2027) is coming off a strong freshman campaign where he led the pitching staff in ERA. He'll once again certainly be one of their key arms on the mound and should be an important piece to their offense, as well. INF Brandon Whatley (2026) is a versatile defender who can play multiple positions, while OF Amaury Webster (2026) is coming off a sophomore season where hit over .300 in batting average and looks primed for another strong year. UTL Timothy Blue (2026) is another talented returning junior who will be looked upon for contributions both at the plate and on the mound. Blue should also play numerous positions defensively, as well.
Dropping down from Class 5A to Class 4A this season, the Spartans are hoping they can come in and compete for another playoff spot. They'll compete in Class 4A, Area 7 against Fairfield, Indian Springs, and Oak Grove for a spot in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. After increasing their win total last season, the Spartans are hoping they can once again do the same in their new classification in 2025.
Find more information on the 2025 Pleasant Grove High School program below:
+ Follow them on X: @PleasantGroveBB
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Alabama, 2025 HS Team Previews
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