2025 Southern Academy Cougars Team Preview
February 1, 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: Southern Academy Cougars
Head Coach: Kyle Maxie
Classification: AISA Class AA
Area Number: AISA AA, Area 2
2024 Record (Finish): 18-14-1 (Eliminated in Elite Eight)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7
No. of Returning Pitchers: 5
Team Strengths: Young, Athletic, Defense, Returning Pitching
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
- RHP/OF Brayden Hennigan (2026)
- INF/RHP Drew Rogers (2028)
- INF/RHP Wyatt Martin (2028)
MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS
Class of 2025
- UTL Brett Cole (2025)
TOP UNDERCLASSMEN
- C/1B Walt Etheridge (2027)
- RHP/1B Mason Turner (2027)
- RHP/UTL BoBraeden Agee (2027)
TEAM OUTLOOK
The Cougars are coming off a strong 2024 season that saw them reach the AISA Class AA quarterfinals with a final record of 18-14-1. With hopes of building on that success and making a deeper playoff run this year, the team returns a lot of key players on both sides of the ball heading into 2025.
This season, the Cougars will rely on several underclassmen stepping into significant roles. While this bodes well for both the current campaign and future seasons, the team will also feature an experienced pitching staff. They return nearly all of their pitchers from last season, with only one notable absence, which should be a big boost as they look to build off their 2024 postseason performance. Among the key returners, RHP/OF Brayden Hennigan (2026) stands out after a solid sophomore year, both at the plate and on the mound. Hennigan finished 2024 with a 6-5 record, 68.2 innings pitched, 18 earned runs, 21 walks, 73 strikeouts, and a 1.84 ERA, while also contributing offensively. He brings a fastball in the low-to-mid 80s and aims to take his game to the next level this spring. INF/RHP Drew Rogers (2028) and Wyatt Martin (2028) are a strong duo of freshman who are expected to continue their strong performances from last season, when they made an impact as eighth graders. Rogers hit .300 with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 14 RBIs, and a perfect 10-for-10 on stolen bases, while Martin posted a .280 average, 14 RBIs, and 25 walks. UTL Brett Cole (2025) should play a key role in the Cougars' lineup, while a talented sophomore trio of C/1B Walt Etheridge (2027), RHP/1B Mason Turner (2027), and RHP/UTL BoBraeden Agee (2027) look to make a strong impact in their first full varsity season. Etheridge and Agee will be competing for playing time, while Turner, a reliable strike-thrower, brings a 3.99 ERA from 2024.
With seven positional starters and five pitchers returning, the Cougars are in a strong position to build on their 2024 playoff appearance. They will look to carry their momentum into the 2025 season with hopes of making a deeper postseason run.
Find more information on the 2025 Southern Academy program below:
+ Follow them on X: @Cougar_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
