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2025 Southside Panthers Team Preview

February 2, 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: Southside Panthers
Head Coach: Shane Chappell
Classification: AHSAA Class 6A
Area Number: Class 6A, Area 14
2024 Record (Finish): 20-18 (Eliminated in Sweet Sixteen)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5
No. of Returning Pitchers: 5
Team Strengths: Competitive Group, Athletic, Defense, Pitching Depth, Experience

 

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Southside Panthers enter the 2025 season with high expectations after back-to-back playoff appearances in Class 5A. As they move up to Class 6A, their goal is to secure a third consecutive postseason berth. The Panthers return a solid and experienced squad, which bodes well for their chances to compete at a higher level this spring.

Last year, the Panthers finished as area runners-up to Alexandria, the eventual Class 5A State Champions. In the first round of the playoffs, they traveled to face a strong Arab team but managed to secure a victory, advancing to the Sweet 16—a notable improvement over their first-round exit the previous season. However, their postseason run ended there, as they were eliminated by Springville, wrapping up the year with a 20-18 record. With an eye on building on last year’s progress, Southside returns five positional starters and five pitchers from that Sweet 16 squad. One of the standout returners is C/RHP Corbin Driskell (Marion Military CC, 2025), a seasoned multi-year starter and team leader. As a junior, Driskell posted a .333 batting average with 7 doubles, 3 home runs, and 32 RBIs while also going 3-1 with a 3.20 ERA on the mound. For the Panthers to keep their momentum going, Driskell will need to continue delivering strong performances on both sides of the game. Another key returnee is UTL/RHP Shelby Houston (2027), who had a breakout freshman season and is poised for even greater success in his sophomore campaign. At the plate, Houston hit .309 with 7 doubles and 14 RBIs, and on the mound, he was the team’s ace, finishing with a 5-3 record, 63 strikeouts, and a 2.01 ERA over 62.2 innings. INF Carson McGraw (2026) also returns after a solid season in which he hit over .300 and struck out just eight times in 140 plate appearances. A strong athlete with quality defensive skills, McGraw is a key piece in the Panthers’ lineup. The younger talent is also promising, with INF Ethan Sarratt (2027) returning as an everyday starter at third base. A reliable defender with good instincts, Sarratt could also take on a more significant role on the mound this season. Behind the plate, C Kolby Dodd (2027) and C/1B Kolt Johnson (2028) are talented underclassmen with great potential. Additionally, 1B/RHP Rance Brown (2027) and OF/RHP Will Stapleton (2027) are both capable of contributing significantly on both offense and defense for the Panthers. With a mix of experienced returners and promising younger players, Southside is set to build on its strong foundation as they take on Class 6A in 2025.

Only adding to the quality field of teams in Class 6A this spring, the Panthers should once again be a competitive group with experienced returners at the plate and on the mound. They'll compete in Class 6A, Area 14 against Fort Payne and Gadsden City for a spot in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Look for Southside to be right in the mix of playoff contention as they look to punch their ticket to the postseason for the third-consecutive year at the end of the regular season in 2025.

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

+ Follow them on X: @SouthsidePanth1
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Alabama, 2025 HS Team Previews

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