2025 Tuscaloosa Academy Knights Team Preview

February 7, 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: Tuscaloosa Academy Knights
Head Coach: Lee Evans
Classification: AHSAA Class 2A
Area Number: Class 2A, Area 7
2024 Record (Finish): 21-13 (Eliminated in 1st Round)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5
No. of Returning Pitchers: 5
Team Strengths: Pitching, Talented Returners

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

SS/RHP Ellis Hamiter (2025)
3B/RHP Preston Lancaster (2025)

MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2025

UTL Russell Cole (2025)
LHP/1B Aiden Kelley (2025)
OF Mills Turnipseed (2025)

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

INF/RHP Harwood Beeker (2027)
C Wes Murphree (2027)

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Tuscaloosa Academy Knights head into the 2025 season aiming to build on the momentum they've established in their early years at the AHSAA level. With consecutive 20+ win seasons and Class 2A playoff appearances under their belt, the Knights return a strong core of key players and have their sights set on making a deep postseason run this year.

After sweeping their area opponents during the regular season to claim the area championship, the Knights earned the right to host the first round of the playoffs, where they faced a talented Ariton Purple Cats team that spent much of the season ranked inside the top five in Class 2A. In a hard-fought series, the Knights ultimately fell to Ariton by scores of 7-5 and 3-2, with the Purple Cats going on to win the Class 2A State Championship. Looking ahead to this season, pitching is expected to be one of the team’s biggest strengths, as the Knights return five positional starters and five pitchers from last year’s 21-win squad. Among those key returners are SS/RHP Ellis Hamiter (2025) and 3B/RHP Preston Lancaster (2025), two multi-year contributors who have played a pivotal role in the program’s recent success. Hamiter delivered an impressive 2024 season, batting .402 with 21 RBIs and 17 stolen bases, while also going 4-2 on the mound with a 1.99 ERA. Lancaster, a standout Tarleton State quarterback commit who led the state with 4,293 passing yards this fall, is equally impactful on the baseball field, hitting .370 with 29 RBIs and logging 52.2 innings pitched with 53 strikeouts and a 2.92 ERA. Both seniors will once again be key leaders for the Knights this spring. In addition, seniors UTL Russell Cole (2025), LHP/1B Aiden Kelley (2025), and OF Mills Turnipseed (2025) return with hopes of building on last year’s success. Meanwhile, underclassmen INF/RHP Harwood Beeker (2027) and C Wes Murphree (2027) are two young prospects to watch as they look to make an impact this season.

With a strong core of returning talent and high expectations for the season, the Knights are determined to take the next step this year. They'll compete in Class 2A, Area 7 against Aliceville, Francis Marion, and Greene County for a spot in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Expect the Knights to back in the playoffs this spring and looking to make a strong run in 2025.

Find more information on the 2025 Tuscaloosa Academy program below:

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

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