The 2023 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 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 in each AHSAA classification as well as a Power 25. One thing that you especially don’t want to miss are our scheduled podcasts with guests from across the state as well as recaps and previews of big games across the state.  

*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.

High School Name: Florala Wildcats 

Coach’s Name: Tyler Zessin 

Classification: AHSAA 1A 

2022 Record: 12-13

Area Number: Class 1A, Area 2 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 9 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 6 

Team Strengths: Experience, Pitching, Catching, Hitting 

Top Returning Players:

• RHP/SS John Howell (2023)
• 1B/RHP Seth Bundy (2023)
• OF/RHP Colby Strickland (2023)

Top 2023 Prospects:

• C/UTL Judd Goolsby (2023)

Top 2025 & 2026 Prospects:

• 1B/RHP Kennith Dalton Jackson (2025)

Team Outlook

The Florala Wildcats come into the 2023 season with high expectations of having a successful spring with all nine of their positional starters coming back in addition to six pitchers on the mound. They just missed out on the Class 1A playoffs last spring, but seem to be an experienced group that could make some noise in Class 1A in 2023.

Last year, Florala accumulated 12 wins during the regular season, but came in 3rd place in their area standings to just miss the playoffs. There were some bright spots during that season, including regular season wins over McKenzie, Red Level and Monroe County. The Wildcats have a strong core of seniors on this year's roster that bring back loads of experience over the last couple of years. C/UTL Judd Goolsby (2023) was one of the team's leading hitters last year during his junior campaign, amassing a .452 batting average to go along with a HR and 27 RBI's. He was equally as impressive defensively, where he threw out 20 potential base-stealers from behind the plate. He'll be back to handle the Falcons' pitching staff and be a key offensive producer in the middle of the order. A few other seniors to watch for this spring will be RHP/SS John Howell (2023), 1B/RHP Seth Bundy (2023) and OF/RHP Colby Strickland (2023). All of these players will continue to play vital role for this team's success both at the plate and on the mound. 1B/RHP Kennith Dalton Jackson (2025), a Top-50 prospect in the sophomore class, also returns as a big time power threat in the middle of the order. During his freshman season, Jackson hit .443 with 3 HR's, 29 RBI's, 31 H's, 29 R's and 16 SB's for the Warriors. The sophomore has light tower power from the right side and is expecting another big season in Class 1A.

There's plenty of reason to be excited for the upcoming season for the Florala Wildcats, as they have tons of talent coming back for another year. They have a strong mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen that will all look to contribute both at the plate and on the mound this spring. Expect the Wildcats to a tough-out in Class 1A this spring.

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