Alabama High School Team Preview: Holtville Bulldogs
January 28, 2021
The 2021 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state. That excitement may be at an all-time high entering this high school season as the 2020 high school baseball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season during an offseason unlike any other and as always, there are some very talented players and teams across Alabama.
Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Montgomery 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 note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.
High School: Holtville High School
Classification: AHSAA 5A Area 6
Positional Starters Returning: 8
Pitchers Returning: 5
Team Strengths: Young but have a very High Baseball IQ. Pitching Staff is very solid with 5 Returning Pitchers (2 Lefties). Defensive ability across the field.
Team Weaknesses: Youth may be an issue and understanding situational hitting is a problem.
Top Returning Players:
2022 C/OF/RHP Mikey Forney
2022 CF/LHP Todd Wilson
2022 OF/1B Cooper Mann
Top 2021 Prospects:
2021 RHP Braxton Buck
Top 2023 and 2024 Prospects:
2023 OF/2B Weston Tubbs
Outlook:
The Holtville Bulldogs will still be a relatively young team in 2021 but they do return 8 positional starters to go along with 5 returning pitchers from a year ago. There is a talented nucleus of talented underclassmen on the roster. One of those guys is sophomore 1B/LHP Randy Davis. Davis (6'4 215 lbs.) will definitely be counted on as a major run producer this year as he shows some impressive power from the left side. In addition, Davis will also be counted on to pitch some big innings on the mound. The southpaw creates a ton of action on all of pitches. Junior 2B Garrett Ingram is another returner that shows solid baseball savvy in his game. Ingram is a bit of a throwback player that shows nice lateral range on the infield and also handles the barrel well to all fields. The Bulldogs are set up the middle in the dirt as sophomore SS Sam Silas also returns and teams with Ingram to give the team a formidable duo. Silas has some strength in the hands at the plate and has a very solid middle of the field approach. On the infield, the glove work is legit and the arm strength across the diamond is there as well. Junior Mikey Forney returns and will add a physical presence to the lineup at 6'4 205 pounds. Forney (also a football standout for the Bulldogs) will be counted on in a number of ways this spring as a catcher, outfielder and right handed pitcher. The right handed hitter should provide an offensive punch in 2021. Todd Wilson is a junior CF/LHP that will be counted on in a two way role. On the mound, Wilson has some high pitchability on the mound and commands the zone very well while also being a steady defensive outfielder and quality left handed bat. Sophomore 3B/C Tanner Potts also returns. The right handed hitter has some major juice off of the barrel while also showing solid defensive actions both at the hot corner and behind the plate. Another physical player is junior OF/1B Cooper Mann. He is versatile enough to be a solid defender at either position and should be a run producing bat in the Bulldogs lineup. Grant Norton is a junior catcher that also returns for the 2021 season. Norton is a very quiet receiver behind the plate while also showing nice arm strength to the bag at 2B. A senior that will be counted on to produce on the mound is RHP Braxton Buck. The 5'11 165 pounder has an easy, clean delivery and does a nice job mixing pitches in any count. A couple of talented sophomores and freshman are names to remember for the 2021 season and beyond. They are:
2023 OF/2B Weston Tubbs- Impressive looking young hitter that shows a very balanced approach from the left side. Tubbs can play on the infield or in the outfield.
2024 SS/2B/RHP Drey Barrett- Barrett has a smooth swing with some lift from the right side. Physical young frame that will only get bigger and stronger over the years. Loose arm action on the mound as well.
2023 RHP/1B Ethan Alston- 6'3 205 pound sophomore that creates nice downward tilt on the fastball and shows smooth footwork around the bag at 1B.
Although still young, the Bulldogs have a very talented roster in 2021.
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