Prep Baseball Report

Alabama High School Team Preview: Wadley Bulldogs


PBR Alabama Staff

    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: Wadley High School

Classification: AHSAA 1A Area 7

Positional Starters Returning: 4

Pitchers Returning: 3

Team Strengths: This years team will not be the most experienced in the state, but each of these players want to play, practice, and do anything they can to get better. The ceiling is high with this team. 

Team Weaknesses: Youth will be a big concern for this year’s team. One senior and six juniors, but only three of those players have solid experience from last season, which only saw six games played due to the pandemic shutdown. This year will be all about moving players around to see where they thrive the most.

 

Top Returning Players:

2022 2B/OF Jacob Barber 

2022 C/INF Lakevion O’Neal 

2022 RHP/INF Jacob Marable 

 

Top 2021 Prospects:

2021 RHP/OF Cayden Stephens  

 

Top 2022 Prospects:

2022 1B/LHP/OF Wyatt Smith

2022 OF Logan Patterson 

2022 INF Jacob Noles 

 

Top 2024 and 2025 Prospects:

2024 C/INF Blane Murphy

2025 RHP/INF Ty Taylor

2025 RHP/C/INF Mason Wilkerson

2025 OF Logan Murr

2025 C/RHP/INF Cal Hutchinson

 

Outlook: 

The Wadley Bulldogs enter the 1A Area 7 race with a group of players that enjoy playing for their school and each other. With only 4 starters returning from last year's team the Bulldogs will deoend on many inexperienced players. to play vital roles this spring. Three juniors (2B/OF Jacob Barber, C/INF Lakevion O’Neal and RHP/INF Jacob Marable) return with the most experience from a year ago. Barber is a versatile athlete who will play many different positions this season and be expected to to be a sparkplug for the Bulldog offense. O'Neal will primarily play catcher this season, as he moves from 2B from a year ago. He will be called on to handle the pitching staff. Marable is very athletic showing advanced fielding skills. He should be a run producer with the bat and will also see extended time on the mound as well. The lone senior on the team is RHP/OF Cayden Stephens. He will help lead the team while also doubling as a quality arm on the mound and a solid defensive outfielder. Three other juniors will also look to contribute on the field this season. 1B/LHP/OF Wyatt Smith should give the team a quality arm from the left side while also seeing time at 1B and in the outfield.  Logan Patterson is an athletic outfielder that will be counted on this season while INF Jacob Noles is a solid defender at a tough out at the plate. Look for freshman C/INF Blane Murphy to also challenge for playing time at both positions as he shows legit athleticism. RHP/INF Ty Taylor, RHP/C/INF Mason Wilkerson, OF Logan Murr and C/RHP/INF Cal Hutchison are all solid 8th graders that will may play a significant role this season and will definitely be names to remember in the coming years. The Bulldogs have a solid mixture of upperclassmen and underclassmen in 2021 which should make for an exciting season for the Wadley Bulldogs. 

 

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