Prep Baseball Report

Alabama High School Team Preview: Boaz Pirates


PBR Alabama Staff

2019 Team Previews:

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High School: Boaz

2018 Record: 25-11

Head Coach: Adam Keenum

AHSAA Classification: 5A

AHSAA Area: 13

2018 Area Finish: 1st

2018 Playoff Run: Lost in 1st Round


RETURNING STARTERS:

Jacob Smith ‘19 CF

McKane Holland ‘20 C

Judd McKinney ‘19 RHP/OF

Brian Montgomery ‘19 RHP/MIF

Lucas Smith ‘19 RHP


UNDERCLASSMEN TO WATCH:

Andrew Burns ‘22 3B


TEAM STRENGTHS:

Return 6 starters who have been in the lineup for 2 or more years

Should be strong offensively


OUTLOOK:

The Pirates return a ton of experience in 2019 after winning an area championship in 2018. They will do battle against Sardis, Douglas and Crossville in 5A Area 13. Coach Adam Keenum’s club returns several key players from the area championship team a season ago and those players will be counted on heavily. 2019 CF Jacob Smith will once again return to his normal spot of hitting leadoff once again in 2019 after hitting .371 in 2018. Smith has been a fixture in the Boaz lineup for several years. The Pirates will be looking for some pitchers to step into a starting pitching role and a group of seniors should factor into those plans. 2019 Judd McKinney (committed to Marion Military Institute) is a RHP that should log numerous innings this year, as well as being counted on in the OF. McKinney was 2-0 with a 3.26 ERA in 2018. Brian Montgomery (RHP/MIF) is another senior that will be counted on heavily in a dual role this year. He has been an everyday player since his freshman year and hit .347 with 7 2B’s last year. He was also 6-1 with a 2.60 ERA on the mound. Another senior, RHP Lucas Smith, will be counted on by the Pirates to contribute in a big way in 2019 with his low 80's fastball. McKane Holland, a 2020 C, has been a mainstay in the Boaz lineup since his 7th grade year. A year ago he hit .373 with 10 2B’s, 3 3B’s, 2 HR’s and 39 RBI’s and will be counted on once again to be a big time run producer. He, and the rest of the Pirates will get an offensive boost from a big time newcomer in the lineup, 2022 3B Andrew Burns. He is currently the #1 rated 2022 player in the state and is ranked #98 nationally. Burns, an Alabama commit, has some thunder in the bat and will be a nice addition to the lineup. There is obvious reason for high expectations around the Boaz baseball team in 2019.