Alabama High School Team Preview: Madison Academy Mustangs
February 8, 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: Madison Academy
Classification: AHSAA 5A Area 16
Positional Starters Returning: 8
Pitchers Returning: 5
Team Strengths: Experience with 10 Seniors, hope to have more power at plate and on the mound, strong defensively
Team Weaknesses: Lost 3 year #1 arm, will need someone to step up who has never pitched varsity.
Top Returning Players:
Top 2021 Prospects:
Top 2023 Prospects:
Outlook:
The Mustangs of Madison Academy have had a great deal of success on the baseball field over the years and 2021 may be much of the same. The roster includes 10 seniors and a ton of experience as the Mustangs will be looking for some pitchers to take up the slack of losing a very reliable #1 starter from a year ago. Junior OF/RHP Alex Wade (Auburn commit) will be counted on as a two way player as he showcases a fastball that has recently been up to 89 mph. Wade should have a great deal of success on the mound but no doubt. the big ticket here is the bat. He is a complete player and has gotten bigger and faster. A year ago he already had 3 HR and 17 RBI when when last season abruptly ended. Senior SS/RHP Kai Watson is another Mustang that will be relied on as a position player and pitcher. He projects to be the team's ace showing a very quick arm. In 5 appearances last year he was 4-0 with a 0.65 ERA and 28 K's in 21 innings. He is also a solid defender at SS and hit .33 with 5 2B and 9 RBI a year ago. Senior OF/RHP Avery Seaton can hit! In the short season a year ago he had already totalled 6 2B's, 3 HR's and 14 RBI's. On the mound he was 1-0 with 13 K's in 13 innings pitched and he should definitely see his workload on the mound increase this year. Seaton recently signed with Alabama A&M and will play both football (QB) and baseball for the Bulldogs. Brady Merriweather (5'10 175 lbs.) also returns as a 2B/SS for his senior season. He is a plus defender with speed and athleticism and hit .405 with 3 2B's , 2 HR's and 11 RBI last season. Catcher Jackson Hirschler has had a very solid offseason and has gotten much stronger. The senior has continued to progress behind the plate and has become very reliable while also providing a power bat in the lineup. Brant Benson is a senior 1B/RHP that looks to have a strong 2021 campaign. He is a very solid defensive 1B that can save some runs while also coming up with some big hits last season. Benson should be a big help on the mound as well as he was the team's best reliever last season. One newcomer this spring will be senior OF James Slaughter. He had to sit out last year as a transfer student and is ready to get on the field this year. The Rust College signee is a big time runner and shows very athletic actions in the outfield. Two sophomores to follow in 2021 are RHP/INF Matt Manley and LHP Josh Bybee. Manley is a definite two way talent that will help on the infield and add quality depth on the mound. He has some definite strength in the hands with a middle of teh field approach at the plate and features a fastball in the mid 80's and a solid breaking ball. He can command all pitches very well. Bybee is a solid southpaw that shows a high 3/4 slot and a fast ball with late arm side action. The breaking ball shows true late depth that he can bury down in the zone. The Mustangs have all the pieces to have a very successful season in 2021.
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