The 2022 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 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 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: Northridge Jaguars 

Coach’s Name: Guy Howard

Classification: AHSAA 6A 

Area Number: Area 7 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 4 

Team Strengths: Pitching, Offense

Top Returning Players:

• C Whitt Winfield (Shelton State CC, 2022)
• UTL Bodie Vail (Shelton State CC, 2022)
• 3B Davis Randolph (Shelton State CC, 2022)
• UTL Will Ingram (2022)
• C Brady McAbee (2023)

Top 2022 Prospects:

• OF/RHP Jon Woodard (2022)
• UTL Whit Jockisch (2022)

Top 2023 Prospects:

• RHP/1B Matthew Sheffield (2023)
• LHP/1B Barrett Rodgers (2023)

Top 2024 & 2025 Prospects:

• INF/RHP Anthony Messina (2024)
• LHP/OF Jack Sanderson (Auburn, 2024)

Team Outlook

The Northridge Jaguars really started playing their baseball down the stretch, resulting in them reaching the Class 6A Final Four in 2021. The Jaguars were eliminated by the eventual state champion Faith Academy in two close games, so they'll be eager to make it back deep in the Class 6A State Playoffs this spring. They'll look to get off to a good start to the season at this coming weekend's PBR Alabama Kickoff Classic.

The Jaguars return most of the offensive production from last year's team, including a trio of seniors who have pledged to play two more years of baseball together after high school. C Whitt Winfield (Shelton State CC) led the team in almost every offensive category as a junior last year and returns to the middle of the order this spring. Winfield is a really solid defensive backstop that can really run for his position and has shown gap-to-gap pop in the past. UTL Bodie Vail (Shelton State CC) is another athletic senior coming back for his senior year after serving as the leadoff hitter last spring. Vail is a quality hitter at the top of the order with good speed on the base paths and in the outfield. Vail has played mostly outfield in the past, but could possibly play shortstop this year. Another senior signee for the Jaguars who came up with some big hits last year is 3B Davis Randolph (Shelton State CC). Randolph has plenty of power from the right side of the box at 6-3, 200-pounds, so he'll continue to be a run-producer for the Jaguars this spring. UTL Will Ingram is a senior returner that the Jaguars will rely on in a two-way role. Ingram had some clutch hits in their playoff run last year and will see most of his time in the outfield and at first base. He's also improved on the mound and will pitch some significant innings this year. C/1B Brady McAbee is a quality left-handed bat that will return to the middle of the lineup for the Jaguars. McAbee is one of the top uncommitted players in the junior class, and he'll look to build off of what was a strong sophomore campaign.

In addition to these returners mentioned above, the Jaguars will need some other players to step into bigger roles this spring in order for them to have the same type of success as last year. OF/RHP Jon Woodward & UTL Whit Jockisch are a pair fo seniors who look like viable candidates to slide into bigger roles left from seniors who graduated last year. RHP/INF Matthew Sheffield is a junior who will look to make in immediate impact after transferring to Northridge this year. LHP/1B Barrett Rodgers is another junior who can provide a big boost on the mound now that he's back healthy. LHP/OF Jack Sanderson (Auburn) & INF/RHP Anthony Messina are both sophomores who are both really talented and are sure to make an impact after getting some experience under their belt last spring. Northridge should once again be really competitive in Class 6A, as they open up at No. 3 in Class 6A in our Preseason Top-10.

 

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