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: Oak Mountain Eagles 

Coach’s Name: Derek Irons 

Classification: AHSAA 7A 

Area Number: Area 3 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 6 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 3 

Team Strengths: Experienced Returners, Pitching Depth 

Top Returning Players:

• 3B Davis Gillespie (Southern Miss, 2022)
• INF Andrew Hunt (Wallace-Hanceville CC, 2022)
• LHP Matthew Heiberger (Alabama, 2023)
• 1B/RHP Maddox Macrory (Bevill State CC, 2022)

Top 2023 Prospects:

• RHP/1B Carter Kimbrell (2023)

Top 2024 & 2025 Prospects:

• SS Nick McCord (2024)
• MIF Kevin Jasinski (2024)

Team Outlook

Oak Mountain comes into the spring of 2022 ranked as the No. 4 team in our Preseason Top-10 that was released last week. The Eagles should once again be competitive and one of the the teams to beat this spring in Class 7A.

The Eagles have plenty coming back from last year’s team that was ranked inside the top-10 throughout the majority of the season in Class 7A. Although they missed the playoffs playing in one of the more difficult areas throughout the state, the Eagles looked primed for a successful 2022 campaign. 3B Davis Gillespie (Southern Miss, 2022) returns as one of the more talented hitters the state of Alabama has to offer, as he’s continued to progress as a prospect over the past few years. A former Future Gamer, Gillespie has a compact & powerful stroke from the right side that produces easy gap-to-gap power with little swing-and-miss. INF Andrew Hunt (Wallace-Hanceville CC, 2022) is another run-producer returning to the middle of the lineup for his senior season. Hunt uses a strong 5-foot-11, 190-pound frame that hits for consistent power, and we’ve seen him perform at a high level against all forms of competition, regardless the setting. LHP Matthew Heiberger (Alabama, 2023) returns to the pitching rotation and is ranked as a top-100 prospect nationally and the No. 1 southpaw in the junior class in Alabama. Heiberger has been up to 89 mph with more to come using an athletic 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame and a low-effort delivery. 1B/RHP Maddox Macrory (Bevill State CC, 2022) is another key piece coming back for the Eagles after earning Honorable Mention for the Class 7A All-State Team as a junior. RHP/1B Carter Kimbrell (2023) will be asked to pitch some quality innings on the mound and produce in the middle of the lineup, while MIF Nicholas McCord (2024) & MIF Kevin Jasinski (2024) are both sophomores who will see expanded roles this spring.

With the returning talent Oak Mountain has, it's easy to see why the Eagles are favorites to compete deep into the Class 7A State Playoffs this spring. They'll look to get off to a great start this year participating in this weekend's PBR Alabama Kickoff Classic.

 

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