The high school season is finally upon us after a long off-season, which means the inaugural PBR Alabama Kickoff Classic is just a few short days away. This event will be hosting nine of the top Alabama high school programs to kick-off the 2022 high school baseball season. While this is the first event of its kind, there will be plenty of talented teams and players that will make up this event. Action will take place at Vestavia Hills High School and Hoover High School on Friday, February 18th and Saturday, February 19th. Each team will play a single game on Friday and a doubleheader on Saturday. We've decided to take an in-depth look at each team that includes a brief preview for the spring, their preseason PBR classification rankings, their 2021 finish & much more.

If you want to see the full schedule for this Friday & Saturday, CLICK HERE.

To purchase tickets to see these teams in action this week, CLICK HERE for Friday tickets ($8) & CLICK HERE for Saturday tickets ($10). A single ticket gets that individual into both sites (Hoover & Vestavia Hills HS) and is valid for that whole day. 

In addition to this preview, we've also recorded and released an "Around the State" podcast episode that talks about much more ahead of this event. CLICK HERE to listen to the full episode.

 

+ Cullman Bearcats

Head Coach: Brent Patterson
Team Twitter: @CullmanBaseball
Classification: Class 6A Area 14
Preseason Ranking: 6A No. 7
2021 Finish: 2nd Round of 6A Playoffs
Schedule:

• Cullman vs. Oxford (Friday, 7:00, Vestavia Hills HS)
• Cullman vs. Oak Mountain (Saturday, 12:00, Vestavia Hills HS)
• Cullman vs. Hoover (Saturday, 6:00, Hoover HS)

The Cullman Bearcats are the definition of a powerhouse in Class 6A, winning multiple state titles over the past decade and consistently making deep runs throughout the playoffs. This year should prove to be no different, as they return most of last year’s team that reached the second round of playoffs. Cullman does lose two key pieces from Brennen Norton (Jacksonville State) and Jeb Bartle (Snead State CC), but it looks like the Bearcats have more than enough talent to replace those players. SS/RHP Hayden Stancil (Snead State CC, 2022) is a seasoned veteran returning for his final year who will be asked to be one of the leaders of this team. The senior is a two-way talent who uses a mid-80’s fastball on the mound and is equally adept in the right side of the box offensively. 1B/RHP Kaleb Heatherly (2022) has brute strength from the right side at 6-foot-7, 250-pounds, and he’s shown that the power plays to all fields hitting in the heart of the order. Cullman has a deep history of breeding next-level shortstops, and SS Paxton Ponder (2023) looks to be next in line to continue that tradition. The junior is really athletic with sub-7.0 60 YD speed and a repeatable swing from the right side that finds firm contact.

+ Hartselle Tigers

Head Coach: William Booth
Team Twitter: @HHS_Baseball1
Classification: Class 6A Area 14
Preseason Ranking: 6A No. 1
2021 Finish: Class 6A runner-up
Schedule:

• Hartselle vs. Hoover (Friday, 4:00, Hoover HS)
• Hartselle vs. Vestavia Hills (Saturday, 9:00, Vestavia Hills HS)
• Hartselle vs. Oak Mountain (Saturday, 3:00, Vestavia Hills HS)

There are few teams, if any, that return the type of talent that Hartselle returns in 2022, making them the heavy favorites to claim the Class 6A title this spring. The Tigers will feature five players on their roster who have already signed or given their verbal commitment to powerhouse SEC programs, including three senior pitchers who have signed with Auburn. Looking at the pitching staff, RHP Elliott Bray (Auburn, 2022), RHP Caleb Pittman (Auburn, 2022) & LHP William Turner (Auburn, 2022) boast arguably one of the top rotations in the southeast. Bray & Pittman both have gotten into the low-90’s with their fastballs, while Turner is a prototypical southpaw with quality feel for off-speed offerings & pitch-ability. OF Coleman Mizell (Alabama, 2023) possesses some elite tools as a 6-foot-3, 215-pound left-handed hitting outfielder. Mizell affects the game in many ways, but mostly with his gap-to-gap power and sub-7.0 60 YD speed. 3B/OF Peyton Steele (Alabama, 2024) & MIF Josey Williamson (2024) are both advanced hitters for their age, and will look to continue to lead the way offensively like they did last spring as freshman. 1B Brodie Morrow (Southern Union CC, 2022) is another returning offensive threat, and names like RHP JT Blackwood (2022), INF Eli Tidwell (2023), 1B Greyson Howard (2023), INF Cade Miles (2024) & C Cameron Palahach (2024) all have a chance to make in impact for the Tigers.

+ Hoover Buccaneers

Head Coach: Adam Moseley
Team Twitter: @Hoover_Baseball
Classification: Class 7A Area 5
Preseason Ranking: 7A No. 2
2021 Finish: Class 7A runner-up
Schedule:

• Hoover vs. Hartselle (Friday, 4:00, Hoover HS)
• Hoover vs. Oxford (Saturday, 9:00, Hoover HS)
• Hoover vs. Cullman (Saturday, 6:00, Hoover HS)

The Buccaneers really hit their stride down the stretch last season and played their best baseball when it counted, as they reached the Class 7A state finals. Hoover found themselves one big hit away from possibly winning the title, but ultimately fell short in Game 3. With a lot of that team returning in 2022, the Buccaneers will look to start their quest back to the state finals with a good start this weekend at the event. C Lucas Steele (Samford, 2022) should once again be the unquestioned leader offensively after coming up with some huge hits down the stretch last year. Juniors like INF RJ Hamilton (Vanderbilt, 2023), 3B/C Cade Carr (Samford, 2023), RHP Tyler Wilson (Auburn, 2023) & RHP Brewer Smith (2023) are all top-60 players in the 2023 Player Rankings and will look to build off of quality sophomore seasons. RHP Jack Campbell (Snead State CC, 2022) & RHP Marcus Locklear (Lawson State CC, 2022) are a pair of senior right-handers who have good enough stuff on the mound to pitch some important innings for the Buccaneers, while RHP/C Ma’Kale Holden (Alabama, 2025) is a freshman who has done more than hold his own so far in the preseason. A couple others seniors to watch for will be INF Connor Prothro (Central Alabama CC, 2022) & OF Dylan Gordon (Alabama A&M, 2022), as both of their roles are likely to expand in their senior seasons.

+ James Clemens Jets

Head Coach: Johnny Johnson
Team Twitter: @JCJetsBaseball
Classification: Class 7A Area 8
Preseason Ranking: Class 7A "Just Outside the Top-10"
2021 Finish: Missed playoffs
Schedule:

• James Clemens vs. Mobile Christian (Saturday, 12:00, Hoover HS)
• James Clemens vs. Vestavia Hills (Saturday, 6:00, Vestavia Hills HS)

The Jets should be solid once again on the mound this spring with six returning pitchers slated in the rotation, including RHP Noah Berry (Samford, 2022) who should be the ace for this team. Berry is one of those players who enjoyed a breakout summer in 2021, which led to his commitment to Samford. He's a 6-5, 200-pounder who has gotten up to 90 mph in the preseason and pounds the zone with all pitches. LHP Landon Carroll (Bevill State CC, 2022) is another senior arm who should pitch some big innings for the Jets this spring. RHP Luke Davenport (2024) will also be a pitcher to watch this spring, as he has shown a mid-80's fastball this off-season with much more in the tank and excellent command. Looking at the offensive outlook, UTL Colin Loosier (2022) will continue to have a big role for the Jets after playing every position last spring except for catcher, first base and pitcher. 3B/RHP Nathan Guyse (2023) enjoyed a breakout sophomore season as the everyday-starter for the Jets. Back for his junior season, Guyse will hit in the middle of the order and will also be asked to help out on the mound some, as well. Another player who was a starter last spring was OF Gio Lopez (2023), who also serves as the quarterback in the fall for James Clemens.  SS/RHP Andrew Lawrence (2023) is a high upside prospect as a junior who provides range up the middle defensively and a steady bat in the middle of the order for the Jets.

+ Mobile Christian Leopards

Head Coach: Talley Haines
Team Twitter: @MCSBaseball2
Classification: Class 4A Area 1
Preseason Ranking: 4A No. 1
2021 Finish: Class 4A State Champions
Schedule:

• Mobile Christian vs. Vestavia Hills (Friday, 4:00, Vestavia Hills HS)
• Mobile Christian vs. James Clemens (Saturday, 12:00, Hoover HS)
• Mobile Christian vs. Oxford (Saturday, 3:00, Hoover HS)

The Leopards of Mobile Christian bring in one of the top offenses the state of Alabama has to offer with a couple of senior prospects who have a chance to hear their names called in the 2022 MLB Draft. Mobile Christian flexed their muscles last spring, as they ran the table in Class 4A in a season that saw them finish as the last team standing in Montgomery. They’ll once again be the heavy favorites to repeat once again as state champs with a bevy of returners coming back. Speaking of those draft prospects, C Grant Jay (Dallas Baptist, 2022) & 3B Charlie Keller (Mississippi State, 2022) bring plenty of tools to the table and should anchor the middle of this talented lineup once again. Jay is an athletic backstop with premium catch-and-throw skills defensively and a right-handed bat that has flashed power to all fields, while Keller posted double digit home runs last spring from the left side of the plate. SS Seth Smith (Southern Miss, 2023) is a top-25 prospect in the junior class mostly for his smooth & controlled left-handed swing that finds consistent firm contact. INF Zane Stokes (Coastal Alabama CC, 2022), INF Brody Hinton (BIshop State CC, 2022), INF Ty Mancha (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, 2022) & INF Jay McCants (Spring Hill, 2022) are all seniors who had quality outings last spring as juniors and looked primed for more of the same this year. RHP Camden Diamond (Southern Union CC, 2022) & RHP/1B Kelly Lanier (Coastal Alabama CC, 2022) are both a quality right-handed arms on the mound who work the mid-80’s, and should be two of the top pitchers on this staff. Although this Mobile Christian squad has plenty of upperclassmen talent, there are a couple freshmen in OF Damien Gatson (2025) & C Noah Blackburn (2025) who debuted in the top-5 of the 2025 Player Rankings and will be definite follows moving forward.

+ Northridge Jaguars

Head Coach: Guy Howard
Team Twitter: @NHSJagBaseball
Classification: Class 6A Area 7
Preseason Ranking: 6A No. 3
2021 Finish: Class 6A Semifinals
Schedule:

• Northridge vs. Oak Mountain (Friday, 7:00, Hoover HS)

The Jaguars return most of the offensive production from last year's 6A Final Four 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. 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. LHP/OF Jack Sanderson (Auburn, 2024) is a viable candidate to log some important innings on the mound this spring for the Jaguars using a projectable 6-4, 185-pound frame.

+ Oak Mountain Eagles

Head Coach: Derek Irons
Team Twitter: @OMHS_Baseball
Classification: Class 7A Area 5
Preseason Ranking: 7A No. 4
2021 Finish: Missed playoffs
Schedule:

• Oak Mountain vs. Northridge (Friday, 7:00, Hoover HS)
• Oak Mountain vs. Cullman (Saturday, 12:00, Vestavia Hills HS)
• Oak Mountain vs. Hartselle (Saturday, 3:00, Vestavia Hills HS)

The Eagles of Oak Mountain 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.

+ Oxford Yellow Jackets

Head Coach: Wes Brooks
Team Twitter: @OldGoldBB
Classification: Class 6A Area 13
Preseason Ranking: 6A No. 2
2021 Finish: Class 6A Quarterfinals
Schedule:

• Oxford vs. Cullman (Friday, 7:00, Vestavia Hills HS)
• Oxford vs. Hoover (Saturday, 9:00, Hoover HS)
• Oxford vs. Mobile Christian (Saturday, 3:00, Hoover HS)

Oxford has a few spots to fill coming into this spring, including replacing OF Trey Higgins (Signed with Mississippi State), but the Yellow Jackets seem to have depth at every position. The middle of the infield for Oxford should be as good as anyones throughout the state with SS Sam Robertson (Auburn, 2023), SS Peyton Watts (Troy, 2023) & INF/RHP Carter Johnson (2024) returning as starters from last year's team. All three of those players hit at the top of that lineup from last year. UTL/RHP Miguel Mitchell (2022) has recently blown up on the recruiting trail for football and committed to Florida, but he's also a solid baseball player with a fastball that has gotten up to 90 mph. 1B/LHP Hayes Harrison (2023) & OF Chance Griner (2022) are both returning starters and should be slated in the heart of the Oxford order. C Caleb Thomas (2023) got a lot of valuable experience behind the plate last year, and the Yellow Jackets have a couple other options for catcher. OF RJ Brooks (2024) should be a viable candidate to slide up into a starting role after some big hits during last year's playoff series, and RHP Jackson Crow (2023) is an upper-80's arm that has enjoyed a solid preseason so far. Although there's plenty of talent coming back in the Class of 2022 & 2023 for Oxford, there's a lot of exciting younger players that may be able to find a way to make an impact this year. SS/RHP Eli Bozeman (2025) & RHP/C Hudson Gilman (2025) are both Top-10 players in the Class of 2025 and could pitch some meaningful innings.

+ Vestavia Hills Rebels

Head Coach: Jamie Harris
Team Twitter: @1RebelBaseball
Classification: Class 7A Area 6
Preseason Ranking: 7A No. 9
2021 Finish: Missed playoffs
Schedule:

• Vestavia Hills vs. Mobile Christian (Friday, 4:00, Vestavia Hills HS)
• Vestavia Hills vs. Hartselle (Saturday, 9:00, Vestavia Hills HS)
• Vestavia Hills vs. James Clemens (Saturday, 6:00, Vestavia Hills HS)

The Rebels return the majority of the offensive production from last year’s talented team that was ranked inside the top-10 in Class 7A for most of the spring. They’ll look to some newcomers to step into bigger roles on the mound early in the year, but the Rebels have the talent to have another successful season in 2022. OF Pierce Hanna (2022) is one of the many key pieces coming back to the lineup after posting solid seasons at the plate over the past few years. A top-40 prospect in the senior class, Hanna is a physical 5-foot-10, 190-pounder with present strength and pop to both gaps from the right side of the plate. C Hudson Walburn (Jacksonville State, 2023) is another player who has started for the Rebels and hit towards the top of the lineup over the past couple of years. The junior backstop has come up in some big spots for Vestavia Hills, and he’ll be looked upon again this spring for that same type of production. OF Christopher Johnston (Auburn, 2023) is coming off a summer circuit and looks poised to be a real threat in the middle of that lineup. Johnston possesses plenty of power at 6-foot-1, 200-pounds, and is athletic enough to play multiple positions defensively. 1B/LHP Jackson Harris (2023) returns as the Rebels’ two-hole hitter and will be one of their top arms in the rotation starting the season off. OF/C Thomas Watson (West Alabama, 2022), RHP Grainger West (West Alabama, 2022), OF Jay Faulkner (2022) & RHP Caleb Shofner (2022) are a trio of seniors that will play a big part in Vestavia Hills’ success, while INF Mason Perrigo (Duke, 2024) will look to make an impact early on in the season as a sophomore.

 

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