The 2024 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 the Jacksonville/Oxford/Montgomery area 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 rankings 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 ranks in each AHSAA classification, as well updating our Power 25 overall rankings. One thing, especially, you don’t want to miss are our scheduled podcasts with guests from across the state, as well as the recaps and previews of the big games we’re covering.

*Please note the information has been gathered from head coaches across the state, based on their replies to the questionnaire we distributed over this offseason.

High School: Florala Wildcats
Head Coach: Tyler Zessin
Classification: AHSAA Class 1A
Area Number: Class 1A, Area 2
2023 Record (Finish): 14-4 (Eliminated in Sweet 16)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 4
No. of Returning Pitchers: 2
Team Strengths: Pitching, Defense, Middle of the Order, Speed

 

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

• INF/RHP Jacob Laura (2026)
• OF Rayshon Coleman (2025; uncommitted)

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MORE UPPERCLASSMEN FOLLOWS

Class of 2024

• C Cody Walsh (2024; Lurleen B. Wallace CC)

Class of 2025

• UTL/RHP Dalton Jackson (2025; uncommitted)

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TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

Class of 2026

• LHP/OF Easton Walsh (2026)

Class of 2027

• MIF/RHP Noah Bryan (2027)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

The Florala Wildcats come into the spring of 2023 with high aspirations of replicating last year's success, while featured an appearance in the Sweet 16 in Class 1A. Finishing with a 14-4 record, the Wildcats were ranked inside the top-10 in Class 1A for the majority of the season, and return multiple quality players from last year's team in 2024.

The Wildcats will bring back multiple players in 2024 that have numerous years of varsity experience, and they will rely on some of those players to help lead the way and bring some of the newer faces up to speed in the early part of the season. Florala should be very strong on the mound this spring and like the way the middle of their order sets up offensively. INF/RHP Jacob Laura (2026) has started varsity games since his eighth-grade year and looks poised for another strong season. He is a reliable defender and is starting to develop and grow into his frame. Laura should be a solid glove at third base and be a quality hitter in the middle of their lineup. OF Rayshon Coleman (2025) is an elite athlete that competes in multiple sports at a high level. Serving as the quarterback, point guard, and having a state championship in track, Coleman is a lockdown defender in the outfield and experienced hitter that had a .405 on-base percentage in 2023. He should also be a major threat to steal bases, as well. UTL/RHP Cody Walsh (Lurleen B. Wallace CC, 2024) moves into the program for his senior season and will provide a big boost at the plate and on the mound. Walsh, who earned 2nd Team All-State Honors in 2023, will catch, pitch, and play some infield defensively. In 2023, the right-hander hit .414 with 11 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 3 HRs, 32 RBIs, & 22 BBs to go along with a 6-0 record with a 0.93 ERA in 52.2 IP on the mound. UTL/RHP Dalton Jackson (2025) brings back huge offensive production to the middle of this order, as he hit .596 with 7 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 4 HRs, & 31 RBIs while only striking out once in 2023. He will also be a top arm for their rotation after posting a 6-1 record with a 2.41 ERA last season. 

The Wildcats expect to rely on some underclassmen to slide into bigger roles this season with some of last year's production moving on. LHP/OF Easton Walsh (2026), the younger brother of Cody mentioned above, is expected to pitch some big games for this year's team. The sophomore can fill up the zone with all three of his pitches and is expected to have a breakout season. MIF/RHP Noah Bryan (2027) should be an immediate impact player up the middle on the infield and provide depth on the mound for the Wildcats. He is a clean defender with a contact-oriented approach and good speed. Florala will look to build off of last year's success and have high hopes of making a deep run throughout Class 1A in 2024.

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Find more information on the 2024 Lauderdale County Tigers program below:

+ Follow them on X: @FloralaBaseball
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Alabama, 2024 HS Team Previews

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FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL ALABAMA THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball Alabama on X
+ Prep Baseball Alabama on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Alabama on Facebook

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