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Alabama HS Team Preview: Gardendale Rockets

February 12, 2024
Austin Sharp
Alabama Scouting Director

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: Gardendale Rockets
Head Coach: Ryan Keedy
Classification: AHSAA Class 6A
Area Number: Class 6A, Area 11
2023 Record (Finish): 25-13 (Eliminated in Elite Eight)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 6
No. of Returning Pitchers: 4
Team Strengths: Offense, Experience

 

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

1B/RHP Ty McGraw (2/17/23)

MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2024

C Easton Kleyn (10/7/23)

Class of 2025

OF Jackson Firestone (1/6/24)

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Garendale Rockets will get their season started hosting the Prep Baseball Alabama Kickoff Classic this coming weekend and are hoping to get off to a great start to the begin the 2024 season. After reaching the Elite 8 in 2023, the Rockets look to be poised for another potential playoff run with some notable returners back.

The Rockets have really blossomed into one of the more consistent programs over the past few seasons in Class 6A, as they're always reaching the postseason and reaching the later rounds of the playoffs in a very difficult classification. Last season, they advanced to the Elite 8 by beating Pell City and Hazel Green, but were unfortunately eliminated by Cullman in three games to close their season with a 25-13 record. With most of those players from that playoff team coming back, the Rockets look primed to be in the upper echelon of teams in Class 6A this spring. 1B/RHP Ty McGraw (Troy, 2024) brings back multiple years of varsity experience this season, and should drive in tons of runs for the Rockets in the heart of their order. He's one of the top power hitters in the state and also has a great eye at the plate. SS Cooper Jarvis (Gadsden State CC, 2024) is another senior who is expected to once again play a vital role both on and off the field. He's a catalyst and leader for this team and has some sneaky power from the right side of the plate. 3B/RHP Caiden Combs (Auburn, 2025) is another run-producing bat coming back to the heart of their order. Combs, a multi-sport prospect, is a freaky athlete with impressive strength and uses it to hit for tons of power. LHP/OF Logan Fitzgerald (Bishop State CC, 2024) is the unquestioned ace of the pitching staff with tons of innings at the varsity level over the past few years. He's a prototypical southpaw with pitch-ability and throws nothing that stays straight. Looking at some more upperclassmen, C Easton Kleyn (Montevallo, 2024) and OF/RHP Bo Bachtel (Miles College, 2024) are a pair of seniors who should bolster the lineup with Bachtel adding some depth on the mound, while INF Carson Burdette (2025), UTL Adam Yazel (2025), OF Jackson Firestone (2025), C Carter Jenkins (2025), LHP/1B Braden Chapple (2025) and RHP/UTL Rowan Warmack (2025) are all juniors who are expected to contribute heavily in a variety of ways this spring.

While there's still plenty of baseball left to be played, it looks like this spring could be the season where it all seems to come together with numerous talented upperclassmen back. They'll compete in Area 11 against Huffman and Center Point for a berth in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Gardendale should once again be back in the playoffs and looking to make another deep run in Class 6A in 2024.

Find more information on the 2024 Gardendale High School program below:

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

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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