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Alabama HS Team Preview: Hazel Green Trojans

February 13, 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: Hazel Green Trojans
Head Coach: Mitchell Wright
Classification: AHSAA Class 6A
Area Number: Class 6A, Area 16
2023 Record (Finish): 23-16 (Eliminated in Sweet Sixteen)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 3
No. of Returning Pitchers: 2
Team Strengths: Pitching, Defense, Speed

 

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

RHP/INF Jackson Hunter (1/6/24)

MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2024

  • C Matthew Tucker (2024; uncommitted)

Class of 2025

INF/RHP Israel Navarro (6/13/23)

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

RHP/1B Andrew Beaverson (1/6/24)

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Hazel Green Trojans are coming off back-to-back seasons where they've reached at the Sweet 16 in Class 6A, including an impressive run to the Final 4 back in 2022. Although there are some roles to fill this spring from some graduating seniors on last year's team, the Trojans will still be heavily in the mix in Class 6A and begin the season just outside the top-10 in the classification.

The Trojans, who finished as the winner's of their area over Buckhorn and Lee-Huntsville, hosted the 1st round of the playoffs and advanced to the Sweet 16 with a clean sweep of Homewood. Matching up with Gardendale in the 2nd round, they were eliminated in two games in that round to close their season with a 23-16 record. This spring, the Trojans bring back a strong 1-2 punch on the mound and will bolster an athletic lineup that can do a number of things to generate runs. INF Tarpley Priest (2024) is going to be a big part of their offensive success this spring once again and looks to be back to full strength after dealing with a nagging injury last year. He's been a staple in the heart of their order over the past couple of seasons and looks primed for his best season yet. Speaking of the 1-2 punch on mound, RHP/INF Jackson Hunter (Alabama, 2024) and LHP Blake Saltzman (Alabama-Huntsville, 2024) should compliment each other well at the top of the rotation. Hunter, a top-10 prospect in the 2024 class in AL, can reach the low-90's with his fastball, while Saltzman is more of funky, prototypical southpaw who possesses a clean three-pitch mix. OF Jaden Charles (2025) has some exciting tools, including elite-level speed, and can affect the game in a variety of ways. He showcased some sneaky power last year as a sophomore at the top of their lineup and should continue to hit for higher volumes of it in the future. C Matthew Tucker (2024) is slated to take over behind the plate and is a real solid defender with some physicality at the plate, while INF/RHP Israel Navarro (2025) performed on the summer circuit and looks primed for a breakout spring. The junior is an excellent defender on the infield and should help out on the mound, as well. A few underclassmen to watch for this spring are RHP/1B Andrew Beaverson (2026), INF Bryce Zimmerman (2026), INF Colton Clark (2027), and OF Cole Ziak (2027), all of which have the talent to step into the varsity level and compete for significant playing time this spring for the Trojans. 

The Trojans have grown into one of the more consistent programs in Class 6A in the northern part of the state and look primed to build off of the prior success they've had over the past few seasons. They'll compete in Area 16 against Buckhorn and Lee-Huntsville for a berth in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Hazel Green once again looks built for another successful season and have hopes of another deep playoff run in Class 6A in 2024.

Find more information on the 2024 Hazel Green program below:

+ Follow them on X: @HGHS_Baseball
+ 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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