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Alabama HS Team Preview: Stanhope Elmore Mustangs

February 8, 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: Stanhope Elmore Mustangs
Head Coach: DK Shuman
Classification: AHSAA 6A
Area Number: 6A Area 3
2023 Record (Finish): 30-7 (Eliminated in Final Four)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 4
No. of Returning Pitchers: 5
Team Strengths: Pitching, defense, and expectations of winning.

 

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

SS Hayden Anderson (7/11/23)

MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2024

  • RHP Dylan Dent (2024; uncommitted)
  • C Tate Glover (2024; uncommitted)

Class of 2025

  • RHP/1B Luke Payne (2025; uncommitted)
  • RHP/OF Romney Henry (2025; uncommitted)

RHP/OF Romney Henry (6/28/22)

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

OF Jordan Jones (9/17/23)

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Stanhope Elmore Mustangs enjoyed one of the better seasons in program history in 2023, reaching the Final Four in loaded Class 6A and posting 30-7 record in the process. There's plenty of optimism surrounding this year's team once again, as they have some talented arms returning to the pitching staff who played a key role in last season's success.

The Mustangs were ranked inside the top-5 in our Class 6A poll for the entirety of the season, as they dominated the regular season playing against some talented teams and carried that momentum into the playoffs. The Mustangs, who have grown accustomed to making deep playoffs runs in the Class 6A over the past few seasons, advanced to the semifinals in Class 6A winning series over Chilton County, Hueytown, and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, but were ultimately defeated in three games by a tough Spanish Fort club. They now shift their focus to this spring, and while they have lost some talented seniors from last year's team, the Mustangs still bring back a good amount of experienced returners, especially on the mound. SS Hayden Anderson (2026) is coming off his best season last spring where hit hit .384 in batting average and scored 37 times. A top-25 prospect in the 2026 class in AL, the sophomore is now a three-year starter at the varsity level and will look to take on a leadership role as one of the more experienced position players on the roster. 3B/RHP Ethan Walls (2025), another three-year starter, has blossomed into one of the more talented two-way players in the 2025 class in AL, and looks poised for a breakout season on both sides of the ball. The junior posted a .390 batting average in 2023, but the right-handed arm has really seen an uptick over the past few months with a running fastball that sits in the upper-80's and a wipeout slider. LHP Tyler Woodham (2025) and LHP/OF Jackson Stallworth (2025) are a pair of junior southpaws and former PBR Future Games alumni who are ranked inside the top-50 in the 2025 class in AL. Woodham, who compiled a 2.33 ERA last season, is a bit more polished at the moment with standout pitch-ability using a low-80's fastball, while Stallworth can work his fastball up to 90 mph and should also be a big piece offensively after hitting .323 last season. RHP Dylan Dent (2024) was used as a weapon out of the bullpen in the late innings last season working in the mid-80's from a lower slot and compiling a 2.62 ERA, while C Tate Glover (2024) should take on a larger role this spring after catching roughly half of their games last year. RHP/1B Luke Payne (2025) is another arm who returns with experience after posting a 1.50 ERA in 2023 and throwing some key innings in relief as a sophomore, including three shutout innings during the semifinals. RHP/OF Romney Henry (2025) has made some big strides during the off-season and has seen an uptick in velocity on his fastball. He also has the potential to hit in the middle of their order, as well. Looking at some underclassmen, the Mustangs are hoping they can recieve some key contributions from some talented freshman and sophomores. OF/RHP Jordan Jones (2026), OF/RHP Cavarous Ellis (2026), and INF/RHP Greyson Jones (2026) all should have opportunities to help this team this season, whether it be on the mound or at the plate.

After last season's deep playoff run to the semifinals, the Mustangs are sure to be motivated this spring to make it back to the postseason and replicate that same type of success. They'll compete in Area 3 against Wetumpka, G.W. Carver-Montgomery, and Sidney Lanier for a berth in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Expect Stanhope Elmore to have another successful year and be strong contenders in Class 6A in 2024.

Find more information on the 2024 Stanhope Elmore program below:

+ Follow them on X: @SE_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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