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AL HS Team Preview: Gulf Shores Dolphins

February 1, 2023
PBR Alabama Staff

The 2023 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 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 in each AHSAA classification as well as a Power 25. One thing that you especially don’t want to miss are our scheduled podcasts with guests from across the state as well as recaps and previews of big games across the state.  

*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.


High School Name: Gulf Shores Dolphins 

Coach’s Name: Chris Jacks 

Classification: AHSAA 5A 

2022 Record: 29-7

Area Number: Class 5A, Area 1  

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 2 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 2 

Team Strengths: Team Defense, Depth

Top Returning Players:

Top 2023 Prospects:

  • INF Reid Achimon (2023)
  • 1B/RHP Logan Allen (2023)
  • OF Keaton Edmonds (2023)
  • OF Spencer Holmes (2023)

Top 2024 Prospects:

Top 2025 & 2026 Prospects: 

Team Outlook

The Gulf Shores Dolphins are fresh off a really strong year in 2022, where they finished with a 29-7 record and an appearance in the Sweet 16 in Class 6A. The Dolphins will make the move down a classification to Class 5A starting this year and have aspirations of advancing even further throughout the playoffs in 2023.

The Dolphins may lack some experience at the varsity level heading into this spring with just two positional starters and two pitchers returning. but Coach Jacks & Co. feel like this team has a chance to be one of the deepest teams that they have had over the past few years. Last year, the Dolphins recorded 29 wins during their season with quality wins over teams like Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, Chelsea, Enterprise, Bayside Academy, Spanish Fort, Daphne, Mortimer Jordan and others on their 2022 regular season schedule. They swept through their area series and ended up winning Area 2 to host their 1st round series against McAdory in the Class 6A playoffs. They defeated the Yellow Jackets in two games by scores of 2-1 and 4-0 to advance to the Sweet 16, where they would travel to Stanhope Elmore. The Mustangs, however, were able to defeat the Dolphins in two tightly-contested games by scores of 6-4 and 7-4 (9 innings) to end their season at 29-7. Although it may not have been the ending they were hoping for, the Dolphins look primed and ready for another strong spring in their new classification. C Dom Maldet (Montevallo signee, 2023) returns as a three-year starter and will be the captain and leader of the Dolphins' program. The right-handed hitting backstop is coming off a junior season where he hit .345 with 11 2B's and a HR while leading the team with 28 RBI's. Defensively, he threw out 38% of would-be base-stealers and does a good job of handling their pitching staff. Look for him to have another strong season as one of the key leaders for Gulf Shores.

C Dom Maldet (7/13/22)

Coming off a season where he was named to the Class 6A 1st Team All-State as a sophomore, SS/RHP Joseph Stephens (2024) will look to have yet another strong year in 2023. Stephens seemed to be a do-it-all player last spring for the Dolphins, as he hit .400 with 50 H's, 20 RBI's, 28 R's, and 10 SB's offensively while accumulating a .453 OBP hitting at the top of the order. On the mound, he was equally as effective, going 2-0 with 8 SV's in 29 IP out of the bullpen. Transitioning from closer of starter role this spring, Stephens is another big piece returning for the Dolphins.

SS Joseph Stephens (7/25/22)

SS/RHP Connor Gehr (2024) looks primed looks primed for a breakout campaign this spring after being named a top performer at multiple PBR events over the last seven months. Gehr, a Top-60 prospect in the junior class in AL, has been in the program since his seventh-grade year and has waited his turn to be a full time starter for the Dolphins. On the mound, he'll operate in the mid-80's with his fastball and was up to 87 mph at last month's South AL Preseason All-State with good command of all secondary offerings. Gehr will also hit near the top of the order for the Dolphins offensively and play either third base or shortstop, depending on who is pitching.

RHP Connor Gehr (1/8/23)

In addition to these players mentioned above, Gulf Shores also has a few seniors that have waited their turn and are looking for it to pay off in their first year starting at the varsity level. Some of those players to watch for are INF Reid Achimon (2023), 1B/RHP Logan Allen (2023), OF Keaton Edmonds (2023), and OF Spencer Holmes (2023). All of these players will see their roles increase and will be looked upon to provide senior leadership. MIF Alex King (2024) looks primed to have a breakout junior season as the starter at either third base or shortstop when Stephens is on the mound. King, one of the hardest workers in the program, is a solid infielder defensively and has a chance to be a key middle-of-the-order hitter for the Dolphins. RHP/OF Mac Anderson (2024) will look to provide an immediate boost to the Dolphins' pitching staff, where he's shown a fastball that has gotten up to 90 mph. He will sure to throw some quality innings this spring and be a key arm in their rotation.

RHP Mac Anderson (5/23/22)

UTL/RHP Alex Rippy (2024) and OF/RHP Jackson Beck (2024) are two more juniors that will compete for starting jobs both at the plate and on the mound. Rippy can play multiple positions defensively and should be one of their top arms in the rotation, while Beck is one of the best athletes on the team and will compete for an outfield spot in addition to fighting for innings on the mound. C/OF Price Stephens (2026) and RHP/INF John Luke Stephens (2025) are two underclassmen that have a chance to see playing time during their sophomore season. Stephens is an athletic backstop, while John Luke will look to follow his brothers Marc and Joseph as the next Stephens to come through the Dolphins' program and should be a quality arm in their rotation this spring.

Gulf Shores looks to have plenty of depth at key positions and on the mound this spring, and should only continue to get better as the season goes on and those newer players gain experience and confidence. The Dolphins will compete in Area 1 in Class 5A against Elberta, BC Rain, and Williamson for a spot in the playoffs at the end of the season, and all signs point to another strong season in their new classification in 2023.


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