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AL HS Team Preview: Hartselle Tigers

February 14, 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: Hartselle Tigers 

Coach’s Name: William Booth 

Classification: AHSAA 6A 

2022 Record: 39-4

Area Number: Class 6A, Area 14

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 3 

Team Strengths: Returning Offense, Experienced Lineup/Defense 

Top Returning Players:

Top 2023 Prospects:

Top 2024 Prospects:

Team Outlook

The Hartselle Tigers are coming off a historic 2023 campaign winning the Class 6A State Title and finishing with a 39-4 record on the season. There's some turnover on the mound, but the Tigers return almost all of last year's offensive firepower and should once again be one of the top teams in Class 6A this spring.

The Tigers rolled through the regular season in 2022 with just their four losses coming to Houston County (GA), IMG Academy (FL), Auburn, and Northridge before ending the season on a 24-game winning streak. Of those 39 wins during the season, they recorded big wins over programs like Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Oak Mountain, Auburn, and others on their regular season schedule. Even more impressive after sweeping through their area series, Hartselle swept every single playoff matchup in Class 6A over Huffman, Mountain Brook, Buckhorn, Hazel Green, and Pelham in Class 6A State Finals. It was one the most impressive seasons we've seen in recent years, but it's a new season with some players that will need to step into larger roles especially on the mound. OF Coleman Mizell (Alabama signee, 2023) returns for his senior season as the No. 1-ranked player in the state and will look to have the same type of offensive success he experienced last spring. As a junior, Mizell posted .504/.586/.854 to go along with 10 HR's, 18 2B's, 56 RBI's, 25 BB's, and just 19 K's on the season. After a strong showing at this month's PBR Super 60, he will obviously be one of the key returning pieces for their offense this spring.

OF Coleman Mizell (2/5/23)

Another Tiger that attended the PBR Super 60 this month, LHP/OF Jack Smith (Arkansas signee, 2023) returns for his senior season ranked as the top-ranked southpaw in the state. Smith is a strong 6-foot-3, 215-pounder that has shown the ability to run his fastball up to 94 mph last spring to go along with a quality secondary mix of pitches in his arsenal. He will emerge as their ace on the pitching staff and will see his workload continue to increase this spring.

LHP Jack Smith (2/5/23)

Two more senior returners that will look to help lead the charge offensively this spring are INF/RHP Eli Tidwell (Northeast Shoals CC signee, 2023) and 1B/RHP Greyson Howard (2023). Tidwell is a table-setter at the the top of the order, while Howard has the ability to generate runs with his power hitting from the right side of the plate. Both of these players enjoyed strong junior campaigns hitting in the heart of the Tigers' lineup, and will look to build off of last season's success this spring.

INF Eli Tidwell (7/25/22)
1B Greyson Howard (1/7/23)

Another player that will look to provide some power hitting in the heart of their order this spring will be OF/RHP Peyton Steele (Alabama recruit, 2024), a Top-15 prospect in the junior class in AL who has served as a primary run-producer for the Tigers ever since his freshman season. Steele was another player on last year's roster that belted double-digit home runs and will be looked upon for the same type of offensive production this spring.

OF Peyton Steele (1/7/23)

Returning to the middle of the infield once again, MIF Josey Williamson (Alabama recruit, 2024) and MIF Cade Miles (Jacksonville State recruit, 2024) are two players that are ranked inside the Top-25 in the junior class in AL. Williamson is one of the top pure hitters in the state regardless of graduation class, while Miles is a consistent hitter in their order and a reliable defensive infielder at shortstop. C Cam Palahach (2024) is another junior returner that does an excellent job behind the plate handling the Tigers' pitching staff.

INF Josey Williamson (1/7/23)
INF Cade Miles (1/7/23)

A couple more players that will see their roles and workload increase this spring are RHP Isaac Nicholson (2023) and 1B/RHP Lawson Williams (2024). Nicholson will be a solid option in their pitching rotation after seeing some time on the mound last spring using a mid-80's fastball, while Williams will look to provide some power output this spring hitting from the left side of the plate.

RHP Isaac Nicholson (3/26/22)

The Tigers were the most dominant team across the state of Alabama last spring and spent the duration of the season ranked as the No. 1 team in Class 6A, but it's a new year this spring and they'll need some new faces to step into bigger roles in order for them to have the type of success they experienced last spring. They will compete in Area 14 against Cullman, Decatur, and Muscle Shoals for a spot in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Expect the Hartselle Tigers to once again be one of the top teams in a loaded field in Class 6A in 2023.

 

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SHOWCASE DATE LOCATION
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