AL HS Team Preview: Helena Huskies
January 14, 2020
High School: Helena Huskies
2019 Record: 18-17
Head Coach: PJ Guy
AHSAA Classification: 6A
AHSAA Area: Area 8
2019 Area Finish: 2nd
2019 Playoff Run: Lost in 1st round
RETURNING STARTERS:
‘20 RHP/OF Andrew Fortson
‘20 RHP/1B Kellen Watkins
UNDERCLASSMEN TO WATCH:
‘21 RHP/1B Jack Freeman
TEAM STRENGTHS:
Return a lot of experience after being young in 2019.
There is a lot of speed on the team.
Very deep defensively
OUTLOOK:
Helena baseball has enjoyed a great deal of success since the inception of the school in 2014. Once again in 2019, the Huskies qualified for the 6A state playoffs and return a lot of experience in 2020 (six positional starters and eight pitchers return). ‘21 SS Brody Moss returns to the lineup this year in his third year as a starter for Coach PJ Guy. Moss led last year’s team in just about every offensive category, including batting average at .330 and will move over to SS this year after starting at 2B the last two years. Moss is uncommitted but has already received a few Division 1 offers. ‘20 OF/RHP Will Griffith is a UAH signee and returns for his senior year and will be counted on as a two way as he shows some juice off the barrel from his 6’2 210 pound frame. As a junior, he was an area starter on the mound and will be counted on to be the top arm in 2020 for the Huskies. Griffith shows a fastball in the upper 80’s and has “next level” stuff. Another senior, 1B JC Wilburn, burst on the scene a year ago as a middle of the order hitter and will be counted on as a run producer once again this year. Wilburn is a Wallace State (Hanceville) signee and has really made significant improvements to his offensive game of late. A few others seniors that will be counted on heavily in 2020 are OF Luke Stamba, RHP/OF Andrew Fortson and RHP/1B Kellen Watkins. Stamba is ultra athletic as he played QB for the Huskies football team as well while Fortson and Watkins will be counted on to play in the field and log some valuable innings on the mound as well. The Huskies also have a bevy of talented underclassmen as well. A few juniors to keep an eye on in 2020 are C Tyler Jon Santos, INF/RHP Landon Leake, RHP/1B Jack Freeman, RHP Seth Gregory and RHP Jacob Peters. Santos brings a physical bat to the lineup while Leake brings a ton of versatility and speed to the Huskies. Freeman will add depth at 1B while also providing another quality arm for the Huskies. Gregory shows a unique ability to mix pitches on the bump while Peters is just a competitor and pounds the zone with a mid 80’s fastball and a sharp breaking ball. Two sophomores should also contribute for the Huskies this year. ‘22 athletic INF McGwire Turner is very smooth on the dirt and shows gap to gap power at the plate with present strength in the hands. Sophomore OF Ryan Storey runs extremely well and covers a ton of ground in the outfield while showing nice barrel control at the plate. Once again, the Huskies should be highly competitive in 2020 in a loaded 6A Area 8 race.
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