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: Lindsay Lane Christian Academy Lions

Coach’s Name: Charles Morrison 

Classification: AHSAA 2A 

2022 Record: 28-8

Area Number: Class 2A, Area 14 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 4 

Team Strengths: Starting Pitching, Defense, Overall Team Speed

Top Returning Players:

• LHP Ray Anderson (Northwest Shoals CC, 2023)
• OF Max Morrison (Calhoun CC, 2023)
• RHP/SS Ben Frasier (2023)  
• MIF/RHP Seth Mitchell (2023)
• 1B Alex Cook (2024)
• OF Jackson Carter (2023)

Team Outlook

Lindsey Lane Christian Academy enjoyed a historic season last year finishing as the Class 1A State Runner-Up to Bayshore Christian. The Lions were ranked near the top of our Class 1A Poll for the majority of the last season and boasted a stellar 28-8 record with notable wins over Priceville, Decatur Heritage, Wilson and Donoho. 

The Lions were clearly one of the top teams in Class 1A last spring, as they swept their way to the State Finals where they were eliminated by Bayshore Christian in a competitive series. They should continue to have a target on their back this year with most of last year's team returning, including seven positional starters from their lineup. LHP Ray Anderson (Northwest Shoals CC signee, 2023) has been the unquestioned ace for this staff over the past couple years, and he returns for his final year of high school before moving onto the pitch at the next level. The senior southpaw has excellent command for a three-pitch arsenal, and can throw any pitch in any count while sitting in the low-80's with his fastball. Last year, Anderson went 8-1 with a 1.32 ERA, 53 IP, 35 H, 10 ER, 15 BB and 89 K's.

.@PBR_Uncommitted ‘23 LHP Ray Anderson (@LLCALions) was his usual self in his outing showing pitch-ability w/ three offerings.

Up to 82 mph w/ command to arm side, SLV works at 73-74 mph w/ feel to backdoor RHH, showed CH in low-70’s w/ fade.#ALFallGames pic.twitter.com/HNh6ywOk8O

— PBR Alabama (@PBR_Alabama) August 28, 2022

LHP Ray Anderson (8/28/22)

OF Max Morrison (Calhoun CC signee, 2023) is a speedy outfielder who returns to the top of the lineup for the Lions after playing a big part in their playoff run last year. The senior hit right around the .400 mark in batting average and was second on the team scoring 39 times.

.@PBR_Uncommitted ‘23 OF Max Morrison (@LLCALions) delivers a big insurance run for the Lions here in the 5th on this RBI double down the LF line.

Lindsay Lane strands a pair to end the frame, but extend their lead to 2-0, headed to the 6th. pic.twitter.com/K6SBnDaYzj

— PBR Alabama (@PBR_Alabama) May 19, 2022

OF Max Morrison (5/19/22)

RHP/SS Ben Frasier (2023) also had a strong junior season in 2022 and returns to the middle of the order after hitting .309 with 25 RBI's. Frasier will also be one of their top arms after going a perfect 5-0 with a minuscule 0.91 ERA and only six BB's in 30.2 IP last year. Another senior returner that will play a two-way role this year will be MIF/RHP Seth Mitchell (2023). Mitchell was near the top of most offensive categories last spring, hitting .403 with 31 H's and 18 RBI's. 1B Alex Cook (2024) is a physical left-handed hitter who drove in runs at a premium hitting near the middle of the order in 2022. Playing one of the top teams in Class 2A as a sophomore, Cook did more than hold his own as an underclassmen hitting .353 with 20 RBI's.

‘24 1B Alex Cook (@LLCALions) splits the back-side gap here going inside-out on this pitch on the inner-half for a leadoff double to start the frame.

He comes home to score on back-to-back wild pitches, giving Lindsay Lane an early 1-0 lead, headed to the bottom of the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/9Ukm6iiTVM

— PBR Alabama (@PBR_Alabama) May 19, 2022

1B Alex Cook (5/19/22)

OF Jackson Carter (2023) is another everyday-starter coming back for the Lions after hitting right around the .300 mark in batting average, and looks poised for another strong season in 2023. The Lions know what it takes to make a deep run into the playoffs in Class 2A, and there's plenty of optimism that they have the team once again this year to make it back to Jacksonville.

 

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