AL HS Team Preview: Madison Academy Mustangs
February 7, 2020
High School: Madison Academy Mustangs
2019 Record: 21-25
Head Coach: David Pressley
AHSAA Classification: 5A
AHSAA Area: Area 16
2019 Area Finish: 2nd
2019 Playoff Run: Lost in semifinals
RETURNING STARTERS:
’20 RHP/INF Cam Busby
’20 RHP/INF Kai Watson
UNDERCLASSMEN TO WATCH:
’23 LHP/OF Josh Bybee
TEAM STRENGTHS:
Have a big junior class of guys who have had a lot of playing time in their young career.
OUTLOOK:
The Madison Academy Mustangs went on an impressive run during the state playoffs a season ago before falling in Game 3 of the state semifinals to eventual state champion Springville. That run was keyed by several players that return in 2020 as Coach David Pressley welcomes back seven positional starters and six pitchers from last year’s team. The Mustangs are looking for some guys to step up offensively and supply more power to the lineup. Senior RHP/INF Cam Busby returns to the top of the pitching rotation for the third year. Busby finished the last two seasons with a sub 2.00 ERA and enters the 2020 season with a chance to set several school pitching records. Busby struck out 63 hitters during the 2019 season. ’21 RHP/INF Kai Watson returns as the starting shortstop for a second year and the Mustangs expect Watson to be a contributor on the mound this season. Watson has worked hard on his offensive game and is due for a solid year at the plate. Junior RHP/OF Avery Seaton also returns to the starting lineup in 2020. A year ago, he notched some big wins on the mound during the Mustangs impressive playoff run and will be counted on to do so again. Seaton has been a middle of the order hit the past two seasons and is expected to be a run producer in 2020. Brady Merriweather is an athletic INF/C that saw a lot of time on the infield in 2019 and played solid defense. He has worked hard with the bat and is set for a breakout year as a hitter. ’21 C Jackson Hirschler saw his first action behind the plate last season and did a very solid job for the Mustangs. He is a solid catch and throw guy and was solid with the bat as he hit in the four hole for the Mustangs during the second half of the 2019 season. ’22 OF/RHP Alex Wade is an outstanding outfielder that has nice speed and arm strength from the outfield. He has been a starter since his eighth grade year and led the Mustangs in all the major offensive categories a season ago. Wade will also see significant time on the mound. Two underclassmen to keep an eye on this season and in the future are ’23 3B/RHP Matt Manley and ’23 LHP/OF Josh Bybee. Manley has a very solid skill set and has gotten stronger during the offseason. Bybee is a two-way possibility as well. He is a solid defender in the outfield and is also a projectable left handed pitcher. The Mustangs should be a factor in 5A in the north.
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