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AL HS Team Preview: North Jackson Chiefs

January 20, 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: North Jackson Chiefs

Coach’s Name: Cole Porter 

Classification: AHSAA 4A 

2022 Record: 16-16

Area Number: Class 4A, Area 14 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 6 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 6 

Team Strengths: Pitching, Defense, Experience  

Top Returning Players:

Top 2023 Prospects: 

  • INF/RHP Collin Clark (2023)

Top 2024 Prospects:

Top 2025 & 2026 Prospects:

Team Outlook

The North Jackson Chiefs seemed to starting playing their best baseball down the stretch in 2022, as they tallied 16 total wins and went on to win their area. Most of that group is back from last year which features plenty of depth and experience on the mound and some key positional starters returning for another year in 2023.

The Chiefs clinched Class 4A, Area 14 with a big series win over New Hope in the final week of the regular season to advance to the Class 4A playoffs in 2022. The Chiefs hosted the 1st round of the playoffs, and handled Hanceville with relative ease by sweeping them by outscoring them 31-0 (10-0, 21-0) in their series to advance to the 2nd round. In the Sweet 16, North Jackson faced off against Brooks and was ultimately defeated in two games to close their season at 16-16. Staying in Area 14 in 2023, the Chiefs will compete against DAR, who stays put in Area 14, but welcome two new teams in Etowah and Cherokee County to battle for a spot in the Class 4A playoffs. North Jackson returns six positional starters and six pitchers who saw time on the mound last year, and will look for each to continue to take a step in the right direction in order for them to be successful this spring. Kicking things off, MIF/RHP Carson Smith (2024) is a returning three-year starter for the Chiefs that will continue to play an integral role both at the plate and on the mound. Smith, a Top-50 prospect in the junior class in AL, is a dynamic two-way talent for the Chiefs that will look to anchor both the middle of the order and the pitching rotation this spring.

MIF Carson Smith (6/4/22)

Another two-way player who the Chiefs are expecting big things from this spring will be 1B/LHP Cayden Wynne (2024), who has been a starter ever since his freshman year. Wynne is also a quality arm who will continue to see his workload increase during his junior season. C Nick Jernagin (2024) is another junior that has been a key run-producer for the Chiefs ever since his freshman campaign. The junior backstop started 30 games behind the plate defensively in 2022 and is going to be expected to handle the pitching staff once again this year.

C Nick Jernagin (5/8/21)

Another junior that returns as a two-year starter is INF/RHP Blake Mathews (2024), who has a chance to play multiple positions on the infield this spring. Mathews is a strong defender up the middle and should also see some innings on the mound at the end of games, as well. INF/RHP Collin Clark (2023) is the only senior on the roster and should play a strong role for the Chiefs in 2023. Clark has put in a lot of work in the off-season and is looking for it to pay off during his senior campaign. OF/RHP Jayden Eakin (2024) is another upperclassmen that can cover tons of ground in the outfield with great speed and has a chance to hit at the top of the order offensively. 

In addition to these upperclassmen returners, there are some younger players who will be looking to make in impact at the varsity level this spring. A couple of those players to watch for are INF/RHP Bodie Burnette (2026) and OF/LHP Brody Caraway (2026). Burnett has the potential to be a really good player over the next few years and has a chance to see significant playing time, while Caraway is a good outfielder that has a chance to earn a spot with some upside on the mound. The Chiefs will look to rely on pitching and defense as their team strengths, while also searching for some depth at key positions this spring. North Jackson looks to once again be a strong ball club with a chance to be right back in the mix in Class 4A in 2023.

 

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