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: West Point Warriors 

Coach’s Name: Drew Bryson 

Classification: AHSAA 5A 

2022 Record: 18-17

Area Number: Class 5A, Area 14 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 4 

Team Strengths: Athletic, Solid Defensively

Top Returning Players:

• C/RHP Colton McCoy (Asbury, 2023)
• 3B/RHP JD Cochran (2024)
• SS Andrew Putman (2023)
• OF/RHP Brody Freeman (2023)
• OF/RHP Kanaan Sutter (2023)

Top 2025 & 2026 Prospects:

• INF/RHP Sylar Philyaw (2025)
• INF/RHP Lane Stewart (2025)

Team Outlook

The West Point Warriors capped off their 2022 campaign with a 1st round berth into the Class 5A playoffs after finishing as the runner-up in Area 15 to Russellville, the eventual 5A State Champions. They were paired with John Carroll Catholic in their 1st round matchup, but were eliminated in a winner-take-all Game 3 to close their season with an 18-17 record. 

There were still many bright spots for the Warriors in 2022, including big wins over Athens, Scottsboro and Arab in the regular season. They've always played a pretty tough schedule in the regular season, including games against Auburn, Madison Academy, Enterprise and Phil Campbell, in hopes to prepare themselves once area play comes around at the end of the season. This year's team should be pretty athletic and strong defensively with an offense that should be able to produce a good amount of runs. The pitching staff will need to fill some innings lost from last year's team, but have seen some players make some strides over the offseason. C/RHP Colton McCoy (Asbury signee, 2023) will handle the bulk of the catching duties behind the plate, while also being a power threat in the middle of the order. He's a strong 6-foot-2, 205-pounder that will also get some innings on the mound in a reliever role when needed. Also playing a two-way role for the Warriors, 3B/RHP JD Cochran (2024) will also be looked upon for offensive production in the heart of the order and should compete as one of the top pitchers in the rotation. Up the middle, SS Andrew Putman (2023) will make the move to shortstop after serving as the 2nd baseman last spring. Putman is a hard-nosed competitor that will hit at the top of the lineup and be a threat on the bases. Moving along to the outfield, OF/RHP Brody Freeman (2023) and OF/RHP Kanaan Sutter (2023) are a pair of seniors that can cover tons of ground defensively. Freeman will look for a strong year at the plate while serving some time behind the plate, while Sutter has shown some flashes with the bat and should be one of the top pitchers in the rotation.

With some starters leaving last year's team to graduation, the Warriors will look to some younger players to step into bigger roles this spring. They have a couple players who have a chance to make an impact in 2023, with INF/RHP Sylar Philyaw (2025) and INF/RHP Lane Stewart (2025) being two of them. Philyaw missed the second half of his freshman season due to injury, but is looking for a breakout campaign as a sophomore. He'll look to provide defense at the corner infield positions while also providing depth on the mound. Stewart is a strong player with some pop from the right side of the plate. He has a chance to be a run-producer in the lineup while also logging some innings on the mound. The Warriors are in a tough area with Russellville, Lawrence County and Jasper, but have the makings of once again be a competitive team in Class 5A in 2023.

 

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