Alabama High School Team Preview: Stanhope Elmore Mustangs
January 14, 2021
The 2021 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state. That excitement may be at an all-time high entering this high school season as the 2020 high school baseball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season during an offseason unlike any other and as always, there are some very talented players and teams across Alabama.
Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Montgomery 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 note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.
High School: Stanhope Elmore
Classification: AHSAA 6A Area 5
Positional Starters Returning: 7
Pitchers Returning: 6
Team Strengths: Returned almost the entire pitching staff. The young starting position players are a year older and stronger.
Team Weaknesses: Still young. Will more than likely start 5 or 6 sophomores.
Top Returning Players:
Top 2021 Prospects:
2021 RHP Christian Mozingo
Top 2022 Prospects:
2022 OF DJ McGhee
Top 2023 Prospect:
2023 RHP/C Colton Walls
Outlook:
The Mustangs welcome back 7 positional starters and 6 arms that saw innings in 2020. This is a recipe for success as experience abounds in key spots. Even though the team welcomes back a lot of experience a large number of sophomores will be counted on in 2021. Sophomore LHP Colin Woodham is one of those sophomores that will be counted on. The southpaw was named 2020 Elmore County Pitcher of the Year going 5-0 with a 0.54 ERA in 24 IP as a freshman last season. He will be at the top of the staff in 2021. Another sophomore that will continue to play a major role for the Mustangs is SS/3B Chase Williams. The UAB commit has nice footwork on the dirt and the glove works very well. He is a tough out at the plate and can drive the ball to both gaps. Yet another sophomore is 2B/RHP Zach Stevens. He led team in doubles a year ago as a freshman and shows a fastball in the mid to upper 80's on the mound. Senior 1B/RHP Chase Eddings will depended on to be a major bat in the lineup again in 2021 as he has led the team in hits, average, and RBIs each of the past three seasons. Other seniors that should play an integral role in 2021 are: SS Cody Simmons, RHP Cole Freeman and RHP Christian Mozingo. Simmons led off all season and led team in OBP and SB's. he will be counted on in the same manner this year. The 6'2 170 pound Freeman returns as a starting pitcher after posting a 2.10 ERA a year ago. Mozingo also returns to the mound this year after he was second on the team in innings pitched in 2020. Junior OF DJ McGhee returns after finishing second on the team in runs scored and was third on the team in OBP and SB's in the shortened season a year ago. Conner Gregg is a physical (6'3 240 lbs.) OF that should be a run producer for the team in 2021. The junior shows the highest exit velocity on the team. A sophomore to keep an eye on is RHP/C Colton Walls. He started a year ago as a freshman and pitched a limited amount of innings. He has seen an increase in velocity and should see even more time on the mound this year.
Stanhope Elmore has a nice collection of talent, both the older players and younger guys in what should be an entertaining season for the Mustangs.
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