Alabama High School Team Preview: Arab Knights
February 11, 2019
2019 Team Previews:
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High School: Arab
2018 Record: 13-18
Head Coach: Chad Hudson
AHSAA Classification: 5A
AHSAA Area: 15
2018 Area Finish: 2nd
2018 Playoff Run: lost in 1st round
RETURNING STARTERS:
Will Hudson ‘20 3B/RHP
John Michael Boles ‘20 RHP/OF
Cole Brooks ‘21 C
UNDERCLASSMEN TO WATCH:
Taylor Ferguson ‘20 RHP
Hayden Turner ‘22 SS
TEAM STRENGTHS:
Some really good position players return
Pitching depth will be better than years past
#1 pitcher returns
A lot of offensive power is back from 2018
OUTLOOK:
The Arab Knights enter the 2019 season with 4 positional players and 2 pitchers returning from an area runner up team in 2018. The 5A Area 15 race should be an interesting one to follow as the Knights will battle Scottsboro, Guntersville and Brewer for a state playoff spot (both the winner and runner up will advance). The Knights lost some talented players from last year’s team and do not have much experience on the mound after their #1 arm and will depend on some young players but this team should still be very competitive. 2020 RHP/OF John Michael Boles returns to the top of the pitching rotation featuring a ¾ arm slot and a good bit of arm side run on his fastball. His makeup is legit and he is a big time competitor that will also start in the OF as well. Will Hudson is another 2020 grad that the Knights will look to for production in 2019. The junior returns as the starter at 3B after hitting in the middle of the order in 2018 and should do so again in 2019. A good defender on the infield, he should also supply some power in the lineup. He will also be called on on the mound with a fastball that has been in the mid 80’s. Returning behind the plate is 2021 Cole Brooks, who started as a freshman in 2018. An extremely hard worker, Brooks also shows nice instincts as a player and is a solid catch and throw guy behind the plate that has shown the ability to use the whole field with the bat. Taylor Ferguson is a physical junior RHP (6’3 220 lbs.) that is a bit of a late bloomer on the mound but has shown a fastball in the low 80’s that he can command down in the zone. The Kinghts will need him to be a contributor this season. 2022 SS Hayden Turner is a high ceiling player that will be counted on this season. A very steady player, Turner does a lot of things very well and shows an advanced skill set for a young player. The Knights have the pieces to be in the thick of the area race in 2019, fighting for a state playoff spot.