Alabama High School Team Preview: Elberta Warriors
February 10, 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: Elberta High School
Classification: AHSAA 5A Area 1
Positional Starters Returning: All positional starters are back.
Pitchers Returning: All pitchers are back from last year.
Team Strengths: Pitching along with a strong upperclassmen group that has been playing together at the varsity level for 3 years now.
Team Weaknesses: Inexperience at the 5A level
Top Returning Players:
2021 SS/RHP Brady Krueger
2021 3B/RHP Trey Simpkins
2022 3B/OF/RHP Brandon Williams
2023 2B/RHP Blaine White
Top 2021 Prospect:
Top 2023 Prospect:
2023 C/RHP Hudson Ellison
Outlook:
It will be hard to find any time in the state that returns what the Wildcats return in 2021 as every positional starter and every pitcher that saw time on the mound a year ago return. Playing at the 5A level will make for a difference but the group should be able to compete consistently. Senior SS/RHP Brady Kreuger is a very solid all around player and shows a big time arm on the mound with a fastball in the upper 80's. He will also be the starting SS as well. He has a solid approach at the plate with plenty of pop and will the heart of the order. Senior 3B/RHP Trey Simpkins also returns and will be counted on as a two way guy. He will be a starter in the rotation as well as the starting 3rd baseman. Simpkins shows as a very good contact hitter with a solid middle of the field approach at the plate. Junior 3B/OF/RHP Brandon Williams has a plus arm on the mound with a high ceiling and will compete for a starting spot in the rotation. He will be counted on as a run producer in the lineup as he has plenty of juice in the bat as well. Sophomore 2B/RHP Blaine White will also compete for a spot in the starting rotation on the mound. He has a solid line drive approach as a hitter and isn't afraid to use the whole field in the box. Another senior that will be counted on is 2B/C/RHP Zayn Bates. He exhibits nice speed and quickness and will be apart of an already deep starting rotation. He will also share time behind the plate and in the infield while providing a quality bat at the top of the order. Talented sophomore Hudson Ellison (C/RHP) shows solid skills behind the plate as well as on the mound. He will split time between the mound and behind the plate during the 2021 season. Ellison provides a solid bat in the middle of the order with decent pop in the barrel. It's easy to see why the Warriors are excited for the 2021 season.
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