The 2022 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 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 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: New Hope Indians 

Coach’s Name: Andrew Dennis 

Classification: AHSAA 4A 

Area Number: 14 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 6 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 5 

Team Strengths: Defense and senior leadership 

Top Returning Players:

• C Charles Harbin (2024)
• INF Hudson Hill (2022)
• SS/RHP Dawson Cambron (2025)
• 1B/RHP Cody Sigler (2022)
• INF/RHP Eather Sumner (2023) 

Top 2022 Prospects:

• OF/RHP Jaxon Stapler (2022)
• OF/RHP Nathaniel Meeks (2022)

Top 2024 & 2025 Prospects:

• RHP/C Andrew Dudley (2025)

The New Hope Indians have plenty of excitement surrounding their program heading into 2022. The Indians finished runner-up in their area last spring, but was defeated by a tough Deshler squad in the 1st Round of the 4A State Playoffs. This year, New Hope brings back some key pieces from that team and hope to make a deep run in 2022.

There's some important upperclassmen coming back, but C Charles Harbin is a sophomore who will be relied on to provide some significant offensive production after a solid spring last year. Harbin is a now three-year starter and hit over .300 with two HR's & 15 RBI's before missing some time due to injury. INF Hudson Hill is one of those seniors for the Indians who is back for them after getting hot at the plate at the end of last year. He brings some versatility to the plate as a switch-hitter, and should be slated in the heart of that lineup. Like Harbin, SS/RHP Dawson Cambron will be a freshman who the Indians are counting on producing in a big capacity. He's got a chance to be a top-of-the-rotation arm with a low-80's fastball and good command of his off-speed pitches. Cambron will also hit near the top-of-the-order offensively and play somewhere up the middle defensively. 

1B/RHP Cody Sigler is another one of those experienced seniors for New Hope who will play a two-way role this spring. Sigler, who is a three-sport player, now has plenty of at-bat's under his belt and should really help him come into his own at the plate. Last but not least, RHP/INF Eather Sumner returns as arguably the most experienced arm for the Indians, and he'll be counted on at the top of the rotation this spring. He will also play somewhere on the infield and be relied on for some offensive production. The 2022 season is looking bright for the New Hope Indians.