Alabama High School Team Preview: Wetumpka Indians
January 25, 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: Wetumpka High School
Classification: AHSAA 6A Area 5
Positional Starters Returning: 8
Pitchers Returning: 4
Team Strengths: Really can defend the ball, pitchers can really throw strikes and very deep on offense,
Team Weaknesses: Depth on the mound
Top Returning Players:
2022 3B Kyle Morrison
2022 RHP Doug Johnson
Top 2021 Prospects:
2021 OF Jackson Ray
Top 2022 Prospects:
2022 C Garritt Terell
2022 LHP Dawson Fuller
Top 2023 and 2024 Prospects:
2023 C Davis Wells
2023 LHP Jaxon Shineflew
Outlook:
The Wetumpka Indians are primed for a big 2021 as they return 8 starters from the shortened 2020 season. Competing in a loaded 6A classification, the coaching staff will be looking for some younger arms to provide quality depth on the mound. Junior 2B Noah Jones returns after a very solid sophomore campaign. He is a good defender with solid actions, handles bat really well while showing power from gap to gap. To go along with these skills, he is also a plus runner. Another returning position player is junior 3B Kyle Morrison. He is a big strong athletic player with a big arm. He also defends well at the hot corner. He also shows plenty of power from gap to gap as a left hand hitter and plays the game very hard. Yet another returning junior is RHP Doug Johnson. He commands the zone very well with all three pitches while creating nice 2 seam run on the fastball. Possibly Johnson's best attribute is that he is a big time competitor and is a bulldog on the mound. He simply attacks hitters. Sophomore left handed hitting shortstop Ty Brooks is a definite name to know. His head coach Michael Dismukes describes him as a "high skilled defender with smooth actions, a dirtbag". Brooks will be in the leadoff spot as he handles the bat really well and simply gets on base a ton. Senior Jackson Ray should fill one of the outfield spots for the Indians. He runs well and is a very strong, athletic player. He has some power in the bat and the arm is adequate but he can cover some serious ground in the outfield. Two other juniors to keep an eye on are C Garritt Terell and LHP Dawson Fuller. Terell is a three year starter who recieves and blocks very well. The arm strength and consistency are also solid on throws to 2B. He plays really hard and manages game extremely well. Fuller is a definite strike thrower to both sides of plate while the breaking ball is progressing. He also features an above average changeup with solid two seam action on his fastball. A few young players to keep an eye on in 2021 and in years to come are:
2023 C David Wells- He is a good reciever and has above average arm strength. He also handles the bat well from left side.
2024 LHP Caden Wooldridge- The southpaw shows nice command of the zone and does a very nice job of locating to the glove side. The breaking ball shows tight spin while the fastball shows nice arm side run.
2023 LHP Jaxon Shineflew- The 6'0 150 pounder has a projectible frame and arm action to match. The ball comes out of the hand real easy and he shows solid, repeatable mechanics on the bump.
The Indians have the pieces to make a deep run this spring.
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