The Alabama Scout Blog provides insider information and scouting notes from the PBR Scouting Staff during the season. This running blog will feature information on underclass prospects, unsigned seniors, draft prospects, and anything else that is notable. We will provide a wide range of information, including player evaluations, velocities, pop times, home to first times, and more. 

Continue to check back over the course of the week, as the Alabama Scouting Staff will add scouting reports daily.

Week 1 Reports

 

6A No. 6 Faith Academy (2) vs. 5A No. 1 UMS-Wright (1)

Saturday, February 20th @ UMS-Wright

+ ‘21 LHP Maddux Bruns (No. 1, Mississippi State) made his first start of his senior season against Faith Academy and was virtually unhittable for four innings of work. The senior southpaw continued to show elite status in terms of velocity, as he opened up in the first two innings working 95-97, 98 mph with effective command. Paired that with a sharp, late 12/6 breaking curveball that was thrown for strikes in the outing, and induced many swings and misses. Flashed a few tight sliders with the ability to go backdoor to right-handed hitters. The Mississippi State signee just overpowered hitters with his premium stuff for four innings. He finished with 11 strikeouts over four innings, while allowing no runs or hits and walking only one in this outing. Just dominant stuff from Bruns in his first outing of the 2021 season.

LHP Maddux Bruns (2/20/21)

 

7A No. 1 Hoover (6) vs. 7A No. 6 Sparkman (5)

Saturday, February 20th @ Hoover HS

+ ‘23 3B/RHP Walter Ford (No. 1, Alabama) played a huge role, both at the plate and on the mound, for the Bucs versus Sparkman. In the fifth inning with runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out, the hitter before Ford was intentionally put on to bring the Alabama recruit to the plate in a huge situation in the game. Ford answered the bell, driving a fastball deep into right field and over the right fielder’s head to bring home two runners and record a RBI double to give Hoover the lead. He showed significant strength in the hands, as it seemed like he just flicked the bat out and drove it for such a long distance. He then hopped on the mound in the 7th & 8th frames in a tie ballgame and was dominant, striking out four hitters while only walking one. He worked 90-92 mph (2649 rpm’s) and pounded the zone with the fastball. Flipped in numerous quality breaking balls (2561 rpm’s) and showed the new pitch he’s added to the repertoire, a sinker at 85-87 mph that generated numerous swings and misses. Elite two-way threat. 

3B Walter Ford Double (2/20/21)

RHP Walter Ford Pitching (2/20/21)

+ ‘23 SS/UTL RJ Hamilton (No. 4, Vanderbilt) almost won the MVP at this past summer’s PBR Future Games, and he continues to perform at a high-level in all facets of the game. Hitting from the top of the lineup for Hoover, Hamilton was a spark plug and a catalyst for the Bucs this game and should be for the whole season. After being hit-by-pitch in his first at-bat, the Vanderbilt recruit got a rally started in the 5th that led to a big inning for the offense. He worked the count with two strikes, and pulled the hands in on the inner-half of the plate and muscled it to left field for a single. He quickly moved around the bases on the next few pitches via wild pitch, and scored to tie the game on a base hit. Hamilton, who is also a WR for powerhouse Hoover HS in the fall, continues to trend upward on the diamond.

SS RJ Hamilton (2/20/21)

+ ‘22 1B/C Lucas Steele (No. 14, Samford) had the most productive day for the Bucs in terms of stats & RBI’s, as he drove in two runs on two hits en route to a 6-5 victory. Steele, a former Future Gamer, is a switch-hitter, but stayed on the left-side of the plate versus all right-handed pitchers during the game. Recorded his first hit on an infield single that he beat the pitcher to the bag on and scored a run in the first inning. Came up big again for Hoover in the 5th inning when the Samford recruit worked the count with two strikes and caught a breaking ball over the plate and served it into the right field for a hard-hit RBI single to tie the game up. In addition to being able to hit for average, Steele also has significant power from both sides of the plate and has a track record of hitting for extra bases. 

1B/C Lucas Steele (2/20/21)

+ ‘22 SS Tucker Burns (No. 53) had himself a day at the plate for the Senators. He’s been widely known for his glove at shortstop, but the bat has arrived over the past year and it’s a real weapon. With his team trailing 1-0 against Hoover in the top of the 2nd, Burns sparked the Senator offense with a solo home run over the left field wall. He took advantage of an elevated fastball and did not miss it to knot things back up at 1-1. He continued to swing it well all game, and was the Senators’ leading hitter for the game. Recorded a single later in the game and finished with three RBI’s for the game. 

SS Tucker Burns (2/20/21)

+ ‘21 RHP AJ Causey (No. 23, Jacksonville State) toed the rubber against Hoover and gave the Senators all he had for five innings of work. Pitching from multiple arm slots, Causey worked 84-86 mph with hard sink/run into right-handed hitters (up to 92 mph this month OTT), but the secondary offerings from this right-hander made life difficult for opposing hitters. He featured a two-breaking ball mix with one being a firmer slider around 72-74 mph with darting action, and other being a slower-curveball at 67-69 mph. Both breaking balls showed above average spin around 24-2500 rpm’s consistently. Made some big pitches in his outing versus one of the best lineups in the state. Should be an immediate impact guy on the mound his freshman year at Jacksonville State.

RHP AJ Causey (2/20/21)

+ ‘23 RHP Brewer Smith (No. 37) got the starting nod on the mound in the 2nd game of the season for the Bucs & was solid in three innings of work. Fastball worked around 83-84 mph during the outing, but the pitch that gave the Senator hitters the most trouble was the breaking ball. Smith had it working early on in the outing, showing two-plane action with hard bite at the end. Generated many swings and misses on breaking balls located low/below the zone. Paired it with the fastball well, mixing high fastball and burying breaking balls in the dirt. Got himself out a bases loaded jam in the 3rd and locked the command back in with two straight punchouts to end the inning. Only real blemish was a solo home run he surrendered in the 2nd inning.

RHP Brewer Smith (2/20/21)

 

7A Enterprise (14) vs. 5A No. 7 West Point (4)

Saturday, February 20th @ Auburn HS

+ ’21 SS Parker Sessions (No. 88, Central Alabama CC) Sessions’ ability at the plate quickly jumped out on Saturday as the CACC signee showed a very simplified approach at the plate and has more juice in the barrel than one may think. Also a very good runner, he showed a small toe tap approach at the plate which synched him up well and he always seemed to be on time with the barrel. The hands took a direct path to contact and he stayed inside everything during his 4 at-bats. The senior was 4-4 vs. West Point.

SS Parker Sessions (2/20/21)

+ ’22 INF Noah Loy (No. 183) Loy just looks like that typical 2 hole hitter in any lineup that can sac bunt, drag and hit and run when called on. The junior handles the bat very well and is a tough out at the plate. Loy does a nice job of getting his lower half involved in the swing while also keeping the barrel through the hitting zone through contact. Very simple approach with the hands and much like his teammate, Parker Sessions, he does a nice job of keeping the swing simple and staying inside the ball at contact. The bat path seems fairly level, resulting in consistent tilted line drives.

SS Noah Loy (2/21/20)

 

7A No. 2 Auburn (6) vs. 5A No. 7 West Point (2)

Saturday, February 20th @ Auburn HS

+ ’21 RHP/3B Brady Fuller (No. 38, Southern Union CC) Each time we see Fuller we come away even more impressed than during previous times. The delivery is easy and he shows the ability to repeat his mechanics on every pitch and can really locate all pitches in his arsenal. The senior worked 3 1/3 innings without issuing a walk while striking out 5 and forcing consistent soft contact. In the first inning, Fuller primarily lived off the fastball and established that pitch. The fastball sat 87-89 mph throughout. Innings 2 and 3 saw him feature that solid “true” breaking ball that showed tight spin and late down action at 77-78 mph. While Fuller is a definite big time arm now, the ceiling continues to be very high with more still to come.  

RHP Brady Fuller (2/20/21)

+ ’21 OF Will Turner (No. 24, University of South Alabama) Hitting at the top of a very impressive Auburn lineup, Turner is the definite “table setter” but can do more than the average leadoff hitter. Obviously the speedy outfielder is a stolen base threat once on the bases but he shows plenty of pull side juice from the left side as well. The future Jaguar at the University of South Alabama got the scoring started for the Tigers with a homerun in the 3rd inning that left the yard in a hurry. Turner would follow that up in his next at-bat with an RBI double, again down the right field line. Very athletic OF that also doubles as a quality LHP for the Tigers. 

OF Will Turner (2/20/21)

+ ’22 RHP Eli Folds was tasked with keeping a potent Auburn lineup in check and the junior right-hander did just that during his 4 inning stint. Folds gave up 6 earned runs but he was the recipient of some bad luck on a few different occasions. Folds may not have had high strikeout numbers (3 Ks) but he did a nice job keeping hitters off balance and is a definite three pitch guy that shows supreme command and confidence to throw any pitch at any time. He consistently pitched backwards in the count and kept hitters from getting comfortable in the box. The junior showed a fastball in the 83-85 mph range and bumped 87 mph once but the pitch looked more firm due to his ability to flip a solid breaking ball in. The changeup is a huge weapon for him which showed advanced fade away from the numerous LH hitters in the Auburn lineup. Really like the makeup of this junior. 

RHP Eli Folds (2/20/21)

 

7A Central-Phenix City (2) vs. 6A No. 4 Russell County (1)

Friday, February 19th @ Central-Phenix City HS

+ ’21 RHP Will Cannon (No. 55, Georgia State) The senior delivered a sterling performance vs. Russell County, working 5 innings while striking out 5 and only allowing 1 earned run against a potent lineup. Cannon showed solid command of the fastball at 87-88 mph early as he settled into the 85-87 mph range later in the start. The pitch showed late arm side action which he established on the inner half. The senior showed a clean, effortless delivery and showed the ability to mix in a solid breaking ball with late depth in any count. 

RHP Will Cannon (2/19/20)

+ ’21 2B Cole Kehoe (No. 130) The versatile senior infielder shows a tall, balanced stance from the left side and does a nice job of getting his hands back in a controlled load. Kehoe can play three positions on the infield but showed a very quick transfer on 2 double plays at the bag. Stays through the hitting zone very well with the barrel and shows some strength of the barrel to the pull side. Handled a breaking ball up in the zone for a double down the left field line.

2B Cole Kehoe (2/19/20)

+ ’22 SS Caleb Johnson (No. 34) Johnson checks a ton of boxes that college coaches are looking for. The switch hitting shortstop can definitely stay on the left side of the infield in the future as the arm strength is already there and the athleticism jumps out quickly as he showed solid lateral range. The bat is another checked box for Johnson as he exhibits solid barrel control and does a nice job staying gap to gap with his approach. Handled a pitch on the outer half and served it into left for a knock versus Russell County. One of the better uncommitted MIF’s in the 2022 class in the state.

SS Caleb Johnson (2/19/20)

*Russell County HS players (Russell, Milam, Wombles, Thorne) already listed below on Feb. 13th.

 

7A No. 3 Vestavia Hills (8) vs. 6A No. 5 Briarwood Christian (1)

Wednesday, February 17th @ Vestavia Hills HS

+ ‘21 OF Joseph Sullivan (No. 41, South Alabama) impressed in his first look in front of our PBR scouts. Hitting from the leadoff spot for the Rebels, Sullivan recorded multiple hits and had his way on the base paths. It seems as when Sullivan goes, the rest of the Vestavia offense follows. He’s a catalyst at the top of the lineup and has gotten off to a good start to his senior season. In his first at-bat, Sullivan singled on a ground ball in the infield that he beat out to start the game off for the Rebels. He quickly advanced to 2nd base, then came around to score a few batters later. He continued to show how well he uses his strengths to his advantage in his second at-bat, when he hit a sharply-hit single through the right side to bring home a runner from second. Sullivan seems to have this confident mindset at the plate and is a leader on this talented Rebel team. 

OF Joseph Sullivan (2/17/21)

+ ‘23 C/3B Hudson Walburn (No. 23) continues to perform at a high-level at the plate versus any competition. Walburn, as a sophomore, hit in the three-hole for a very talented Vestavia Rebel team and he showed no signs of the moment being too big for him. He does bring back valuable experience at the varsity level from his freshman year, so it shows why he is a confident competitor. At the plate, it’s a really simple setup with a narrow base and a fairly upright stance. He uses a small toe-tap load for trigger, then uses his strong lower-half to impact the baseball at a high-level. He singled through the right side during one of his at-bats during this game and showed a quick first step out of the box. 5-11, 170 pound frame with a lot of athleticism. Moves/blocks well behind the plate & has a strong arm on throws to 2nd base.

C/3B Hudson Walburn (2/17/21)

 

6A No. 4 Russell County (5) vs. 7A No. 7 Dothan (4)

Saturday, February 13th @ Russell County HS

+ '21 RHP Chase Allsup (No. 6, Auburn signee) got the start on the mound in Game 1 of the 2021 season for the Dothan Wolves and showed high-level stuff on the mound. In the first couple of innings, the right-handed hurler showed some signs of knocking off rust, but really competed and labored thru 6 2/3 innings. In terms of velocity, Allsup ranged anywhere from 89-91 mph, and bumped 94 mph a couple of times in the early innings. He showed some elite spin on the breaking ball (upwards of 2794 rpm's) & manipulated the shape of it throughout his outing. Although he did allow 11 hits in the outing, he limited hard contact and surrendered a few infield/bunt singles. At roughly 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Allsup fits the billing for what you want as a starter. He continued to show that same velocity and maintained it well, hitting 91 mph in his last inning of work. Generated some uncomfortable at-bat's and looks poised for a stellar senior campaign on the mound. 

Final line: 6.2 IP, 11 H's, 4 R's (2 ER's), 5 BB's, & 5 K's

RHP Chase Allsup (2/13/21)

+ '21 1B Jace Dyer (Southern Union CC signee) led the way offensively for the Wolves and recorded some big hits with runners in scoring position on Opening Day. Hitting from the left side at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Dyer showed solid feel for hit & a pull side approach. He showed no trouble handling some velocity against some quality arms, as he doubled off of an SEC recruit (2nd clip below) on an inside fastball. He's got quick hands with a strong lower-half hitting in the 3-hole for a talented Wolves' lineup. Two RBI single to right field in his first at-bat of the season (first clip below) to break open the scoring for both teams. Creates a lot of leverage with a slightly elevated bat path. Confident mentality & was consistent with the bat all day.

1B Jace Dyer (2/13/21)

+ '23 MIF Blake Wynn (Dothan HS) was an underclassmen who played a big role for a talented 7A Wolves squad on Opening Day. Hitting in the 2-hole, Wynn reached base three times out of his four at-bat's in Game 1 vs. Russell County HS. In one of his at-bat's, Wynn did a good job adjusting to a changeup located down in the zone and serving it into center field for a single (clip below). Singled and walked in two other at-bat's. On the barrel with consistency & played a clean second base defensively.

MIF Blake Wynn (2/13/21)

+ '24 3B/1B Bailey Thorne (No. 4) may not have had much to show for in terms of statistics, but the current freshman got off some good swings against quality arms all day. Hitting in the 3-hole for a very talented Warrior offense, Horne did more than hold his own offensively. In the later innings against an SEC signee on the mound, the right-handed hitting freshman showed quick hands in one at-bat, turning around a 90 mph fastball over the plate and lined out on a rope to the perfectly-played center fielder. Recorded a single in one at-bat during the day, but also displayed some maturity and selectiveness, walking four times at the plate. Hopped on the mound in the 10th inning of a tied game and pitched a scoreless top half, resulting in a W as the Warriors won it in the bottom half. Up to 81 mph. 

3B/1B Bailey Thorne (2/13/21)

 

7A No. 7 Dothan (5) vs. 6A No 3 Spanish Fort (0)

Saturday, February 13th @ Russell County HS

+ '22 RHP Carter Stanford (No. 10, Alabama recruit) opened up the 2021 season on the mound for the Spanish Fort Toros and continued to show why he is regarded as one of the top right-handed arms in the state of Alabama. At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Stanford definitely fits the mold of being a starter down the road, and has the arsenal of pitches to go along with it. Fastball worked 87-89, 90 mph during the outing, showed a bit of command issues & worked himself into some fastball counts opening up, but settled in and found a groove. Found the breaking ball at 72-74 mph and landed it more for strikes in the latter innings, which led to more uncomfortable at-bat's. Also flashed a few changeups with arm side fade & tunneled well off the fastball. Thought he really competed well through 4 1/3 IP and kept his team in the game. Polished, clean mechanics with a fluid delivery.

Final line: 4.1 IP, 5 H's, 1 ER, 3 BB's, & 7 K's

RHP Carter Stanford (2/13/21)

+ '21 RHP Te'Relle George-Mills (Lawson State CC signee) faced off against Stanford for the Dothan Wolves and turned in arguably one of the best performances on the day on the mound. Standing at roughly 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, the right-handed hurler opened up at 87-88, 91 mph with the fastball and pounded the zone with the pitch. Took him an inning or two to find his breaking ball, but when he did, hitters had tons of trouble/uncomfortable at-bat's against him. It was 74-76 mph with sharp, late action and generated tons of swings and misses by opposing hitters. Allowed the fastball to play back up a few ticks as the game went on. Aggressive, quick arm that pitches with intent & conviction. Wiry, athletic kid who has more in the tank over the next few years. Handled the bat well from the right side, recording multiple base hits throughout the day.

Final line: 5 IP, 4 H's, 0 R's, 2 BB's, & 8 K's

RHP Te'Relle George-Mills (2/13/21)

 

6A No. 4 Russell County (20) vs. 6A No. 3 Spanish Fort (2)

Saturday, February 13th @ Russell County HS

+ '23 SS/3B Jaxon Milam (No. 8) had a spectacular Opening Day at the plate for the Warriors, recording three hits apiece in both games played. Saw him recently in a preseason scrimmage in January, and what stood out then was the strength he had added to his frame. Couple that with his excellent in-game hitting ability, Milam continues to elevate his stock on the recruiting trail at each look. Left-handed hitter that has no issue shooting the ball the other way. In one at-bat that stood out in particular on Saturday, Milam faced Alabama signee LHP Brady Garcia, who was 87-89 mph & a tough matchup for any-sided hitter. After getting into a two strike count and fouling a couple pitches, Milam barreled up an 88 mph inner-half fastball and served it up the middle for a two RBI single. Came back up again in the same inning and recorded a two RBI double & a RBI single, making him 3-3 w/ 5 RBI's just in the 1st inning. Shown glimpses of some power, and will continue to add more as he grows/fills out. Strong arm across the infield and has the athletic ability to play anywhere on the infield. 

SS/3B Jaxon Milam (2/13/21)

+ '23 C/OF Colton Wombles (No. 3, Auburn recruit) is know for his ability to hit in-game, and the bat continues to show up time after time. He was held at bay in Game 1, but recored two extra base hits during Game 2 against some relievers. In the second at-bat, Wombles did a good job of sitting back on a breaking ball and driving it deep into the pull side gap for a RBI triple that scored Milam. Moved well around the bases. Came back up in the 3rd inning, and drove a ball to right field for a RBI double. Some compact strength packed into that 5-foot-8, 180 pound frame. Above average receiver behind the plate w/ a strong arm, quick transfer & decent accuracy on throws to 2nd base. 

C/OF Colton Wombles (2/13/21)

+ '22 RHP/SS Landon Russell (No. 1, Auburn recruit) started Game 2 for Russell County HS on the mound and showed a bit of increase in velocity in the process. Only tossed three innings, but worked 89-91, 93 mph in his start. Commanded the pitch well to the glove side against right-handed hitters. Mixed & matched it with a tight 76-77 mph slider that worked well off the fastball. Really showed the ability to spin it and land the slider for strikes, which led to his success on the mound. Has shown a fading changeup in previous outings, but was mostly fastball/slider combo here. It's a live arm on the mound with an athletic makeup. Helped his own cause by driving in 4 RBI's in this game, as he doubled and singled. Made hard contact in both games, and continues to be a real two-way threat. 

Final line: 3 IP, 2 H's, 2 R's, (1 ER), 1 BB, & 3 K's

RHP/SS Landon Russell (2/13/21)

+ In a highly-anticipated start from '21 LHP Brady Garcia (No. 5, Alabama signee), the southpaw struck out the first hitter of the game, but soon struggled in the rest of his outing. Fastball opened up at 87-89 mph with high spin (2400-2500 rpm's) and late life, but command was an issue on the later half of the inning. Worked with a CB/CH combo for offspeed offerings, and was effective early when in the zone. Did not have the results he wanted in his first high school game back from a hip injury, but there's a lot of upside as he continues to get back to shape at 6-foot-6, 205 pounds.

LHP Brady Garcia (2/13/21)

 

7A Grissom (1) vs. 7A Buckhorn (0)

Saturday, February 13th @ Grissom HS

+ A former Future Gamer this summer, ‘22 OF Christian Sutphin (No. 61) continued to show his propensity to hit, as he delivered two hits in three plate appearances for the Tigers. He did an excellent job of creating rhythm in the box and shows some easy, loose hands with present strength at 6-foot-1, 215 pounds. Seemed to be on time with the barrel and shows a middle of the field approach with some lift in the bat path.

OF Christian Sutphin (2/13/21)

+ ‘21 RHP Will Varmette (No. 92, Wallace-Hanceville CC signee) showed improved command on a miserable day to be on the mound. Varmette has bumped 90 mph on occasion in the past, but sat consistently 83-85 mph and bumped 88 mph in the 1st inning. Seemed to really locate a quality breaking ball down in the zone. The pitch showed late action, and he located it well to the glove side at 70-71 mph. Up-tempo delivery from a high ¾ arm slot. The senior only walked one and struck out five hitters in four innings of work.

RHP Will Varmette (2/13/21)

+ ‘22 LHP Rynzo Crutcher (No. 109) was another quality arm the Tigers rolled out as he pitched the final two innings to get the 1-0 win. Seemed to be very composed on the mound, as he featured a fastball 79- 81 mph (82-85 mph in December). As mentioned, this wasn’t a day where velocities were going to be normal. Regardless, Crutcher was very efficient with the fastball that showed arm side action and took off away from right-handed hitters. As effective as the fastball was, the breaking ball was the separator. The pitch showed high spin with 1/7 action and induced some swing and miss to both right-handed and left-handed hitters. The southpaw showed the ability to make tough pitches in tough situations. Recorded four strikeouts in two innings of work.

LHP Rynzo Crutcher (2/13/21)

+ ‘22 SS Dylan Campbell really jumped out on Saturday, showing solid glovework on the infield and ability to move to his left and right well. Fielded everything out front with a quick transfer and above average arm strength across the diamond. The slender junior also showed well offensively, as there is plenty of room for added size and strength in the future. Worked the count deep and was able to have multiple quality at bats. Managed one hit on the day, but also barreled a ball to deep right field. An athletic junior to keep eyes on.

SS Dylan Campbell (2/13/21)

+ ‘22 OF Tyler Zawacki is a 6-foot-5, 190 pound right-handed hitting outfielder that looks the part in the box. While Zawacki only had one hit in three plate appearances during the game, all three were quality at-bats. Handles the barrel very well and shows some juice to all parts of the field. The junior shows a slightly open, crouched stance with a rhythmic load of the hands. Very simple of the front side with not a ton of movement in the approach or the swing. The bat path shows slight tilt and he seems to produce more of a line drive approach with carry. Hammered a double to the RF line as the lone hit he garnered in the game. 

OF Tyler Zawacki (2/13/21)

 

6A No. 7 Oxford (5) vs. 7A Smiths Station (1)

Friday, February 12th @ Choccolocco Park (Oxford, AL)

+ '21 RHP Trent Hodgdon (No. 13, West Virginia signee) got the Opening Day nod for the Smiths Station Panthers vs. a potent Oxford HS lineup, and he did not disappoint through four innings. At 6-foot-2, 195 pound medium, athletic frame, the Mountaineer recruit showed what he has been working on over the last 11 months. Opening up in the 1st inning, Hodgdon was in the low-90's & hit 93 mph two times before settling into an 87-89 mph range in the 2nd, 3rd & 4th inning. Pounded the glove side against right-handed hitters and was down in the zone throughout the outing. Mixed & matched the fastball with that premium breaking ball we've grown accustomed to seeing with 2350-2450 rpm's. Excellent feel for backdoor to left-handed hitters. Flashed a few changeups with hard sink to any-sided hitter. Athletic delivery, worked downhill with intent on every pitch. Not much hard contact against Hodgdon, with the lone hit coming against the leadoff hitter in the 1st inning. 

Final line: 4 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, & 8 K's.

RHP Trent Hodgdon (2/12/21)

+ '21 OF Trey Higgins (No. 10, Mississippi State signee) may not have had much to show for on the stat sheet, but the 6-foot-4, 210 pound outfielder had two of the loudest swings of the night for either teams. While having notable strength in that physical frame, Higgins can also move exceptionally well. In the 2nd at-bat, he rolled over a ground ball to 1st base, but clocked a 4.19 home-to-1st from the left side of the box to beat out an infield single. In his 3rd at-bat of the night (1st clip below), Higgins worked himself into a fastball count and got the elevated fastball that he wanted, but lined out right to the left fielder. During his 4th at-bat (2nd clip below) with the bases loaded versus the same pitcher as before, the Mississippi State signee caught a fastball on the outer-black and drove it to the deepest part of the yard for a RBI sacrifice fly. As a switch-hitter, we've seen the power first-hand, including last night, from the right side, but know there is still some thump from the left side. Higgins has a unique combination of speed & strength that he put on display tonight.

OF Trey Higgins (2/12/21)

+ '23 SS Sam Robertson (No. 6) returns for the Oxford Yellow Jackets after logging some significant at-bat's as a freshman last year. Starting off his sophomore campaign, the former Future Gamer hit at the top of a talented Oxford lineup, where is high-level athleticism can be utilized the most. He reached base three times out of his four at-bat's and showcased great instincts while on the base paths. Leading off the bottom of the 1st, Robertson turned around 90 mph located down in the zone and roped it to left field for a hard-hit single (video below). After being hit-by-pitch in another at-bat and reaching 2nd on a wild pitch, he used his speed and instincts well, scoring from 2nd base on a heads-up play on an infield single to 1st base to score the game's first run. Wiry, high-waisted 6-foot-1, 170 pound frame.

SS Sam Robertson (2/12/21)

+ '21 RHP Trey Mooney (No. 65, Montevallo signee) didn't show the velocity that we have seen over the past couple of years, but that didn't seem stop him from working through a talented Smiths Station lineup for seven innings. In his first start of his senior campaign, Mooney used a 80-82 mph fastball that was located to all quadrants & mixed high/low off breaking ball effectively. He has been up to 90 mph this summer at LakePoint, so the arm strength is there and still working its way back. The breaking ball was his calling card throughout the outing and flashed 11/5 break and efficient spin (2300 rpm's). Mooney worked at a fast tempo and showed no trouble flipping in that breaking ball for strikes. He probably didn't have his best stuff (six walks), but it speaks to his competitiveness that he was able to adjust and fight through some high stress pitches. 

Final line: 7 IP, 4 H's, 1 R (0 ER), 6 BB's, & 6 K's

RHP Trey Mooney (2/12/21)

 

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