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Updated 2024 Alabama Player Rankings

August 22, 2022
PBR Alabama Staff

The summer of 2022 coming to a close means it's time to revisit the player rankings for all three classes, and first up is the Class of 2024. We've been able to get a true & honest look at most of these prospects this summer, whether it be at tournaments at LakePoint Sports, a showcase setting or at a high school game this past spring. This class is already littered with tons of verbal commitments to Power 5 schools inside the Top-50 and numerous prospects that made a splash onto the scene this spring and summer.

It's going to be fun to see where all of these players end up, as many of them still have plenty of maturing to come heading into their junior seasons of high school baseball. Let's take a look at how this class stacks up after the summer of 2022.

 

The Top-5

+ Maintaining the top spot in the class after debuting as the No. 1 prospect in AL back in August of 2020 is LHP Jackson Sanders (Valley), an Auburn recruit with a 6-foot-3, 195-pound build and an electric arsenal of pitches. Using a really fast arm coming out of a true 3/4 arm slot, Sanders regularly works into the low-90's with his fastball while comfortably sitting in the upper-80's. He also mixes in a sharp slider with quality shape that he uses to both righty's and lefty's in the low-70's (2400 rpm). Sanders also exudes plenty of competitive traits on the mound with athleticism and a strong frame that will be sure to carry more velocity down the road.

+ Moving up a spot to No. 2 in this update is 1B Henry Allen (Auburn), who continued to swing it well this summer after leading Auburn HS to a Class 7A semifinal appearance in the spring. During that spring hitting in the heart of the order as a sophomore, the Mississippi State recruit posted a .365 batting average with 6 HR's, 12 2B's and 41 RBI's against some of the best competition the state has to offer. Allen fits the mold of a future middle-of-the-order hitter at the next level thanks to a strong 6-foot-1, 205 frame. From the right side, the junior can hit for power and average and has shown the ability to spray to all fields.

+ Coming in at No. 3 is RHP/3B Braden Booth (Bob Jones), a Mississippi State recruit who continues his steady incline as one of the top two-way players in the class. Listed at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds, Booth has been up to 91 mph with his fastball and uses a slider/changeup combo as secondaries, and also possesses impressive gap-to-gap power hitting from the right side. He's continued to make big strides over the past year and a half, and has fully-cemented himself as a future impact player at the next level, potentially on both sides of the ball.

+ RHP Christian Chatterton (Brooks) slides in at No. 4 and jumps up a spot in this update after pitching well this spring and carrying it over to the summer in a quality start at the National Program Invitational at LakePoint. Strongly-built at 6-foot-0, 190-pounds with present athleticism, Chatterton now uses a four-pitch repertoire after adding a slider to his mix over the past year. Using a quick, whippy arm, the Auburn recruit was up to 90.5 mph earlier this year at our North AL Preseason All-State and shows feel for all three secondaries, as well.

+ Rounding it out in the Top-5 in this update is 3B Tanner Waldrop (Auburn), an Auburn recruit who is one of the top left-handed bats in the class in AL. Waldrop, a former Future Gamer from last summer, possesses a strong hit tool from the left side with power projection using a fairly physical 6-foot-0, 185-pound frame. Saw quality time this spring playing for Auburn while hitting three home runs and five doubles as a sophomore, and he'll continued to be relied on over the next couple of years at the plate. Impressive left-handed bat who has shown the ability to find the barrel at a high rate over the long haul.

 

Risers

+ Coming out of the PBR Future Games, SS Carter Johnson (Oxford) slides up to No. 6 after creating arguably the most "buzz" from the nation's top uncommitted event and led to his commitment to Alabama shortly after. With a high-waisted and athletic 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame, Johnson has a fluid load with a loose feel to the hands and generates and lofty path through the zone that consistently found firm contact at the event. He showed some sneaky power from the left side along with a few hits on the weekend during gameplay, and was sure-handed up the middle defensively with the ability to throw from arm angles with accuracy.

+ RHP Brandon McCraine (Glenwood) is another big riser in this update, as he jumps up 30 spots to No. 7 after multiple strong showings on the mound both in the spring and in the summer.. A recent Auburn recruit, we were able to see McCraine pitch against a loaded Pike Liberal Arts squad in the AISA AAA State Finals series a few months ago. He held that talented offense at bay for the most part in a low-scoring affair working 87-88 mph (2300 rpm) and up to 90 mph, while dropping in a low-70's breaking ball with two-plane depth and a fading changeup in the mid-70's. He has real athleticism in a still projectable 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame with high upside. Was also up to 92 mph this summer at LakePoint.

+ Like Johnson, RHP Brodie Dunlap (Corner) garnered plenty of recognition after a standout showing at last month's PBR Future Games and slides up to No. 10 in this update. Listed at 6-foot-4, 225-pounds, hammered the zone with his fastball that was up to 90 mph while sitting mostly 86-88 mph throughout. Working off the heater, the physically-imposing right-hander used a SL/CH/CT trio of secondary pitches. The slider showed tight spin and showed some depth in the upper-70's, and landed both the changeup and cutter for strikes needing just 29 pitches to work two scoreless innings and rack up two strikeouts and zero walks.

+ LHP Jack Sanderson (Northridge) possesses as much upside as anyone in this class using a strong 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame with quality stuff to match. The Auburn recruit has continued to make steady strides over the past couple years and doesn't look like he's done yet. Sanderson has shown the ability to work his fastball into the upper-80's using a short, compact arm stroke that allows the pitch to play up some, and spins a low-70's breaking ball with some feel and gradual 1-7 shape. A former PBR AL Pitcher of the Week this spring where he punched out 18 hitters in a complete-game shutout, Sanderson will be one to watch over the next two years.

+ Another Future Gamer, RHP/SS Connor Gatwood (Baker) jumps into the Top-15 after splashing onto the scene this summer. Standing a lean, projectable, 6-foot-4, 180-pounds, Gatwood is a natural athlete on the mound showing feel for a three-pitch arsenal. The uncommitted right-hander was able to work around the 87-89 mph range while occasionally touching 90 mph and held it for the duration of his short outing at the PBR Future Games. He featured a hard slider in the low-80's that showed some bite and potential for swing-and-miss, while also mixing in a quality changeup with fading action.

+ OF Drake McBride (Thompson) is another high-rising prospect in this update, as the recent Troy recruit slides into the Top-20 after multiple solid showings this spring and summer. Standing an uber athletic 6-foot-2, 175-pounds, it was easy to see the tools he possesses both in a high school viewing this spring and at the TPL Scout Day just a few months ago. McBride has premium athleticism and has shown intriguing power hitting six home runs this spring for 7A Thompson, and will only continue to add more as he fills out his body. McBride uses a balanced and athletic stance hitting from the right side, and gets on plane early showing a swift and effortless stroke through the zone with bat speed.

 

CLICK HERE FOR THE RANKINGS

 

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