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Alabama HS Team Preview: Bob Jones Patriots

February 12, 2024
Austin Sharp
Alabama Scouting Director

The 2024 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 the Jacksonville/Oxford/Montgomery area 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 rankings 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 ranks in each AHSAA classification, as well updating our Power 25 overall rankings. One thing, especially, you don’t want to miss are our scheduled podcasts with guests from across the state, as well as the recaps and previews of the big games we’re covering.

*Please note the information has been gathered from head coaches across the state, based on their replies to the questionnaire we distributed over this offseason.

High School: Bob Jones Patriots
Head Coach: Jared Smith
Classification: AHSAA Class 7A
Area Number: Class 7A, Area 8
2023 Record (Finish): 36-12 (Eliminated in Elite Eight)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 4
No. of Returning Pitchers: 4
Team Strengths: Returning Braden Booth & Zack Johnson, Athletic, Quality Left-Handed Hitters

 

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

3B/RHP Braden Booth (1/6/24)

MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2024

  • RHP Gage Wilson (2024; uncommitted)

Class of 2025

UTL Myles Hammonds (1/6/24)

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Bob Jones Patriots have grown into one of the more premier programs throughout the state over the past few seasons with numerous playoff runs in Class 7A and multiple 30+ win seasons. That and the returning talent is a big reason why we think they're one of the favorites to reach the state championship series in Class 7A, but the road won't be easy with tons of talented teams also vying for the Blue Map.

The Patriots have won back-to-back Area 8 Championships and have reached the Elite 8 the last two seasons. Surpassing the 30-win mark a season ago, the Patriots hosted the 1st round of the playoffs against Chelsea and won that series in three games to set up a highly-anticipated matchup against Thompson, who was ranked No. 1 going into the playoffs. In an incredible three-game series, Bob Jones ultimately came up short with the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the bottom of the last inning to close their season with a 36-12 record. The Patriots, who reached the Final 4 in 2018 and finished as the runner-up in 2019, are looking to bust down the door this spring and certainly have the talent to do so on paper. 3B/RHP Braden Booth (Mississippi State, 2024) is one of the more dynamic two-way players in the state and is a multi-year starter both at the plate and on the mound. He affects the game in so many ways, and is once again going to be a huge piece in their success moving forward this season. C Zackary Johnson (Alabama, 2025) is another elite hitter in the heart of the order and does an excellent job handling their arms behind the plate. Johnson, a former PBR Future Games alumni, enjoyed a breakout sophomore season and looks poised for an even bigger spring. UTL Jacob Pearl (Montevallo, 2024) is sort of a swiss army knife who can do multiple things on the field, including playing multiple positions and using his speed and athleticism to affect the game, while 1B/LHP Reece Cato (2024) also delivered some big swings for the Patriots last season, and is looking to do more of the same this year as a returning senior. 3B/RHP Greshman Baker (Bevill State CC, 2024) can absolutely fly on the basepaths, and should either play third base or in the outfield defensively. RHP/3B Tanner Hermesch (2025) and RHP Jack Shaw (2025) are two more upperclassmen who will be relied on heavily on the mound. Both operate in the low-80's and threw a good amount of innings last year, but will see their workload increase in 2024. RHP Gage Wilson (2024) is another solid option in the stable who will provide depth on the mound, while OF/LHP Dillon Adkins (Tennessee, 2025) is a transfer from out of state who is sure to be an impact player on both sides this spring. A top-5 player in the 2025 class in AL, Adkins is a high-contact left-handed bat with good feel for the sweet spot. UTL Myles Hammonds (2025) is another junior who looks due for a breakout season, while Robert Chatmon II (2025) and UTL/RHP Camden Martin (2025) two more juniors to watch for this spring.

It's fairly easy to see the Patriots will not lack talent this spring, but neither will the majority of the other Class 7A programs, as it seems to always come down to who is playing their best baseball at the end of the season when it counts. They'll compete in Area 8 against Austin, Florence, and James Clemens for a berth in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Bob Jones appears to be built for another deep playoff run and is a strong favorite in Class 7A in 2024.

Find more information on the 2024 Bob Jones program below:

+ Follow them on X: @BJHSBaseball
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Alabama, 2024 HS Team Previews

FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL ALABAMA THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball Alabama on X
+ Prep Baseball Alabama on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Alabama on Facebook

 

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