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Alabama HS Team Preview: Etowah Blue Devils

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: Etowah Blue Devils
Head Coach: Blake Bone
Classification: AHSAA Class 4A
Area Number: Class 4A, Area 14
2023 Record (Finish): 30-11 (State Champion)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5
No. of Returning Pitchers: 4
Team Strengths: Pitching Rotation, Offense




 

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

RHP/INF Jameson Scissum (7/26/23)

MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2024

  • OF Bodie Bennett (2024; uncommitted)
  • INF Luke Filetti (2024; uncommitted)

Class of 2025

LHP/OF Tracy Gaddis, Jr. (1/3/24)

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

  • C Bradley Pleger (2026)
  • RHP Brock Billingsley (2027)
  • OF/RHP Jayden Overstreet (2027)
  • C Jaxen Morgan (2027)
  • RHP Landon Ward (2027)
  • RHP/1B Cash Burns (2027)
  • C Jayen Kimbrill (2027)
  • RHP/INF Avery Haynes (2027)
  • INF Owen Bernard (2027)

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Etowah Blue Devils captured the Class 4A State Championship in 2023 defeating UMS-Wright in two games, and look poised to once again to be one of the top teams in Class 4A this spring. After reaching the Class 4A State Championship series two years in a row after finishing as the runner-up in 2022, they'll look to make it three consecutive years in 2024.

The Blue Devils enjoyed a historic season last year, and culminated with them being the last team standing in Class 4A and hoisting the Blue Map. After falling in the State Championship series to Mobile Christian the year prior, it seemed they were ready for the task and delivered in the big moments and getting strong pitching during the series. They'll look to repeat this spring, but once again, it won't be easy as there are numerous talented programs in Class 4A all aiming to capture the state title. Although they lost some key contributors last season, including LHP/OF Caleb Freeman to graduation, the Blue Devils still bring back a good amount of starters from last year. Starting at the top, RHP/INF Jameson Scissum (Mississippi State, 2025) is coming off a storybook season after being named the Most Valuable Player in the Class 4A State Championship series last year. Scissum, a former PBR Future Games alumni, possesses an upper-80's fastball and a wipeout slider on the mound and returns as their ace after going 9-1 the past two seasons. He'll also be one of their top hitters in the lineup, as well. INF Slade St. Clair (2024) is another strong returner who posted a batting average of .300 and was second on the team in RBI's with 30. He's a strong defender as well, only committing four errors during last year's season. INF/RHP Baylor Morrison (2027) is one of the top freshman in the state of AL and played a vital role on last year's team as an eighth-grader. He should slide over to play shortstop this spring and contribute heaveily on the offensive side. OF Cash Hayes (2025) and RHP/INF Damon Devine (2025) are two more returning upperclassmen who helped lead the way last season. Hayes was second on the team with an OBP close to the .500 mark, while Devine was their closer and is likely to moving into a starter's role on the rotation. OF Bodie Bennett (2024) and INF Luke Filetti (2024) are expected to see their role expand this season, while RHP/INF Bennett Reaves (2025), and OF/C Connor Dingler (2025) will be major factors in a variety of ways for the Blue Devils this spring. LHP/OF Tracy Gaddis, Jr. (2025) is an impact transfer who should help out on the mound this season and in the outfield, as he possesses a low-to-mid 80's fastball on the mound. Some underclassmen to watch for this spring are C Bradley Pleger (2026), RHP Brock Billingsley (2027), OF/RHP Jayden Overstreet (2027), C Jaxen Morgan (2027), RHP Landon Ward (2027), RHP/1B Cash Burns (2027), C Jayen Kimbrill (2027), RHP/INF Avery Haynes (2027), and INF Owen Bernard (2027).

The Blue Devils appear to have the talent once again to make a strong push to repeat as Class 4A State Champions, but there's still plenty of baseball to be played against other quality opponents in Class 4A. They'll compete in Area 14 against D.A.R., Cherokee County, and North Jackson for a berth in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Etowah looks to once again be among the top favorites in Class 4A in 2024.

Find more information on the 2024 Etowah High School program below:

+ Follow them on X: @EtowahBaseball2
+ 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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