Alabama HS Team Preview: Leeds Greenwave
January 31, 2024
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: Leeds Greenwave
Head Coach: Jacob Wingo
Classification: AHSAA Class 5A
Area Number: Class 5A, Area 10
2023 Record (Finish): 24-15 (Eliminated in Sweet Sixteen)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 4
No. of Returning Pitchers: 4
Team Strengths: Speed, Defense
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
- INF Ty Bedell (2025; uncommitted)
- UTL/RHP Conner Nelson (2025; uncommitted)
- INF Graham Gulock (2025; uncommitted)
- LHP/1B Dax Phillips (2024; Lawson State CC)
- LHP/OF Nolan Moore (2024; Gadsden State CC)
UTL/RHP Conner Nelson (6/15/22)
MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS
Class of 2025
- UTL/RHP Jacob Calvin (2025; uncommitted)
- UTL Nash Jones (2025; uncommitted)
TEAM OUTLOOK
The Leeds Greenwave were consistently in the mix of the top-10 teams in Class 5A a season ago, as they eclipsed the 20-win mark for the second year in a row and reached the Sweet 16 in Class 5A. There will be some shoes to fill this spring with some of those players from last year graduating, but the program has to be excited about the chance to continue last year's momentum in 2024.
Winner's of their area in 2023, the Greenwave amassed a total of 24 wins in the process and were fortunate enough to host the 1st round of the playoffs against Scottsboro. After losing Game 1 by score of 7-6, the Greenwave bounced back taking Games 2 and 3 by scores of 14-0 and 2-1 to advance to the Sweet 16. Facing against a gritty Russeville team, Leeds was unfortunately eliminated in a tightly-contested series by scores of 2-1 and 9-5 to end their season at 24-15. There are some key pieces coming back this spring, and the coaching staff believes overall team speed and defense will be a couple of this team's strengths. INF Ty Bedell (2025), UTL/RHP Conner Nelson (2025), and INF Graham Bullock (2025) are a trio of returning juniors who are among some of the top returners on this year's team, and will be looking to build off of last year's campaigns. LHP/1B Dax Phillips (Lawson State CC, 2024) and LHP/OF Nolan Moore (Gadsden State CC, 2024) are two more upperclassmen who have a chance to throw tons of meaningful innings on the mound contribute at the plate, as well. UTL/RHP Jacob Calvin (2025) and UTL Nash Jones (2025) are two more juniors to know for the Greenwave this spring, as well.
The Greenwave will rely on some newer faces to step into important roles this spring in addition to the returners mentioned above, but it's shaping up to be another strong season for this program in Class 5A. They'll compete in Area 10 against Moody, Carver-Birmingham, and Ramsay for a berth in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Expect Leeds to once again be a strong and competitive opponent in a wide-open Class 5A in 2024.
Find more information on the 2024 Leeds High School program below:
+ Follow them on X: @Leeds_Baseball
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Alabama, 2024 HS Team Previews
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