Alabama HS Team Preview: Minor Tigers

February 9, 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: Minor Tigers
Head Coach: Robert Coleman
Classification: AHSAA Class 6A
Area Number: Class 6A, Area 9
2023 Record (Finish): 33-6 (Eliminated in Sweet Sixteen)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 4
No. of Returning Pitchers: 5
Team Strengths: Leadership, Varsity Experience

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

LHP/1B Corey Richardson, Jr. (2024; Jackson State)
SS/RHP Ethan Bucher (2025; uncommitted)
OF Tylan Amerson (2024; uncommitted)
UTL/RHP Elijah Fuller (2026)

SS/RHP Ethan Bucher (6/15/22)

MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2025

LHP/OF Ahmir White (2025; uncommitted)
UTL/RHP Jalen Johnson (2025; uncommitted)

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

UTL Josh Fuller (2027)
RHP/INF Ryan Locklear (2027)

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Minor Tigers are coming off one of their most historic seasons in program history, as they reached the Sweet 16 in Class 6A and posted an impressive 33-6 record in the process. The Tigers are hoping to once again have that same type of success with a new head coach and some key returners on both sides of the ball this spring.

The Tigers really hit their stride down the stretch last season, as they carried a winning streak of 27 games into playoffs after sweeping their area. After breezing past Mae Jemison in 1st round with a sweep, the Tigers were faced-off against one of the top teams in Class 6A in Hartselle HS, and were ultimately defeated in two games to close their season with a 33-6 record. Minor brings back some key returners from that playoff team last year and believes those players will provide leadership for the program and lead them back to the playoffs. LHP/1B Corey Richardson, Jr. (Jackson State, 2024) is a top-15 southpaw in the 2024 class in AL, and should once again anchor the pitching staff as the ace, while SS/RHP Ethan Bucher (2024), OF Tylan Amerson (2024), and UTL/RHP Elijah Fuller (2026) are all experienced returners who are expected to lead the way once again this spring. LHP/OF Ahmir White (2025) and UTL/RHP Jalen Johnson (2025) are two more upperclassmen looking to breakout this season, while UTL Josh Fuller (2027) and RHP/INF Ryan Locklear (2027) are a pair of underclassmen in the program who are hoping to get some significant playing time this spring.

The Tigers should once again be a solid club this spring and have hopes of making it back to the later rounds in the Class 6A playoffs. They'll compete in Area 10 against Parker and Woodlawn for a berth in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Minor should once again be the favorites in their area and should have another successful season in Class 6A in 2024.

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

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

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