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: Moody Blue Devils
Head Coach: Eamonn Kelly
Classification: AHSAA Class 5A
Area Number: Class 5A, Area 10
2023 Record (Finish): 16-16 (Eliminated in 1st Round)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5
No. of Returning Pitchers: 4
Team Strengths: Defense

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

• C Landon Cherry (2025; uncommitted)
• LHP Brady Dodd (2024; uncommitted)
• RHP Bryant Hardin (2026)

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MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2024

• 1B/RHP Zane Smith (2024; uncommitted)

Class of 2025

• OF Braden Wright (2025; uncommitted)

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TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

• LHP JP Sands (2026)
• SS JB Leatherwood (2026)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

The Moody Blue Devils are gearing up once again for another strong spring season and have plenty of optimism inside their program after reaching the Class 5A playoffs a season ago. The Blue Devils should rely on a strong core of returners and possesses a good mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen. After reaching the 1st round of the playoffs a season ago, the Blue Devils are eager to get back and create some noise in Class 5A.

The Blue Devils finished going .500 last season with a 16-16 record, but continously played quality programs throughout the regular season to get prepared for area play and the playoffs. That paid off, finishing as the runner-up in the area behind Leeds after losing the deciding Game 3 by score of 6-4 at the end of the season. They were, however, dealt a tough matchup out of the gate against Arab, and saw their season end in the 1st round. With five positional starters and four pitchers returning for another year, the Blue Devils hope those players can lead them this spring and help them take the next step in Class 5A. C Landon Cherry (2025) is currently ranked as a top-10 backstop in the 2025 class in AL, and brings back a big right-handed bat to the heart of their order. Cherry, a notable standout at the South AL Preseason All-State this past weekend, is described as a hard-worker and possesses a high baseball IQ. On the mound, LHP Brady Dodd (2024) and RHP Bryant Hardin (2026) are a pair of pitchers who tossed significant innings for the Blue Devils in 2023. Dodd was huge out of the bullpen last season and is expected to step into a starter role, while Hardin served as their No. 1 on the pitching staff and is expected to take another big step during his sophomore season. A couple more upperclassmen prospects to know are 1B/RHP Zane Smith (2024) and OF Braden Wright (2025), both of which should play a big part in their offensive success this season. Smith was injured during the 2023 season and should provide an immediate boost to their lineup, while Wright is an athletic player who has made big strides in the weight room this off-season.

While the Blue Devils bring back multiple returning starters, they'll need some underclassmen to step into larger roles this spring after seeing some time at the varsity level last season. LHP JP Sands (2026) is a sophomore southpaw who should throw plenty of meaningful innings out of the bullpen this season. Sands possesses sizable upside and has a quality mix of pitches. SS JB Leatherwood (2026) should also find some quality time on the infield this spring, as he's a reliable defender with great hands defensively. Moody will once again compete in Area 10 this spring against Leeds, Ramsay, and Carver-Birmingham for a berth in the playoffs at the end of the season. The Blue Devils should once again be a strong factor in Class 5A and will be a team to follow in 2024.

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

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

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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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