4A Preview

As the 2019 high school quickly approaches and teams have begun full practice, we will now move onto Class 4A for a brief preview of the top teams and their respective key returners.

Hokes Bluff

Hokes Bluff returns with high hopes in 2019 after reaching the 4A State Championship last year. The Eagles were led by many sophomores and juniors last year, all of whom will return for this year. Some of those players are ’19 RHP Dylan Teague, ’19 C Houston Edwards (Wallace-Hanceville CC signee), ’20 3B/RHP Caleb McGinnis and ’21 RHP/3B Payton Lemons. Teague was selected as 1^st Team 4A All-State and Edwards was 2^nd Team 4A All-State. The Eagles lose Jace Edwards and Weston Ball to Marion Military Institute, but return enough firepower to make it back to Montgomery in 2019.

Andalusia

The 2018 4A State Champions come back in 2019 with aspirations to get back to Montgomery and repeat. The Bulldogs will be led by ’19 C Hogan Nichols, who committed to Delta State back in December. Nichols was an integral part in last year’s team that won it all, and he will have the same season for the Bulldogs to repeat. Along with Nichols, the Bulldogs return ’20 RHP Jacob Cravey. Cravey is a tall, lanky pitcher that saw his fastball top out at 86 mph at the South AL Select in October of last year. Both Cravey and Nichols were a part of the 4A All-State Team in 2018. They were both selected to the 1^st Team. They will miss 4A State Player and Hitter of the Year Ethan Wilson, who is now playing at South Alabama. Regardless, the Bulldogs have enough key parts coming back from last year to make another title run in 2019.

Mobile Christian

Leading the way for Mobile Christian will obviously be the #1 player in AL and ranked #23 nationally ’19 C Ethan Hearn. Hearn signed with Mississippi State in December, but could possibly hear his name called early in the MLB Draft. The latest PBR Draft Board has Hearn as the #69 prospect in the country. It will be interesting to see whether the Bulldogs can get him on campus or if he ends up signing a deal with a pro team in June. The Leopards also return ’19 1B/LHP J.T. Lastorka after an impressive junior campaign. ’21 OF Rashad Robinson (#48 in ’21 Player Rankings) will also be a key underclassmen after seeing significant playing time as a freshman last year. Mobile Christian looks poised for another strong season in 2019 after winning the Class 3A State Championship in 2018.

Haleyville

In 2018, Haleyville swept Dora in Round 1, but were eventually put out by Oneonta in 3 games in Round 2. The Lions return in 2019 with high hopes of going even further in the playoffs this year. They will be led by ’19 LHP Blake Bennett, who signed with Alabama in November of last year. At 6’2 185 lbs., Bennett’s fastball usually sits in the mid-upper 80’s and can occasionally top out in the low-90’s. He is currently ranked as the #7 player in our ’20 Player Rankings (#342 nationally) and was selected to the 2018 4A All-State 2^nd Team. Another player the Lions will depend on in 2019 will be ’19 SS/2B Scott McAlpine. He will more than likely play SS for Haleyville this year.

Wilson

The Warriors will be led in 2019 by ’20 RHP Luke Daniel (Auburn commit), who is ranked as the #6 player in the ’20 Player Rankings (#249 nationally). Daniel possess a physical body at 6’3 215 lbs. His fastball can sit in the low 90’s and has an above average breaking ball with tight spin in low 80’s. Wilson reached the Elite 8 in 2018 before being defeated by Class 4A State Runner-up Hokes Bluff in 2 games. Led by Daniel, the Warriors look to be strong in 2019 and are ready for another run in the playoffs.

Teams to Watch

American Christian Academy

Oneonta

Dale County

Trinity Presbyterian