The 2022 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 Montgomery 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 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 in each AHSAA classification as well as a Power 25. One thing that you especially don’t want to miss are our scheduled podcasts with guests from across the state as well as recaps and previews of big games across the state.  

*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.

High School Name: Huntsville Panthers 

Coach’s Name: Luke Lamm

Classification: AHSAA 7A 

Area Number: Area 7 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 6 

Team Strengths: Returning hitters, Depth on the mound, Versatile roster

Top Returning Players:

• INF Cade Prestegard (2022)
• SS Cooper Williamson (2022)
• RHP Michael Pfeiffer (Lawson State CC, 2022)
• C Stone Lawless (Tennessee, 2023)

Top 2022 Prospects:

• UTL Travis Gentry (2022)
• LHP Will McCluskey (Wheaton College, 2022)
• RHP Josh Mackey (MUW, 2022)
• RHP Hudson Storey (2022)

Top 2023 Prospects:

• OF Cade Cole (2023)
• OF Luke Samples (2023)
• OF Justin Whitaker (2023) 

Top 2024 & 2025 Prospects:

• LHP/1B Chase Cartron (2024)
• RHP Brody King (2024)
• UTL Jacob Pearl (2024)

Team Outlook

The Huntsville Panthers come into the 2022 season with high hopes of getting back to the Class 7A State Playoffs after experiencing some success last spring. The Panthers came up short in a very tough area last spring, but return almost everybody from that team in 2022.

The Panthers will undoubtedly rely on some upperclassmen who have gained valuable experience over the course of their high school careers. INF Cade Prestegard is one of the top uncommitted hitters in the state of Alabama in the senior class, and he should be a leader offensively for the Panthers this spring. Prestegard is a 6-4, 195-pounder with improved gap-to-gap strength from the left side that should be a tough out in the heart of the order. SS Cooper Williamson is another talented uncommitted senior who will be another offensive threat hitting towards the top of the order. Williamson is a really athletic player who consistently finds firm contact at the plate from the right side. C Stone Lawless (Tennessee) is as good as they come in the junior class, as he's currently ranked as the No. 52 prospect nationally in the junior class. Lawless is 6-3, 200-pound backstop who brings an immediate presence to the box, and has gap-to-gap power from the right side. On the mound, RHP Michael Pfeiffer (Lawson State CC) & LHP Will McCluskey (Wheaton College) are both seniors who will be at the top of the rotation this spring for the Panthers after logging some key innings last year as juniors. RHP Josh Mackey (MUW) & RHP Hudson Storey will also be key pitchers in the rotation, as well. UTL Travis Gentry brings a lot of versatility to this team, as he'll play multiple positions defensively and will be a key offensive piece. 

Although the Panthers bring back a lot of upperclassmen, there will still be some younger players fighting for playing time this spring. Some names to keep an eye on will be OF Cade Cole, OF Luke Samples, OF Justin Whitaker, LHP/1B Chase Cartron, RHP Brody King & UTL Jacob Pearl. It's shaping up to be another successful season for the Panthers in 2022.

 

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