The 2026 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: Abbeville Christian Academy Generals
Head Coach: Cory Crawford
Classification & Area Number: AISA Region 1 Area 1
2025 Record (Finish): 17-18 (Elite 8) 

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

• SS/P Jayden Buckhannon (2026)
• OF/P Brendan "Rooty" Ward (2026)
• 1B/P Monty Masters (2026)
• C/P Lucas Shepherd (2028)
• OF/P Riddge Crawford (2028)

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TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

• P Andrew Hughes (2029)

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OTHER UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

• 3B/P Matthew Bush (2027)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

Abbeville Christian Academy enters the 2026 season coming off a 17-18 campaign that still saw the Generals make a run to the Elite 8, a year highlighted by Jayden Buckhannon’s huge offensive production as he led the team with a .549 average and 46 stolen bases. While the record was up-and-down, the postseason push and the competitiveness of this group showed a program that knows how to win and compete when it matters most.

The Generals return a strong core of two-way contributors who will again form the backbone of the roster. SS/P Jayden Buckhannon (2026) is the spark plug after a monster 2025 season at the plate and on the bases, while OF/P Brendan “Rooty” Ward (2026) and 1B/P Monty Masters (2026) give ACA experienced, physical presences on both sides of the ball. C/P Lucas Shepherd (2028) and OF/P Riddge Crawford (2028) add more versatility and depth to a pitching staff that will be leaned on heavily, and 3B/P Matthew Bush (2027) provides another reliable two-way piece. On the younger end, P Andrew Hughes (2029) is a name to know as he continues to develop and could factor into the staff sooner rather than later. With so many players capable of contributing on the mound and in the field, pitching and defense again project to be the foundation of this team.

Looking ahead to 2026, Abbeville Christian Academy expects to lean into its identity as a tough, gritty, defensive-minded club while navigating one of the more challenging regions in AISA. With Lakeside and Macon East standing in the way, the Generals know the path won’t be easy, but the belief inside the program is strong. “This is the grittiest bunch I have coached since I have been at ACA,” said head coach Cory Crawford. “These guys aren’t flashy, but they are winners. The expectations is to earn the triple crown, but baseball will have the toughest test with two-time state champion Lakeside and Final Four participant Macon East in the region.” If ACA’s pitching and defense hold up, this group has the makeup to push deep into the postseason again.

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Find more information on the 2026 Abbeville Christian Academy program below:

+ Follow them on X: @ACA_Gen_Basebal
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Alabama, 2026 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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