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: Etowah Blue Devils
Head Coach: Blake Bone
Classification & Area Number: Class 4A, Area 11
2025 Record (Finish): 27-14 (Final 4)

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

• SS/RHP Baylor Morrison (2027)
• C Jaxen Morgan (2027)
• INF Ethan Mendoza (2027)

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TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

• LHP/OF Sloan Browning (2030)
• OF Rylan Fore (2028)

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OTHER UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

• RHP Brock Billingsley (2026)
• 3B/RHP Avery Haynes (2027)
• RHP Landon Ward (2027)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

Etowah enters the 2026 season coming off a strong 27-14 campaign that ended with a Final Four appearance, falling to eventual state champion Deshler. That postseason run reinforced the Blue Devils’ status as one of the more consistent programs in Class 4A, and with a strong core returning, expectations remain high as they look to take another step toward a championship push this spring.

The heart of this year’s club is built around a talented and experienced group of returners. SS/RHP Baylor Morrison (2027) has been a mainstay in the lineup since eighth grade and continues to be a pillar up the middle, committing just four errors in nearly 70 chances last season while also leading the team in doubles, numbers the staff expects to translate into even more power this year. Behind the plate, C Jaxen Morgan (2027) gives Etowah one of the steadier defensive catchers in the area, with his blocking, receiving, and arm standing out while he continues to develop as a left-handed bat. In the infield, INF Ethan Mendoza (2027) is coming off a strong season in which he hit over .320 with an on-base percentage near .500 and swiped 18 bags, positioning him as a key catalyst in the lineup. The Blue Devils will also lean on RHP Brock Billingsley (2026), 3B/RHP Avery Haynes (2027), and RHP Landon Ward (2027) to provide depth and innings on the mound. Among the underclassmen, LHP/OF Sloan Browning (2030) brings an impressive JV résumé after going 7-0 with an ERA under 1 last year and is expected to factor into the rotation, while OF Rylan Fore (2028) adds an athletic presence the staff believes can make an immediate impact.

Looking ahead, Etowah’s identity should once again be built on defending, pitching, and putting pressure on opponents with its speed. With a group that has waited its turn and now steps into bigger roles, the Blue Devils expect their hunger and experience to show throughout the spring. “This is a special group that I really enjoy coaching because they have waited their turn behind some really good players in the past and stuck to the process and didn’t transfer or quit and are hungry to get on the field,” said head coach Blake Bone. If that edge carries over, Etowah has the pieces to make another deep run in Class 4A.

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Find more information on the 2026 Etowah High School program below:

+ Follow them on Facebook: Etowah Baseball
+ 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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