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2026 Moody Blue Devils Team Preview

February 7, 2026
Austin Sharp
Alabama Scouting Director

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: Moody Blue Devils
Head Coach: Eamonn Kelly
Classification & Area Number: Class 5A, Area 11
2025 Record (Finish): 15-19 (1st Round) 

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

RHP Bryant Hardin (7/16/25)

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

  • RHP/UTL Owen Randall (2028)
  • OF Collin Turner (2028)

OTHER UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

TEAM OUTLOOK

Moody enters the 2026 season coming off a 15-19 campaign that ended with a first-round loss to Leeds, but the Blue Devils showed growth down the stretch by stringing together enough wins late in area play to earn a playoff spot. A challenging stretch over spring break at LakePoint Sports helped prepare this group for postseason baseball, and that experience now carries over into a senior-heavy roster that brings back a strong core of arms and everyday contributors. With several college-bound seniors leading the way, Moody will look to turn last year’s late-season momentum into a more consistent push in a competitive 5A Area 11.

The backbone of this team starts on the mound and up the middle with RHP/1B Bryant Hardin (Shelton State CC, 2026), a big-armed presence who is ready to take on a featured role, and RHP/SS JB Leatherwood (Gadsden State CC, 2026), one of the top defenders on the roster who also provides steady innings. OF/LHP Jayden Hicks (Lawson State CC, 2026) gives the Blue Devils a tough out in the lineup and a reliable option from the left side, while C Will Dutton (Lawson State CC, 2026) brings competitiveness and upside behind the plate. LHP/1B JP Sands (Jackson State CC, 2026) returns as a consistent mainstay on the bump, and RHP/3B Jake Whiddon (2026) adds another high-upside arm to the mix. On the positional side, OF Marshall Teofilo (2026) provides speed and stability in the outfield, while UTL Levi Crowe (2028) is a young, physical piece with a big arm and bat who should factor in more as the season progresses. Additional depth comes from OF Dewayne Whitsey (2027) and a talented underclass group that includes RHP/UTL Owen Randall (2028) and OF Collin Turner (2028).

Looking ahead, pitching and defense shape the identity of this group, with a projected staff led by Hardin, Leatherwood, Sands, and Whiddon. Staying healthy will be key in a tough area, but the experience and innings logged by this senior class give Moody a chance to be competitive week in and week out. As head coach Eamonn Kelly put it, “This group of seniors has a ton of innings under their belts, and this will help them throughout our tough schedule. If we can stay healthy and stay focused on the end goal, this season will be fun to be a part of.”

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

+ Follow them on X or Facebook: @MHSDvlBaseball | Moody Blue Devils Baseball
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Alabama, 2026 HS Team Previews

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+ Prep Baseball Alabama on X
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