South AL Preseason All-State: Event Preview

January 10, 2026
Austin Sharp
Alabama Scouting Director

The two premier events of the winter in Alabama are officially upon us as the Preseason All-State Tour gets underway, bringing together the very best talent from across the state. We kick things off this Sunday, January 11th, with the South AL Preseason All-State in Orange Beach, AL, before heading north on Saturday, January 17th, for the North AL Preseason All-State in Hartselle, AL. Year after year, these invite-only events serve as a true gathering of the who’s who in Alabama high school baseball, showcasing the top prospects and setting the tone heading into the spring season.

This Sunday, January 11th, many of the state’s top prospects from the 2026-2030 graduating classes will converge in Orange Beach, AL for another installment of this annual marquee event, officially kicking off the high school season for our staff. Now in its fifth year of hosting two Preseason All-State events, this showcase has built a strong track record of attracting elite talent, with many past attendees going on to play college baseball at every level. The continued demand and depth of talent across the state have helped this event grow into a staple of the winter calendar. It provides a final, high-level opportunity for players to showcase their offseason progress in front of Prep Baseball scouts and college coaches before the start of their respective high school seasons.

Below, you’ll find key information related to the event, including the full itinerary, event history, and more. To view the complete event roster, CLICK HERE.

HEADLINE NAMES COMING TO ORANGE BEACH

A look at the roster quickly reveals the level of talent set to take the field, as a number of the state’s highest-ranked prospects are scheduled to be in attendance. The Preseason All-State offers these players an ideal platform to showcase the physical gains and skill development made throughout the offseason, while also giving our staff an opportunity to update player profiles with the latest metrics and data. With the high school season just over a month away, this event serves as a premier tune-up and an early statement opportunity for Alabama’s top prospects as they open the 2026 calendar.

Below, we highlight several of the top-ranked players expected to compete at the South AL Preseason All-State:

Highest Overall Ranked Class of 2026 Prospects

No. 16 RHP Andrew Bennett (Mobile Christian)
No. 26 SS Rhys Jones (Spain Park)
No. 42 OF Dorsett Jackson (Prattville)
No. 60 UTL Bryon Martin (Fairhope)

Highest Overall Ranked Class of 2027 Prospects

No. 6 SS JB Upton (Auburn)
No. 7 C Brue Milner (Tallassee)
No. 12 OF Austin Kightlinger (Northside)
No. 13 RHP/OF Brady Sack (Auburn)
No. 15 RHP Bryant Hopkins (Valley)
No. 18 OF Manning Amorde (UMS-Wright Prep)
No. 26 C Eli Quinley (Faith Academy)
No. 30 OF Colin Watson (Daphne)
No. 31 RHP/3B Cooper Frampton (St. Luke's Episcopal)
No. 32 SS Brody Blevins (Westbrook Christian)
No. 35 LHP Hunter Matthes (Pike Road)
No. 36 3B/RHP Lawson Hare (Auburn)
No. 40 OF Brodie Bragg (Spain Park)
No. 54 C Wyatt Rath (Northridge)
No. 56 RHP Cade Mason (Saraland)

Highest Overall Ranked Class of 2028 Prospects

No. 10 SS/RHP Harrison Milanowski (Houston Academy)
No. 20 OF Evan Money (Headland)
No. 24 1B/LHP Jace Dean (Rehobeth)
No. 29 SS Jacob Thomas (Orange Beach)
No. 43 OF Brayden Barnes (Enterprise)
No. 46 OF Evan Daigle (McGill-Toolen)

Highest Overall Ranked Class of 2029 Prospects

No. 5 C Christian Thompson (Alma Bryant)
No. 8 SS/RHP John Gregory (Mountain Brook)
No. 13 OF Campbell Tillman (Orange Beach)
No. 16 RHP/OF Ben Roberts (Decatur)
No. 21 C Malakai Pitts (Spain Park)

Top Class of 2030 Prospects

SS/RHP Tucker Richardson (Faith Academy)
SS Cooper Mason (Bayside Academy)

In addition to these players, there are going to be many more players that are sure to make their names known at the South Alabama Preseason All-State. If you want to see the full roster for this event, CLICK HERE.

THE HISTORY OF THE PRESEASON ALL-STATE

The Preseason All-State Showcase is an invite-only event designed to bring together the very best players from across Alabama, consistently highlighting the true who’s who of talent within the state. Limited in size and exclusive by design, the event has become a launching point for elite prospects as they transition from offseason training into the high school season. Since its inception in 2019, the Preseason All-State has continued to grow in both prestige and impact, earning a reputation as one of the most competitive and talent-rich showcases on the winter calendar. To ensure a controlled, high-level evaluation environment, each edition has been held indoors, accounting for the uncertainty of winter weather.

The event’s history is also marked by its strong track record of college commitments. Over its first seven years, a combined 579 participants have gone on to commit to college programs at every level, underscoring the caliber of talent that consistently passes through this showcase. The 2026 edition is shaping up to be no different, with several high-end uncommitted prospects still on the board. Below, we take a look back at some of the notable committed players who have competed in the Preseason All-State over the years.

2019 Preseason All-State (35 total commitments)

OF Trey Burrell (Grambling State)
RHP Luke Davis (Samford)
C Stone Lawless (Tennessee)
RHP Matt Manley (Samford)
RHP Reese Morrison (Jacksonville State)
RHP/OF Will Passeau (Pearl River CC)

2020 Preseason All-State (54 total commitments)

INF William Burgreen (Jacksonville State)
RHP/3B Walter Ford (Alabama)
3B Davis Gillespie (Southern Miss)
C Stone Lawless (Tennessee)
RHP Matt Manley (Samford)
RHP Javi Marrero (Troy)
RHP George Meyers (Auburn)
C Lawson Stricklin (Tennessee Tech)
RHP Brendan Wall (Alabama-Birmingham)
SS Peyton Watts (Troy)
RHP Tyler Wilson (Auburn)
C/OF Walker Zapp (Air Force)

2021 Preseason All-State (81 total commitments)

3B Henry Allen (Mississippi State)
SS Drey Barrett (Southern Miss)
C/3B Cade Carr (Samford)
RHP Christian Chatterton (Auburn)
RHP Jake DeValk (South Alabama)
3B Cole Edwards (Auburn)
SS Cason Eubanks (Georgia Southern)
OF Seth Farni (Mississippi)
RHP/3B Walter Ford (Alabama)
OF Christopher Johnston (Auburn)
RHP Matt Manley (Samford)
RHP Austin Morris (Alabama)
SS Jace Norton (Mississippi State)
SS Sam Robertson (Auburn)
OF Jake Smith (Troy)
RHP Zach Stevens (South Alabama)
RHP Matthew Thompson (Troy)
3B Mac Turner (Southeastern Louisiana)
OF Alex Wade (Auburn)
RHP Brendan Wall (Alabama-Birmingham)
OF JD Wilkins (Jacksonville State)
RHP Tyler Wilson (Auburn)
C/OF Walker Zapp (Air Force)

2022 North AL Preseason All-State (56 total commitments)

SS Paul Andrzejewski, Jr. (Army)
C Cade Carr (Samford)
LHP Chase Cartron (Troy)
INF Matthew Cash (Jacksonville State)
RHP Christian Chatterton (Auburn)
RHP Luke Davenport (Auburn)
RHP Joseph Garrison (Troy)
INF RJ Hamilton (Vanderbilt)
SS Andrew Lawrence (East Tennessee State)
SS Cade Miles (Jacksonville State)
RHP Colin Patterson (Alabama-Birmingham)
OF John Robicheaux (Samford)
INF Evan Smallwood (Jacksonville State)
3B Peyton Steele (Alabama)
OF Alex Wade (Auburn)
INF Josey Williamson (Alabama)

2022 South AL Preseason All-State (47 total commitments)

RHP Eli Driskell (Auburn)
RHP Connor Gatwood (Auburn)
RHP Carson Joyner (Louisiana-Monroe)
RHP George Meyers (Auburn)
INF Gatlin Pitts (Samford)
SS/RHP Brady Richardson (Troy)
RHP Jonathan Stevens (Alabama)
OF Gabe Young (Jacksonville State)

2023 North AL Preseason All-State (71 total commitments)

RHP Andrew Allen (Arkansas State)
3B/RHP Caleb Barnett (Alabama)
3B/RHP Braden Booth (Mississippi State)
LHP Chase Cartron (Troy)
1B Steven Cavaco (Ohio State)
RHP Christian Chatterton (Auburn)
RHP/3B Brendan Conner (Alabama-Birmingham)
RHP Jackson Hunter (Alabama)
SS Cade Miles (Jacksonville State)
3B Peyton Steele (Alabama)
INF Josey Williamson (Alabama)
SS Jaxson Wood (Tennessee)

2023 South AL Preseason All-State (44 total commitments)

SS/RHP Drey Barrett (Southern Miss)
RHP Connor Gatwood (Auburn)
SS Tate Johnston (Auburn)
1B Edward McLeod, Jr. (Samford)
SS/RHP Brady Richardson (Troy)
RHP Zach Stevens (South Alabama)
3B/RHP Tanner Waldrop (Auburn)

2024 North AL Preseason All-State (70 total commitments)

RHP Andrew Allen (Arkansas State)
RHP William Andre (Samford)
3B/RHP Caleb Barnett (Alabama)
3B/RHP Braden Booth (Mississippi State)
LHP Chase Cartron (Troy)
SS Charlie Cassingham (South Alabama)
RHP Jackson Hunter (Alabama)
OF Myles Johnson (Eastern Kentucky)
SS Cade Miles (Jacksonville State)
OF Cole Miles (Jacksonville State)
SS Easton Nelms (Samford)
1B Gavin Smith (Southern Miss)

2024 South AL Preseason All-State (48 total commitments)

SS Drey Barrett (Southern Miss)
SS Joel Chandler (Montevallo)
RHP Jacob Driver (Meridian CC)
SS Brodie Jones (Wallace-Dothan CC)
1B Brooks McDonald (West Florida)
1B Edward McLeod, Jr. (Samford)
OF Nolan Phillips (West Alabama)
SS Mason Piper (Wallace-Dothan CC)
SS/RHP Brady Richardson (Troy)
SS Aiden Urnis (New Orleans)
RHP/3B Ethan Walls (Chipola CC)

2025 North AL Preseason All-State (44 total commitments)

3B/RHP Caleb Barnett (Alabama)
SS/RHP Paul Barnett (Alabama)
SS/RHP Charlie Cassingham (South Alabama)
OF Steven Cavaco (Ohio State)
RHP Branson Hogan (Alabama)
RHP Evan Malone (Alabama)
3B Ty Marsh (Western Kentucky)
OF Cole Miles (Jacksonville State)
SS Easton Nelms (Samford)
RHP Garrett Reid (Samford)
SS JB Upton (Jacksonville State)
OF/LHP Parks Woodruff (Air Force)

2025 South AL Preseason All-State (29 total commitments)

OF Manning Amorde (South Alabama)
C Colton Boyd (Southern Mississippi)
SS Rhys Jones (Alabama-Birmingham)
OF Austin Kightlinger (Indiana)
C Brue Milner (Georgia Tech)
SS Braylon Nelson (Florida State)
OF Clayton Rice (Chipola CC)
RHP/OF Brady Sack (South Alabama
C Ty Waters (Samford)
RHP/1B Brodie Wilson (Auburn)
SS Jaxson Wood (Tennessee)

EVENT SCHEDULE & ITINERARY

Below you will find all check-in times and the complete event schedule for the day. New for this year, the Preseason All-State will be broken into position-based sessions, a change designed to improve the overall flow and efficiency of the event. This updated structure allows for more streamlined evaluations and ensures a smooth experience for both players and our scouting staff throughout the day.

+ Check-in Times:

Registered Outfielders: 8:45 AM - 9:00 AM
Registered Infielders: 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Registered Catchers: 1:15 PM - 1:30 PM
Registered Two-Way Players Return: 2:15 PM
Registered Pitcher-Only's: 3:00 PM

*Catchers will stay for both sessions.

*Times subject to change

Players should plan to wear turf shoes, tennis shoes, or molded cleats, as the workout will take place entirely on an all-turf baseball field and within an indoor facility. Please note that sunflower seeds and gum are not permitted. Each participant will receive a numbered Prep Baseball t-shirt and hat upon check-in. Players are also encouraged to bring their own drinks and snacks for the day.

This year, players will check in at different times based on position groups. This adjustment is intended to reduce unnecessary downtime, improve overall efficiency, and better accommodate the available space. As a result of the staggered arrival times, we will not hold an in-person pre-event meeting on the day of the event. Instead, a detailed pre-event video covering all necessary information for the event and post-event process has been recorded and included in the check-in email, and it can also be viewed HERE. Please be sure to watch the video in advance and reach out with any questions.

Registered Infielders, Outfielders, and/or Catchers

Stretch
Running Times (laser-timed 60-yard dash with 10 and 30 yard splits)
Offensive Evaluations
- Mechanical evaluation
- Live batting practice
- TrackMan ball flight analysis
- Blast Motion swing analysis
Defensive Evaluations
- Arm strength
- Agility/range
- Positional analysis/profile

Registered Pitchers & Catchers

Pitching Evaluations
- 15-20 pitch bullpen (fastball and secondary pitches from both windup and stretch)
- Mechanical evaluation
- TrackMan pitch velocity, movement, spin analysis
Catcher Evaluations (while receiving bullpen)
- Receiving/pitch presentation
- Blocking/mobility

SCOUTING, TECHNOLOGY, AND DATA ANALYSIS IN ONE EVENT


Prep Baseball Player Profile
+ Expand to learn more Each prospect's recruiting process starts and ends with the Player Profile, and our showcases revolve around building up that profile, maximizing its content and reach. For first-time attendees, a new player profile will be created, hosting all of your information, videos, head shot, metrics and more, making it one of the most important tools in a prospect's recruiting process. Repeat showcase performances will continue to update your player profile, creating a history of prospect progress and ensuring the most up-to-date information is easily accessible throughout the fast-paced scouting community. These profiles are also searchable by a range of data points and metrics through our advanced search engine, making it a one-stop shop for recruiters and scouts.
Player Data
+ Expand to learn more Prep Baseball stats captured at its showcases, published inside its player profiles, are the industry standard in the scouting community, carrying the highest level of credibility in actionable data. Prep Baseball profiles are the most reliable resources for prospect information due to this reason alone. Stats are collected using only the highest of standard equipment including Swift laser timers, TrackMan ball tracking technology, Blast Motion swing sensors, and Stalker radars. All stats are hosted in player profiles accompanied by Performance Tiers that show where a prospect ranks among his peers.
Performance Video
+ Expand to learn more All prospect performances will be professionally video taped, edited and uploaded into their Prep Baseball Profile. Videos will consist of multiple angles and record all aspects of the showcase including 60s, live batting practice, bullpen sessions, and defensive performances. Videos are hosted in Prep Baseball Profiles and used for video spotlights, content, social media and more. Videos are accessible to all PBR+ subscribers.
Scouting Reports
+ Expand to learn more Prep Baseball is built at the hands of some of the most tenured and respected scouts in the industry. We pride ourselves on our level of prospect knowledge, most of which is gained through our events. Showcases are designed and engineered by state Scouting Directors with the goal of collecting as much information about a prospect as possible and relaying our findings to the public through data collection and scouting reports.
Post-Event Content
+ Expand to learn more One of the many results of a Prep Baseball showcase is getting all the information collected to the public in a timely and digestible manner. Every showcase will be featured on the Prep Baseball website and social channels through various forms of post-event content, leaderboards, video spotlights and more.
Account Dashboard
+ Expand to learn more In an effort to elevate the post-event experience for players who attend a showcase, the Account Dashboard is now the prospect's one-stop shop to view all of his post-event deliverables, including showcase video, data, Vizual Edge Score, and more. The Account Dashboard also gives players a window into upcoming events, calendar management, among other organizational tools.
Mizuno Apparel
+ Expand to learn more All showcase participants will receive a numbered Prep Baseball showcase shirt and hat sponsored by our partners at Mizuno. The Mizuno Tee is the all-around t-shirt for every activity, made from lightweight textured fabric, and used to identify prospects throughout the showcase process.

PREP BASEBALL TECH PACKAGE

Following a Prep Baseball event, players will receive unrivaled access to their advanced ball-tracking and swing metrics through the TrackMan and BlastConnect apps as well as visual skills through Vizual Edge testing. Furthermore, key metrics will live inside the player's official Prep Baseball profile to help them in their recruitment process.


TrackMan
+ Expand to learn more TrackMan is the global leader in ball-tracking accuracy. Following a Prep Baseball event, all players will get unrivaled access to their performance data in the TrackMan interactive app. Players can create custom dashboards that unlock both hitting and pitching data. Pitching Features Include: Pitching data access includes: release speed, spin rate, spin axis, release height, extension, horizontal and vertical break, and location on each pitch See each pitch trajectory in 3D from multiple viewpoints Create defined tags to label and compare pitches Pin pitches together to create tunneling visualizations between different pitch types Visualize each pitch location Hitting Features Include: Hitting data access includes: Exit speed, distance traveled, launch angle, launch direction, spin rate, contact depth and contact side/height for each swing. Visualize plate coverage Pairing of all data points on each swing All key ball flight metrics will live inside player profiles at prepbaseballreport.com for the benefit of college coaches and recruiters, which will help prospects advance to the next level.
Blast Motion
+ Expand to learn more Blast is the global leader in swing analysis and used by nearly every MLB organization. Following a Prep Baseball event, players will receive access to BlastConnect in the Blast App, which unlocks critical insights and actionable data from their performance. Features include: Swing Analysis and Blast Motion hitting assessment Professional-level swing analytics to help players improve their hitting performance Free 30-day trial to Blast Premium Services subscription Key hitting metrics and Blast Motion Scores will also live inside player profiles at prepbaseballreport.com for the benefit of college coaches and recruiters, which will help prospects advance to the next level.
Vizual Edge
+ Expand to learn more Vizual Edge is a market leader in visual performance assessment and training that multiple MLB clubs use for its players. During Prep Baseball events, players will take the Vizual Edge 15-minute baseline evaluation. Following the event, players will receive an email PDF of your results – labeled as your EDGE Score – that will identify your visual strengths and weaknesses and how they directly impact your on-field performance. Visual skills are critical for pitch recognition, reaction speed, timing, seeing spin on the ball, defensive performance and much more. Your EDGE Score will also live inside your Prep Baseball profile.
VALD Athletic Testing
+ Expand to learn more Prep Baseball events will be equipped with VALD Performance’s industry-leading athletic testing technologies to capture pinpoint accurate, actionable data for all participants, ultimately delivering new insights into athletes’ speed, explosiveness and power for recruiters to evaluate. VALD is the only system with a full 360-degree LED display on every gate, giving instant feedback to coaches and athletes. Through both systems, the VALD SmartSpeed Plus timing gates and Smartump mats, athletes will be evaluated on a multitude of metrics that goes beyond just the 60-yard dash. Participants will be put through a jump protocol as well as adding 10- and 30-yard splits to the 60.Athletic testing metrics include: Athletic testing metrics include: 60-yard dash with 10- and 30-yard splits Top end speed (mph) Reactive Strength Index Vertical jump
Additional Athletic Testing
+ Expand to learn more Body Composition Players' body composition will be officially measured using state-of-the-art, medical-grade technology that will provide precise insights into height, weight, skeletal muscle mass, BMI and more. Players will step on scales using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), a method for measuring body composition, including muscle mass, body fat, and total body water. Our scales will then produce several metrics giving insight into the prospect’s body composition. Height will be measured using a digital stadiometer to get precise height measurements. Grip Strength Hitters' grip strength will be tested using a digital hydraulic dynamometer. Grip strength is an essential component to bat strength and controlling the barrel. Hitters will be put through a max strength test on both hands, shedding light on hand strength and potential power and bat control down the road.

UPCOMING EVENTS ⤵️

SHOWCASE	DATE	LOCATION
South AL Preseason All-State (Invite-Only)	January 11th, 2026	Orange Beach Sportsplex (Orange Beach, AL)
North AL Preseason All-State (Invite-Only)	January 17th, 2026	Hartselle High School Indoor (Hartselle, AL)

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