Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

South AL Preseason All-State: Quick Hits, Pitchers

January 16, 2026
Austin Sharp
Alabama Scouting Director

ORANGE BEACH, AL - The South AL Preseason All-State, one of the premier events on the Prep Baseball calendar, was held on Sunday, January 11th at Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, AL. This invite-only showcase featured top prospects from the 2026-2030 classes, each looking to make a statement ahead of the spring season.

Participants took part in an extended, pro-style workout that included batting practice tracked by TrackMan and Blast Motion, 60-yard dash testing powered by VALD Performance, and a full defensive evaluation. Pitchers threw simulated bullpens during the workout, capturing advanced metrics via our TrackMan unit such as pitch velocity, spin rate, and horizontal and vertical movement. The event featured a strong mix of familiar standouts continuing to build on previous performances, along with several new names who emerged with eye-opening showings.

Continuing our post-event coverage, we highlight several of the top pitchers in attendance at the showcase. Check back throughout the week as we release additional leaderboards and comprehensive scouting reports on every participant.

View full event statistics HERE.

+ RHP Andrew Bennett (Mobile Christian, 2026) delivered the most electric bullpen of the day, looking every bit like one of the premier arms in Alabama’s 2026 class. Listed at 6-foot-4, 211 pounds, the Pensacola State CC recruit carries quality, proportional strength throughout a long, durable frame that projects to handle innings. His fastball lived 90-92 mph and topped at 92.1 mph, spinning consistently over 2500 RPM (max 2668 RPM) with occasional cutting action that added another layer of difficulty for hitters. He paired it with a devastating 78-82 mph slider that showed hard, late downward bite and an eye-popping 3084 RPM spin rate, giving him legitimate swing-and-miss stuff. He also featured an 86-87 mph changeup with diving, fading action and an 87-88 mph cutter with true late horizontal movement, rounding out a deep, high-end arsenal that reinforces his status as one of the top senior arms in the state.

+ RHP/OF Brady Sack (Auburn, 2027) delivered another high-level look on the mound, continuing to build on his momentum as a 2025 Prep Baseball Future Games attendee. Listed at 6-foot-1, 182 pounds, the South Alabama recruit carries dynamic athleticism with real two-way traits, though his highest ceiling clearly points toward the mound, where he works with a confident plan and repeatable delivery. His fastball lived 88-90 mph and topped at 90.5 mph, pairing natural arm-side tail with a 20.0-inch top IVB that helped the pitch play with life through the zone. He featured one of the best sliders of the event, an 80-81 mph power slider with firm, late depth that tunneled exceptionally well off the fastball and passed both the metrics and the eye test. He also flashed an upper-70s changeup that mirrored the fastball’s arm-side action, rounding out a three-pitch mix that projects as high-end for his class.

+ RHP Bryant Hopkins (Valley, 2027) reinforced his standing as one of the top uncommitted arms in Alabama’s 2027 class, turning in another performance that pointed to continued upward trajectory after attending the 2025 Prep Baseball Future Games last summer. Listed at 6-foot-1, 184 pounds, he owns a medium, athletic build with clear room to add strength while working with an athletic, free-flowing delivery and a quick arm that created good downhill intent. His fastball operated 87-88 mph and topped at 88.6 mph, showing quality life with spin rates north of 2300 RPM. He paired it with one of the better breaking-ball combinations in the state, a 70-73 mph curveball with serious 11-5 depth and a top spin of 2813 RPM, along with a 72-75 mph slider featuring hard sweep and a peak spin of 2882 RPM, and rounded out the mix by flashing an 81-82 mph diving changeup, giving him a true four-pitch look to follow closely this spring.

+ RHP/SS Ethan O’Meara (Orange Beach, 2027) delivered one of the most electric bullpens of the event, emerging as a clear winner with big-time stuff that immediately jumped off the mound. Listed at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, he presents a lean, wiry, highly athletic build with obvious projection still ahead. Working from a two-piece arm stroke with excellent arm quickness, his fastball ranged 87-90 mph and topped at 91.6 mph, a notable jump from last summer, and consistently showed late hop with arm-side run that made the pitch play even quicker than the radar reading. He spun two distinct breakers,a 74-77 mph curveball with depth and a 76-77 mph slider with more lateral shape, while also turning over an 82-83 mph changeup as a legitimate fourth offering. All signs point to him taking another step forward this spring as he continues to develop into one of the premier arms in Alabama’s 2027 class.

+ RHP/SS Asa Burns (Oxford, 2028) showed a noticeable velocity jump and one of the better fastballs of the event, highlighting his continued upward trajectory. Listed at 5-foot-11, 151 pounds, he owns a lean, high-waisted, highly projectable frame that still has significant room to add strength. Working from a high three-quarter slot with a quick, athletic arm, he ran the fastball 85-87 mph and topped at 87.9 mph, pairing it with a 20.0-inch top IVB and a 2516 RPM max spin rate that created serious ride and life through the zone while showing consistent command. He mixed in a 70-73 mph curveball with big, sweeping depth and a 2695 RPM top spin, along with a 77-78 mph changeup that showed natural arm-side fade. A well-rounded athlete, he also showed a quality line-drive approach at the plate, reinforcing his overall upside as a two-way name to track closely.

+ RHP/OF Cade Mason (Saraland, 2027) showed a true starter’s look on the mound and reinforced why he’s viewed as one of the top uncommitted arms in Alabama’s 2027 class. Listed at 6-foot-2, 204 pounds, he carries strong, proportional strength throughout the frame and moves with smooth, controlled athleticism in both the windup and stretch. Working from a clean high three-quarter slot, he ran the fastball 83-85 mph and topped at 85.9 mph, showing heavy arm-side action and the ability to locate it to both sides of the plate with quality command. He mixed two distinct breaking balls, a 71-74 mph curveball with more 12-6 shape and a 74-75 mph slider with sweeping action, while rounding out the arsenal with a 79-80 mph changeup that featured arm-side fade. Coming off a sophomore season in which he went 7-2 with a 0.85 ERA in Class 6A, he looks positioned for another big year in 2026.

+ LHP Hunter Matthes (Pike Road, 2027) showed one of the more deceptive and metric-driven arsenals of the event, standing out as a southpaw whose stuff consistently played up. Listed at 6-foot-1, 214 pounds, he carries present strength throughout the frame and works from a higher over-the-top slot that creates plane and natural deception on all of his pitches. His fastball operated 84-85 mph and topped at 85.7 mph, but played well above the radar reading thanks to an impressive 21.4 inches of average induced vertical break, making it easy to see the life at the top of the zone and his future ability to miss barrels. He paired the heater with a 75-76 mph slider that showed quality depth and spin rates north of 2200 RPM, while rounding out the mix with a 73-74 mph changeup that fits well off his fastball. With strong metrics and an effective pitch mix, he profiles as a high-follow arm to track closely this spring.

+ RHP/3B Kaleb Sullivan (Mobile Christian, 2028) delivered one of the more complete mound looks of the event, pairing physicality with feel to pitch and an advanced mix for his age. Listed at 6-foot, 229 pounds, he brings significant proportional strength and a controlled, repeatable delivery from a high three-quarter slot with a clean two-piece arm stroke. The fastball showed real quality, operating 82-84 mph and topping at 85.1 mph, highlighted by a 100 Sink+ score and hard, late sinking action when he lived at the bottom of the zone. His breaking ball stood out as one of the best of the event, with a 75-76 mph two-plane breaker showing late depth, while a 76-78 mph slider flashed deceptive bite and swing-and-miss traits; he rounded out the mix with a 77-78 mph changeup that mirrored the fastball with arm-side sink. Offensively, he also offers value as a physical right-handed bat with gap-to-gap juice, posting a 92.5 mph max exit velocity, reinforcing his legitimate two-way profile.

UPCOMING EVENTS ⤵️

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

 

+ Click HERE to create a free profile.
+ Click HERE to purchase a subscription which gives you access to additional information on the site. 

  

Related Content: