Prep Baseball Report

Week in Review: Dec. 27-Jan. 2


Austin Sharp
Alabama Scouting Director

 

ALABAMA — As we roll into a new weekly feature, we’re excited to introduce Week in Review, a comprehensive recap of everything released across the state during the previous week. Covering the stretch of December 27 - January 2, this edition brings together all of our latest Alabama content, from in-depth high school team previews and Best of 2025 data breakdowns to additional news from around the state. With content continuing to roll out at a high level, our coverage remains second to none, offering readers an unmatched look at Alabama’s high school baseball landscape. Below, you’ll find a complete rundown of all articles and notable updates released throughout the past week.


Happy New Year!

We begin the new week by wishing all of our players, coaches, families, and followers a Happy New Year and a prosperous 2026. As the calendar turns, excitement continues to build across the state with the high school season approaching, and we appreciate the continued support as we move into another year of comprehensive coverage of Alabama high school baseball.


Preseason Events Looming

With our 2026 preseason events quickly approaching in just a couple days, anticipation continues to build as players prepare to showcase their skills ahead of the upcoming high school season. These events provide an important evaluation opportunity for athletes looking to get on the radar heading into the spring, and include detailed breakdowns on event specifics, registration information, and next steps for interested participants. Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about each upcoming preseason event and how to register.

PRESEASON ID EVENTS:

The Preseason ID series offers a distinct and valuable evaluation window heading into the spring high school season. These events serve as an early identifier, helping our scouting staff, and college recruiters, establish a targeted list of prospects to follow as spring coverage ramps up. The preseason setting often produces some of the most impressive performances of the year, as athletes arrive fresh off structured, intentional offseason training programs that frequently lead to noticeable physical and skill-based gains. This timing creates an ideal opportunity for players to update and strengthen their Prep Baseball profiles while positioning themselves for potential invitations to some of the summer’s premier invite-only events, including the Yellowhammer State Games, Preseason All-State, Future Games, All-American Game, Super 60, and more.

Our staff strategically hosts Preseason ID events across the state with the goal of identifying players who have maximized the offseason, whether uncovering new names to add to our follow lists or tracking familiar prospects who are trending upward. Below, you will find more information regarding our upcoming Preseason ID events in January.

 

The 2026 Birmingham Preseason ID is set for January 4th, 2026, and will be held at StrongBox Indoor in Birmingham, AL. This open event is designed for prospects in the 2026-2030 classes who are looking to showcase their tools ahead of the upcoming high school season. With a strong emphasis on measurable data, the event provides athletes an opportunity to get on our radar as they prepare for the spring and the upcoming summer.

For more information regarding the 2026 Birmingham Preseason ID, CLICK HERE.

 

The 2026 Huntsville Preseason ID is scheduled for January 5th, 2026, and will take place at Clutch Performance in Huntsville, AL. This open event is designed for prospects in the 2026-2030 classes who are looking to showcase their tools ahead of the upcoming high school season. With a strong emphasis on measurable data, the event provides athletes an opportunity to get on our radar as they prepare for the spring and the upcoming summer.

For more information regarding the 2026 Huntsville Preseason ID, CLICK HERE.

PRESEASON ALL-STATE EVENTS:

The Preseason All-State events have quickly grown into some of the largest and most talent-rich showcases on our annual calendar, consistently attracting many of the top prospects from across the state of Alabama. The preseason environment often produces peak performances, as athletes arrive fresh off focused and intentional offseason training programs that frequently result in significant gains. This timing makes the event an ideal opportunity for players to update and elevate their Prep Baseball profiles while positioning themselves for potential invitations to some of the summer’s premier invite-only events, including the Yellowhammer State Games, Future Games, All-American Game, Super 60, and more.

Our staff strategically hosts Preseason All-State events throughout the state to identify players who have maximized their offseason development—whether uncovering new prospects to add to our follow lists or tracking familiar names who continue to trend upward. Below, you will find more information regarding our upcoming Preseason All-State events in January.

 

The 2026 South AL Preseason All-State is set for January 11th, 2026, at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, AL, one of the state’s premier baseball facilities. This invite-only event will feature the top 2026–2030 prospects in Alabama, with the pro-style workout split into three sessions based on positions and pitchers throwing bullpens at the end of the event. With over 80 prospects already registered and a couple weeks remaining, interest continues to build and the event has the potential to sell out. Invited players are encouraged to register early, as availability may become limited.

To request an invite to the 2026 South AL Preseason All-State, CLICK HERE.

 

The 2026 North AL Preseason All-State is scheduled for January 17th, 2026, at the Hartselle HS Indoor facility in Hartselle, AL. This invite-only event will feature many of the state’s top 2026–2030 prospects, with the pro-style workout split into three sessions based on positions and pitchers throwing bullpens at the end of the event. With over 100 prospects already registered and the event still a couple of weeks away, registration is trending toward a sellout. Invited players are encouraged to secure their spot soon, as availability may become limited.

UPDATE: Infielder, Catcher, and Pitcher-Only options for the North AL Preseason All-State are now SOLD OUT. Limited spots remain for the Outfielder option.

To request an invite to the 2026 North AL Preseason All-State, CLICK HERE.


Around the State - Season 5, Episode 2

Also returning this past Monday was the Around the State Podcast, continuing Season 5 with Episode 2: Coaches Roundtable & Team Preview Spotlight. The episode recapped team previews released from the previous week and featured a pair of guest appearances from Bart Butler (Head Coach, Opelika HS) and Chris Jacks (Head Coach, Gulf Shores HS), who each provided insight into their respective programs and outlooks for the upcoming season. In addition, the episode touched on other team previews from the past week, continuing our statewide coverage and in-depth conversations surrounding Alabama high school baseball. The full episode can be found below.


Best of 2025 Series

Wrapping up this past week, our Best of 2025 series rolled on with a day-by-day breakdown of specific statistical categories, spotlighting the top performers from Prep Baseball events throughout the entire 2025 calendar year. Each release highlighted the tools and athleticism that consistently showed up across the state, from standout strength and speed metrics to premium arm talent, offering a data-driven look at the prospects who separated themselves over the course of the year. As the series continues to roll out, it provides another layer of unmatched coverage and insight into Alabama’s high school talent pool.


Diving into the top Vizual Edge Scores from our 2025 event calendar.

Diving into the top max vertical jumps from our 2025 event calendar.

Diving into the top 30-yard dashes from our 2025 event calendar.

2026 High School Team Previews

Continuing our daily rollout, we released a new batch of high school team previews over the past week, offering an in-depth look at programs across the state heading into the upcoming season. Each preview is built directly from questionnaires submitted by high school coaches and provides a comprehensive breakdown of each team, including overall outlook, top returning players, key underclassmen to know, the 2025 finish, and much more. These previews will continue to be released daily as we count down to first pitch in February. High school coaches who did not receive a questionnaire and would like their program featured can email [email protected] to receive one. Please note that questionnaires are available to high school coaches only.

To view all team previews released up to this point, CLICK HERE.


Previewing the 2026 season for the Charles Henderson Trojans.

Previewing the 2026 season for the Collinsville Panthers.

Previewing the 2026 season for the Brooks Lions.

Previewing the 2026 season for the Bibb County Choctaws.

Previewing the 2026 season for the North Jackson Chiefs.

Uncommitted Spotlights

This past week, we continued our Uncommitted Spotlights, a recurring fall series that highlights some of Alabama’s top uncommitted prospects in the junior and senior classes. Released every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the fall, these features focus on talented upperclassmen as they head into the offseason and enter the final stages of their high school careers. With many still available, some overlooked and others quietly flying under the radar, this series provides valuable exposure for players actively seeking the right opportunity to compete at the next level.

To view all uncommitted spotlights released up to this point, CLICK HERE.


Spotlighting 1B Carson Stancil, an uncommitted 2027 grad from Cullman HS.

Spotlighting OF Warner McDonald, an uncommitted 2026 grad from Opelika HS.

Recent Commitments

Rounding out the week, we highlighted a wave of recent commitments in the Class of 2026, spotlighting prospects who took the next step in their recruiting journeys. This section recaps the latest 2026 pledges from the past week, recognizing both the players and programs as decisions continue to come off the board.

  • LHP Cam Norton (Central-Phenix City, 2026) has committed to Lurleen B. Wallace CC.
  • 1B/RHP JH Baker (Briarwood Christian, 2026) has committed to Covenant College.
To view all 2026 commitments, CLICK HERE.
To view all 2027 commitments, CLICK HERE.

2025 Most Viewed Profiles

SS Rocco Maniscalco (Oxford, 2026) comes in at No. 1 in the 2025 Most Viewed Profiles.

SS Bryant Wisdom (Chelsea, 2029) comes in at No. 2 in the 2025 Most Viewed Profiles.

SS Jaxson Wood (Hoover, 2026) comes in at No. 3 in the 2025 Most Viewed Profiles.

OF/LHP Hudson Oliver (Hoover, 2028) comes in at No. 4 in the 2025 Most Viewed Profiles.

C John Stowers (St. Paul's Episcopal, 2026) comes in at No. 5 in the 2025 Most Viewed Profiles.

UPCOMING EVENTS ⤵️

SHOWCASE DATE LOCATION
Birmingham Preseason ID January 4th, 2026 StrongBox Indoor (Birmingham, AL)
Huntsville Preseason ID January 5th, 2026 Clutch Performance (Huntsville, AL)
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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