Alabama High School Team Preview: North Jackson Chiefs
January 21, 2021
The 2021 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state. That excitement may be at an all-time high entering this high school season as the 2020 high school baseball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season during an offseason unlike any other and as always, there are some very talented players and teams across Alabama.
Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Montgomery 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 in each AHSAA classification.
*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.
High School: North Jackson High School
Classification: AHSAA 4A Area 14
Positional Starters Returning: 8
Pitchers Returning: 5
Team Strengths: Pitching staff
Team Weaknesses: Depth
Top Returning Players:
Top 2021 Prospects:
2021 OF Luke Guess
Top 2022 Prospects:
2022 INF/OF Dalton Morris .
Top 2023 Prospect:
2023 1B/OF/LHP Mathew Adams
Outlook:
There is a great deal of experience returning in 2021 for the Chiefs as 8 position players return and 5 pitchers that saw action on the mound a year ago return as well. One player that will be looked on in a two way role in 2021 is senior SS/RHP Brandon Poole. He will will be a three year starter that has hit in the middle of the order his whole career and has logged a lot of innings for the Chiefs but will be counted on this year to be a top end guy in rotation. Junior Landon Barnes (3B/RHP) is another player that will be a key factor this season. A three year starter himself, he has hit in the 6 or 7 hole but this year will be counted on to hit in the top of the order. He will also be a back end arm expected to come in late in games to seal the deal. Junior catcher Macklin Guess also returns and should fit in his customary spot of hitting leadoff in the Chiefs lineup. A year aho he had to play outfield but is now in his more comfortable position as a catcher. Freshman MIF/RHP Carson Smith is also a returning starter. He has a live arm on the mound and is expected to be a top of the rotation guy. He has some juice in the bat and has worked hard in offseason and should be in the mix for middle of order hitter. Everyone associated with the North Jackson baseball program is excited to see senior OF Luke Guess back on the diamond in 2021. Guess is a big athletic kid that started as a sophomore in 2019 but had a bad accident and had to miss all of the 2020 baseball season. He is defintely one of the leaders that the team missed from last year. Junior INF/OF Dalton Morris also returns and is a returning starter that went at least 5 innings in all of his starts a year ago and will be counted on to be in the top of pitching rotation. Matthew Adams is a sophome 1B/OF/LHP that will also be looked on to contribute this season. He is a crafty lefty who shows nice off speed pitches. He is a top of order guy who produced last year as a 9th grader in big games. Keep an eye out on the Chiefs this season.
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