Alabama High School Team Preview: Oxford Yellow Jackets
January 5, 2022
The 2022 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 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 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 in each AHSAA classification as well as a Power 25. One thing that you especially don’t want to miss are our scheduled podcasts with guests from across the state as well as recaps and previews of big games across the state.
*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 Name: Oxford Yellow Jackets
Coach’’s Name: Wes Brooks
Classification: AHSAA 6A
Area Number: 6A Area 13
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7
No. of Returning Pitchers: 7
Team Strengths: Depth at the plate & on the mound
Top Returning Players:
- SS Sam Robertson (2023, Auburn)
- SS Peyton Watts (2023, Troy)
- INF/RHP Carter Johnson (2024)
- 1B/LHP Hayes Harrison (2023)
- UTL Miguel Mitchell (2022)
- INF/RHP Eli Bozeman (2025)
- C Caleb Thomas (2023)
- LHP Hayden Gallahar (2023)
- OF RJ Brooks (2024)
Top 2022 Prospects:
- OF Chance Griner (2022)
- RHP/C Brayden Kellum (2022)
Top 2023 Prospects:
- INF Caleb Robertson (2023)
- 3B/RHP Drew McCormick (2023)
- 1B/LHP Trace Adams (2023)
- RHP Jackson Crow (2023)
- RHP/OF Daevon Larkins (2023)
Top 2024 & 2025 Prospects:
- OF Tide Gann (2024)
- C Forrest Heacock (2024)
- RHP/C Hudson Gilman (2025)
- RHP Dalton Fink (2024)
- OF Judd Syer (2024)
Team Outlook
The Oxford Yellow Jackets have been as steady as they come over the past few years in terms of being a powerhouse in Class 6A, and with the talent returning for them, things shouldn't change in 2022. Oxford was able to sweep through the 1st & 2nd Rounds last spring, but got eliminated in the Elite 8 to Hartselle HS in three games. They'll look to get off to a hot start playing in the inaugural PBR Alabama Kickoff Classic on February 18th & 19th.
Oxford has a few spots to fill coming in to this spring, including replacing OF Trey Higgins (Signed with Mississippi State), but the Yellow Jackets seem to have depth at every position. The middle of the infield for Oxford should be as good as anyones throughout the state with SS Sam Robertson (Auburn), SS Peyton Watts (Troy) & INF/RHP Carter Johnson returning as starters from last year's team. All three of those players hit at the top of that lineup from last year. UTL/RHP Miguel Mitchell has recently blown up on the recruiting trail for football with multiple P5 offers, but he's also a solid baseball player with a fastball that has gotten up to 90 mph. 1B/LHP Hayes Harrison & OF Chance Griner are both returning starters and should be slated in the heart of the Oxford order. C Caleb Thomas got a lot of valuable experience behind the plate last year, and the Yellow Jackets have a couple other options for catcher. OF RJ Brooks should be a viable candidate to slide up into a starting role after some big hits during last year's playoff series.
Although there's plenty of talent coming back in the Class of 2022 & 2023 for Oxford, there's a lot of exciting younger players that may be able to find a way to make an impact this year. SS/RHP Eli Bozeman & RHP/C Hudson Gilman are both Top-10 players in the Class of 2025 and could pitch some meaningful innings. It should be another successful season for the Yellow Jackets as they try to make it to Montgomery for the 6A State Finals.
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