Alabama High School Team Preview: Carroll Eagles

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: Carroll Eagles 

Coach’s Name: Brett Birdsong

Classification: AHSAA 5A 

Area Number: Area 3 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7 

No. of Returning Pitchers: All Pitchers

Team Strengths: Speed, Defense, Small Ball

Top Returning Players:

• RHP/INF Judson Patterson (2022)
• RHP/OF Jack Chancey (2022)
• SS/RHP Stinson Draper (2023)
• RHP/OF Charles Dilbeck (2023)
• RHP/2B Konner Thomas (2023)
• RHP/INF Evan Peters (2022)

Top 2024 & 2025 Prospects:

• LHP Bryce Coleman (2025)
• RHP/C Mason Wimberley (2024)

Team Outlook

The Carroll Eagles come in to the 2022 season looking to get back to the Class 5A State Playoffs after just missing out last spring. The Eagles return as much as anyone in Class 5A, including all of their pitchers from last year. Experience should play a big role for this team in 2022.

The Eagles will depend on numerous upperclassmen who gained valuable experience last year, and they'll look to take that next step this spring. SS/RHP Stinson Draper should be one of Eagles' better players both at the plate and on the mound. Draper is a junior who will be the lead-off hitter this spring and also one of their top arms in the rotation. He's grown a good bit over the offseason and has added strength. INF/RHP Judson Patterson is another key piece coming back for the Eagles. Patterson will be the No. 1 arm in the rotation and hit in the three-hole in their lineup. The senior hit .267 with four doubles and a .506 on-base percentage last year, and he'll look to have a breakout season. OF/RHP Jack Chancey is another middle-of-the-order bat returning for Carroll, as he's expected to hit in the cleanup spot after posting a .296 batting average with two doubles, a home run & 20 RBI's. OF/RHP Charles Dilbeck & OF/LHP Will Jones are a pair of outfielders who return after both hit over the .270 mark in 2021. 

On the mound, the Eagles will look to rely on some arms that will see expanded roles in 2022. RHP/2B Konner Thomas & RHP/INF Evan Peters both pitched some meaningful innings last spring, and will definitely see a bigger workload this year. LHP Bryce Coleman & RHP/C Mason Wimberley are both underclassmen who will also see time on the mound for the Eagles. The Eagles have high aspirations to have a successful spring in 2022.

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