Alabama High School Team Preview: Hartselle Tigers

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 Jacksonville & Oxford 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: Hartselle Tigers 

Coach’s Name: William Booth

Classification: AHSAA 6A 

Area Number: Area 14

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 3 

Team Strengths: Starting Pitching, Defense, Team Athleticism 

Top Returning Players:

• RHP Elliott Bray (Auburn, 2022)
• RHP Caleb Pittman (Auburn, 2022)
• LHP William Turner (Auburn, 2022)
• 1B Brodie Morrow (Southern Union CC, 2022)
• OF Coleman Mizell (Alabama, 2023)
• 3B/OF Peyton Steele (Alabama, 2024)
• MIF Josey Williamson (2024) 

Top 2023 Prospects:

• 1B Greyson Howard (2023)
• RHP/1B Brant Stringer (2023)
• UTL Eli Tidwell (2023)
• LHP Jack Smith (2023) 

Top 2024 & 2025 Prospects:

• INF Cade Miles (2024)
• C Cameron Palahach (2024)

Team Outlook

The Hartselle Tigers should once again be the favorites to make it back to the State Finals in Class 6A after facing off against Faith Academy last spring. The Tigers were eliminated in Game 3 against the Rams in a bit of controversial, but well-played series.

There are few teams, if any, that return the type of talent that Hartselle returns in 2022, making them the heavy favorites to claim the Class 6A title this spring. The Tigers will feature five players on their roster who have already signed or given their verbal commitment to powerhouse SEC programs, including three senior pitchers who have signed with Auburn. Looking at the pitching staff, RHP Elliott Bray (Auburn, 2022), RHP Caleb Pittman (Auburn, 2022) & LHP William Turner (Auburn, 2022) boast arguably one of the top rotations in the southeast. Bray & Pittman both have gotten into the low-90’s with their fastballs, while Turner is a prototypical southpaw with quality feel for off-speed offerings & pitch-ability. OF Coleman Mizell (Alabama, 2023) possesses some elite tools as a 6-foot-3, 215-pound left-handed hitting outfielder. Mizell affects the game in many ways, but mostly with his gap-to-gap power and sub-7.0 60 YD speed. 3B/OF Peyton Steele (Alabama, 2024) & MIF Josey Williamson (2024) are both advanced hitters for their age, and will look to continue to lead the way offensively like they did last spring as freshman. 1B Brodie Morrow (Southern Union CC, 2022) is another returning offensive threat, and names like RHP JT Blackwood (2022), UTL Eli Tidwell (2023), 1B Greyson Howard (2023), INF Cade Miles (2024), C Cameron Palahach (2024), RHP/1B Brant Stringer & LHP Jack Smith all have a chance to make in impact for the Tigers.

It's easy to see the talent coming back for the Tigers, which was why the debuted as the No. 1-ranked team in Class 6A in our Preseason Top-10. They'll look to get off to a good start playing in this weekend's PBR Alabama Kickoff Classic.

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