Alabama High School Team Preview: Hazel Green Trojans

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: Hazel Green Trojans 

Coach’s Name: Mitchell Wright

Classification: AHSAA 6A 

Area Number: Area 16 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 5 

Team Strengths: Offense 

Top Returning Players:

• OF Landon Baeder (Southern Union CC, 2022)
• OF Jabez Sampson (Huntingdon, 2022)
• RHP/UTL Blake Medley (2022)
• INF/RHP Blake Hall (2023)
• C/RHP Parker Hall (2023)
• RHP/UTL Jackson Hunter (2024)

Top 2024 & 2025 Prospects:

• INF Tarpley Priest (2024)

Team Outlook

The Hazel Green Trojans have a good amount of quality returners coming back in 2022 with the hopes of getting back to the Class 6A State Playoffs. The Trojans finished as the runner-up in their area last spring and were defeated in the 1st round by Cullman in a three-game series. Hazel Green will look to make it back to the playoffs this spring after winning the Class 6A State Championship in 2018.

The Trojans should depend on some talented seniors in 2022 who have big game experience from the past few years. OF Landon Baeder (Southern Union CC) is a gamer both at the plate and in the outfield. The senior gets it done time and time again and will play a big part in the success the Trojans have this spring. OF Jabez Sampson (Huntingdon) is another senior outfielder who can also handle the bat and will hit in the heart of the order. He's a good athlete with pop from both sides of the plate. RHP/UTL Blake Medley played his best baseball down the stretch, and the senior has continued to work hard this offseason and looks poised for another strong season. He has big power from the right side and will also work in the mid-80's on the mound. INF/RHP Blake Hall is another upperclassmen who will have a big role for the Trojans this year. Hall has a high baseball IQ and is a real offensive threat towards the top of the lineup. His brother, C/RHP Parker Hall, is equally as talented and has a chance for another quality spring. He's a really solid defensive backstop with pop from the right side. 

On the mound, RHP/UTL Jackson Hunter should be one the top pitchers in the rotation for the Trojans. As a freshman, Hunter pitched in some big games down the stretch, including a stellar performance against Cullman in the playoffs. He can handle the bat well too, and is a big piece for Hazel Green this year. The Trojans will hope to have INF Tarpley Priest back soon, as he's a sophomore who should hit in the middle of the lineup when healthy. The Trojans should once again be competitive in Class 6A this spring.