Prep Baseball Report

Alabama High School Team Preview: McAdory Yellow Jackets


PBR Alabama Staff

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: McAdory Yellow Jackets 

Coach’s Name: Chris Shelton 

Classification: AHSAA 6A 

Area Number: Area 8 

No. of Returning Positional Starters:

No. of Returning Pitchers:

Team Strengths: Team speed, competitive, hard-nosed, solid defensively 

Top Returning Players:

Top 2022 Prospects:

  • OF Jacob Phillips (2022)
  • OF Aden Boyd (2022)

 Top 2023 Prospects:

Top 2024 & 2025 Prospects:

Team Outlook

The McAdory Yellow Jackets have some key returners coming back from last year's team. In 2021, the Yellow Jackets reached the Class 6A State Playoffs, but were unfortunately eliminated by Helena in the 1st Round, who was ranked inside the Top-5 for most of the season. McAdory will look to rely on those returners and get back to the 6A Playoffs in 2022.

Of those multiple returners the Yellow Jackets have coming back, there are a few hitters who were in the middle of the order from last year's team. SS/RHP Gage Fancher jumps out as one of the more important pieces coming back, as he served as the starting shortstop last year and hit in the heart of the order. He's also a quality back-end arm for the rotation that works with a lower slot. He's got a good speed and instincts on the bases and will play a crucial role for the Yellow Jackets this year. Another senior coming back to the middle of the order will be 3B/RHP Logan Watts, who is also a starter on the mound. Watts is a solid defender at the hot corner with some pop from the right side of the plate. RHP/1B Paul Michael McKenzie is a quality arm that will be in the pitching rotation this year for the Warriors. He's seen a bit of an increase in terms of velocity on his fastball, and is an excellent competitor on the bump. LHP/OF Ben Kervin is another arm to keep an eye on this spring, as he brings back the most innings pitched last year. OF Marcus Rouse & C/RHP Egan Lowery are also a pair of juniors who return back to the lineup after quality sophomore seasons.

Although there are some important pieces coming back from last year's team, the Yellow Jackets will look upon some new guys to step into bigger roles in 2022. In the outfield, OF Jacob Phillips, OF Aden Boyd & OF Hayden Stuart will all compete for playing time in the earlier part of the season. All three bring some quality experience to the table and will look to provide some offensive production this spring. Some other names to keep an eye on for the Yellow Jackets will be RHP/2B Jackson Dexter, 1B Gibson Luke, C Braden Mowery, LHP Brannon Vining & RHP/OF Cooper Walls. The Yellow Jackets looked poised for another successful spring in 2022.

 

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