The 2024 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 the Jacksonville/Oxford/Montgomery area 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 rankings 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 ranks in each AHSAA classification, as well updating our Power 25 overall rankings. One thing, especially, you don’t want to miss are our scheduled podcasts with guests from across the state, as well as the recaps and previews of the big games we’re covering.

*Please note the information has been gathered from head coaches across the state, based on their replies to the questionnaire we distributed over this offseason.

High School: Geraldine Bulldogs
Head Coach: Jamie Gilbert
Classification: AHSAA Class 3A
Area Number: Class 3A, Area 13
2023 Record (Finish): 9-19 (Eliminated in 1st Round)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7
No. of Returning Pitchers: 4
Team Strengths: Senior Leadership, Pitching

 

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

• RHP/INF Brodie Norwood (2024; uncommitted)
• RHP/1B Austyn Banks (2024; Bryan College)

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MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2025

• RHP/OF Owen Walling (2025; uncommitted)
• LHP/OF Easton Davis (2025; uncommitted)

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TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

Class of 2028

• RHP/OF Jon Beck Wade (2028)
• RHP/INF Jordon Lankford (2028)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

The Geraldine Bulldogs may not have had the flashiest record in 2023, but performed well enough during area play to finish as the runner-up in the standings. Although they were eliminated in the 1st round of the playoffs, the Bulldogs are hoping to rely on some strong senior leadership and talented returning pitchers to have another successful season in Class 3A.

The Bulldogs seemed to start playing their best baseball after struggling a bit out of the gate against some quality teams, and were able finish behind Plainview in the second position of their area standings. This spring, they're hoping to build off that momentum they had and certainly return some quality pieces to this year's team. RHP/INF Brodie Norwood (2024) returns to the pitching staff and should be an area starter for them. In addition to his efforts on the mound, the senior will also hit in the middle of their order after hitting over .350 in batting average as a junior a season ago. RHP/1B Austyn Banks (Bryan College, 2024) is another top returning arm to their rotation and should once again throw some key innings in some big games this spring while also providing some offensive production in their lineup. Shifting gears and looking at the junior class, RHP/OF Owen Walling (2025) should be another area pitchers for the Bulldogs and possesses some upside on the mound. He's expected to have a big spring, while LHP/OF Easton Davis (2025) should also be relied on a good bit on the mound, as well. He has a quality mix of pitches and should only continue to get better as the season goes on. RHP/OF Jon Beck Wade (2028) and RHP/INF Jordon Lankford (2028) are a pair of eighth-graders who are expected to contribute as underclassmen in their lineup. Wade is a very athletic player, while Lankford has good pop and can do it all on the diamond.

The Bulldogs enter this season hoping to carry some of last season's success into this year and are relying on some of the returners mentioned above to help lead the way and take the next step. They'll compete in Area 13 against Asbury, Plainview, and Sylvania for a berth in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Geraldine should once again be strong contenders in their area and hope to be playing their best baseball once the end of the season comes along in Class 3A in 2024.

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Find more information on the 2024 Geraldine HIgh School program below:

+ Follow them on X: @GHSBaseball2017
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Alabama, 2024 HS Team Previews

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FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL ALABAMA THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball Alabama on X
+ Prep Baseball Alabama on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Alabama on Facebook

 

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