"5 Pitch Strikeout" with Coach Wes Brooks (AL)...

Coach Wes Brooks

Oxford High School (AL)

“5 Pitch Strikeout” Special Edition

The Balk Blog: Coach Brooks, we appreciate you setting down with us for our segment of “5 Pitch Strikeout.” I thought that because we released our “State by State” rankings this week for Alabama, and because Oxford HS was so well represented that it would be an honor to sit down with the Coach who is running what most consider to be one of the top prep baseball programs in the nation.

(Coach Wes Brooks (far right) and his team getting ready to play)

Pitch 1: We had four Oxford High School players represented in our “State by State” Rankings; Tucker Simpson, Zach Lovvorn, Jackson Stephens, and Mathew Goodson. As a former coach myself, this is something that come coaches can only dream in, four seniors, two are signed with SEC powerhouses, an ACC elite program, and Samford. This doesn’t include other seniors who will sign later, and your junior players. What kind of a blessing has it been to coach a group of kids like this?

Wes Brooks: Well, I am truly blessed to be a small part of their lives.  This is a special group.  The neat thing is that we have all developed great relationships throughout the process.  I enjoy coaching guys who want to get better every day, and this group has that attitude.  From top to bottom every player wants to get better at what they do.  We as coaches felt like this group would be a special group to coach since the 7^th grade.  The funny thing is if I could hand pick an all star team of high school players I would pick the ones we have on our team.  I really believe I could close my eyes, make out a line-up, and put them anywhere on the field, and we’ll go out and compete and play as hard as we can and come out a WINNER!

(The Yellowjackets are lead by "The Core Four")

Pitch 2: You have three guys that I know off that are at least 88-90, how many other guys do you have in the program that have velo like this? This is a very tough question, but who’s the “ace” on this staff? Is one of them a closer, or is it just a rotation of Lovvorn, Stephens, and Simpson?

WB:  I feel like all three could be our #1 on any given day.  They are all different and successful in their own way:  Tucker is our Power Guy with his low to mid 90s fastball, Stephens is our Athletic Guy with his different arm slots.  Lovvorn is our Sleeper because he has come along under the radar of Stephens and Simpson.  We are expecting him to have a great year.  Others to note are Frazier Taylor 83-85 with great mound presence and just pounds the lower third of the zone with strikes.  He finished last season with a 7-2 record.  Joe McGuire was Huge for us last year as a sophomore winning 7 games while only losing one.  He’s a mid 80s guy.  Trent Simpson, the brother of Tucker, will be in our closer roll we hope.  He has a cutter that gets tons of swings and misses to go along with his mid to upper 80s fastball.  Colton Turner will be our only lefty.  Turner is a rising sophomore with a good tailing 82-84 fastball. 

(Winning big games is nothing new to Oxford HS, or Coach Brooks)

Pitch 3: We nominated Tucker Simpson for The Balk Blog Preseason Player of the Year, Oxford HS as one of our Top 25 Preseason Programs in the nation, and you’re nominated for Preseason Coach of the Year. Talk about some of the things that are going on over there at Oxford, and all the athletes that are coming in and out each year? Also talk a little bit about Tucker and how special of a kid he is? Do you think he’s a better pitcher, or hitter?

WB: Our throwing program in the fall has helped us increase velocity over the last 5 years.  Our guys have bought into it and they love it.  We’ll start it up in November after football season is over so that we can get Stephens, McGuire and Trent Simpson involved from football.  We’ll then have 12 weeks of preparing our arms for the 2012 season.  Right now our guys our lifting in our new weight room at OHS and working our core with med balls.  The guys have plenty of outside resources to keep their skills up to par with Excel Baseball Academy along with a few others.  Those guys at Excel really have helped our program become one of the best in the state.  We are fortunate to have such quality guys in our community that can train our guys during the off-season. 

Tucker has always been a special player.  He went 6-1 as an eighth grader beating the then 2008 State Champs Hoover Bucs during their Spring Classic.  He led us to the state finals and 2009 going 6-1 again on the mound and started to prove that he could hit in the middle of our order.  Just recently he played in the Perfect Game All-American Classic in San Diego, CA which is a great honor.  He spends most of his summers over at the East Cobb Complex where he has won numerous championships with various teams.  He will have a huge impact on our success this year on the mound and at the plate.  Tucker has power to all fields.  He has hit over .400 in the 4^th spot in the line-up the last two years which, if you’ve seen our schedule, is a major accomplishment.

(Oxford HS stand out Tucker Simpson at the Perfect Game All America Game)

Pitch 4: We’ve talked about Simpson, Lovvorn and Stephens quite a bit, but there’s one other star at Oxford HS, in Mathew Goodson. He is a right handed hitting outfielder who is committed to Alabama, who has run as low as a 6.49 I have heard. Can you tell us how special it is to have a kid like Mathew in the outfield running balls down for you?

WB: Mathew is a complete 5 tool player.  He hit 22 homers and 12 doubles for us last year showing amazing power.  He has outstanding work ethic in the weight room.  He will be the strongest guy that I will ever coach.  Yes, he has run a 6.49 in the sixty, but he has also thrown in the mid 90s from the outfield in numerous showcases.  He loves the game and plays it the right way.  He is the leader of this team, and Alabama is getting a special player in Mathew. 

(Coach Brooks is known for getting the community involved)

Pitch 5: Ok coach, as I hate to say we are coming to the end of this interview. Take time to tell the readers to talk about how last season ended, and the expectations that are at Oxford HS for this coming year! I hear you have been invite to a special tournament to participate with some of the best high schools in the nation, speak on that as well. If there’s anything else you’d like to say, feel free to add it in.

WB:  We ended last year 31-7.  Unfortunately we ran into some solid arms in our area play that kept us from entering the playoffs.  Our hats are off to Grissom and Pell City.  Their pitching staffs were second to none last year.  The good thing is that we’ve basically got everybody back, and we’ll be a year older with more experience.  Guys that we haven’t mentioned are SS Tanner Gardner, Catchers Alex Muncher and Austin Jones, versatile players Taylor McCracken and Dakota Beane, outfielders Will Davis, Connor Graham and Gary Mason.  We look to add a few JV guys to finish up our 2012 roster during tryouts this November.  Our guys are hungry for another great run during the 2012 season.  USA Baseball and Baseball America sent us an invite during February of this past season to participate in the first-ever National High School Baseball Tournament in Cary, NC.  This is a great honor to be considered for such a prestigious tournament.  Thanks for having this conversation, and I look forward to chatting with you guys in the future. 

(Coach Wes Brooks)

Thanks coach for taking the time out to do this; I know that you are very busy. We here at The Balk Blog wish you and the Oxford HS program the best of luck this year. Get it back to me whenever you can, we will try to get it up online on Tuesday.

BB29

"Player Spotlight" with Courtney Hawkins (TX)...

Courtney Hawkins

RHP/OF

Carroll HS, Corpus Christi, TX

“Player Spotlight”

                For many that know, it is very hard to break into a Texas 5A lineup as a freshman, and an almost impossible dream to lead your team to the Texas 5A UIL State Championship as a sophomore. It is unthinkable to be participate in Team USA, Perfect Game All America Game, Area Codes, Tournament of Star’s and still have time to play with the highly respected Houston Banditos. It’s almost unheard of to play any sport in the state in Texas, and commit to play college ball in a different state, especially one of the state’s biggest rivals. It is flat out crazy to think quite possibly one of the best wide receivers/defensive backs in Texas, stopped playing to become a better baseball player. Courtney Hawkins has done every one of these task, and has done it with a smile on his face. The hard throwing right hander, who has enough to power to hit balls out of MLB ballparks did everything I listed above, and still has more to do. Courtney Hawkins, is one of the highest rated prospects in the draft this year, both as a hitter and pitcher. I tried and tried to get Courtney to tell the world which one he likes more, pitching or hitting, but he refused to give me a straight answer. I guess when you have “light tower power” at the plate and “MLB stuff” on the mound it’s hard to pick a weakness. We enjoyed talking to Courtney; we hope that you will enjoying reading!

 (I think I'd rather have my pitcher pitch to Barry Bonds)

The Balk Blog: Courtney let’s start this conversation out like this, are you a hitter or a pitcher? There is no in between!

Courtney: Honestly that’s one of the hardest questions people ask me but as of right now I’d say hitter just because that’s what i have worked on the most

BB: I asked that because I have some scouts tell me that you will hit in the top of the line up one day in a MLB uniform as a hitter, others think you have the stuff to close one day. Whenever you where people say stuff like this, or talk about you being ranked in the top 30 in the nation?

CH: Yea I mean people have their opinions I really just want to go out and play ball wherever I’m at I’ll be happy and try to do my best at it

BB: Congrats on the Perfect Game All America game, it was a real honor to watch you play. I heard the announcer that said you had “out grown” pitching, is this true, or even possibly?

CH: I don’t think I’ve out grown it. I can still pitch at a high level I think it’s just I think I could help more in the field and the plate

(Although some think he might have out grown pitching, he's apparently not outgrowing hitting)

BB: Would you like to take the time out to tell you fans where you are committed to play your college baseball at?

CH: I am committed to play ball at OU

BB: Congrats on that man. Out of all the schools in Texas, with UT, TCU, Houston, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Rice, DBU and even Texas State, what made you choose OU?

CH: I actually don’t really know I just think OU fit me pretty good and I like the overall feel about it and I’m excited to go there next fall

BB: Are you committed as a hitter or pitcher, or both?

CH: I’m actually committed to do both

BB: If you had to choose one, what would it be?

CH: Like I said I like both its just right now my defense and stick is what I worked on the most this summer but pitching is something I will still work on

(This probably want be his last baseball card)

BB: I have heard from what I consider a good source that you are a very good football player. Why did you stop playing? I also heard that your brother, Tim I believe, plays at Texas State? Do you ever go to one of his games and think; this football thing could be the life for me?

CH: Yes I love football, and I actually stopped to focus on my baseball game but I try to make almost all of my brothers football games and I do miss and if baseball didn’t work I could always go back and play football

BB: Do you think OU would ever let you play both sports?

CH: Yes if i wanted to I’m sure they wouldn’t have a problem with it I’ve had offers for both football and baseball

("Coach Stoops, we have a kid on campus who you might want to give a jersey to")

BB: How did it feel to pitch your team to a Texas 5A State Championship as a sophomore? That’s a pretty big deal, most people feel that Texas 5A is one of the hardest classifications in the nation.

CH: That was amazing, I like pressure and being able to have the ball in a big situation like that it felt great.....and I do think Texas 5a baseball is one of the hardest

(You'r Texas 5A MVP)

BB: Out of everything you did this summer, with summer ball, area codes, team USA, PG AA game, and your commitment, what was the best part of all if you had to name one?

CH: I’d have to say PG All-American game....that has been my dream since I was a freshmen when i first watched it on TV and to wear that All American across your chest it feels amazing....i really that Perfect Game for a lot of my accomplishments because there tournaments and showcases bring a lot of scouts to see high school baseball players

(Courtney playing for Team USA)

BB: That sounds great, Is there anything else that you would like to tell the people viewing this article?

CH: I thank god for everything always, even if stuff is going bad keep him first and he’ll get you through and I give credit to my dad, my brother, mom, uncles, and family and friends..................also RAY DELEON and the banditos baseball club

(Teammate's celebrate after Courtney drives in a run, but he's all business)

BB: Thank you Courtney for talking the time out to answer some of our questions, I know you’re a busy man. We here at The Balk Blog would like to wish you the best this year with everything. We would also like to congratulate you on getting nominated for The Balk Blog Preseason Player of the Year for the state of Texas, and also the National Preseason Player of the Year. We wish you good luck in both. Let us know if we can ever help you.

CH: Thank you no problem I appreciate you and selecting me it is a big honor just being nominated

(The Legend, Courtney Hawkins)

Thank you Courtney,

BB29



We leave you with a bonus video of Courtney taking BP on the field before the Perfect Game All America Game... A special thanks to Rkyosh007 for the video.

"5 Pitch Strikeout" with Ty Hensley (OK)...

Ty Hensley

RHP

Santa Fe HS, Edmond, OK

“5 Pitch Strikeout”

                The state of Oklahoma has had some very good pitchers over the last couple of years dating back to the Marlins drafting Josh Johnson from Union HS. Last year, Archie Bradley (Broken Arrow HS) and Dylan Bundy (Owasso HS) were both picked in the 1^st round of the MLB draft. Many wonder will the tradition continue? There’s a 6’5, 225 pound kid in Edmond, OK that attends Santa Fe HS that seems to think so. There has been a lot made of the recent success of Ty Hensley, as he has jumped on the recruiting radar with his 95 mph fastball. He also is a switch hitter, but I doubt you will be seeing much of him hitting from now on. His success over the summer has lead him into the starting role as for the Under Armour All America game, where he threw the ball very well against some of the nation’s best. He has recently committed to Ole Miss, and was nice enough to stop by to chat with us about his commitment, the All-America game, and a lot of other topics, enjoy!

(The Future of Ole Miss)

Pitch 1: The state of Oklahoma seems to be a hot bed right now for baseball, with Bradley and Bundy both going in the top 10 picks in this past year’s draft. How do you think you compare to them you think? Have you ever pitched against them?

Ty: Well I expect to make some major strides in this offseason since im not playing football. I try not to compare myself to others, but they would be great examples of the ideal first round pitcher. I hope to follow them up in this next coming year and represent Oklahoma well. They are great guys. I have never pitched against them, but our teams have matched up several times in the past couple years. Would have loved to compete against them though. They are very talented guys as well.

(Oklahoma baseball has been very good lately)

Pitch 2: I know that a lot of kids from the state of Oklahoma wouldn’t dare go anywhere other than Oklahoma or Oklahoma St, some even feel that way about Oral Roberts, tell the people where you have committed to, and you choice them over some of the instate power houses.

Ty: I have chosen to continue my baseball career at Ole Miss. I really didn't want to stay in state because i wanted to venture out and see what else is out there. I love Oklahoma, but i just wanted to go out of state for college, especially when i visited ole miss for the first time. I knew as soon as i went there that i wanted to play ball there. The campus is amazing and the program is on the rise. I am looking forward to it and can't wait to be in Oxford and be a Rebel!

Pitch 3: I am sure that you have been a part of a lot of accomplishments in the past few summers, from playing with the Sun Devils in the summer and Area Codes, but does any of that compare to starting on the mound for the Perfect Game All American Game? What did you think when they first told you that you would be the starter at Wrigley Field?

Ty: The Under Armour All America was an incredible experience that i will remember forever. I actually wasn't nervous at all to pitch there because i've pitched in front of large crowds before and just told myself to calm down. I was ecstatic when they told me that i'd be starting the game. Just to be able to play at historic Wrigley Field where so many greats have played before and to be able to meet Cal Ripken Jr., Billy Ripken, Larry Boa, and Ernie Banks was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I used every second of it asking about their careers and learning more about the game every time that i talked to them. It was neat to hear stories about their careers and especially from a hall-of-famer. I hope i have a chance to accomplish that someday as well.

Pitch 4: Congrats on the All Star game start by the way. Why don’t you tell the people out there about your team’s past season, how you guys did, and how good you think you guys will be this coming spring? Do you play other sports?

Ty: We lost in the semifinals to Dylan Bundy's team, Owasso in a close game. We were a great ball club, and i loved every single one of those guys, but this year we will be even better. We received a couple of move-ins over the summer and the sky is the limit for this club. We all get along great together and we want the best for each other. I am confident in saying that we will give everyone a good run for the State Title. I played football last year and i played football, basketball, and baseball through my sophomore year, then limited it to just football and baseball my junior year. I was the starting quarterback and it was really hard to give it up, but with USA i will miss some games and that's not fair to my teammates. I am going to still help out by actually being on the field helping the quarterbacks out. I am going to miss it a lot but i made the best decision for me this year by only playing baseball.

(Like Bundy and Bradley, Ty is very skilled in other sports)

Pitch 5: Ty, we  thank you taking time out to talk to us, and be apart of the first “5 Pitch Strikeout” since we have decided to bring the website back, along with Blake Baxendale. I couldn’t think of any two better kids that we could have had. You are nominated for The Balk Blog Preseason Player of the Year, and well as National Player of the Year, we wish you the best of luck in both Ty. Why don’t we end this conversation by you telling your fans and friends anything else that you might want to say?

Ty: Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity first and foremost. But i'd just like to tell everybody to never give up on whatever you do and that anything is possible with focus and a desire to get there. Keep working hard and pursuing your dreams. Thanks again for the great opportunity. I appreciate it.

(You're never too old to fist pump!)

Thank you for everything Ty, but since this is the first “5 Star Pitchout” we have decided to add in a bonus feature, “Ball Four.”

Ball 1- What is your favorite movie? My favorite movie is either Bull Durham or Step Brothers.

Ball 2- What is your favorite home cooked meal? My favorite home cooked meal is lasagna.

Ball 3- What is your favorite fast food place? My favorite fast food is Jack in the Box.

Ball 4- What is your best memory having to do with baseball? My best baseball memory which is still going on is to be able to represent the USA on the 18U team and following the footsteps of my dad, Mike, since he played on the collegiate USA team.

(The Legend, Ty Hensley)

BB29

"5 Pitch Strikeout" with Blake Baxendale (AR)...

Blake Baxendale

Catcher

 Rogers Heritage HS, Rogers, AR

“5 Pitch Strikeout”

(Blake, getting ready to go)

                Blake Baxendale is one of the most talent players I have had the opportunity to see play in my small career. He is what many view as one of the top catching prospects in this year’s draft, who is the younger brother of what many feel is one of the top pitching prospects in this year’s draft. Blake’s older brother, DJ, is the ace of the Arkansas Razorbacks pitching staff under Coach Van Horn. Blake’s dad, Greg, is a scout for the Cleveland Indians, and runs the legendary summer baseball program, the Arkansas Express. Blake has a lot of raw power, and can really catch. He blocks the ball very well, and throws it on a line. He is 6’4, 220, and from what I have heard has been in the low 1.8’s with his pop time. He attends Roger’s Heritage HS where he players alongside another Razorback commitment, Hunter Wood. We are very happy that Blake was our first “5 Pitch Strikeout” interviewee, and are happy to announce that he is a candidate for our The Balk Blog Preseason Player of the Year for the state of Arkansas, as well as National Player of the Year. Enjoy the interview!

(Would you be scared to pitch to him? Most of Arkansas is!)

Pitch 1: Blake, first off thank you for sitting down with us, it’s a real honor to have you apart of our first 5 Pitch Strikeout interview. For the fans who don’t know much about you, why don’t give them an introduction to tell the people a little bit about yourself.

Blake: I really appreciate y'all having me on here. I'm a lover of the game of baseball. It's basically been my life since I was 3 years old. I live in a "baseball family" you could say.

Pitch 2: The Baxendale last name is a very famous name in the baseball world. Your brother, DJ, was a highly recruited right handed pitcher out of high school who now pitches at Arkansas, and your dad is a scout for the Indians I believe. How’s it feel to have two great people helping you out whom have been there for before?

Blake: It's great having guys like DJ and my dad around. Everything that I've learned in the game of baseball, I give credit to them. Me and DJ have been best friends our whole lives and we have always been together on teams. It's great for me that he has had so much success because that really gets the Baxendale name out there.

Pitch 3: Let’s talk about your recruiting process. You committed very early, before your junior season, did you have any other offers, or did you know being a Razorback was what you wanted to do?

Blake: I committed to the University of Arkansas before my first game my sophomore year. I had other people that were recruiting me such as Louisville, Missouri State, Oklahoma, and others. With me and DJ being so close, I really wanted to follow his footsteps wearing a razorback uniform and I'm blessed to have the opportunity to do that.

Pitch 4: I have heard from what I consider a very good source that your 90 ish off the mound, but stopped pitching once you commitment to Arkansas. It makes sense seeing how your brother’s velo has been rumored to be up around 95 before, but is this true? Is pitching something you like doing?

(Blake, at a young age, taking the mound)

Blake: I used to pitch and I could run it up there pretty good. I've been anywhere on the gun from 89-92. Last summer I was pitching and got a 50% tear in my ulnar collateral ligament in my elbow. I went through rehab without having to have Tommy John surgery and decide that my pitching career was done from that day on.

Pitch 5: Well Blake, this interview is coming to an end, is there anything out there that you would like to tell the people reading this? Also, tell the people a little bit about what you expect this coming season at Rogers Heritage, and what the expectations are.

Blake: I just want to say that I really appreciate being on this and that I've worked very hard through my baseball career to get to the point that I'm at. We have a lot of young talent on our high school team this year. We graduated 5 starting seniors. We are going to get after it this fall and in the spring. We have a very good chance to make a run at the state championship and that is what we plan on doing

Bonus Pitch: Just when you thought it was over huh? We have one more question for you. I am sure all the people reading this have been wondering one thing, Has DJ ever pitched against you? If so, what happen? If not, what would happen?

Blake: I haven't faced him since My freshman year, his senior year of high school practice. I faced him 4 times. He struck me out once, got a flyout, a groundout, and then I hit a double in the right center gap. He's a very good pitcher that can locate in pitch in any count. He has a lot of arm side run on his fastball and that's what makes him so effective. Thanks again for the opportunity to be on here

Thanks a lot Blake, we are very honored to have you apart of these segment. Good luck to you this season, and in next year’s draft.

(The Legend, Blake Baxendale)

BB29



Press Release: Monday's Schedule.. Be sure to check it out!

Press Release

                We will air our “5 Pitch Strikeout” interview with Blake Baxendale from Rogers, AR tomorrow morning, Monday, August 22, 2011 at 10:00 AM. We will also release our second edition of our “5 Pitch Strikeout” with Oklahoma stand out Ty Hensley at 4:00 PM. Last but not least we have a “Player Spotlight” with Texas outfielder/right handed pitcher Courtney Hawkins, who is committed to Oklahoma. We will air it sometime after Hensley’s “5 Pitch Strikeout.”

                Also, Tuesday we will have a very special edition of “5 Pitch Strikeout” with one of the best high school coaches in the nation from Oxford, AL. Our special guest will join us and talk about his program, and some of the best players in the state of Alabama. Stay tuned and be sure to check it out.

BB29

"State by State" Rankings: Alabama

Recruiting 101: State by State

Alabama

The state of Alabama has recently become more of a baseball hot bed than normal. Surrounded by several powerhouse baseball states, Alabama really had no choice but to turn into one themselves. With two SEC conference schools located inside the state, Alabama and Auburn, as well as on the rise programs Troy and South Alabama, there is enough talent to go around it looks like. I will break this up into three different categories, “Arms,” “Bats,” or “Dual.” We will listed there high school, height and weight, their college commitment, as well as what we believe to be their overall ranking.

“Arms:”

Cole Billingsley  LHP        6’0          175         Pell City High School        South Alabama   8.5

Cole is an interesting kid. He is a bit smaller but will more than likely put on weight. His fastball sets 85-87 and has been up to 88. He throws a curveball as well as a change. His fastball has the run that it needs, secondary pitches are getting there. He is committed to South Alabama. We ranked him a 8.5 because of his size and secondary pitches, but could one day but a 10.0 guy with “front-line” stuff. He is also considered to be an outfielder by some, not by us.

Ray Castillo         RHP        6’2          180         Russell County HS            Alabama      8.5

                The first SEC commitment we get to today, Ray is a small body kid who has some surprising velo behind him. He’s been up to 92, but doesn’t seem like a good athlete as far as how it will develop into 95 plus in the future. Change up and curveball to go a lot with his plus arm, not real sure how good the secondary stuff is though. He has a chance to be good, headed to Bama.

Parker Curry       RHP        5’11        160         Pelham HS                          Samford    8.0

Parker is also a smaller kid who seems to have some power behind his fastball. He might should have been in the Dual category but I believe with his 89 mph arm he will see more time on the mound than at SS for Samford.

Cole Lipscomb   RHP        6’2          185         Edgewood HS                    Auburn      10.0

The first 10.0 guy that we have had the opportunity to label with the new site. Cole is a bigger kid who looks like he will put on weight. Most likely going to end up around 6’4 200 and add some velo to what is already a 92 mph arm. He’s headed to Auburn, although I seriously doubt he makes it to school.

Zach Lovvorn     RHP        6’2          185         Oxford HS                           Samford           9.0

Zach is 6’2 RHP who is in the 88-90 who is still figuring out how to “pitch.” His secondary pitches are coming along quite nicely, and seem to be getting better and better each time out. I would normally rate someone like this at the 8.5 range, with room to “bloom” but from what I’ve heard from scouts he’s close to becoming the complete pitcher. Samford is getting a still. He plays on a highly stacked Oxford high school team.

Hunter Soleymani RHP  6’2          195         Pelham HS                          South Alabama      8.5

Hunter is a big kid, standing 6’2. He is sitting 85-87 right now, with huge room for growth. South Alabama’s pitching coach is one of the best around, and he is getting a good size project. The risk vs reward for Hunter is a no brainer, from what I’ve heard and saw, he’s going to blow up and pass everyone as he puts on the weight and velo.

Jackson Stephens RHP   6’4          185         Oxford HS                           Alabama            9.5

Oxford high school keeps rolling them out, to the point where I’m not sure who the “ace” is. Although I don’t know who the ace is, there can’t be many better than Jackson, this kid is the real deal. I was really really close to making Jackson a 10.0 player, even to the point where I’m thinking about changing it right now. His breaking ball has a way to go I believe, although I think he will still be a draft pick this year. He needs to put on weight, even though he is sitting 91 right now.

“Bats:”

Jordan Ebert      INF         R/R         6’1          170         Baldwin County HS           Auburn        9.0

                Jordon is a pretty good sized outfielder, who ran in the 6.7 range while throwing 88 across the infield. He is a middle infielder, who is also considered to be a pretty good outfielder. He has been labeled as a hitter who hits the ball to all sides on the field, with raw power.

Daniel Gardner C            R/R         6’2          200         Sparkman HS             Mississippi St     8.5

                Daniel is a catcher from Sparkman high school, who has also seen limited action on the mound. He is 83-85 off the mound, with a 1.81 pop time from behind the plate. The thing I noticed about Daniel when I watched him play was how he received the ball, showing a good firm target to the pitchers. Has some work to do blocking, but he’s on the right track.

Sam Gillikin         OF          L/R         6’3          185         Hoover HS               Auburn                 9.0

                Sam is a left handed hitting outfielder who hits to all sides of the field. He is a pretty good runner, 6.8 ish. His 6’3, 185 frame looks like it will add plenty of weight to it, where he will become more of a power it when he attends Auburn. He attends Hoover HS, where he holds a 4.0 gpa.

Mathew Goodson  OF   R/R         6’0          210         Oxford HS                  Alabama              10.0

                Mathew’s parents couldn’t have picked a better last name, this kid is “good son.” On a more series note, he’s the real deal. A sub 6.6 in the 60, and 94 from the outfield, how can it really get any better? He is somewhat of a pull hitter, but has what some scouts believe to be “unbelievable” power for his age. He is headed to Bama.

Jalen Goree        INF         R/R         5’9          185         Bibb County HS                            9.0

                Jalen Goore is the only player we added to this list who was uncommitted. He is the real deal, most likely staying at second base whenever he decides where he is going to college. He is an oppo hitting player, who can run like it’s nobody’s business. He should be a leadoff batter from a SEC powerhouse sometime soon.

Kyle Overstreet                INF        R/R         6’0          200         Boaz HS         Alabama        10.0

                Kyle is the real deal, who has massive pop to his pull side. He is a R/R hitter, who can hold his own at second base. I saw him go deep dead center last summer on a 0-2 breaking ball off of one of the best pitchers of last year’s draft class. Rumor is that he also play third base, as well as throw it a little bit. He has been up to 91 on the mound, as well as 90 across the infield. He should play a big role in this coming draft.

Dylan Smith        INF         R/R         6’3          210         Chalkville HS               Auburn           8.5

                Dylan is somewhat of a mystery on the market, has I haven’t seen him play that as much as some of the other kids from Alabama. He is a 6’3, 210 third baseman from Clay-Chalkville High School, and is committed to play his college ball at Auburn. From what I do know, he hits to all sides of the field, showing great power.

Mikey White      INF         R/R         6’2          190         Spain Park HS         Alabama              9.5

Mikey is the real deal, he’s one of those rare, natural shortstops. He attends Spain Park High School and is committed to play at Alabama. He is what most considered to be a top 100 player in the nation. His frame looks like he will put on weight while at Alabama, increasing his power.

“Dual:”

Colton Freeman       LHP/OF              6’1          200         Spain Park HS            Alabama     10.0

                You talk about stud, that’s what Colton’s nickname should be. He was in the running for our “Best of the Best” selection, which goes to the best players in that state. He has a 93 mph fastball, and has touched 95 from the outfield. He ran a 6.65 this past summer, as well as showing that he could hit for power. He should be a high draft pick, if not he’s headed to Alabama.

Mitchell Greer       RHP/ C               6’3          220         Edgewood HS             Alabama      10.0

                Mitchell is a switching hitting catcher who can really hit for power to all sides of the field. Only problem with this kid is that he’s also 92 of the mound. It’s hard to pitch and catch at the same time, so I am sure at some point he’ll have to choose. I put him down as a dual player simply because of the power that he packs inside his bat. He has a bright upside on the hill.

Perry Rigby            RHP/INF            6’4          195         Way Home HS                   UAB             9.0

                Not only is Perry the real deal at shortstop, he is also a 88 mph arm off the mound. He has a 6’4 frame, who looks like he will put on weight. He might shift over to 3^rd with his big frame. That also leads me to belief that he has a chance to pitch when he adds on weight. He is committed to UAB.

Georgie Salem     RHP/OF             5’11        205         Vestavia Hills HS               Alabama     9.5

                George is a left handed hitting outfielder who can RUN. He’s been clocked as low as a 6.42 running in the 60, and has a cannon from the outfield, hitting 96. He’s been up to 89 as far as I know off the mound, throwing the ball right handed. He’s kind of a bigger kid, 5’11, 205 but when you can run like that who cares. He has great power, and is a great athlete.

David Dahl*           RHP/OF             6’3          190         Oak Mountain HS          Auburn     10.0

                *See listed below…

Tucker Simpson*  RHP/1B            6’8          225         Oxford HS               Georgia Tech     10.0

                *See listed below…

Jameis Winston*   RHP/OF/SS    6’5          215         Hueytown                Florida St             10.0

                *See listed below…

The Best of the Best:

This is the new part of the “State by State” that we are excited to add, who is the best? That’s a hard question for a scout or writer to answer because you don’t see these kids play enough to really know. There was a clear cut favorite here, and there was a kid that I was blown away as far as how good he could be. “The Best of the Best” for the state of Alabama was a tie between Florida St. signee Jamies Winston, Auburn signee David Dahl, and Georgia St. signee Tucker Simpson.  We will take the people who we consider to be the Best of the Best and let the fans vote on who they consider the best later on, for The Balk Blog Preseason Player of the Year fan vote.

Winston, who I’m sure was most peoples clear cut favorite as the state’s best, is a remarkable athlete. He is the number one rated quarterback in the nation, as well as having a 94 mph arm off the mound. His 6’4, 210 pound frame is unbelievable when you consider the fact that he ran a 6.59 as well. He is a right handed thrower, but a switch hitter. He is 81 across the infield and 93 from the outfield. In my opinion he has first round stuff written all over him. The only problem with him that I see is where do you play him? He looks really smooth at short, and has big league actions but he’s only 81ish across the infield. He is 93 from the outfield, which is fine especially when you can run like that, but the real question is how do you take a 94 plus power arm off the mound? His breaking ball is also better than average, so the possibilities are endless. He is also like I said the number 1 quarterback in the nation, which is saying a lot. A lot of people compare him to Cam Newton, you know, the Heisman winner! Who knows what Winston will decide, I am going to try to get an interview with him at some point, I know he is busy with football right now. We here at Balk Blog wish him the best of luck in both sports. He was also a Perfect Game All American.

Alabama has another Best of the Best in the 6’8 frame of Tucker Simpson. Tucker has some work to do to be considered elite, the part that I like about him is, is it an elite hitter or pitcher? He’s inches away from being considered one of the best hitters in the draft, and anybody that knows anything about pitching knows that this kid has MLB rotation written all over him. He attends the Alabama powerhouse Oxford HS, so I know that he is getting the best coaching available. He stands 6’8, 225 and has been up to 93 mph. His breaking ball is what it is, almost great! If you saw him hit in the Perfect Game All American HR derby you know that this kid has a chance to hit as well. There’s no chance that this kid ever attends Georgia Tech in my opinion. I think his bigger upside is on the mound, I’m sure either way he’ll do just fine. We wish the best of luck to him at GA Tech and the Draft.

David Dahl is an absolute beast. He has a 6’3,190 frame and he signs it from the left side. He can hit to all sides of the field for power, as well as run. He ran a 6.45 when I clocked him, and was 97 from the outfield. He shows incredible power to all sides of the field, but especially oppo, he’s really an advanced hitter. The interesting thing is, he’s also 91-93 off the mound. I say you leave this kid in the outfield with an arm and speed like that, but we’ll see what Auburn does. He is considered by most to be a top 20 player in the nation, as well as a top 5 outfielder. We wish him best in the draft, or at Auburn.

An Ending Note:

                Wow, we are finally coming to end with our State by State rankings of Alabama. We hope no one was disappointed with their ratings, as we hope you understand everyone isn’t a 10.0 player. If you feel there has been an error or misleading info please contact us and we will fix it. If there is someone who should be on this list, let us know we will add him right away. We will continue to add players all pre-season long. We would like to congratulate David, Tucker, and Jamies on being selected as the “Best of the Best.” We will have a fan vote next week, all week long to decide who the winner is. You get (1) ONE point for commenting on Facebook and choosing, and you get (5) FIVE points for commenting on our website. We hope everyone enjoyed, as we are excited about the new young talent coming out of Alabama.

BB29

Jameis Winston (take into account this is an older video)

Tucker Simpson

David DahlColton Freeman

Mikey White

Mathew Goodson, Tucker Simpson, Jackson Stephens, and Zach Lovvorn

(A special thanks for everyone who took time out to flim this kids and their baseball skills)