Alabama baseball preview
Here's a look at Alabama baseball for the 2021 season.
2020 record/RPI: 16-1 (3)
2019 record/RPI: 30-26, 7-23 SEC (44)
Coach: Brad Bohannon (third season, 72-56 at Alabama)
Rank in preseason polls: 25 (BA), 27 (CB), 30 (NCBWA)
Rank in conference forecasts: 7th in West (D1)
Last NCAA tournament appearance: 2014 (third in Louisville Regional)
Home field: Sewell-Thomas Stadium (8,500)
Left: 325, left center: 365, center: 395, right center: 365, right: 320
2020 recap/2021 outlook
There weren't many teams that hated the abbreviation of the 2020 season more than the Crimson Tide, which was picked a distant last in the Southeastern Conference Western Division by the coaches. But Alabama out-scored scored opponents 148-48 in coach Brad Bohannon's second year, as the Crimson Tide cracked the Top 25 in three national polls just as the season ended.
The only blemish on Alabama's season was a 3-2 loss to Lipscomb, which the Crimson Tide avenged the next day with a 14-2 drubbing of the Bisons.
Alabama loses its two two hitters in Tyler Gentry and Brett Auerbach, and starting shortstop Kolby Robinson also opted to graduate. But the Crimson Tide return six position players who started at least 11 games in 2020, plus, pitchers who combined for 11 starts.
To that, Bohannon added a recruiting class that ranked 18th nationally by Baseball America and 19th according to Perfect Game.
Now, Bohannon, the 2015 National Assistant Coach of the Year according to Baseball America--that came at Kentucky--hopes to take the Crimson Tide another step up towards national prominence. Alabama has been to 11 NCAA tournaments this millennium, but none since 2014, and its last of five College World Series appearances came in 1999.
The lineup
| Pos | Player, class (B/T) |
|---|---|
|
C |
Sam Praytor, R-So. (R/R) .350/.452/.667, 60 AB, 6 HR, 18 RBI Hit .222/.364/.556 in 18 AB in '19 Good receiver with power; potentially one of the best catchers in the country |
|
1B |
Drew Williamson, So. (L/L) .340/.521/.480, 50 AB, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 5 SB Hit .290/.425/.381 in 176 AB in '19. Big, athletic, excellent defender who'll save teammates errors |
|
2B |
Peyton Wilson, Fr. (S/R) .333/..417/.433, 0 HR, 8 RBI, 1-2 SB C/2B/CF; can steal bases. |
|
3B |
Zane Denton, Fr. (S/R) .220/.277/.341, 57 AB, 0 HR, 9 RBI Started in 11 of 12 games played as a freshman. Nashville-area product whose brother, Bryce, is in the Cardinals' system |
|
SS |
Jim Jarvis, Fr. (L/R) Started 14 of 16 games as a true freshman in '20. Can also play second; brother (Luke) played at Auburn |
|
LF |
T.J. Reeves, So (R/R) .246/.411/.333, 57 AB, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB .255/.394/.482, 141 AB, 9 HR, 25 RBI in '19 Regressed a year ago, striking out every third at-bat |
|
CF |
Jackson Tate, Jr. (R/R) .286/.359/.571, 35 AB, 2 HR, 9 RBI Started 6 of 13 games after transferring from Lawson St. CC |
|
RF |
Owen Diodati, Fr. (L/R) .309/.431/.673, 55 AB, 5 HR, 22 RBI, 1 SB Highly-recruited Canadian started 13 of 16 games played; 10th in SEC in slugging % |
|
DH |
Bryce Eblin, Fr. (L/R) The top HS player in Indiana last year according to Prep Baseball Report; candidate to play middle infield |
|
Res |
William Hamiter, Fr. (L/R) OF/IF played 3 games, went 1-for-3 in 2020 |
|
Res |
Will Patota, So. (L/R) OF played 2 yrs. at Southern Union State CC |
The Crimson Tide bludgeoned opponents in 2020, averaging 8.4 runs per game. It's a big, physical team that has power (returnees hit all 22 of the team's homers last year) and athleticism, too.
Owen Diodati is probably the team's best hitter. Diodati was a first-team Freshman All-American last year and showed good plate discipline, striking out 13 times while walking the same number of times.
But two others could challenge him.
Catcher Sam Praytor is a fifth-year senior who had a terrific offensive season last year, but it remains to be seen what he can do against SEC pitching.
Outfielder T.J. Reeves had an excellent freshman year, but failed to improve on the contact issues that plagued him in 2019 (44 Ks in 141 ABs) and took a step back last season.
Peyton Wilson may be the most interesting position player on the roster, a speedy sophomore who can catch, play second or center.
There's some uncertainty in mid-February about how the Crimson Tide lines up in the middle infield. Wilson could start at second or center, especially if freshman Bryce Eblin grabs the job at short.
| Role | Player, class (B/T) |
|---|---|
|
SP1 |
Connor Prielipp, Fr. (L/L) 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 21 IP, 35 Ks, 6 BB D1 preseason first team All-American and potential high-first-rounder |
|
SP2 |
Connor Shamblin, So. (R/R) 1-1, 4.05 ERA, 20 IP, 20 Ks, 7 BB 2-1, 6.26 ERA, 23 IP, 26 K, 17 BB in '19 |
|
SP3 |
Antoine Jean, Fr. (R/L) 3-0, 3.18 ERA, 17 IP, 17 K, 3 BB Four starts as a true freshman last year |
|
CL |
Chase Lee, So. (R/R) 1-0, 2 SV, 1.64 ERA, 11 IP, 19 K, 2 BB 1-0, 2.67 ERA, 30.1 IP, 24 K, 5 BB in '19 Walk-on sidearmer; fastball, curveball, change-up |
|
RP |
Tyler Ras, So. (S/R) 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 11.1 IP, 8 K, 3 BB 1-3, 4.14 ERA, 37 IP, 25 K, 10 BB in '19 Innings-eater who could take a step up and have a big role on weekends |
|
RP |
Jacob McNairy, So. (R/R) 0-0, 1.00 ERA, 9 IP, 6 K, 0 BB 0-0, 1 SV, 6.23 ERA, 13 IP, 5 K, 5 BB in '19 Didn't walk or hit a batter last year; opponents hit .200 against him |
|
RP |
Brock Guffey, Jr. (S/L) 3-0, 1.04 ERA, 8.2 IP, 13 K, 1 BB 0-1, 2.92 ERA, 24.2 IP, 21 K, 4 BB in '19 Fastball, curve and lots of experience |
|
RP |
Landon Green, R-Fr. (R/R) 0-0, 4.50 ERA, 6 IP, 8 K, 6 BB Led team with 6 appearances in '20 |
|
RP |
William Freeman, Sr. (R/R) 0-0, 4.15 ERA, 8,2 IP, 13 K, 4 BB 2-2, 5.40 ERA, 25 IP, 15 K, 6 BB in '19 |
Alabama returns nine of 16 pitchers who made appearances in 2020. It's not a great staff but it's a deep one, and the Crimson Tide may try to patch together Saturday and Sunday games with a plethora of arms rather than rely on starters to get Alabama into the middle innings. Bohanon said in early February that Alabama still has eight players in contention for the No. 2 and 3 starting spots.
That won't be the case on Friday because Alabama has one of the best pitchers in the country in Connor Preilipp, who's potentially a top-half-of-the-first-round draft candidate. The Wisconsin native was a first-team All-American as a freshman last season and allowed just 12 base runners in 21 innings.
The best story on the staff belongs to Chase Lee, an aerospace engineering major whose dominance on the university's club baseball team in 2018 caught the coaching staff's attention and led to a spot on the roster the following year. Lee has allowed just 11 earned runs in 41 1/3 career innings.
Lee will probably close, but may share some of those duties with Brock Guffey, a senior lefty with 45 career appearances.
A number of pitchers not listed above could see major action, including freshman Jake Eddington, Eli Giles and Grayson Hitt. Hitt may have the most potential of the group and could start.