High school baseball 2026: Let the games begin!
The James Clemens Baseball Team. Photo by James Clemens Baseball
MADISON – The newest season of high school baseball sets its first pitch the third week of February. Local teams are in some ways scrambling to replace players from last season’s marvelous play from the four local teams of Bob Jones, James Clemens, Sparkman and Madison Academy, all of which made the state playoffs with outstanding senior players.
In the 2026 season, again the teams hope to just reload and fire away at a possible state playoff berth with additional all-state caliber players who are being touted as the next grouping of talent to make their lasting places in the rich history of each of the four programs.
Bob Jones
With an Area 8 championship in tow, the 2025 Patriots powered through the playoffs ending their quest for the Class 7A State Championship in the Final Four. Once completed, graduation would cause Bob Jones to lose four All-State players including Pitcher of the Year Tanner Hermesch (12-1, 1.14 ERA). The 36-12 record posted by the squad will be a challenge for the 2026 team, but Jared Smith, in his 11th season as Bob Jones head coach, has long-standing experience of knowing good talent and he said of the 2026 team, “We expect to be in the mix for the 7A State Championship again with this team.”
Bob Jones is fortunate enough to have four returning pitchers on the roster in 2026 and Smith said, “We are excited about this season with a deep pitching staff, which should be the strength of our team.” In all, the Patriots have six pitchers who can fling the pill toward home plate at 85-plus miles an hour. The returning starters include Josh Wilhide (P/1b/OF, 6-0, 200, Sr.), Reece Brazeal (P/ OF, 6-5, 190, Sr.), Graham Segraves (P/ OF, 6-1, 180, Jr.) and Mick Tyrrell (P/C/ OF, 6-1, 170, Sr.). The remaining pitchers with splendid speed are Hudson Olive (P/3B, 6-1, 175, So.), Cole Spanier (1B/P, 6-3, 240, Sr.) and Aiden Kantmann (P, 5-11, 160, Jr.).
Smith added, “We will have a lot of new players on defense and in the lineup for the first time as full-time varsity starters so we will get better as the season goes on as these guys gain experience.”
The Patriots have a half dozen players who are being heavily recruited with half of those already committed and signed with Itawamba College. Those regarded as the squad’s top recruits are Mick Tyrell (C/P, 6-1, 170, Sr.), who batted .246 with 14 hits and 9 RBIs, Tayte Dunn (C/ OF 6-1, 190, Sr.) who has a 4.36 grade point average while he batted .310 with 27 hits and 18 RBIs with 21 base-on-balls and Reece Brazeal (P/OF, 6-5, 190, Sr.), who posted a 2.039 ERA with a 4-1 record along with three saves in 2025. Others being tabbed as recruits include Cole Spanier (1B/P, 6-3, 240, Sr.) as he batted .284 with 169 plate appearances spotting 38 hits including five homers and 34 RBIs, and Josh Wilhide (P/1B/OF, 6-0, 200, Sr.) as he batted .158 in 14 games.
James Clemens
The James Clemens Jets have something to prove in 2025. As Area 8 runner- up a season ago, head coach Johnny Johnson saw his squad lose to eventual State Champion Tuscaloosa County in the first round of the state playoffs, which happened to be the second consecutive year they were eliminated by the eventual state’s best.
“We had a young team last season with only two senior starters in the playoffs,” said Johnson, in his eighth season as top Jet. “We look to have a more experienced team and the talent to compete with good programs all across Class 7A.”
Returning starters include six seniors, five of whom have signed college scholarships, two juniors and one sophomore. Those returning are seniors Matthew Drinkwater (INF/P, 6-2, 195, Sr., .310 avg., 36 hits, 23 RBIs, 6-4 pitching, 2.32 ERA) (Coastal Alabama C.C.), Jesse Isensee (INF/P, 5-9, 180, Sr., .256 avg., 31 hits, 22 RBIs, 3-1 pitching, 2.28 ERA)(Coastal Alabama C.C.), Tyler Lewis (LHP, 5-9, 175, Sr.) (Tennessee-Southern), Brooks Rhodes (OF, 5-9, 155, Sr., .235 avg., 20 hits, 14 RBIs, 14 runs), Hayden Udovich (INF, 5-9, 160, Sr., .277 avg., 31 hits, 16 RBIs, 30 hits)(Tennessee- Southern) and Will Votorubek (P, 6-2, 210, Sr.)(Montevallo).
Returning juniors are Will Congo (OF/P, 5-11, 170, Jr., .210 avg., 17 hits, 7 RBIs and 20 runs, 2-0 pitching, 2.059 ERA) and Hudson Smith (C, 5-9, 155, Jr., .369 avg., 31 hits, 23 RBIs, 12 runs). One sophomore is returning with Bryson Hodge (OF, 6-0, 160, So., .261 avg., 23 hits, 21 RBIs, 11 runs).
Johnson is looking at the team’s schedule to be a tough one to face, especially early on, but, he added, “Should set us up to be tested before area play and the playoffs.”
Expected new contributors include Ethan Hopkins (1B/P, 6-2, 210, Sr.) who missed the entire 2025 season due to injury, Cal Duthu (P, 6-3, 175, Jr.), Matthew Evers (OF/P, 5-11, 190, Jr.), Wyatt Willis (LHP, 6-1, 165, Jr.), Evan York (P, 5-10, 185, Jr.), Desmond Ruffin (OF, 5-8, 135, So.) and Tristan Blalock (1B/OF/P, 6-3, 190, Fr.).
The Jets have seven of nine hitters returning from last season along with three of the squad’s top pitchers.
Sparkman
Sparkman head coach Ben Stevenson saw nine seniors from last year’s team graduate leaving several holes in the Senators’ armor, but the third-year coach is aware he has four returner starters and two top-notch pitchers to help fill the void and move forward in a very positive way in the 2026 season.
Of those returners, is the team’s leading hitter from a season ago Will Peccia (C/UTL, 5-11, 180, Sr.) who batted .358 with only three strikeouts in 138 plate appearances. He signed with Wabash College. Also back in action is Braxton Williams (P/3B, 6-4, 210, Jr.) who batted .344, had a .963 OPS and tied for the team lead with 8 doubles. Williams was selected a Perfect Game USA All-American First Team for the class of 2027 and is ranked the No. 4 player in Alabama for his class. Brenner Van DeWynckel (P/1B, 6-3, 195, Sr.) posted a .319 batting average with 25 RBIs, which led the team in 2026 which was 20-21 on the season, Area 7 runner-up advancing to the state playoffs where the Senators lost in round one to Hewitt-Trussville. Mark Bundy hit .314 tied the team lead with 8 doubles and led the squad with 2 triples in 2025.
On the mound, Stevenson is blessed to have two returning hurlers. Van DeWynckel threw 48 innings in 2025 with 71 strikeouts and posted a 3.62 ERA and Tripp Morris (P/OF, 6-3, 155, Fr.) who as an eighth grader a season ago took to the mound for 39 innings where he posted 34 strikeouts and had a 2.84 ERA. Stevenson said of his super freshman, “He played a big role on the mound for us last year and looks to expand his role this year. He is working to win a job in the outfield this season and plans on taking on an even bigger role on the mound.”
As for newcomers to the Class 7A team, they include four talented sophomores: Isaac Watson (P/IF, 6-2, 140, So.), who had a good fall workout and looks to find innings on the mound as well as fill gaps defensively; Rowdy Castor (P/IF, 5-8, 130, So.) mirrors Watson with work on the mound and help in the defensive area of the team; Vincent Randolph (OF, 5-8, 140, So.) who possesses superior speed and is what Stevenson described as a “double-plus defender in centerfield who can cover gap-togap.” He is expected to be an everyday player for the Senators; Jonathon Mitch (C, 6-0, 185, So.) looks to be a great backup to starter Peccia and is expected to continue to improve with the bat.
The Sparkman program is also excited to see how senior Jaylon Davis (OF, 5-10, 200, Sr.) comes back from an injury plagued season in 2025. He’s considered the strongest (535 pounds deadlift) and fastest (6.46 laser in 60) and Stevenson said if Davis can find consistency, he could have a big year.
Madison Academy
Should players at Madison Academy have lockers that are forever assigned to each player, this year’s baseball team would have 12 empty spots as the dozen players graduated in 2025, which happened to be the most in team history. Some of those players signed college scholarships and the group included three All-State players. Gone include the Alabama Class 5A Pitcher of the Year Jack Doyle (10-4, 1.37 ERA 79 K) and First-Team All-State shortstop Tee Foster (.413 avg., 34 RBI) and outfielder Myles Johnson (.436 avg., 35 RBI, 42 runs).
David Pressley is in his tenth season as head Mustang and knows the talent he had a season ago will not be suiting up in 2026, but he is looking at a great roster of five each of seniors and juniors, seven sophomores and two freshmen to take a step forward to handle the most recent campaign. Among the Mustangs to return to his locker and spot on the team is Grady Moore (C, 5-10, 195, So.) who was voted the team’s Defensive Player of the Year and is the lone returning starter on the young squad. He batted .263 with 14 RBIs and scored 27 runs in 95 at bats.
The Mustangs play in Class 5A Area 16.
