Cole Whitman and Pelham are the top team in Alabama this season as play begins.
File photo by Joe Boyd
MaxPreps 2015 Alabama Baseball Fab 5 presented by the Army National Guard
1. Pelham2014 finish: 24-12
Head coach: Sean Anderson
Pelham lost to eventual state champion Spain Park in the second round, but the Panthers have some of the state's top players returning to the lineup. Leading the way is outfielder
Sam Finnerty, who was the Class 6A Hitter and Player of the Year by the Alabama Sports Writers Association as a junior. He's joined in the lineup by catcher
Hunter Stovall, an honorable mention all-state choice who has earned all-state status in the past. Finnerty, who is headed to South Carolina, batted .428 with eight home runs last year while Stovall, a Mississippi State commit, batted .347. Also returning is all-metro honorable mention pitcher
Cole Whitman.
View last season's Alabama baseball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard2. Sparkman (Harvest)2014 finish: 36-15
Head coach: Kellen Greer
Sparkman made a strong run in the postseason, knocking off Mountain Brook in the quarterfinals and Hillcrest in the semifinals before falling to Spain Park in the state finals. The Senators were able to advance deep into the playoffs with a freshman and a sophomore providing most of the leadership.
Brock Anderson, now a junior, was the team's top pitcher as a sophomore while
Jarod Howell did all of the team's catching as a freshman. Each earned all-state honorable mention honors for Class 6A.
View last season's Alabama baseball playoff brackets3. Cullman2014 finish: 42-12
Head coach: Brent Patterson
If there's one team that appears capable of battling Spanish Fort for supremacy in Class 5A, it's Cullman. The Bearcats return one of the top sophomore players in the country in
Owen Lovell, who had 14 home runs, 29 doubles, 64 RBIs and a 26-game hitting streak last year. Cullman returns two of its top pitchers from last year in
Sam Huser and
Jesse Scott. All-area infielder
Kolby Robinson returns along with all-area outfielders Cole Collins and Maison Goodwin.
View last season's Alabama baseball stat leaders4. Charles Henderson (Troy)2014 finish: 38-11
Head coach: Derek Irons
The defending Class 4A state champions appear ready to make a run at another state championship. While all-state pitcher John Michael Stephens and all-state outfielder John Johnson have graduated, the Trojans return all-state catcher
Chase Smartt and all-state first baseman
Austin Ingram. Smartt also eared Class 4A State Hitter of the Year honors.
View the MaxPreps Alabama baseball pro photo galleries5. Spanish Fort2014 finish: 38-6
Head coach: Brent Boyd
Winners of four Class 5A state championships in the past five seasons, including last year over Cullman, Spanish Fort routinely finds a way to win. Coach Brent Boyd returns one of his top pitchers from last year in
Gunner Hendrix. He was 6-1 in the regular season with 64 strikeouts. Hendrix is also one of the team's top returning offensive performers with a .347 batting average.
Hunter Stokes, who batted .344 as a sophomore last year, also returns. Spanish Fort will have to replace MaxPreps All-American Jesse McCord, the team's top pitcher over the past two seasons.