Alabama high school baseball: 29 Gadsden area standouts to watch in the postseason
With the high school baseball season taking a turn to the Alabama state playoffs, there are plenty of Gadsden area teams still alive.
That means more than just a few area standouts are still playing around the Gadsden area. The playoffs get started on Thursday with two area teams playing but Friday is the main action with every team, except those two teams potentially playing.
Here are 29 players to watch around the area:
FIRST ROUND SCHEDULE: Alabama high school baseball playoffs: See matchups for first round
Cole Austin, Piedmont
Why: Austin is the team's leading pitcher with a 2.41 ERA over 40 ⅔ innings. He has 38 strikeouts and has gone 5-4 on the year. At the plate, he's hitting .338 with 13 RBIs and 31 runs scored.
Kale Austin, Piedmont
Why: One of the other leading pitchers on the team, Austin holds a 3.82 ERA. He has 24 strikeouts and has gone 2-0 on the year. At the plate, Austin is hitting .333 with 28 RBIs and seven doubles.
Dylan Carden, Westbrook Christian
Why: Carden plays outfield for the Class 3A, Area 11 champion Warriors hitting at an .429 average with 10 RBIs. He has four doubles, two triples and a homerun.
Landon Carroll, Sardis
Why: Carroll is hitting .375 on the year with eight doubles and two homeruns. He has added 23 RBIs and 26 runs scored.
Zach Clanton, Collinsville
Why: Clanton has gone 6-2 on the year with 88 strikeouts and 2.66 ERA.
Corbin Driskell, Southside
Why: Driskell is hitting .368 on the season with six doubles and three homeruns. He has 29 RBIs and eight runs scored on the year. He holds a 2.908 ERA with 36 strikeouts going 3-0.
Blaze Gerhart, Sardis
Why: Gerhart has been a strong two-way player for the Class 5A, Area 13 champions. He has been hitting .381 on the year with seven doubles and three home runs. He has brought in 18 RBIs and 27 runs scored. On the mound, he has a 2-1 record with a 2.667 ERA and 40 strikeouts and is coming off a 12 strikeout no-hitter to end the regular season.
Carson Gillilan, Sardis
Why: Gillilan is hitting .443 on the year with and OPS of 1.205. He has eight doubles and three homeruns to go with 25 RBIs and 20 runs scored. He has thrown 18 ⅔ innings with a 4.50 ERA and 16 strikeouts.
Cash Hayes, Etowah
Why: Hayes is a standout outfielder for the Blue Devils, who are once again on the hunt for a state title. Hayes has hit .375 with 10 doubles with 21 stolen bases on the year.
Shelby Houston, Southside
Why: Houston holds an ERA of 1.986 on the year with 49 strikeouts.
Kutter Johnson, Southside
Why: Johnson has hit .426 with six doubles, 20 RBIs and 18 runs scored. He has an ERA of 2.194 with 57 strikeouts going 7-3 on the year.
John David Justus, Coosa Christian
Why: Justus is hitting .301 for the Class 1A, Area 13 champions. He has added five doubles, 16 RBIs, 20 runs scored and been walked 23 times.
Braden Kay, Westbrook Christian
Why: Kay holds an ERA of 3.023 ERA with 42 strikeouts on the season over 44 innings of work.
Elijah Kelley, Boaz
Why: Kelley is hitting .395 on the year with seven doubles and 30 runs scored.
Brady Kitchens, Glencoe
Why: Kitchens had gone 7-1 this season with 76 strikeouts for the Class 3A Area 11 runner ups. He holds an ERA of 2.349
Gavin Lang, Collinsville
Why: Lang is a two-way player for the Class 2A, Area 13 champions. Lang has hit .444 with 28 RBIs, 33 runs and 15 stolen bases on 15 attempts. On the mound he's 7-0 with 80 strikeouts and a .600 ERA.
Drew Layfield, Ashville
Why: Layfield is hitting .443 on the year for the Class 4A, Area 11 champions. He has brought in 36 RBIs with 28 runs scored with nine doubles and 16 stolen bases. Layfield is also the starting pitcher for Ashville.
Easton Layfield, Ashville
Why: The younger Layfield has been strong in his freshman campaign, hitting .340 with 19 RBIs, 35 runs scored and 29 stolen bases. Layfield is also the second starting pitcher for Ashville.
Mason McAteer, Collinsville
Why: McAteer, the Panthers shortstop and leadoff hitter, holds a .533 batting average with 33 runs scored and 20 RBIs. Watch out once he's on the bases, he's 19 for 19 on stealing bases.
Cody McCormick, Boaz
Why: A strong two-way player, McCormick has hit .391 with 20 RBIs while going 5-2 with a 1.75 ERA.
McClane Mohon, Piedmont
Why: Mohon is team's leading hitter with a .446 average at the plate. He has 13 doubles and 38 RBIs on the year. He has scored 22 times and stolen 17 bases.
Brody Nelson, Coosa Christian
Why: Nelson has hit .330 this season adding eight doubles, 17 RBIs, 19 runs scored.
Jayden Patton, Glencoe
Why: Patton has found a grove as of late hitting .379 over the last 10 games with two doubles and three triples.
Dylan Palmer, Ashville
Why: Palmer, the teams catched, has been hitting .429 on the year with 27 stolen bases, 41 runs scored, 23 RBIs and been walked 25 times.
Tyler Pierce, Boaz
Why: Pierce has been a strong two-player for the Pirates, who finished runner ups in Class 5A, Area 13. At the plate he's hitting .351 with 24 RBIs and 10 doubles. On the mound he is 6-1 with 82 K's and holds an ERA of .447.
Dylan Rainey, Westbrook Christian
Why: Rainey holds a 2.375 ERA while going 4-0 on the year. He has thrown 38 innings with 44 strikeouts. At the plate he has 22 RBIs with seven doubles with an .358 average.
Trent Rowell, Glencoe
Why: Rowell holds a .340 batting average but has found a grove over the last four games of the season going 8 for 12 at the plate.
Jameson Scissum, Etowah
Why: Scissum, a Mississippi State commit, is one of the top players in the area and will look to add some hardware to his one state title and his state series MVP trophies from last year. Scissum is hitting .337 with seven doubles and two homeruns. He is 4-1 on the year with an 1.20 ERA.
Slade St. Clair, Etowah
Why: St. Clair is looking to cap his high school career with another state title. He has hit .337 on the year with 12 doubles, 23 RBIs and 18 stolen bases.
Maxwell Donaldson covers high school sports and Jacksonville State athletics for the Gadsden Times. Find him on Twitter/X @_Max_Donaldson and contact him at MDonaldson@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: 29 Gadsden area players to watch in high school baseball postseason
