Class 6A baseball coach of the year leaving for new job

Spanish Fort’s JD Pruitt, the reigning Class 6A Coach of the Year, is stepping down to become head baseball coach at Coastal South Community College.

Pruitt announced the decision and met with his Toro players on Monday afternoon.

“It’s always been a welcome challenge to get to the college level and something I’ve wanted to do,” Pruitt told AL.com. “It’s kind of the perfect scenario for my family. We just bought a house. We don’t have to move.

“I could replay this scenario and the pathways to this journey 1,000 times and this opportunity probably comes up one time. It’s difficult because I’m a relationship person, and I’ve built those relationships here, but it’s an opportunity to expand on my coaching career at the college level. I’m excited about the new opportunity.”

Pruitt’s fifth – and final – season at Spanish Fort was his best.

Pruitt took a team that graduated 17 seniors a year ago and dealt with a slew of injuries early in the season all the way to the Class 6A championship series.

The Toros got hot in the playoffs, winning home series against McAdory and rival Saraland and beating Northridge and Stanhope Elmore on the road before losing to champion Oxford in the finals. Spanish Fort finished 29-19.

In addition to being named statewide coach of the year in his classification, Pruitt also was the AL.com Coastal Coach of the Year.

“Anybody that knows Spanish Fort and has been around the athletic program in general knows there are a lot of expectations that come with the job,” Pruitt said. “I knew it would be challenging going in, but one thing that gives me peace about leaving is the fact that I feel like we have put the program where it needs to be – competing at a high level, molding kids and doing things the right way on and off the field.

“In that sense, I feel like I’ve done the job I came in to accomplish. The program is in a really good place. With that said, nothing about this decision is easy. The people we’ve met have been amazing.”

Pruitt takes over a Coastal team that went just 15-39 in 2023.

“I’m still going to be able to impact kids in a positive light,” Pruitt said. “Logistically, Coastal is a place where you can build a juggernaut from a baseball standpoint. There are obviously really good high school players to pull from in the Mobile and Baldwin County area and, if we need to go outside of that, we could go two hours to the East or two hours to the West as well.

“It’s a really good recruiting base. It’s a proud program from their past tradition. I’m just looking to continue to build on the legacy that has been established already. I’m excited to build a program in the Baldwin and Mobile area that everyone can be proud of. I’m going to be relentless about not letting good players leave this area.”

Pruitt, a native of Skipperville and former Montevallo baseball standout, spent three years as head coach at Enterprise High before taking the Spanish Fort job. He went 101-66 with the Toros and has a career record of 182-104 overall.