Meet the 2023 AL.com Birmingham baseball ‘Terrific 20′

Meet the 2023 AL.com Birmingham baseball ‘Terrific 20′

Class 7A state champion Vestavia Hills placed four players on the AL.com Birmingham “Terrific 20″ baseball team for the 2023 season.

The Rebels also had the Player of the Year, infielder Jackson Harris, and the Coach of the Year, Jamie Harris.

Spain Park also placed three players on the “Terrific 20.”

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The Birmingham baseball team honors players regardless of class, position or school year and was selected by the al.com sports staff with nominations from coaches.

AL.com also names a Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and newcomer of the year. The Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year are considered part of the “Terrific 20.”

Players from the team below are listed alphabetically.

BIRMINGHAM REGION BASEBALL TERRIFIC 20

Landon Alton, Thompson, Sr., P

Alton went 9-1 with a 1.36 ERA for the Warriors. He struck out 76 batters in 72 innings in helping his team to the 7A state semifinals. Named 7A first-team All-State and 7A Pitcher of the Year.

Sylas Amick, Hueytown, Sr., INF

Amick hit .396 with 36 RBIs and 25 runs scored for the Gophers. He also had 15 doubles. Class 6A honorable mention All-State.

Peryn Bland, Thompson, Jr., INF

A .374 hitter, Bland drove in 28 runs and stole 20 basses in 21 attempts. He also had 13 doubles, 4 triples and 3 home runs. Class 7A first-team All-State at the Utility position.

Mason Blasche, Hoover, Jr., INF/P

Blasche hit .346 for the Bucs with 10 doubles, 4 homers and 33 RBIs. Also went 2-2 on the mound with a 3.94 ERA. Class 7A second-team All-State selection.

Zac Carlisle, Vincent, Sr., OF/P

Carlisle hit .480 with a .606 on-base percentage. He stole 34 bases in 37 attempts, drove in 28 runs and scored 56. On the mound, he was 7-2 with a save and a 1.54 ERA in 50 innings. Class 2A first-team All-State.

Cole Edwards, Spain Park, Sr., INF

Edwards hit .407 for the Jaguars with 6 homers, 17 doubles and 43 RBIs. He also stole 21 bases in 22 attempts. Class 7A first-team All-State selection.

Easton Fields, Vincent, Sr., INF

Fields hit .422 with 9 homers, 48 RBIs and 41 runs scored. Class 2A first-team All-State.

James Graphos, Mountain Brook, Jr., INF

Graphos hit .381 with 33 RBIs and 35 runs scored. He stole 21 bases in 22 attempts. Class 6A second-team All-State at the Utility position.

CJ Gross, Spain Park, Jr., P

Gross went 10-1 with a 1.68 ERA for the Jaguars. He struck out 53 in 58.1 innings. Class 7A first-team All-State selection.

Christopher Johnston, Vestavia Hills, Sr., OF

Johnston hit .337 with 6 homers and 38 RBIs. He was a perfect 12-for-12 in stolen base opportunities. Class 7A first-team All-State selection.

Konner Keplinger, Mortimer Jordan, Sr., P

Keplinger went 8-3 with a save and a 0.81 ERA. He struck out 138 batters in 69.1 innings. He also had 2 shutouts. Class 6A first-team All-State.

Kurt Kizer, Hewitt-Trussville, Sr., INF

A .378 hitter, Kizer drove in 34 runs and went 12-of-12 in stolen base attempts. Class 7A second-team All-State selection.

Ty McGraw, Gardendale, Jr., INF/P

McGraw hit .346 with 5 homers, 14 doubles and 45 RBIs for the Rockets. He scored 33 times and had a .524 on-base percentage.

Aiden Poe, Vincent, Soph., P

Poe went 11-1 with a 0.84 ERA. He struck out 115 batters in 83 innings. He pitched 4 shutouts. Class 2A first-team All-State. He was the 2022 AL.com Newcomer of the Year.

Grayson Pope, Hewitt-Trussville, Soph., OF

A Tennessee commit, Pope hit .340 with 24 RBIs and 31 runs scored for Jeff Mauldin’s Huskies.

Jable Ramey, Vestavia Hills, Sr., P

Ramey went 9-1 on the mound with a save for the 7A champs. He boasted a 1.85 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 60.2 innings. Class 7A first-team All-State.

Jake Souders, Briarwood, Jr., INF

Souders hit .437 with 4 homers, 11 doubles and 37 RBIs. Class 6A first-team All-State at the DH position.

Ryan Vermillion, Vestavia Hills, Sr., P

The Jacksonville State signee pitched a complete-game, one-hitter in Game 3 of the Class 7A finals against Central-Phenix City. He went 7-0 for the season with five saves and a 1.15 ERA. He struck out 64 batters in 55 innings. Class 7A second-team All-State.

Brady Waugh, Briarwood, Sr., DH

Waugh hit .423 with 5 homers, 7 doubles and 38 RBIs. Class 7A second-team All-State selection at DH.

Matthew Widra, Spain Park, Jr., OF

Widra hit .414 with a .513 on-base percentage. He drove in 23 runs and scored 25. He was 11-of-11 in stolen base chances. Class 7A first-team All-State.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Thompson’s Miles Mitchell settles in at first beside Vestavia Hills’ Jackson Harris during an AHSAA Class 7A semifinal game at Thompson High School in Alabaster, Ala., Thursday, May 11, 2023. (Vasha Hunt | preps@al.com)

Jackson Harris, Vestavia Hills

The senior helped the Rebels to the Class 7A state championship. He hit .430 with 38 RBIs and 35 runs scored. He had 4 triples, 5 homers and 15 doubles. In limited duty on the mound, he went 3-0 as a senior. Class 7A first-team All-State. Class 7A Player of the Year.

RECENT PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS

2023 — Jackson Harris, Vestavia Hills

2022 — Riley Quick, Hewitt-Trussville

2021 – Riley Quick, Hewitt-Trussville; Connor Ball, Chelsea

2020 – No winner due to COVID-19 pandemic

2019 – Peyton Wilson, Hoover

2018 – Carson Skipper, Hewitt-Trussville

2017 – Brock Guffey, Hoover

2016 – Tyler Tolbert, Hewitt-Trussville

2015 – Hunter Stovall, Pelham

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Gardendale at Cullman 6A Baseball Playoffs Round 3

Gardendale’s Caiden Combs takes a rip during an AHSAA Class 6A Round 3 game at Cullman High School in Cullman, Ala., Thursday, May 4, 2023. (Vasha Hunt | preps@al.com)

Caiden Combs, Gardendale

The sophomore infielder hit .410 with 41 RBIs and 41 runs scored. He had 5 homers and 14 doubles. Class 6A first-team All-State.

RECENT NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR

2021 — Aiden Poe, Vincent

COACH OF THE YEAR

Vestavia Hills at Thompson 7A Baseball Playoff Semifinals

Vestavia Hills coach Jamie Harris looks on during an AHSAA Class 7A semifinal game at Thompson High School in Alabaster, Ala., Thursday, May 11, 2023. (Vasha Hunt | preps@al.com)

Jamie Harris, Vestavia Hills

Harris led the Rebels to their first state championship since Sammy Dunn’s legendary run in the 1990s. Vestavia defeated defending champion Central-Phenix City 2-1 in the best-of-three championship series. The Rebels finished 34-11 overall.

BEST OF THE REST

Will Adams, Hoover, Fr., P

Tylan Amerson, Minor, Jr., OF

Will Argo, Hewitt-Trussville, Sr., P

Tucker Arrington, Thompson, Jr., INF

Dalton Ash, Calera, Soph., INF

Brody Black, Oak Grove, Soph., OF/P

Caleb Barnett, Mountain Brook, Soph., INF/P

Ty Bedell, Leeds, Soph., INF

Bentley Berry, Calera, Sr., INF

Charlie Berryman, Mountain Brook, Sr., OF

Aiden Black, Vestavia Hills, Sr., P

Brendan Conner, Corner, Jr., INF/P

Jace Boyd, Corner, Jr., OF

Gavin Brown, Corner, Sr., OF

Ethan Bucher, Minor, Soph., INF/P

Will Clark, Briarwood, Soph., OF

Camden Cobb, Vincent, Jr., C

Brendan Conner, Corner, Jr., INF/P

Ethan Crook, Thompson, Jr., C

Kenneth Diddell, Mountain Brook, Jr., P

Colby Durden, Hewitt-Trussville, Soph., P

Casen Fields, Vincent, Soph., INF/P

Logan Fitzgerald, Gardendale, Jr., P

Jay Fuller, Oak Grove, Soph., INF/P

Tripp Gann, Homewood, Sr., INF

Grayson Gulde, Vincent, Soph., OF/P

RJ Hamilton, Hoover, Sr., INF

John Paul Head, Vestavia Hills, Jr., INF/C

Matthew Heiberger, Oak Mountain, Sr., OF/P

Monte’ Henley, Parker, Sr., OF/P

Andrew Howard, Leeds, Sr., OF/P

Cooper Jarvis, Gardendale, Jr., INF

Braydon Kendrick, Helena, Soph., INF

Kareem Keye, Minor, Sr.., INF/P

Will Lawrence, Hoover, Sr., C

Coleman Maldonado, Mortimer Jordan, Jr., INF/P

Cedric Massengale, Parker, Sr., INF/PF

Drake Meeks, Briarwood, Sr., P

Drake McBride, Thompson, Jr., OF/P

Nick McCord, Oak Mountain, Jr., INF/P

Miles Mitchell, Thompson, Sr., INF

Logan Moller, Chelsea, Jr., P

Jackson Morgan, Chelsea, Jr., INF

Brett Moseley, Hewitt-Trussville, Jr., OF

Conner Nelson, Leeds, Soph., C/INF/P

Jack Ollis, Hewitt-Trussville, Sr., OF

Andrew Petrock, Pelham, Fr., INF/P

John Michael Pickens, Hueytown, Sr., OF/P

Noah Reed, Shelby County, Sr., OF

Colin Rengering, Hoover, Sr., INF/P

John Robicheaux, Mountain Brook, Jr., UTIL

Jack Ross, Homewood, Soph., INF/P

Jarret Scott, Helena, Soph., OF

Carter Sheehan, Shelby County, Sr., INF

Evan Smallwood, Spain Park, Sr., INF

Noah Smith, John Carroll, Jr., INF/P

Clay Spencer, Spain Park, Sr., C

Jeremiah Struggs, Parker, Sr., INF/P

Kemp Swords, Montevallo, Soph., INF/P

John Robert Thompson, Spain Park, Sr., P/OF

Lucas Thornton, Spain Park, Sr., P

Jacob Tobias, Spain Park, Sr., OF/DH

Caden Vance, Leeds, Sr., INF/OF

Hudson Walburn, Vestavia Hills, Sr., C

Aaron Wallace, Hueytown, Sr., UTIL

Daniel Watkins, Hueytown, Sr., INF

Andrew Watts, Pleasant Grove, Jr., C/INF/P

Gabe Wilbur, John Carroll, Sr., INF/P

Colton Willmon, Helena, Sr., OF/P

Nathan Winholtz, Oak Grove, Jr., OF/P

Austin Wilson, Shelby County, Sr., INF

Zach Wyatt, Thompson, Sr., P/INF