Meet the 2023 AL.com Tennessee Valley âTerrific 20â² baseball team
Twelve teams placed at least one player on the 2023 AL.com Tennessee Valley “Terrific 20″ baseball team.
Perennial playoff powers Bob Jones, Lindsay Lane and Hartselle led the way with three players each on the squad. St. John Paul II, Priceville and Arab each had two.
Hartselle slugger Coleman Mizell was named Player of the Year.
RELATED: Meet the 2023 ASWA All-State team
The team honors players regardless of class, position or school year and was selected by the AL.com sports staff with nominations and input from Tennessee Valley coaches.
It includes players from Madison, Morgan, Limestone, Marshall and Jackson Counties.
AL.COM 2023 TENNESSEE VALLEY TERRIFIC 20
Ray Anderson, Lindsay Lane, Sr., P
Anderson went 12-2 with a save and a 0.65 ERA. He struck out 168 batters in 85.2 innings and walked just 13. He threw two no-hitters. Class 2A first-team All-State. Class 2A Pitcher of the Year.
Paul Andrzejewski, St. John Paul II, Sr., INF
Andrzejewski hit .495 with 16 doubles, 31 RBIs and 60 runs scored. He stole 22 bases in 24 attempts, walked 27 times and struck out just 9 times. Class 4A first-team All-State.
Ben Arn, Bob Jones, Sr., P/INF
Arn went 8-1 on the mound with a 1.77 ERA. He struck out 80 batters in 63.1 innings.
Braden Booth, Bob Jones, Jr., INF
A .410 hitter, Booth had 7 homers, 10 doubles, 36 RBIs and 40 runs scored. He also stole 20 bases. Class 7A first-team All-State.
Zach Chaney, Priceville, Sr., INF
Chaney hit .393 with a .544 on-base percentage. He had 18 doubles, drove in 35 runs and scored 50. He stole 26 bases in 27 attempts. Class 4A first-team at DH.
Alex Cook, Lindsay Lane, Jr., INF
Cook hit .426 with 46 RBIs and 55 runs scored. He was 16-of-16 in stole base attempts. Class 2A first-team All-State.
Carson Creehan, Madison Academy, Sr., INF
Creehan hit .403 with 15 doubles, 40 RBIs and 38 runs scored. He was 13-of-13 on stolen base attempts. Class 5A second-team All-State.
Luke Davenport, James Clemens, Jr., P/INF
Davenport went 8-3 on the mound with a 1.07 ERA. He struck out 101 batters in 58.2 innings and walked 36. He had 2 shutouts and a no-hitter.
Jacob Haley, Sparkman, Sr., P/INF
Haley was 3-0 on the mound with a save and a 1.67 ERA. At the plate, he hit .403 with 41 RBIs and 41 runs scored. Class 7A second-team All-State.
Luke Holbrook, Whitesburg Christian, Soph., INF
Holbrook hit .523 with a .571 on-base percentage. He drove in 41 runs and scored 28. He stole 11 bases in 12 attempts and struck out just 6 times. Class 2A second-team All-State.
Bo Mitchell, Decatur Heritage, Soph., OF
A .476 hitter, Mitchell scored 45 runs and drove in 23. He stole 11 bases. Class 3A first-team All-State.
Sam Mitchell, Bob Jones, Sr., P/INF
On the mound, Mitchell went 10-2 with a 2.32 ERA. He struck out 130 batters in 72.1 innings. At the plate, he hit .299 with 6 homers, 34 RBIs and 24 runs scored.
Blake Moon, Arab, Sr., P
Moon went 11-1 with a 1.35 ERA. He struck out 70 baters in 62 innings of work. Class 5A first-team All-State.
Max Morrison, Lindsay Lane, Sr, OF
Morrison stole 50 bases in 50 attempts. The leadoff batter hit .383 with 14 doubles, 49 hits and 54 runs scored. He also walked 29 times.
Dakota NeSmith, Arab, Sr., P/INF
NeSmith hit .378 with 9 homers, 14 doubles, 57 RBIs and 37 runs scored. Class 5A first-team All-State at the Utility position.
Memphis Scott, Madison County, Soph., INF/P
Scott hit .420 with 28 RBIs and 34 runs scored. He stole 30 bases in 33 attempts. Class 4A second-team All-State.
Jack Smith, Hartselle, Sr., P
Smith went 8-2 for Hartselle with a save and a 0.94 ERA. He struck out 120 batters and walked 40 in 67 innings pitched. He had three shutouts, two no-hitters and a perfect game. Class 6A first-team All-State.
Luke Songy, St. John Paul II, Jr., OF/C/P
A .426 hitter, Songy drove in 44 runs and scored 39. He walked 25 times and struck out just 6 and had an on-base percentage of .577. On the mound, he was 4-1 with a save. Class 4A first-team All-State at the utility position.
Peyton Steele, Hartselle, Jr., OF
Steele hit .336 with 13 doubles, 35 RBIs and 34 runs scored. He also had 7 home runs. Class 6A first-team All-State at the utility position.
Wes Walker, Priceville, Jr., C
A .388 hitter, Walker hit 10 homers and 11 doubles. He drove in 49 runs and had a .522 on-base percentage. Class 4A first-team All-State.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Hartselle’s Coleman Mizell rounds third on way to score. Minor vs. Hartselle High School baseball at Sparkman Park in Hartselle, Alabama Friday April 28, 2023. (Bob Gathany | [email protected])AL.com
Coleman Mizell, Hartselle
The senior Alabama signee hit .500 for the Tigers with 15 homers, 16 doubles and 58 RBIs. He also scored 45 runs. He struck out just 11 times in 128 at-bats and had a .573 on-base percentage. Class 6A first-team All-State. Class 6A Hitter of the Year.
RECENT PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS
2023: Coleman Mizell, Hartselle
2022: Elliott Bray, Hartselle; Alex Wade, Madison Academy
2021: Slate Alford, Bob Jones
2020: No winner due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019: Jordan Beck, Hazel Green
2018: Garrett Wade, Hartselle
2017: Tanner Burns, Decatur
2016: Tanner Burns, Decatur
2015: Brax Garrett, Florence *
2014: Cody Reed, Ardmore *
2013: Brett Blackwood, Hartselle (player/hitter); Cody Reed, Ardmore (pitcher)
2012: Kyle Wright, Buckhorn (player); Trey Wingenter, Bob Jones (pitcher); Daniel Garner, Sparkman (hitter)
2011: Andrew Dennis, Huntsville (player); Daniel Koger*, Huntsville (pitcher)
2010: Stafford Booth, Madison Academy (player); Dillon Ortman, Grissom (pitcher)
2009: Luke Bole*, Hartselle (player); Chad Girodo, Hartselle (pitcher)
2008: Kody Ortman, Grissom (player); Corey Williams, Madison Academy (pitcher)
2007: Hunter Morris, Grissom (player); Corey Williams, Madison Academy (pitcher)
* Won Alabama’s Mr. Baseball award
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Madison Academy’s Tee Foster makes a play at second base in a playoff series against Alexandria. Foster is the AL.com Tennessee Valley Newcomer of the Year. ( Bob Gathany | [email protected])Al.com
Tee Foster, Madison Academy
The sophomore infielder/pitcher hit .424 with 15 doubles, 40 RBIs and 37 runs scored. Class 5A honorable mention All-State.
RECENT NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR
2023 – Tee Foster, Madison Academy
2022 – Bryant Sparkman, Decatur Heritage
COACH OF THE YEAR
St. John Paul II coach Robby Seemann, left, and Etowah coach Blake Bone meet before their semifinal playoff series last month. (Bob Gathany | [email protected])AL.com
Robby Seemann, St. John Paul II
In his first year as the team’s head coach, Seemann guided the Falcons all the way to the Class 4A state semifinals. The team finished 25-13 after losing to eventual champion Etowah in the semis. “I’m just very proud of our entire team for how they played and how they carried themselves the entire season,” he said. “I’m just very proud of all (seven) of our seniors for all they’ve done during their time here.”
RECENT COACH OF THE YEAR WINNERS
2023: Robby Seemann, St. John Paul II
2022: Steve Meek, Decatur Heritage
2021: William Booth, Hartselle
2020: No winner due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019: Jared Smith, Bob Jones
2018: Frankie Perez, Hazel Green
2017: Andrew Smith, Ardmore
2016: Mike Good, Madison Academy, and Jared Smith, Bob Jones
2015: Lee Hall, Randolph
2014: Kellen Greer, Sparkman
2013: Jeff Bell, Bob Jones
2012: Roger Wright, Buckhorn
2011: Mark Mincher, Huntsville
2010: Adam Moseley, Grissom
2009: Mike Good, Madison Academy
2008: Kellen Greer, Sparkman
2007: Roger Wright, Buckhorn
BEST OF THE REST
Chase Ambrose, Buckhorn, Sr., INF/P
Colton Atkinson, Scottsboro, Sr., INF
Jackson Baeder, Hazel Green, Sr., INF/OF/P
Malachi Bailey, Madison Academy, Sr., P
Jackson Burgess, North Sand Mountain, Fr., DH
CJ Bush, Bob Jones, Sr., OF
Mason Busch, James Clemens, Jr., P
Nick Causey, Sparkman, Sr., INF
Jack Chaffin, Guntersville, Sr., INF/DH
Jaden Charles, Hazel Green, Soph., OF
Bryson Claiborne, Austin, Sr., OF
Jack Elliott, Athens, Jr., INF
Tyler Engle, Westminster Christian, Sr., P/OF
Galen Evans, Huntsville, Sr., P/INF
Seth Frame, Ardmore, Soph., OF
Gregory French, Scottsboro, Sr., C
Ben Goodwin, Westminster Christian, Sr., C
Blake Hall, Hazel Green, Sr., P/INF
Mike Hamilton, Hazel Green, Sr., OF
Easton Henderson, Sparkman, Jr., INF/OF
Bo Hester, Boaz, Sr., DH
Keaton Johns, Ardmore, Soph., OF
Thomas Kerby, Priceville, Sr., P
Brody King, Huntsville, Jr., P/OF
Sean Lapinskes, Westminster Christian, Jr., P/INF
Andrew Lawrence, James Clemens, Sr., INF
Hayden Mai, Grissom, Sr., P
Ty Marsh, James Clemens, Soph., INF/DH
Nate Mayfield, Bob Jones, Sr., P/INF
Duncan Morris, Guntersville, Jr., OF
Mykell Murrah, Elkmont, Sr., P
Evan Nelson, Sparkman, Sr., INF
Cam Palahach, Hartselle, Jr., C
Matthew Parks, Whitesburg Christian, Sr., INF
Colin Patterson, West Limestone, Sr., P
Colten Payton, James Clemens, Sr., C
Tyler Pierce, Boaz, Soph., P/INF
Cooper Phillips, West Limestone, Sr., C
Luke Reed, North Sand Mountain, Fr., OF
Kaleb Robinson, Whitesburg Christian, Soph., INF
Jake Thornton, Madison County, Jr., INF/P
Eli Tidwell, Hartselle, Sr., P/INF
Ty Sanderson, Grissom, Sr., DH
Bo Solley, Decatur Heritage, Sr., INF
Nick Songy, St. John Paul II, Sr., INF
Bryant Sparkman, Decatur Heritage, Soph., DH
Trent Wagoner, Grissom, Sr., OF
Keaton Watson, Madison Academy, Soph., C/INF