What will the 2022 Alabama Baseball Roster look like?

There will be a huge turnover in the Alabama baseball roster next season. Coming off of the team’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014, Coach Brad Bohannon will field a team with a multitude of new faces. The Tide lost five players from last season to the draft and one incoming freshman, first rounder Noah Miller. Peyton Wilson, Dylan Smith, Chase Lee, Sam Praytor, and Tyler Ras were Bama were the 2021 players that were selected and headed off to start their professional careers. Not only will there be plenty of new players, the coaching staff will have an overhaul as well. Former Bama volunteer coach Matt Reida will replace the outgoing Jerry Zulli. Reida spent 2021 as an assistant at Pittsburgh. After a year without a volunteer coach, former Auburn player Hunter Morris will assume that role.

In 2021 the Tide played short handed, playing much of the season with as few as 24 players available. After the Covid shortened 2020 season the NCAA actually didn't have a limit on the total number of players. Normally teams can have 35 players with 27 of them receiving scholarship aid. In 2022 each squad will be allowed to carry 40 players. As the summer draws to an end the Tide appears to have 44 players listed on their roster.

In addition to the drafted players that are leaving there were three more who graduated and moved on: William Freeman, Johnny Hawk, and Jackson Tate. Additionally, five players entered the transfer portal. Outfielder TJ Reeves has signed with Jacksonville State, pitcher Connor Shamblin chose his home town Memphis Tigers, catcher Grant Knipp will enroll at Campbell University, pitcher Brayden Rowe is moving on to Wallace State Junior College, and outfielder Will Patota is still looking for a new home.

RETURNING

There are 21 players from the 2020 team that are still on the roster.

Fourth year players:

• First baseman Drew Williamson
• LHP Brock Guffey
• RHP Jacob McNairy
• RHP Landon Green

Third Year Players:

• OF Owen Diodati
• 3B Zane Denton
• INF Jim Jarvis
• OF Andrew Pinckney
• OF William Hamiter
• RHP Hunter Ruth
• 1B Davis Heller
• LHP Antoine Jean
• LHP Connor Prielipp- will miss the season after Tommy John surgery

Second Year Players:

• OF/INF Caden Rose
• RHP Dylan Ray (missed 2020 after Tommy John surgery)
• RHP Eli Giles
• RHP Jake Eddington
• LHP Grayson Hitt
• RHP Logan Morris
• SS Bryce Eblin
• INF Will Portera

NEWBIES

Four players coming in from the transfer portal:

• 1B Eric Foggo from Stetson
• LHP Ryan Bader from Northwestern
• LHP Hunter Furtado from Wake Forest
• OF Tommy Seidl from Harvard

Seven players from the JUCO ranks:

• RHP Brayden Gainey
• LHP Trace Moore
• RHP Garrett McMillian
• RHP Hunter Hoopes
• C Graham Crawford
• LHP Jake Leger
• C Dominic Tamez

12 Freshmen:

• LHP Connor Ball
• RHP Hagan Banks
• LHP Brandon Clarke
• OF Camden Hayslip
• INF Will Hodo
• RHP Luke Holman
• RHP Braylan Myers
• LHP/OF Nathan Shelton
• C/INF Hunter Sute
• INF Jimmy Theis
• LHP Kade Woods (will miss the season after Tommy John surgery)
• RHP Ben Hess

The jewels of the recruiting class were Miller, Hayslip, Holman, Clarke, and Hess. There was some concern that all could have gone pro, but as of now the Tide is safe with all but Miller and Holman. The big right hander was a late round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays, but it looks as if they have used the bulk of their draft pool money and will not have the cash that Holman would require to sign. Losing only Miller, the last pick of the first round with a $2 million plus slot value, will be a huge win for Bohannon and staff.

Fall practice will be exciting as player position battles will begin and we get a sense of what the team will look like. Losing Praytor and Wilson will be a blow to the offense, but if some of last years guys take a step forward and new comers such as Hayslip live up to their expectations the offense should be fine. There are 12 left handed pitchers and 14 right handers on the roster as of now which will bode well for the depth on the mound. Last season pitching coach Jason Jackson had a mere eight healthy arms at times, only one of which was left handed. Overall the team will be bigger, stronger, and more physical. Bohannon is looking to build on last year’s success and continue to improve year by year. These are exciting times at The Joe.

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