Season Preview | Baseball: 17 seniors vie for starting spots on diamond
The time is now for Vestavia Hills.
Although the Rebels will have to replace a healthy number of starters from last season’s team which advanced to the second round of the Class 7A playoffs, they will field 2016’s roster with 17 seniors.
“We’ve got a bunch of seniors that are going to compete for starting roles. We’re going to sit back and see what happens,” said Jamie Harris, who takes over as head coach following a seven-year stint as an assistant with the team.
The undoubted on-field leader for Vestavia is Alabama signee Sonny Potter, who has been the ace of the pitching staff for the past two seasons.
“He’s been our thoroughbred, so to speak,” Harris said. “We certainly need him to be that again this year.”
When Potter is not on the mound, he doubles as the team’s starting first baseman and offers production in the middle of the lineup. But he will need some support.
“We need Sonny to be Sonny and have two or three or more guys to step up,” Harris said.
Seniors Davis Gurosky, Zack Ingram and Brett Jones will be given that chance to step up with quality innings, as will junior and Ole Miss commit Caden Lemons.
“He can throw it,” Harris said of Lemons. “If he has the type of year he’s capable of having, that will afford us the opportunity to have Brett Jones as more of a relief guy.”
Jones logged innings last year out of the bullpen, and could be used in a starter’s role or possibly as the closer. How the rest of the pitching staff unfolds will determine his slot.
Senior catcher Nathan Hospes is a familiar face for the Rebels, the only other position player along with Potter that the Rebels feel confident about before the season begins.
“Other than that, we have no spots that are just taken yet,” Harris said.
Walker Minor, Parker Hershey and Sam Lawson are others who have experience but will need to prove they can handle a full-time starting role.
Minor and Hershey will attempt to nail down a pair of infield slots, with Lawson expected to play right field.
Vestavia Hills plays in Area 6, along with Mountain Brook, Hewitt-Trussville and Spain Park. At one point in the 2015 season, those were the top four teams in Class 7A. Only two qualify for postseason play, making area play stressful for all involved.
“It makes it exciting. It makes it nerve-wracking. It’s a lot of pressure,” Harris said.
The Rebels kick off their season Feb. 15 at Pelham.