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Gavin Smith (#20) from Vestavia Hills batting in the game against the Hoover Bucs at Vestavia Hills High School on April 8, 2025. Photo by Lindsay Handey Photography
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William Tonsmeire (#1) from Vestavia Hills catching a fly ball in the game against the Hoover Bucs at Vestavia Hills High School on April 8, 2025. Photo by Lindsay Handey Photography
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Will Langston (#24) from Vestavia Hills catching in the game against the Hoover Bucs at Vestavia Hills High School on April 8, 2025. Photo by Lindsay Handey Photography
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Chase Rafferty (#21) from Vestavia Hills pitching in the game against the Hoover Bucs at Vestavia Hills High School on April 8, 2025. Photo by Lindsay Handey Photography
The quality of high school baseball in the Birmingham area is elite, and the 2025 season was no different. The annual Under the Lights All-South Metro Team is packed full of talent and could almost pass as an all-state team.
This year’s Player of the Year is Hewitt-Trussville shortstop Steele Hall, who has potential to be a high draft pick in the Major League Baseball Draft this summer. Hoover’s Will Adams is Hitter of the Year, although he is another great two-way player for the Bucs.
Aiden Hughes of Chelsea and Jack Ross of Homewood share the Pitcher of the Year honors. Hughes led the Hornets to the state championship series, while Ross notched 10 wins to cap off a terrific career at Homewood.
Michael Stallings is the Coach of the Year, taking Chelsea to the state finals for the second time.
Player of the Year: Steele Hall, Hewitt-Trussville
Hitter of the Year: Will Adams, Hoover
Pitchers of the Year: Aiden Hughes, Chelsea, and Jack Ross, Homewood
Coach of the Year: Michael Stallings, Chelsea
1ST TEAM
Pitcher: Aiden Hughes, Chelsea; went 9-0 with a 0.94 earned run average, while racking up 59 hits at the plate.
Pitcher: Jack Ross, Homewood; won 10 games, while hitting .402 with nine homers and 49 runs batted in.
Pitcher: Bryant Diddell, Mountain Brook; one of the top strikeout pitchers in the area, punching out 85 hitters.
Pitcher: Jackson Price, Chelsea; went 8-1 with a 1.74 ERA for the state runner-up.
Catcher: Parker Daniels, Briarwood; led all catchers with 39 hits and finished with a .482 OBP.
First base: Will Dobbins, Homewood; knocked in 34 runs and stole 16 bases.
Second base: Cam Simpson, Hewitt-Trussville; finished with an impressive .514 OBP, knocking in 30 runs and swiping 20 bases.
Third base: Gavin Smith, Vestavia Hills; hit .422 with five homers and 40 RBIs.
Shortstop: Steele Hall, Hewitt-Trussville; an upcoming high draft pick, capping off his high school career with a .484 average, 60 hits, eight homers, 35 RBIs and 33 stolen bases.
Infield: Charlie Taaffe, Vestavia Hills; hit .369 with five home runs.
Infield: Noah Eady, Oak Mountain; picked up 36 hits and drove in 28 runs.
Outfield: Will Adams, Hoover; got on base at a .608 clip and hit eight home runs as the top hitter in the area.
Outfield: Jack Bland, Homewood; stole 39 bases and finished with 39 hits.
Outfield: Cross Tonsmeire, Vestavia Hills; got on base at a .526 clip, scoring 34 runs and stealing 21 bases.
Designated hitter: Jaxson Wood, Hoover; one of the top players in the area, hitting eight homers with 43 RBIs.
Designated hitter: Seth Staggs, Briarwood; racked up 50 hits.
Utility: Christian Helmers, Hewitt-Trussville; one of the top all-around players in the area, going 9-1 on the mound, while hitting .322.
Utility: Caleb Barnett, Mountain Brook; last year’s Hitter of the Year put forth another strong year, posting a 1.61 ERA and getting on base at a .521 clip.
2ND TEAM
Pitcher: Hudson Mitchell, Hewitt-Trussville; led the area with 11 wins, posting a 1.11 ERA.
Pitcher: Jude Davidson, Mountain Brook; went a perfect 7-0 with a 1.48 ERA.
Pitcher: Ivan Hand, Briarwood; posted eight wins without taking a loss, with a 1.46 ERA.
Pitcher: Chase Rafferty, Vestavia Hills; went 6-2 for the Rebels.
Catcher: Drew Ollis, Hewitt-Trussville; reached base in nearly half of his at-bats and hit .387.
First base: Sam Estes, Mountain Brook; knocked in 25 runs and got on base at a .418 clip.
Second base: Finn Hecklinski, John Carroll; finished with a .476 OBP.
Third base: Parker Johnson, Hoover; finished a strong year with a .491 OBP.
Shortstop: Paul Barnett, Mountain Brook; finished with 35 hits and had a .453 OBP.
Infield: Chase Lackey, Chelsea; knocked in 20 runs and stole 20 bases.
Infield: Rhys Jones, Spain Park; put forth another solid season, finishing with a .472 OBP.
Outfield: William Tonsmeire, Vestavia Hills; got on base in half his at-bats, drawing 24 walks and swiping 18 bases.
Outfield: Joe Cross, Spain Park; finished with 35 hits and 26 RBIs.
Outfield: Will Weaver, Mountain Brook; knocked in 32 runs.
Designated hitter: Cooper Huffman, Hewitt-Trussville; finished with a .351 average and 32 RBIs.
Designated hitter: Will Langston, Vestavia Hills; hit .365 and drove in 31 runs.
Utility: Houston Hartsfield, Briarwood; hit .327 and won four games as an all-around player.
Utility: Levi Nickoli, Homewood; saved four games with a 0.98 ERA, while playing shortstop for the Patriots.
HONORABLE MENTION
Pitcher: Cooper Anderson, Vestavia Hills; Wilson Szymela, Vestavia Hills; Will Daniel, Vestavia Hills; Colin Jones, Vestavia Hills; Patrick McQueeney, Spain Park; Charlie Kramer, Spain Park; Max Vinson, Spain Park; Baker Williams, Oak Mountain; Brady Sheppard, Hoover; Gavin Letcher, John Carroll; Jacob Francis, Hewitt-Trussville; Rylan Clark, Hewitt-Trussville.
Catcher: Cooper Mullins, Homewood; Cade Mims, Chelsea.
First base: Jacob Harris, Vestavia Hills; James Au, Hoover; Luke Neill, Chelsea.
Third base: Blake Bales, Hewitt-Trussville.
Shortstop: Cale McIntosh, Hewitt-Trussville.
Outfield: Aiden Craven, Chelsea; Owen Edwards, Oak Mountain; Baylor Hardy, Hoover; Atticus Barton, Hoover; Cooper Dunn, John Carroll; Cam Graham, John Carroll; Will Clark, Briarwood; Koal Duckett, Hewitt-Trussville; Mack Breazeale, Chelsea; Noah Crosby, Mountain Brook; Carson Mann, Vestavia Hills.
Designated hitter: William Yoder, Oak Mountain; Colby Durden, Hewitt-Trussville; Ben Roberts, Homewood.
Utility: Garrett Barnes, John Carroll; Braxton Williams, John Carroll; Gabe Jones, Oak Mountain; Ben Heath, Oak Mountain; Paxton Stallings, Chelsea.
