Bucs Baseball Season Preview: Tough Schedule Equals Championship Pedigree

Shelton State Community College head baseball coach Bobby Sprowl has a formula for success.

That formula is simple.

Play a difficult preseason schedule to put your team through different situations to prepare for success later in the season.

The results on the field proves the formula works.

Shelton State is ranked in all six preseason polls, including No. 5 by the NJCAA and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).

If you start looking at the rankings, then you forget how to build a team," head baseball coach Bobby Sprowl. "We've always done it this way and I don't see it changing, yeah when the game starts we want to win, but we are trying to get the guys ready to compete and highest level in March and April." 

Shelton State's non-conference scheduled is littered with Top 25 teams, including East Central Community College, Northwest Florida State, Bishop State, San Jacinto, Pensacola, Gulf Coast State, and Jones College.

"We may take a loss here or there," Sprowl said. "If you play a good team, it's not whether you win or lose, but how you react to certain situations. When we are done playing the preseason we will know what kind of team we have just the way we react to certain situations."

The reaction has been solid, especially lately. 

Shelton State has won four of the last five ACCC Championships, including three straight for the second time in school history.

The Bucs have also played in the NJCAA World Series four times in the last five years, including each of the last three seasons.

Since 2021, Shelton State has more wins than any other baseball program in Alabama. 

"I think what we talk about more than anything, is you have to be able to do different kinds of things at the end of the season," Sprowl said. 

"That's our goal from everything we do, we are trying to win a (conference) tournament and you have to be able to play the small game, out-hit somebody, get in there and fight if you are facing a good pitcher. You've got to have pitchers that can match up with other teams and that's what we are trying to find out about this group."

Like all junior college teams, Shelton State must replace a core of good players gone from last year's 48-win team.

The Bucs must replace two-way standout Mason Steele, gold glove centerfielder Pierce Dutton, two-time ACCC Pitcher of the Year and the program's all-time saves leader John Michael Pickens, plus everyday standouts Brady Waugh, Trenton Shirley, Paxton Ponder, and reliever Jeremy O'Quinn.

"We lost some key pieces and won't be able to replace them, but we should be fine," Sprowl added.

The 2026 Bucs returns a solid group of sophomores, who played a key role in last year's World Series run. 

The position players include outfielder Jackson Henderson, infielder James Graphos, infielder Slade Sullivan, infielder Landon Ingram, outfielder/pitcher John Robicheaux, infielder/pitcher Peyton Zupancic, catcher Grant Browning, and redshirt freshman infielder Brooks Tunnell. 

"We've got a good core of guys coming back that are good players for us," Sprowl said. "We have a core of guys coming back that have done it, so it's just a matter of getting the right mixture."

The Bucs return five sophomore arms who have experience in ACCC games. Four of the five started at least one conference game last season

The Bucs bring back Gunner Dodd, Eli Driskell, Kenneth Diddell, Will Harrison, and Jack Sanderson. 

I think our pitching is going to be strong," Sprowl said. "I don't know if we will have the depth like last year. I think we will be fine. It's just a matter of getting them in some situations so we can trust them.

"There are three guys I think can start, and probably three others that could, but that's where the value of the backend of the bullpen will come into play."

Redshirt sophomores Carson Tice and Colin Reagan also return for the Bucs.

Sophomore Landon Shumate had off-season surgery and will miss the 2026 season. 

Shelton State will have 21 newcomers on this year's squad, including 12 position players, eight pitchers and a three two-way players.

The position players include Colby Sommer, Cody Kropp, Ellis Hamiter, Wyatt Howell, Carson Mann, Mac Graham, Drew Ollis, Glavine Lamberth, Cray Fite, Owen Anchors, Micah Taguiam, and Aiden Carrizales. 

Hamiter played in the AHSAA state playoffs in football, basketball and baseball at Tuscaloosa. The Knights reached the championship game in football and basketball.

Anchors, a mid-year transfer from Clemson, was a top rated outfielder in Georgia.

Taguiam led St. John Bosco to the California High School state championship and a No. 3 national ranking.

"Offensively, we have really good freshman that are learning how to hit pitching," Sprowl said. "I don't think there is problem winning (batting practice), if we had a game, I think we'd win BP most of the time, its just a matter of getting them to understand they have to do the little things to help us too."

The two-way standouts are Griffin Rardin, Jarret Scott and Tyler Hermesch.

Rardin was the Kentucky High School Player of the Year. He will be the every day shortstop and potential closer. 

"Rardin is so valuable to us defensively," Sprowl said. "He's an elite shortstop that's ahead of the game. He can really throw. He reacts. He is an old-fashioned baseball player he really knows how to play and doesn't like losing."

Hermesch was the AHSAA Class 7A Pitcher of the Year, while Scott was a Top 10 outfielder in the state. 

"Hermesch and Scott will both factor in to our pitching plans as well as our lineup as hitters," Sprowl added.

The Bucs have added Corbin Hamric, Hunter Jackson, Connor Jones, Mitt Landers, Brody Black, Braden McCrary, Sam Vaughn and Walker Craig.

Hamric was rated as the No. 3 left-handed pitcher from Alabama. Hunter was rated as fourth-best right-hander in the state and transferred from the University of Alabama.

And what about the expectations?

"The same thing I always expect every year, just find out what these new guys can do and let them get comfortable before you make a rash decision on them," Sprowl said.

"I am expecting a pretty good ball club by the end of the year."

And that might mean a fourth straight trip to Grand Junction.