Talent rules Lagniappe All-Area baseball teams 

Left: Gulf Shores’ Case Hager (via Twitter) | Right: Bayshore Christians’ John Malone (Mike Kittrell)  

The Lagniappe 2022 All-Area baseball teams — the Class 1A-5A and Class 6A-7A divisions — are blessed with a lot of talent, as is the case in this area year after year. Those earning a spot on this year’s teams have done so by producing outstanding, consistent performances this season. The list includes players who have already signed college grants-in-aid or are committed to signing. It includes not only All-State selections, but Players of the Year (yes, plural) for their respective classifications.

The teams include 14-player first-team selections as well as a list of honorable mentions. There are also superlatives added to the team — Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Hitter of the Year and Coach of the Year.

On the Class 6A-7A All-Area team, Baker senior infielder-pitcher Breyton Cornelius is the Player of the Year, with Gulf Shores’ senior Case Hager named the Pitcher of the Year. Saraland senior catcher-infielder Matthew Milner was selected the Hitter of the Year and his coach, Brett Boutwell, was named Coach of the Year.

On the Class 1A-5A team, which includes players from two state championship teams — Class 4A Mobile Christian and Class 1A Bayshore Christian — Mobile Christian senior infielder Zane Stokes was named the Player of the Year. Bayshore Christian junior John Malone earned the Pitcher of the Year honor, while Mobile Christian senior infielder-designated hitter Charlie Keller is the Hitter of the Year. Mobile Christian’s Talley Haines was named Coach of the Year.

Here’s a little closer look at the winners of the All-Area teams’ superlative awards, offering a glimpse as to how they were tabbed for their honors:

CLASS 6A-7A

Player of the Year: Breyton Cornelius, Baker, senior: Cornelius was a double threat for the Hornets. At the plate, he produced a .413 batting average, while scoring 21 runs and driving in another 35 runs. On the mound, he offered a 7-2 record and had a nifty 2.12 earned run average. Cornelius was a first-team Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) All-State pick.

Pitcher of the Year: Case Hager, Gulf Shores, senior: Hager led the Dolphins on the mound all season long, collecting a perfect 9-0 record. To go along with his no-losses record he constructed an ERA of 1.78. He struck out 63 batters over 47 innings of work. He was an ASWA first-team All-State selection.

Hitter of the Year: Matthew Milner, Saraland, senior: Milner did solid work for the Spartans behind the plate and in the infield, but when he got his turn in the batter’s box he was strong there as well. He turned in a .452 batting average that included 16 doubles and 39 RBI in 124 at-bats. He even chipped in 16 stolen bases. He, too, was an ASWA first-team All-State selection.

Coach of the Year: Brett Boutwell, Saraland: Boutwell directed the Spartans back to the postseason once again this year. In his eight seasons at the helm, he has led the program to consistently solid performances, with several players going on the play at the next level. The Spartans were 31-7 this past season.

CLASS 1A-5A

Player of the Year: Zane Stokes, Mobile Christian, senior: Stokes was a key member on the Leopards’ state championship team, lending his talents defensively in the infield and offensively as one of the area’s top hitters. He batted. .457 and popped 10 home runs while driving in 36 runs. He also had 14 doubles and 42 hits and scored 35 times. He not only was an ASWA All-State pick, but he was also the ASWA’s Class 4A Player of the Year, as he is on Lagniappe’s All-Area team.

Pitcher of the Year: John Malone, Bayshore Christian, junior: Last season Malone was a key member of the Eagles’ first state championship team and that role didn’t change this season as they repeated as 1A state champs. On the mound, he produced a 10-1-1 record with an impressive 1.92 ERA. He struck out 73 batters. He even helped at the plate where he batted .495 with 43 RBI. He was an ASWA first-team All-State pick and for the second straight year, he was named the ASWA’s 1A Player of the Year.

Hitter of the Year: Charlie Keller, Mobile Christian, senior: The Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College commit, who will likely be selected in the Major League Baseball draft, played first base for the Leopards in the early part of the season, but an injury limited him to designated hitter status the rest of the way. He was good at it. Named the Most Valuable Player in the Class 4A state championship series, Keller batted .398 on the year with 10 homers and 37 RBI. He too was an ASWA All-State pick and earned ASWA’s Class 4A Hitter of the Year award.

Coach of the Year: Talley Haines, Mobile Christian: Despite losing a number of key players from last year’s state championship team, Haines directed the Leopards to a second straight state title this season. He has led the program to five state championships during his tenure, and this year’s team produced a 33-4 record. He recently added the title of athletics director to his duties at the school.