Shawn Bowles
Hewitt-Trussville Blake Bales (7)
Hewitt-Trussville Blake Bales (7) in a game against Oak Mountain at Phil English Field in April 2025.
The margins are slim in Class 7A baseball, and Hewitt-Trussville High School enters the 2026 season knowing just how quickly things can change.
The Huskies had a phenomenal season in 2025, winning 33 games and losing only two games in the regular season before falling to Bob Jones in the second round of the playoffs.
They lost a large senior class from last year’s team, including a first-round draft pick in Steele Hall and several others who moved on to play college baseball. What remains is what head coach Jeff Mauldin called “a brand-new looking group.”
“The expectations here haven’t changed,” Mauldin said.
Senior first baseman Cale McIntosh is one of three returning starters. He hit for over a .300 average last season, spending most of the year in the middle of the lineup, and has signed with Coastal Alabama Community College.
Senior third baseman Blake Bales also hit just over .300 a year ago and was one of the team’s main relievers, finishing with a couple saves. Senior Koal Duckett started in right field last season; this spring he will move to center and could also help the team on the mound.
On the pitching side, Hewitt-Trussville will look different in a unique way.
“Our top five pitchers are all main figures in our infield,” Mauldin said.
Shawn Bowles
Hewitt-Trussville RHP Rylan Clark (1)
Hewitt-Trussville RHP Rylan Clark (1).
Sophomore Hudson Mitchell and junior Jace Riggan — a Florida State commit who moved in over the summer — are expected to anchor the rotation. Riggan will handle shortstop and hit near the top of the lineup. Mitchell is the leading candidate at second base and will also see time at first when McIntosh is pitching. McIntosh, Bales and senior Rylan Clark round out the group of main arms, with junior Braylon Townes emerging as a bullpen option.
Behind the plate, the Huskies have a three-way battle. Junior Wes Hardy, sophomore Tripp Giangrosso and freshman Hunter Futrell are all competing for time. Mauldin said all three players have unique strengths that, if combined, would make an elite catcher.
With so many new faces stepping into larger roles, Mauldin’s message has been consistent.
“I want you to be the best version of you,” he said.
Hewitt-Trussville will once again navigate a loaded Class 7A, Area 6 that includes Hoover, Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain. If the Huskies are going to return to the postseason, growth and execution will have to come quickly.
Hewitt-Trussville will play many local teams before area play and will make a trip to South Walton, Florida, for a prestigious event in the middle of March. The following week, the Huskies will also travel to Tennessee for more stout competition.
“It’s going to come down to who can execute in those area games and who doesn’t make the mistake when it matters,” Mauldin said.
