ALABAMA BASEBALL BEGINS FALL PRACTICE AFTER CWS RUN

Alabama baseball had its first official fall practice today following its first run to the College World Series in 27 years. Here are some observations from the Crimson Tide’s first practice. 

“It was fast, but I'll take fast every year,” head coach Rob Vaughn said of the offseason. “I'll take that every single year. I mean, it felt like we just finished up and blinked, and we're getting these guys back on campus. And I'm sure it's the same for them. They get out, and some of these guys went straight to summer ball. Some of these guys trained, whatever it was, but it is quick.”

Let's start with the obvious: with Justin Lebron, Bryce Fowler, Brady Neal, Jason Torres, and Brennan Holt all moving on, this lineup will look completely different. Vaughn and company will turn to who he calls “young pups” to replace them. As sophomores, outfielder Chase Kroberger, infielder Caleb Barnett and infielder Will Rhine could be key contributors to what the team is looking to do in 2027. 

Plus, the Crimson Tide is bringing in a strong freshman class, as Perfect Game ranked its 2026 class No. 13 in the nation. That class is led by infielder Bubba Coleman, right-handed pitcher Hudson Devaughn, and, most notably, right-handed pitcher/infielder Chubb Jones, who was originally in the 2027 class but decided to reclassify and enroll early. 

“You got a couple of really good young pups in the draft that got through here that, frankly, maybe this time last year, I didn't know how many of them we were gonna get through the draft, and we got them all, which is huge,” Vaughn said. 

Although some key players departed, the Crimson Tide still has a strong crop of veterans returning, including first baseman Luke Vaughn, who could move back to catcher. Also returning are Tuscaloosa native outfielder Erice Hines, outfielder Peyton Steele, left-handed pitcher Matthew Heiberger, right-handed pitcher Myles Upchurch, and catcher Will Plattner, plus many more. 

It appears Plattner could be the first-ever two-time team captain, as he wore No. 3 during the Crimson Tide’s practice. The No. 3 embodies the program's three core pillars Vaughn likes to build his team around: toughness, ownership and grit. 

“I think it was very important, obviously, as a returning captain, to have that year under your belt,” Plattner said. “I feel very confident coming into this year, and I have some personal goals. But I want to show these guys that I'm not just their captain in the locker room, and off the field, they can rely on me on the field a little bit more.”

The Crimson Tide will also have outfielders Coleman Mizell, Sam Christiansen and Logen Devenport all returning from season-ending injuries they suffered last season. 

“For us as coaches, the beginning of the fall is putting this puzzle back together a little bit,” Vaughn said. “And I think we've got the right pieces in the room, and it's our job over the next six months to figure out how to get those guys in the spot that makes us as good as we can be.” 

Tomorrow morning, the Crimson Tide will return to the field for an interquad scrimmage, with first pitch slated for 9:15 a.m. CT at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.