Alabama Baseball Roster Preview: Pitching Staff
TUSCALOOSA, Ala - As Alabama's opening-day matchup against the Bradley Braves rapidly approaches, we at Tide 100.9 plan to break down the Crimson Tide roster.
First, we feature the Tide pitching staff, which is loaded with talent yet faces many questions heading into the 2025 campaign.
RHP Riley Quick - Jr., No. 4
2024 stats: 3.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 5 SO, 1 BB
Poised for a breakout sophomore season a year ago, Quick was expected by many to blossom into a frontline starter for Rob Vaughn and Jason Jackson.
Quick opened the season as the Crimson Tide's Saturday starter, pitching three hitless innings against Manhattan College in a 15-0 victory. Three days after Quick's start, it was announced that he underwent Tommy John surgery, sidelining the Hewitt-Trussville alum for the remainder of the season.
Quick has a flamethrower instead of an right arm, featuring a fastball that touches triple-digits along with a great slider.
Quick may earn the ball on opening day for the Crimson Tide and pitch two or three innings as he ramps up to full speed.
LHP Beau Bryans - Jr., No. 6
2024 Stats (Jones College): 70.2 IP, 3.44 ERA, 110 SO, 52 BB, 7-1 W-L
Bryans spent two years at Jones College in Mississippi, where he saw action on the mound and in the batter's box for the Bobcats.
Bryans will give the Tide pitching staff a steady southpaw that can pack some heat with a fastball that can hit up to 94.
LHP Matthew Heiberger - Soph., No. 7
2024 Stats: 22.1 IP, 5.24 ERA, 22 SO, 7 BB, 1 Save
Heiberger showed flashes out of the pen last year despite struggling with injuries.
With a high strikeout percentage and a fastball that reportedly ran up to 94 over the summer, the former Oak Mountain Eagle could be a dangerous arm for Vaughn and Jason Jackson down the stretch.
RHP Tyler Fay - RS-Soph., No. 8
2024 Stats: 34 IP, 7.94 ERA, 32 SO, 16 BB
Led the Crimson Tide in appearances with 23 last season, including 14 in SEC play.
Fay enjoyed a solid year in Tuscaloosa last season despite a high ERA. However, the righty features a mid-90s fastball and electric stuff that can be difficult to hit.
If Fay can settle down and stay consistent, he can be one of the best arms out of the Crimson Tide pen or become a staple in the Crimson Tide rotation.
RHP Coulson Buchanan - Sr., No. 11
2024 Stats: 29.1 IP, 7.36 ERA, 20 SO, 13 BB
Buchanan spent two years at Wofford before transferring to Alabama a season ago, providing the Tide with a solid arm out of the bullpen despite holding a high ERA.
The senior is poised to fulfill a similar role as last season, looking to provide shutdown relief innings for the Tide pitching staff.
RHP JT Blackwood - Jr., No. 12
2024 Stats:
Blackwood transferred into the program from in-state Wallace State Community College, where Blackwood made 14 appearances and 12 starts.
The Hartselle alum recorded a 2.49 ERA for the Lions last season, striking out 74 batters while only walking 19.
RHP Carson Ozmer - Grad., No. 14
2024 Stats (UPenn):
A grad transfer from the University of Pennsylvania, Ozmer primarily made appearances out of the bullpen for the Quakers during his four years in Philadelphia.
In 51 outings for UPenn, including two starts, Ozmer recorded a 2.98 ERA over 87.2 innings with 92 Ks and 10 saves.
Ozmer offers a unique advantage to the Crimson Tide bullpen, throwing from the sub-slot, which poses a challenge to opposing hitters.
"I like one of our transfers from Penn, Carson Ozmer, got a real chance to help on the backend. He closed out game one at Florida State, so that's been a huge arm for us" said Alabama head coach about Ozmer in late October.
Ozmer was ranked as the No. 41 overall impact transfer by D1Baseball.
RHP Jonathan Stevens - Soph., No. 16
Stevens, a local talent from Briarwood, Ala., did not see any in-game action during his frist season with the Crimson Tide last year.
Stevens ranked as the third-ranked RHP and No. 12 overall recruit in Alabama in the 2023 recruiting cycle
RHP Aeden Finateri - Sr., No. 19
2024 Stats (Georgia Tech): 75.0 IP, 6.24 ERA, 80 SO, 22 BB
Finateri, a transfer from Georgia Tech, made sixteen starts for the Yellowjackets last season, totaling 23 starts throughout his time in Atlanta.
Finateri was ranked as the No. 47 impact transfer by D1Baseaball before the season.
LHP Zane Adams - Soph., No. 20
2024 Stats: 58.2 IP, 5.37 ERA, 47 SO, 27 BB
Beginning the year in the bullpen and starting on midweeks, Adams was thrust into the weekend rotation following injuries from Riley Quick and Hagan Banks.
Adams had his fair share of freshman struggles last season; however, he blossomed into one of the Crimson Tide's best pitchers and earned a spot on the SEC all-freshman team.
Adams' best performance of the season came on his start against the then-No. 1 Arkansas Razorbacks in Tuscaloosa. With the series on the line, Adams threw eight shutout innings, only allowing four hits and a walk while striking out five to help lead the Tide to a crucial series win.
"I think the big story of the fall from the pitching side is the emergence of Zane Adam. Going from kinda the young arm that competed his tail off, and his stuff was solid last year," said Rob Vaughn in October, "but it was more just the slow heart rate and pitch ability [...] You've seen an uptick in velocity. He probably sat 88-90 last year, [...] he's comfortably been sitting 92-94 this fall, the changeup is just an elite pitch, curveball just continues to get better, he's added a cutter that was really good on us all fall and was really good against Florida State this weekend. The emergence of Zane from your young, freshman, Sunday guy into a bonafide ace has been huge."
Read More: Photos: Alabama Baseball Begins Spring Practice
RHP Braylon Myers - Sr., No. 22
2024 Stats: 39.0 IP, 2.31 ERA, 32 SO, 10 BB
One of the best arms out of the Alabama bullpen last season, Myers is poised for another standout year in crimson and white.
The Ala., native posted a 2.31 ERA over 23 appearances last season, ranking third out of the 'pen for the Crimson Tide.
Myers also earned three saves during the 2024 campaign.
RHP Aidan Moza - Sr., No. 23
2024 Stats: 31.1 IP, 9.77 ERA, 40 SO, 19 BB
One of the most intriguing arms for the Crimson Tide the past couple of seasons, Moza has experienced his fair share of ups and downs in Tuscaloosa since transferring in from UAB following his freshman season in 2022.
Moza recorded a 3.09 ERA over 23.1 IP during his first season with Alabama in 2023; however, that number jumped up to 9.77 during the 2024 season.
Despite the shockingly inflated ERA in '24, Moza did flash potential to be a stud closer for the Crimson Tide last season, shutting the door in game three against Tennesse to hand the Vols their lone series loss of their championship season.
Moza has the potential and stuff to be an elite arm for the Crimson Tide in the weekend rotation or as a premier arm out of the bullpen. However, consistently harnessing that ability is what Moza needs to reach his full potential.
LHP Tate Robertson - Sr., No. 23
2024 Stats: N/A
A local product from Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa, Robertson transferred into the program in 2024 after a two-year stint with Shelton State. Robertson helped lead the Bucs to a NJCAA World Series appearance in 2023.
Robertson did not see any action in his first year with the Crimson Tide.
RHP Danny Heintz - RS-Sr., No. 29
2024 Stats (UPenn): 10.1 IP, 7.84 ERA, 11 SO, 6 BB
Another incoming transfer from UPenn, Heintz joins the Crimson Tide along with Carson Ozmer from the Quakers.
Eight of Heintz's nine earned runs allowed came in two of his ten appearances last season with UPenn.
RHP Anthony Pesci - Fresh., No. 30
2024 Stats: N/A
Pesci, a product of Orchard Lake Saint Mary's in Commerce Township, Mich., helped lead the Eagles to back-to-back State titles in 2021 and 2022.
Pesci was the No. 26 overall recruit in Michigan and top-500 nationally in the 2024 recruiting cycle.
RHP Ariston Veasey - Soph., No. 33
2024 Stats: 0.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 SO, 2 BB
Veasey made one appearance for the Crimson Tide last season, walking two batters in a midweek matchup against Samford on April 23.
Veasey is a do-it-all player for Alabama, with the ability to pitch, catch, and play in the field.
RHP Hagan Banks - RS-Jr., No. 36
2024 Stats: 7.0 IP, 5.14 ERA, 9 SO, 3 BB
A career sub-four ERA arm prior to last season, Banks has been consistently one of the most reliable pitchers on the Crimson Tide staff during his time in Tuscaloosa.
Banks primarily served as a starter for the Crimson Tide last season before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery following his March 24 start against Georgia.
Vaughn commented on Banks' health in October, stating, "Had a procedure done right after the Georgia weekend and just threw a pen out here today, and looks great. Just another veteran arm."
RHP Zach Kitrell - Jr., No. 38
2024 Stats: N/A
Kitrell transferred into the program from Pensacola State College this past off-season. He made 18 appearances and posted a 5.94 ERA for the Pirates.
Kitrell missed the 2024 campaign after undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery.
RHP Sam Mitchell - Soph., No. 39
2024 Stats: 7.2 IP, 5.87 ERA, 3 SO, 5 BB
Mitchell made five appearances for the Crimson Tide last season in relief, debuting against Valparaiso on February 23
Mitchell was the No. 2 RHP out of Bob Jones High School in the 2023 recruiting cycle.
LHP Connor Ball - RS-Jr., No. 41
2024 Stats: N/A
While Ball didn't see any action on the mound last season, the Ala. native saw 15.1 innings of game time in 2022 and 2023, recording a 5.28 ERA.
RHP Jack Ketchum - Fr., No. 43
2024 Stats: N/A
The top-RHP and No. 4 overall pitcher in Mississippi according to PG USA in the 2024 recruiting cycle.
Ketchum's brother, Cole, pitches at Ole Miss.
RHP Packy Bradley-Cooney, - Sr., No. 44
2024 Stats (Campbell): 39.0 IP, 6.00 ERA, 53 SO, 28 BB
Spent one season at Campbell before transferring to Alabama. Bradley-Cooney made 25 appearances for the Fighting Camels in 2024, leading the team in saves with six and holding his opponents to a .193 batting average.
RHP Jackson Hunter- Fr., No. 45
2024 Stats: N/A
A freshman from Hazel Green High School in Alabama, Hunter was a top-ten recruit in the state and top 500 nationally.
Hunter's former high school coach, Matt Bentley, played first base for Alabama in the mid-2000's.
LHP Carson Kuehne - Fr., No. 46
2024 Stats: N/A
Kuehne attended IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., ranking as the No. 22 southpaw in the state of California, where he is originally from.
RHP Bobby Alcock - RS-Sr., No, 48
2024 Stats: N/A
Did not see any action after transferring into the program prior to the 2024 season from Gardner-Webb.
RHP Nash Wagner - Fr., No. 49
2024 Stats: N/A
Wagner, the fifth-ranked recruit in the state of Indiana, joins the program as a member of the 2024 recruiting cycle.
LHP Connor Lehman - Fr., No. 50
2024 Stats: N/A
Lehman, an Indian Mound, Tenn., native, ranked as one of the top southpaws in The Volunteer State.
RHP Ashton Alston - Fr., No. 52
2024 Stats: N/A
A consensus top-270 recruit nationally, Alston was one of the best recruits in the state of Tennessee this past cycle.
During his sophomore season, Alston was invited to the MLB States Play event in Scottsdale, Ariz., during the fall of his sophomore season to represent Tennessee.
RHP Egan Lowery - Soph., No. 67
2024 Stats: N/A
Did not see any game action last season.
Attended McAdory High School in McCalla, Ala.
RHP Austin Morris - RS-So., No. 99
2024 Stats:
Became a key component of the Crimson Tide bullpen as the season grew on.
Ended his first season of action with a 2-0 record and a 4.74 ERA, making 14 appearances total.
The Crimson Tide begin their season on February 14 against the Bradley Braves. Simon Besnoy and Micah Nichols will provide coverage for you all weekend.
Follow along with Simon Besnoy and the rest of our staff all season long for in-depth coverage and insight on Alabama Baseball!
For more Alabama Baseball, Basketball, and Football content from Simon Besnoy, follow him on Twitter at @SimonBesnoy and stay tuned to Tide1009.com for daily news.
Alabama Baseball Opens Spring Practice
Gallery Credit: Simon Besnoy
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