Four Alabama prep standouts named to baseball All-America team

Birmingham, AL – Four Alabama high school baseball standouts have been named to the CBS Sports / MaxPreps All-America Team.  

Cullman Bearcats pitcher Jacob Heatherly, Decatur Red Raiders pitcher Tanner Burns and McGill-Toolen Catholic outfilder Bubba Thompson were named to the first team.  Helena Huskies catcher Sam Praytor received second team honors. 

Jacob Heatherly was selected 77th overall by the Cincinnati Reds after leading Cullman to the AHSAA 6A finals for the second straight season.  He capped his senior season with a 10-1 record on the mound with a 1.11 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings.  He received a $1.047 million signing bonus following his third round selection by Reds.  

Decatur’s Tanner Burns performance on the mound and at the plate garnered the the Red Raiders standout honors including Alabama’a Mr. Baseball, Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year and ASWA All-Super State Player of the Year Awards in 2017.  He lead the Red Raiders to 10-1 record with an 0.88 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 64 innings.  At the plate he averaged .467 while driving in 46 runs and 16 homers.  Burns passed on a number 1,112 MLB draft selection by the New York Yankees in favor of playing for Butch Thompson’s Auburn Tigers in 2018. 

Bubba Thompson, Alabama’s 7A Player of the Year, was selected as the 26th overall pick in the MLB draft by the Texas Rangers.  Thompson finished 2017 as the runner-up for Alabama’s Mr. Baseball award after hitting .429 including 35 RBI’s, 52 runs scored, 11 homers and 11 stolen bases for McGill-Tolen Catholic.  

After leading the Helena Huskies to their first 6A baseball title, senior Sam Praytor was one of three catchers to be named to the All-America Second Team.  The Alabama commit was named class 6A Hitter of the Year after batting .458 while hitting nine homers, 15 doubles and driving in 40 runs.  

Check out the complete MaxPreps 2017 high school baseball All-American teams.