Oxford, AL – Oxford’s Harrison State-finals MVP as well as Calhoun County player of year was named the top Gatorade baseball player from high school for Alabama
By Joe Medley
The postseason awards keep coming in for Oxford first baseman/pitcher Hayes Harrison, and he recently received the highest honor ever.
Harrison who was the most successful player at the state finals and also the Class 4A-6A all-Calhoun County athlete of the year was one of the Gatorade Player of the Year for the entire state of Alabama The company behind sports drinks announced today.
Harrison is a finalist for Gatorade National Baseball Player of the year. He joins an alumni association of state award winners from 12 athletics. It includes Jackson Holliday (2021-22, Stillwater High School, Okla.), Bobby Witt Jr. (2018-19 Colleybille Heritage High School, Texas), Clayton Kershaw (2005-06, Highland Park High School, Texas) and Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo High School, Mich.).
Harrison is joined by the recent Gatorade Alabama baseball players of the year Drew Nelson (2021-22, Pike Liberal Arts) Maddux Bruns (2020-21 UMS-Wright), William Kohn (2019-20, Chilton County) and Gunnar Henderson (2018-19, Morgan Academy).
“It is an honor that I will never forget and I feel so grateful to have been awarded this prize,” Harrison said. “All the glory belongs towards God for the opportunities as well as opportunities that He’s provided me.”
Harrison assisted in helping Oxford to set a school record with 39 wins in 2023. In 2023, the Yellow Jackets finished 39-6, winning 18 of their final 18 games, which included the entire playoff series, in the process of securing their second state title in Class 6A in baseball.
On the field, Harrison went 13-0 with the 1.28 ERA. Harrison struck out 82 batters, while allowing 41 hits as well as 11 walks over 71 innings. In the plate He batted .382 with 38 RBIs, nine doubles and an .497 on-base percentage.
“First statistically you must achieve a high level of success which Hayes was able to do the stats to prove it,” Oxford coach Wes Brooks stated. “Second you must guide your team to win a championship and Hayes did just that.
“Third Third, there are many categories you must master to be great. Hayes is a perfect fit for all of the categories. He makes everyone around him great. He’s always early or stays late, chases his tail off in the off-season and is able to do everything that a coach demands of him. But this is the real important part. Hayes keeps everyone around him to the same standards and that’s an indication of being a good leader.”
The Gatorade Player of the Selection Committee consults with media, coaches, scouts and others to assist in evaluating and determining the winners of each state sport.
“Hayes Harrison is the most impressive player we’ve ever played,” Fort Payne coach Eric Varnadore said in the Gatorade news release. “He was dominant on the mound. He threw four strikes, and he changed pitches every pitch.
“He was calm, pitched with greater confidence and his teammates performed better with him because of it.”
Harrison, a Northwest Shoals Community College signee, Harrison was seen as the top of the line of a group that included Auburn Signee Sam Robertson, Alabama commit Carter Johnson, Troy signee Peyton Watts, Jacksonville State signee Drew McCormick and East Mississippi Community College signee Jackson Crow.
“His teammates were also pretty good and they allowed him to get this chance,” Brooks said. “I absolutely love Hayes as well as everything else about his character. He is a player with an edge on his shoulders. He reaches his potential every day. This is the reason his ceiling keeps rising for his performance as an athlete.
“It’s contagious, too. He’s sharing his enthusiasm with our younger players. His legacy that he left with us will assist us to win in Oxford Baseball for many years to be.”
