T.R. Miller Tiger baseball player Kevin Davis is used to winning awards. This past awards banquet, Davis was named most valuable pitcher and most valuable offensive player for the Tigers’ 2012 season. Last season he was named class 3A’s pitcher of the year by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.
On Sunday, things got a little bigger for Davis as he repeated as class 3A’s pitcher of the year and was named to the All-State baseball team. But there is more as Davis was named the player of the year for class 3A.
Davis helped lead the Tigers to a 18-9 season this year before falling to Opp in the first round of the state playoffs.
During his junior season for the Tigers, Davis—a 6-1, 190 pound right-handed fireballer— played in 27 games and had 27 hits in 74 at bats and scored 26 runs. He had 16 RBIs with six doubles and two homeruns and six stolen bases. He walked 17 times and had an average of .365.
But his stats on the pitchers mound are the most eye-catching as he pitched in 10 games and had a 7-2 record with one save. He pitched 60 innings and allowed 21 hits, 10 runs, six earned runs, walked 13, struck out 139 and pitched three shutouts and one no hitter and had an ERA of .70.
“It is a great honor to be named player of the year,” Davis, who is the first T.R. Miller player to receive such an honor as pitcher and player of the year, said. “It is a big thing and it reflects the kind of season we had. We just have to get better as a team, but it is a great accomplishment. It is just a lot of hard work paying off. There have been a lot of good players come out of T.R. Miller, so to be the first, it is a great honor. It is really awesome.”
Davis is currently playing summer baseball on a travel ball team called the East Cobb Braves in Atlanta. Davis said there are players from all over on the team including two from Puerto Rico.
“We have kids from Delaware, Ohio, California, Miami, Georgia, Mississippi and Florida,” he said. “It is pretty neat. I have made two starts with them so far as we just started the season a few weeks ago. My first start, I threw a one-hitter and my second start, I threw a no-hitter. I hit 96 MPH six times out in my first start.”
With one year still left to played in high school, schools are already chomping at the bit to get Davis to sign with them in college.
“I am just trying to narrow it down now,” Davis said. “I am at Auburn, Florida, Florida State, South Carolina, and LSU. I am just trying to figure out which one between those I like the most.”
But while there are college offers on the plate, Davis said there is chance of going in the next major league draft. The 2012 draft was just completed and Davis said there were many players taken in the draft he has played with or against.
“I followed the draft real closely,” he said. “Six out of the top 26 picks in the first round, I played with them last summer in Florida. That was pretty neat watching the draft and knowing that I played with or against half of the high school kids that were taken in the first round. That was pretty neat. It was a neat experience seeing all those guys that I played with or against then turn around and watch them get drafted. It was pretty cool.”
Davis said if his name is called next year, it could affect his decision on what to do after high school.
“It just matters where you go,” he said. “How high you go…you never know what can happen. You just have to wait for your name to be called.”
Davis, who has other opportunities he may try and pursue later, has also been selected as one of a total of 130 outstanding junior student-athletes from across the state to have been named to the softball, baseball and basketball North-South squads for the 16th annual Alabama All-Star Sports Week competition scheduled for July 9-13, according to an announcement by Alvin Briggs, Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association (AHSADCA).
T.R. Miller Tiger head coach Jim Hart was excited to hear about Davis’ honors.
“In his three years with us at T.R. Miller, he is 18-6-1 and has pitched 167 innings and has given up 43 runs,” Hart said. “He has given up 66 hits and has struck out 373 with a .96 ERA. That is just unbelievable. Offensively, he was our MVP and our pitching MVP. He has a great knowledge of the game whether it is pitching or at the plate whatever he is doing whether he is playing second base when we move him around or in the outfield.”
Hart said Davis’ knowledge of baseball is just so great.
“He knows the game,” Hart said. “He does such a good job wherever you put him. As a total baseball player, maybe you get one like this in your entire career and you are very fortunate. He has been a great asset to us either on the mound or at the plate, wherever he is on defense when he is not pitching.”
Hart said this is a great honor for Davis and really a bigger honor in the fact that he is just a junior.
“Everything out there is ahead of him,” Hart said. “If he stays healthy, the sky is the limit. It is a big honor when you are the 3A pitcher, but to be the pitcher and the player of the year, I certainly am extremely proud of him. It speaks a lot of how he has been brought up. I think that is how some people don’t realize how much his mom and dad have put in to get him to this position. They have taught him the right way to do things. Fundamently, if he is swinging a bat or throwing or fielding, he has been taught the right way. He came to us with that knowledge. That shows how much his parents have done for him. I think he understands that and he should and he should appreciate what they have done for him.”
Other area players making the team for baseball were W.S. Neal’s Damion Williams and Brian Settle.
Williams made the team as a second baseman while Settle was honorable mention as a pitcher.
Williams and Settle helped lead the Eagles to a 23-12 season before losing to two-time state champion UMS-Wright.
Williams played in 32 games and had a .365 average with 31 hits in 85 at bats and scored 39 runs. He had nine doubles and one homerun and 20 RBIs. Williams walked 33 times and had 27 stolen bases in 30 attempts.
Settle went 7-4 on the mound and pitched 61 innings and had a .91 ERA. He struck out 82 batters and walked 29 and had three shutouts and seven complete games.
Both Settle and Williams are juniors.
Eagle head coach Coy Campbell said both players are well-deserving of the honor.
“Damion is a great kid,” Campbell said. “He works really hard at what he does. He plays a lot of positions for us and I still don’t know what position is his position. He works hard and tries to get better and I enjoy having him on the team. It could not happen to a better person. He is probably one of my most consistent guys all year. If he keeps working hard, he has a chance to go on to the next level next year.”
As for Settle, Campbell said Settle battled injuries during the year, but put up good numbers.
“His record was 8-5 for us,” Campbell said. “His record was not great as for wins and losses but as a competitor, it is unmatched. Every time he went out, he gave us all he had. He is deserving too and being on the left side, he has a lot of opportunities to go to the next level also.”
Here is the class 4A and 3A ASWA All-State baseball team:
Class 4A
P – Josh Rogers, Beauregard, Sr.
P – Clayton Daniel, Guntersville, So.
P – Cody Reed, Ardmore, So.
P – Clint Walker, Beauregard, Sr.
C – Zack Turvin, Straughn, Sr.
1B – Carson McGregory, Deshler, So.
2B – Damion Williams, W.S. Neal, Jr.
SS – Jalen Goree, Bibb County, Sr.
3B – Evan Holland, Guntersville, Jr.
OF – Drew Cowan, Priceville, Sr.
OF – Peyton Williams, Beauregard, Jr.
OF – Justin Byrd, Headland, Jr.
UTL – Justin Cantrell, Deshler, Jr.
UTL – Chase Bryant, Oneonta, Sr.
DH – Dustyn Moseley, Jackson, Sr.
DH – Dalton Pritchett, Beauregard, Sr.
Pitcher of the Year, Clayton Daniel, Guntersville
Hitter of the Year, Evan Holland, Guntersville
Player of the Year, Jalen Goree, Bibb County
Coach of the Year, Kenny Chaffin, Guntersville

Honorable Mention
Pitcher: Graham Norwood, St. James, Sr.; Jordan Cooley, Bibb County, Sr.; Blake O’Bryant, Oneonta, So.; Austin Dickie, Oneonta, Sr.; Brian Settle, W.S. Neal, Jr.; Jonah Todd, Oak Grove, So.
Catcher: Caleb Lindsey, Ardmore, Sr.; Zane Rivers, Beauregard, Sr.
First base: Alex Lee , Cleburne County , Sr.
Second base: Logan Laxon, West Limestone, Jr.; Skyler Kirchner, Deshler, Sr.
Shortstop: Keith Elliott, Oak Grove, Sr.
Third base: Thomas Milstead, Deshler, So.
Outfield: T.J. Dixon, UMS-Wright, Jr.; Murphy Harrison, Central-Florence, Jr.; Drake Tucker, Brooks, Jr.; Zach Walls, Beauregard, Jr.
Utility: Hunter Rainey, Headland, Jr.; Chandler Taylor, Alabama Christian, Fr.; Tevin Watters, Thomasville, Jr.
Designated hitter: Ryan Madewell, Priceville, Jr.

Class 3A
P – Kevin Davis, T.R. Miller, Jr.
P – Izaac Yarbrough, Vinemont, Sr.
P – Allen Wood, Trinity, Jr.
P – Joel Ray, Piedmont, Sr.
C – Trey Mathis, West Morgan, Jr.
1B – Seth Edwards, Lauderdale County, Sr.
2B – Taylor Burr, Montevallo, Sr.
SS – Jacob Newton, Lauderdale County, Sr.
3B – Trey Gibson, Plainview, Sr.
OF – Chris Adams, Madison Academy, Sr.
OF – Eric Yarbrough, Sheffield, Jr.
OF – Cole Porter, Plainview, Jr.
UTL – Chase Hamrick, Montevallo, So.
UTL – Matthew Hand, Marbury, Sr.
DH – Ian Rice, Madison Academy, Sr.
DH – Jon Hicks, Plainview, Sr.
Pitcher of the Year, Kevin Davis, T.R. Miller
Hitter of the Year, Trey Mathis, West Morgan
Player of the Year, Kevin Davis, T.R. Miller
Coach of the Year, Ken Whittle, Trinity

Honorable Mention
Pitcher: Scott Stough, Geneva, Fr.; Colton Campbell, Plainview, Jr.; Stephen Himic, Indian Springs, Jr.
Catcher: Landon Pruitt, Piedmont, Sr.
First base: T.J. Register, Opp, Sr.
Second base: Kainen Sullivan, Gordo, Sr.
Shortstop: Zach King, Sylvania, Jr.; Cade Bradley, Piedmont, Jr.; Trey Short, Opp, Sr.
Third base: Zach Cunningham , White Plains , Jr. ; Hunter Chambliss, Trinity, Sr.
Outfield: Trevor Ford, Piedmont, Sr. ; Adam Lamar, Lauderdale County, Sr.; Mason Silavent, Slocomb, Sr.; Jared Nixon, Marbury, Fr.; Brandon Pugh, Clarke County, Sr.
Utility: Cody Santora, Slocomb, Jr.
Designated hitter: Dylan Shelton, Leeds, Sr.