Alabama Baseball's Hunter Hoopes Out Indefinitely, Connor Prielipp Opts Out of 2022

Hoopes will be out indefinitely for undisclosed reasons, while Prielipp has chosen to opt out for the remainder of the 2022 season.

Author:
Joey Blackwell
Publish date:
Apr 22, 2022 10:55 PM EDT

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama baseball will be out two pitchers for what is likely to be the remainder of the 2022 season.

On Friday evening following the Crimson Tide's 4-2 loss to the No. 14 Georgia Bulldogs, head coach Brad Bohannon announced that senior reliever Hunter Hoopes will be out indefinitely due to undisclosed reasons, and that junior starter Connor Prielipp — who was likely to not participate this season due to undergoing Tommy John surgery last season — has opted out for the rest of the season.

"Hunter Hoopes is going to be out indefinitely," Bohannon said. "And Connor Prielipp has decided to opt out or that he's not going to pitch for Alabama this year."

When asked for follow-up details, Bohannon chose to remain quiet on the matter.

"I just don't really want to elaborate on it right now," Bohannon said. "[...] I think it's probably best if I don't speak for Connor."

In 2020 for his freshman season, Prielipp made four starts before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In those four starts, Prielipp pitched a total of 21 innings, giving up no runs off of just five hits. He walked six batters and struck out 25 and finished the prematurely-ended season with an ERA of 0.00.

Prielipp was up to 96 miles per hour with his fastball and was dominating the fall season that same year. However, once spring arrived, Prielipp started on opening day vanished from the mound soon after, not starting again until almost two months later against Auburn. Even then, Prielipp was only able to pitch one inning before having to leave the game.

In total, Prielipp had three starts in the 2021 season, but two of those starts following opening day consisted of just one inning on the mound.

Hoopes was one of the more reliable arms out of the bullpen for the Crimson Tide in the 2022 season. Appearing in 15 games for a total of 20 innings pitched, Hoopes gave up five runs off of 14 hits with an ERA of 2.25. He also walked nine batters and struck out 23.

On the season, Hoopes was 0-1 with one save.