Tuscaloosa Native Hines 'Going To Be A Superstar' For Crimson Tide

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama baseball's No. 8-ranked freshman class brings much to be excited about. With four of Perfect Game's top-100 freshmen in the nation, the underclassmen will play a massive role in the Crimson Tide's season as the team looks to break through and advance to a Super Regional for the first time in the Rob Vaughn era.

The player who arguably brings the most hype along with him is Eric Hines, a Tuscaloosa native who hit 20 home runs to lead local American Christian Academy to an AHSAA state title last spring. The 6'3, 210-pound outfielder has already caught the entire program's attention just months into his time with the team.

"He can just do things that mere mortals can’t do," Vaughn said. "Some of the raw power, strength, and physicality, it just jumps out. Like when that guy walks off the bus, it's like, 'Who's that?' When that guy's hitting BP, it's like, 'Who's that?'"

Hines committed to Alabama in May 2024, but many expected him to forgo school and sign with an MLB organization. Analysts projected the 2025 Prep Baseball and Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year to go potentially as high as the second or third round of July's MLB Draft, but Hines ultimately made his intentions to play for the Crimson Tide clear and was not selected. Vaughn described Hines as "the best kid ever," praising his work ethic.

"He's such a good kid, but he's a competitor," Vaughn said. "Don't mistake the smiley kid for just an aw-shucks, he's happy to be here kid. He's on a mission to be a guy. He's working his tail off, and the things Eric needs to improve at are stuff that we can coach. You can't teach some of the stuff Eric Hines can do."

Hines showed off his potential back in the fall, hitting a solo blast to left field with a 111-mile-per-hour exit velocity in his lone plate appearance of an October scrimmage against Clemson. Vaughn does not yet know what kind of role he will play on this year's team. The freshman could break out early and emerge as the team’s full-time designated hitter, or he could experience typical growing pains and prove too inexperienced for a key role on this year's team. Regardless of where he ends up this season, Vaughn is confident that Hines can and will be a massive part of the program for the foreseeable future.

"Eric is going to be a superstar here," Vaughn said. "It’s up to him and his development on if that’s in a month, 3 months, 6 months, or a year. But this guy is going to be a high draft pick coming out of here in a couple of years."