After missing the first six weeks of his senior season because of a fractured back, Haynes worked his way back and led the Panthers to the Class 6A state playoffs.
On July 2 all the hard worked paid off for Haynes as he signed a letter of intent to play baseball for Lawson State Community College.
“I’m fortunate,” Haynes said. “I am excited about going down there and playing. I have a chance to play on the next level.”
Haynes had an impressive tryout with the Cougars, which caught the eye of Lawson State’s interim baseball coach Blake Lewis.
“I went to a tryout down there,” Haynes said. “The coach called me later that afternoon and told me what he thought about me. A few days later he offered me (a scholarship).”
Coming into the season Haynes wasn’t sure if he would be able to play in his final year at Pell City. He believes that hard work and his faith in God made this opportunity possible for him.
“It bothered me a lot,” Haynes said. “I really wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to play baseball at all this season. I recovered pretty well and I had God on my side. …I started playing a little bit, began working out, and I got a chance to go workout. That’s how it all came.”
Haynes’ presence on the field was huge for the Panthers this season. After struggling the first part of the season, the Panthers went on a winning streak, which included victories over rivals Oxford and Gadsden City.
“I was a big part of the team,” Haynes said.
“I was the leader offensively and defensively. They just needed someone to take charge and it wasn’t happening.
“Once I came back, everything just began to turn around. We had some good players that began playing really well along the time that I came back.
“We came together as a team and began winning.”
Contact LaVonte Young at lyoung@dailyhome.com
