MOBILE, Ala. — Hayden O’Dell, a Mobile native who pitched for St. Paul’s Episcopal School and finished his college career at the University of South Alabama, was remembered Thursday by his coaches as a fierce competitor on the mound and a great teammate off it.
O’Dell, 22, was killed in a car accident earlier this week in Wisconsin, where he was training for a job in sales. He had wrapped up his college baseball career with the Jaguars this past spring.
‘An Honor for Us to Have Him Here’
South Alabama baseball coach Mark Calvi said O’Dell embraced the chance to pitch for his hometown university.
“He was just a wonderful kid,” Calvi said. “He fit right in. And being from Mobile, he was so proud to wear South colors and pitch for us and play for this program. And his parents were so supportive of not just him, but the team and the program, and his family was so supportive. It was a really big deal, an honor for him to be here, and it was an honor for us to have him here.
“He was just a great guy, a great kid and a great teammate.”
A Two-Sport Standout at St. Paul’s
O’Dell graduated from St. Paul’s in 2022 after starring in both football and baseball for the Saints. It was as a pitcher, though, that the 6-foot left-hander made his biggest mark.
As a senior, O’Dell went 8-2 with a 1.80 ERA, 72 strikeouts and three shutouts. At the plate he hit .344 with 28 stolen bases and 24 RBIs. The season earned him honorable mention All-State honors and a spot on the Coastal Alabama Terrific 20.
He also received the Jerry Strange Coaches Award, which goes to the St. Paul’s athlete who demonstrates “exceptional character, dedication and leadership on and off the field.”
St. Paul’s baseball coach Andy Robbins said that what he remembers most about O’Dell away from the field was his smile.
“What I remember off the field was just his dadgum infectious smile,” Robbins said. “His joy, his kindness, his compassion for life and he shared it with everyone. You never saw him without a smile.
“On the field, he’s as fierce a competitor as we’ve ever had, and we’ve had some really good ones over the years. Loyal teammate, outstanding leader.”
A College Path That Led Back Home
O’Dell’s college career took him to several stops before it brought him back to Mobile.
- Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College: where he began his college career.
- Bishop State Community College: where he transferred back home to Mobile in 2024.
- University of New Orleans: where he spent one season.
- University of South Alabama: where he returned to Mobile for his final college season in 2026.
A Memorable Senior Season With the Jaguars
At South Alabama, O’Dell served as the Jaguars’ midweek starting pitcher as a senior. He finished 3-2 with a 4.47 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 46.1 innings over 12 appearances, 10 of them starts.
One of his best outings came on March 17, when he worked five innings, allowed two runs and struck out seven in South Alabama’s 6-3 win over Alabama. The Crimson Tide went on to qualify for the College World Series.
Calvi said O’Dell’s value to the program went well beyond the days he took the mound.
“He just pitched with pride and was fantastic for us,” Calvi said. “And then when he wasn’t pitching, he worked exceptionally hard. There wasn’t anyone that worked harder than him. And he was just a great teammate. On the days that he wasn’t playing, which were the other six days of the week, he was just a beloved teammate. He made friends and relationships for life. It’s such a shame.”
Survived by His Family
O’Dell is survived by his parents, Brooke and Paul; his younger brother, Taylor; and his younger sister, Cressley.
The family’s ties to St. Paul’s run deep. Taylor is a 2025 St. Paul’s graduate and a former Saints student-athlete, and Cressley is a senior at the school this year.
Another Loss for the St. Paul’s Community
O’Dell’s death is the latest in a painful year for the St. Paul’s school and athletics community.
On July 1, former Saints student-athlete James “Walter” Hensley, 19, died in a fire at a hunting camp in Conecuh County. Also killed was Mark “McNeil” Mostellar, 21, his University of Alabama fraternity brother and a former UMS-Wright student-athlete.
St. Paul’s athletics director Shane Sullivan, who also coached O’Dell in football, said the losses have weighed heavily on the school.
“What more can we take?” Sullivan said. “We are just beat down to be honest with you. It’s just sad. UMS has been through it, too. Old Shell Road has been pretty sad this year.”
St. Paul’s and UMS-Wright, longtime athletic rivals, are both located near Old Shell Road in Mobile, and this year the two communities have shared in grief.
Remembered on and off the Field
Those who coached O’Dell kept returning to two themes: how hard he competed when the ball was in his hand, and how much he meant to the people around him when it was not.
For a pitcher who traveled through four college programs before finally coming home to wear South Alabama colors, those who knew him said the pride he took in representing Mobile was unmistakable.