Power 25 HS Preview: #20 Cedartown
January 24, 2023
The 2023 Georgia high school baseball season is less than a month away. With the season getting pushed up one week the coaches and players have an extra week to prepare for opening day. Will it be sunny and 75? Or below freezing for opening day? The Georgia weather is unpredictable, just like trying to predict who will come out on top of each classification. The talent in the State of Georgia continues to be one of the best in the country. Some regions have a fresh new look, and some region foes will continue to battle for that top spot to earn the best road to the state championship.
We will begin to preview our Power 25 rankings each day until the season begins. Each week we will be releasing our players of the week, updating the Top 10 in each GHSA classification as well as a Power 25. Be sure to follow PBR Georgia on twitter for live action each week, as our staff travels throughout the state to cover baseball in the great state of Georgia.
High School Name: Cedartown
Coach’s Name: Gevin Johnson
Classification: GHSA Class 4A
2022 Record: 27-11
Region: 7-4A
No. of Returning Starters: 9
Team Strengths: Returning talent
Top Returning Players:
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SS Dylan Cupp (Mississippi State, 2024)
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C Eli Barrow (2023)
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1B Cole Dingler (2024)
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RHP Reece Tanner (2023)
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2B Denver Nale (2023)
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OF Britt Baxter (2023)
Top 2024 Prospects:
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OF Tony Ware
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OF/RHP Xavier Holiday (2024)
Top 2025 and 2026 Prospects:
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RHP Jay O’Neal (Georgia Tech, 2025)
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INF Connor Peak (2025)
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INF Ace Allen (2026)
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1B Beau Ball (2026)
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C Gavin Alred (2026)
Team Outlook
This is a very well built Bulldogs team that won 17 of their last 20 games going into the playoffs, also winning game 1 in their playoff matchup vs a good LaGrange team. They weren’t able to finish off that series, but it was a solid building block for the 2023 season. Their outlook for 2023 is extremely positive in the eyes of PBR staff. They have one of the clutchest players in the nation who is going to save runs weekly at a premium defensive position. Yes, that’s defensive wizard ‘23 SS Dylan Cupp.
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Dylan Cupp SS / Cedartown, GA / 2023They have one of the clutchest players in the nation who is going to save runs weekly at a premium defensive position. Yes, that’s defensive wizard ‘23 SS Dylan Cupp. Dylan Cupp (6/8/22) |
With more feel for the position than many minor leaguers, few can read hops like him. Cedartown will be able to count on his bat for consistent run production, and runs scored. The Bulldogs have one of the best pitchers in the state, underclassmen ‘25 RHP Jay O’Neal
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Jay O'Neal RHP / C / Cedartown, GA / 2025
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Reece Tanner has a nice 2 pitch combo - A live FB with run & sink he beats LHH with, and a tight SL he locates glove side vs RHH. The Bulldogs have two top of the order bats in addition to Cupp, with ‘24 OF Xavier Holiday and ‘24 OF Tony Ware. Holliday is a long levered prototype leadoff with a quick inside-out swing who runs A/AVG and impressive range defensively. Ware is a similar frame with nice bat to ball skills who can hit lasers to all fields. The Bulldogs also have a certified power bat in ‘24 1B Cole Dingler. He showed out this fall at LakePoint with some impact barrels.
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Cole Dingler 1B / C / Cedartown, GA / 20241/15/22 |