The Georgia High School Association has announced that opening day of the 2021 season will commence on Feb. 15. Programs were allowed to begin practicing in an official capacity on Jan. 18, meaning it's time for the PBR Georgia staff to break down the high school baseball scene in the state in the countdown to the first pitch thrown in 2021.Over the next several weeks, leading up to opening day, we will be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2021 spring season, touching on programs spanning multiple state classifications, counting down the official PBR Georgia Preseason Power 25 Rankings.

Team: Starr's Mill
Preseason Rank: 4
2020 Record: 8-5
Region: 2-5A
GHSA Classification: 5A
Head Coach: Brent Moseley
Returning Starters: 9
Returning Pitchers: 8

X-FACTOR
Experience. Coach Moseley has the luxury of returning his entire starting lineup and eight of his arms. On top of that, this is an extremely talented roster. They have impact players all the way down the batting order and can roll out numerous shutdown arms.

One prospects who is going to have a lot of attention on his is South Carolina commit OF Thad Ector (2021). Ector really burst onto the scene last spring. It seemed like every game he was collecting multiple extra base hits. The toolsy switch-hitter has carried that momentum and then some into the spring. Ector is going to be one of the most feared hitters in the state this spring, and will certainly have a lot of eye balls on him as get closer and closer to the 2021 MLB Draft.

Thad Ector

OUTLOOK
The highest ranked 5A team in the state, Starr's Mill will have a target on their back this season. The Panthers maker a big jump in expectations from 2020 to 2021. They return virtually their entire roster, and bring on some very promising newcomers who are going to elevate them to an even higher level.

We started to look at the offense with Ector in our X-Factor. The Panthers will also have Georgia Southern commit C Sean White (2021) and Wofford commit SS/RHP Chay Yeager (2021) reprising their roles in the lineup. White is a highly capable defender and swings a power bat from the right-side. Yeager, on the other hand, is a switch-hitter who will bring a contact bat with speed to the lineup.

The newcomers to the team will only up the competitiveness and depth of the squad. Georgia commit SS/OF Josh Tate (2022) will fit right into the lineup after transferring from Northgate. Tate is one of the top athletes in the state, and is a versatile defender. He has high end speed, making him a good candidate to slide into the leadoff spot.

Josh Tate

There are two very interesting freshman who have the tools to contribute right away: Georgia commit C Ariston Veasey (2024) and OF/LHP Heath Whitlock (2024). Veasey is one of the top 2024 prospects in the entire country and could be a real asset both behind and at the plate. He has an advanced skill set defensively with a strong arm. At the plate, Veasey already has power to the pull-side can drive balls. Do not be surprised to see him at the top of the order by the end of spring.

Ariston Veasey

Whitlock could potentially make an impact as a two-way player. He has plenty of arm and athleticism to handle a corner outfield spot defensively. At the plate, has a smooth left-handed swing that will play at the varsity level. He also could be used as a weapon out of the bullpen. The southpaw can work in the low 80s with a potential swing and miss slurve.

Heath Whitlock

The pitching staff will have three big game arms to lean on throughout the season. South Carolina commit Eli Jones (2021) missed last year with an jury, and looked to be at full health this summer. Jones can sit in the upper 80s and touching low 90s with his fastball. He aggressively throws his secondary, which have swing and miss qualities. jones' return is a huge boost.

Eli Jones

North Georgia commit LHP/OF Daniel Courtney (2021) and Georgia Southern commit LHP Declan Dun (2021) will round out the three man rotation. Both arms are proved strike throwers with experience. Look for RHP/SS Ryder Wagenknecht (2021) to make his presence known this season too.

Make sure to follow @PBRGeorgia on Twitter for the most-up-to-date coverage throughout the 2021 season.

Find more information on the 2021 Panthers below:

+ Full Schedule
+ Team Website
+ Team Twitter

Preseason Power 25 Countdown