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MS HS Team Preview: Baldwyn Bearcats

February 10, 2024
Matt Miller
State Director

The 2024 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Mississippi.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Pearl, MS at Trustmark Park as they compete for a state championship, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Mississippi. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews and by continuing other pieces of content covering the Magnolia State.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state. Each week we will be releasing our players of the week, updating the Top 10 in each MHSAA classification as well as a Power 25.

*Please note the information has been gathered from head coaches across the state, based on their replies to the questionnaire we distributed over this offseason.

High School: Baldwyn High School
Head Coach: Shannon Smith
Classification: MHSAA 1A
District Number: 1A, District 1
2023 Record (Finish): 12-15
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 9
No. of Returning Pitchers: 4
Team Strengths: Pitching Depth, Tons of experience with a high baseball IQ, solid defense.

 

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

  • INF/OF Trey Craven (2027)
  • P Rush Watkins (2028)
  • SS Carter Craven (2028)
  • P/INF Ridge Mask (2028)

TEAM OUTLOOK

Baldwyn returns 9 positional starters and 4 pitchers from last years team that finished 12-15 after a 2nd round loss to Eupora in the 2A state playoffs. Head Coach Shanon Smith believes the depth of his pitching staff along with solid defense, and a team full of high IQ players will allow his Bearcats a chance to be very competitive in 2024. 

Top returners include seniors Logan Pratt (LHP/OF) and Gentry Griffin (RHP/INF), junior Hagan McCarley (RHP/OF), and sophomore Maddox McCarley (OF).

Lefty Logan Pratt, and his mid 80 mph fastball, will be the go to arm for the Bearcats this spring. Righty Hagan McCarley is projected to make a jump this season as another arm primed for big games. Maddox McCarley will look to create a spark at the top off the lineup with Pratt, Gentry Griffin, and others looking to move runners around. 

Other players Coach Smith will be expecting contributions from are sophomore Trey Craven (INF/OF) along with 8th graders Rush Watkins (RHP), Carter Craven (SS), and Ridge Mask (RHP/INF).

Baldwyn will begin regular season play on February 13th versus Myrtle.

Find more information on the 2024 Baldwyn High School program below:

+ Follow them on X: @BaseballBaldwyn
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Mississippi, 2024 HS Team Previews

FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL MISSISSIPPI THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball Mississippi on X
+ Prep Baseball Mississippi on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Mississippi on Facebook

 

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