MS HS Team Preview: Brookhaven Academy Cougars
February 14, 2024
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: Brookhaven Academy
Head Coach: Randy Spring
Classification: MAIS 5A
2023 Record (Finish): 18-13
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 3
No. of Returning Pitchers: 1
Team Strengths: Athletic, potential solid arms.
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
- SS/RHP Avery Griffin (2024, Copiah-Lincoln CC)
- C/RHP Caleb Authement (2026)
- RHP/UTL Matt Newman (2024, Southwest Mississippi CC)
TEAM OUTLOOK
Brookhaven Academy returns 3 positional starters and 1 pitcher from a team that finished 18-13 after a loss to Columbia Academy in the MAIS state playoffs. Head Coach Randy Spring will rely on overall athleticism and a few solid arms to keep the Cougars competitive in 2024.
Top returners for Brookhaven Academy are seniors Avery Griffin (SS/RHP - Copiah Lincoln CC recruit) and Matt Newman (RHP/UT - Southwest MS CC recruit), and sophomore Caleb Authement (C/RHP).
Authement has shown very solid upside at recent events and could break on the the scene this season as his fastball velocity continues to progress and now sits in the upper 80’s. With his large frame he may be developing onto yet another power arm in the 2026 class.
The Cougars began regular season play on 2/6 with their next scheduled game February 22nd versus Copiah Academy.
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