MS HS Team Preview: Itawamba Indians
January 10, 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: Itawamba Agriculture High School
Head Coach: Steve Kerr
Classification: MHSAA 4A
District Number: 4A, Region 1
2023 Record (Finish): 24-8
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 6
No. of Returning Pitchers: 4
Team Strengths: Pitching and Defense
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
- P/OF Cayden Prestage (2026)
- P/OF Cooper Waddle (2025, Southern Miss)
- C John Austin Wood (2025, Texas Christian)
- UTL Carson Shells (2025)
- P/UTL Hagan Pearce (2025)
- P/OF Dylan Walters (2025)
- UTL Kaleb Davis (2025)
- P/OF Braeden Dobbs (2025)
MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS
Class of 2025
- 1B Bryson Walters (2025)
TEAM OUTLOOK
Big things could be in store for Itawamba AHS over the next couple of seasons as they return 6 starters and 4 key arms that contributed to a 24-8 record and a 2nd round appearance in the 4A state playoffs a year ago. Coach Steve Kerr believes his Indians overall pitching and defense will allow them to move deeper into the playoffs in 2024 with eyes on a future trip to Trustmark Park.
Key returners for Itawamba include juniors Cooper Waddle (LHP/OF - Southern Miss recruit), John Austin Wood (Catcher - Texas Christian recruit), Carson Shells (UT), Hagan Pearce (P/UT), Dylan Walters (P/OF), Kaleb Davis (UT), Braedan Dobbs (P/OF), Bryson Walters (1B), and sophomore Cayden Prestage (OF/LHP).
Waddle is a former Junior Future Games participant and 2 time Future Games player, while Wood is a 3 time Junior Future Games participant. Prestage also represented Mississippi at the Junior Future Games.
Itawamba begins regular season play on February 15th versus Starkville Academy.
Find more information on the 2024 Itawamba Agriculture High School program below:
+ Follow them on X: @IAHS_baseball
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Mississippi, 2024 HS Team Previews
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