MS HS Team Preview: Pearl Pirates
February 12, 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: Pearl High School
Head Coach: Ricky Owens
Classification: MHSAA 7A
District Number: Region 3, 7A
2023 Record (Finish): 12-17
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 4
No. of Returning Pitchers: 5
Team Strengths: Defense, Speed, Athleticism
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
- SS/RHP Tanner Moore (2024)
- 2B/RHP John Mark Grissom (2025, Copiah-Lincoln CC)
- CF/RHP Devin Norwood (2024)
MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS
Class of 2024
- 1B Jacob Lafontaine (2024)
- INF Brayden Chevalier (2024)
Class of 2025
- INF/RHP Dylan Jones (2025)
TOP UNDERCLASSMEN
- RHP Cayden Berryhill (2026)
- LHP Jack Durr (2026)
TEAM OUTLOOK
Pearl returns 4 positional starters and 5 pitchers from a team that finished 12-17 last season. Coach Ricky Owens believes the Pirates will be competitive in 2024 and will rely on overall team speed, athleticism and defense to do so.
Top returners are seniors Tanner Moore (SS/RHP) and Devin Norwood (CF/P), along with junior John Mark Grissom (2B/RHP - Copiah Lincoln CC recruit).
Moore looks to be a go to arm to begin the season though when not pitching he and Grissom create a very solid middle of the field duo. Norwood will roam the gaps in the outfield with his elite speed and arm that dares base runners to look to advance. All three look to be productive at the plate as well.
Coach Owens will also look for help from seniors Jacob Lafontaine (1B) and Brayden Chevalier (INF), junior Dylan Jones (INF/P) and sophomores Cayden Berryhill (OF/RHP) and Jack Durr (LHP/OF).
Pearl begins regular season play on February 13th versus Clinton.
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