Preseason Power 25 Countdown: East Central
January 31, 2018
The Mississippi high school season kicks off on February 26, the first day for regular season games. Most teams will begin practicing on January 29, getting their rosters set and finalizing their lineups.
Leading up to the start of the high school season, we will be posting high school team previews every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage:
Team: East Central
Preseason Rank: 19
2017 Record: 20-11
MHSAA Classification: 4A
MHSAA District:
Head Coach: Doug DuVall
Playoff Run: 3rd round
2017 Final Rank:
Returning Starters:
Returning Pitchers:
Top Players
Name | State | School | Class | Position | Commitment |
Trenton Baldock | MS | East Central | 2019 | OF | - |
Brad Cumbest | MS | East Central | 2018 | RHP | - |
Blake DuVall | MS | East Central | 2018 | RHP | - |
Dawson Hall | MS | East Central | 2018 | RHP | - |
Louis Morgan | MS | East Central | 2018 | C | - |
Stat Rat (X-Factor)
Brad Cumbest (.378-BA, 29-RBI, 11-2B)
Gavin Tanner (.324-BA, 15-RBI, 4-2B)
Trenton Baldock (.286-BA, 9-RBI)
Blake Duvall (3.91-ERA, 20-K, 11-BB)
Outlook
Coach Doug DuVall and the East Central Hornets look to improve on a 20-11 finish last season. Offensive production will be essential for the Hornets as they turn to Brad Cumbest, Gavin Tanner and Trenton Baldock to carry the load. Look for Blake DuVall to play a significant role on the mound coming off a solid 2017 campaign.