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The 2022 TN high school season is less than a week away! Teams across the state are making the final touches and prepping for the Spring campaign. With season around the corner, the PBR TN Preseason Power 25 Rankings returns for our second season highlighting the top clubs to and Spring Fling hopefuls. Of the 25 programs featured in the 2021 preseason rankings, 12 of them reached the state tournament: #1 Baylor, #2 Farragut, #3 CAK, #4 Beech, #5 CPA, #8 Briarcrest, #16 Siegel, #19 Clarksville, #20 McCallie, #21 Science Hill, #23 McMinn County, and #24 Pigeon Forge. Three of those clubs walked away state champions (Baylor, CPA, & Science Hill) and two finished runner up (Briarcrest & Pigeon Forge). This year will hopefully be more of the same, littered with teams making serious postseason runs in 2022. The Power 25 is determined by returning prospects, season outlook, and building off last season for teams from all classifications. 

We'll continue to update this list throughout the season and expand our coverage with the TN Preseason Class Rankings coming out on opening day (March 14th). Be sure to stay tuned as we continue releasing the PBR TN Top 100 and Team Previews to provide top notch coverage of high school teams and prospects. For the Power 25, let's get started with no. 21-25....

No. 21-25

No. 25 Trinity Christian (Last year: 23-9 | D2-A)
The Lions swept through their district last year in dominating fashion, but the offense hit a lull during the West Region tournament leading them to an elimination game against King's Academy in the first round. Unfortunately, it wasn't their day as the hits didn't fall, and they dropped a heart breaker 2-1 to close out the season. Looking ahead though, they'll return an abundance of arms and majority of their lineup. The loss of '22 RHP Brady Robertson (Tennessee commit) to an injury is not ideal, but '22 LHP/OF Jake Wilson (MTSU commit) returns as the ace and an impact bat after posting some monster numbers last year. With no Robertson, '23 LHP Griffin Graves (Auburn Commit) will jump into a more prominent role after serving as a swiss army knife out of the bullpen in 2021. '22 1B/LHP Harrison Freeman (MTSU Commit) will continue to be a big presence in a run producing role and add some depth on the mound. '22 MINFs Parker Smith and Will Allen Smith return up the middle and really helped round out the lineup in table setter roles. '22 OF Needham Goodwin is also back and will be roaming the outfield as well. We'll get a good look at TCA at the PBR TN/AL Stateline Showdown on March 17th-19th, but they'll look to overcome heartbreak in 2021 and forge deep into the postseason.

 

No. 24 Silverdale Baptist (Last year: 29-5 | D2-A)
The Seahawks put together a strong season in 2021, sweeping their district and advancing out of the East region while winning nearly thirty games. They met up with GCA-Franklin in the D2-A first round single elimination game, but lost 16-7 to bring their season to a close. With all the success last year, they practically return all their impact players for this 2022 season. '23 RHP/UTL Turner Junkins (MTSU Commit) returns and will impact the game on both sides of the ball. Future Gamer '24 RHP Maddox Jones has shown lively stuff and can compete with the best of them when it's clicking. '23 OF Brett Rogers has a big showing at TN Preseason All State and was a hitting machine last Spring, he'll help lead a deep offense. '22 3B/C Sebastian Hanks hit in the meat of the order and will look to lock in a commitment with a big Spring. '23 C Ian Reagan has been a steady eddie, who can be a solid backstop defensively and provide more depth offensively. '22 RHP Cam Mullins (Bryan College) can be provide depth on the mound and veteran presence. Also watch for '23 RHP/1B Eric Boggess to be in the mix as well. Silverdale will have plenty of options on the mound, strong up the middle, and a deep veteran lineup. They'll look to get back to the Spring Fling for the first time since 2013 (1A runner up) and deeper into the D2-A postseason after their first round loss last year. 

 

No. 23 Gibbs (Last year: 32-7 | 3A)
The Eagles had a magnificent run last season in 2A, as they won thirty-two games and five of their seven losses were to 3A clubs. Their only losses in 2A came to rival Pigeon Forge in the regular season and the district tournament championship; however, they rattled off seven straight postseason wins while capping it off with a 14-8 victory over Pigeon Forge in the state finals. This year, they'll move up to the new look 3A, which should be a wide open field, but can't discredit the reigning champs. They'll have to replace a lot of production from SS/RHP Brayden Taylor, but they have some key pieces back for 2022. '23 LHP Reilly Byers was outstanding last season and he'll look to follow it up while securing a college commitment. '23 UTL/RHP Braden Graves has shown some big two-way upside as he's been up to 88 (pitched more mid 80s) with solid breaking ball and good tools set positionally.  They'll have to fill some more roles, but the Eagles will be very competitive even coming off a championship season. 

 

No. 22 Siegel (Last year: 33-9 | 4A)
The Stars finished second in the stout 3A Murfreesboro district, but they swept the district tournament, regions, and sub-state games to make their second Spring Fling appearance in the past three full seasons. They went 2-2 at state, knocking off Beech and Brighton, but dropping two games to the state champion, Science Hill. They'll have to replace a lot of key pieces, including the stallion arms Jack Nedrow and Jameson Nephew plus C Jackson Cauthron and SS Braxton Baird among others. '22 RHP Christian Pencek (LMU Commit), '23 RHP Matt Kirby, and '23 RHP Ben Lalance got solid time on the mound last year and are options for expanded roles. Majority of the lineup graduated, but '23 CF Brody Ballou and '23 1B/DH Ronald Whitmore are back after being solid contributors last season. Sophomores Dylan Rodgers (RHP/INF) and Nick Romagno (OF/RHP) look to be newer faces that could be be key contributors for the Stars. As always it will be a tall task advancing past the Murfreesboro region, but it could be a reload year for the Stars if things click along the way in 4A. 

 

No. 21 Clarksville Academy (Last year: 22-12 | D2-A) 
The Cougars struggled out the gate last season starting 2-6, but found their groove finishing second in the district behind Goodpasture. They advanced through the middle region as the four seed, but they lost the elimination game 5-4 to Webb of Knoxville in the first round. '23 RHP Collin Rittenberry will headline the pitching staff as we saw him in the mid 80s with feel for the zone and his off speed this fall. '22 MINF Lo-Paris Pridgen (Austin Peay Commit) will be the senior leader and drive the offense after having a strong TBCA showcase last summer. '23 SS/RHP Max Cassle and '23 1B/LHP DJ Merriweather will be strong pieces on the infield and be key arms in the mix. They return a deep outfield group with '23 OF Jack Cross, '23 OF Cooper Wallace, and '23 OF Jacques Wyatt III, who have all shown ample speed and pop at the plate. Interesting to see how '25 SS/RHP Harrison Cassle will be involved after a strong summer, including a FB up to 84-85. The Cougars should be towards the top of district four, and they have the pieces to make a run in the middle region with hopes of making it back to the final four for the first time since 2019. 

 

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