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 Tennessee.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Murfreesboro at The Spring Fling 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 Tennessee. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews and by continuing other pieces of content covering the Volunteer 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 Power 25 and much more.

*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: Upperman
Head Coach: Wes Shanks
Classification: 3A
District + Region Number: District 7+ Region 4
2023 Record (Finish): 32-11

 

---

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

---

TEAM OUTLOOK

Upperman comes into the spring 2024 season with high expectations as the program has been on a historic run over the last few seasons. The Bees went undefeated in district play last year with a whopping 16-0 record and sweeping their district and regional tournaments, while making it back to back state championship games appearances. The club did lose their ace and 3A Mr. Baseball winner but return quality depth with 6 returning starters and 7 returning pitchers. The Bees will be returning two All-State nominated players and come in with a load of experience all over the field. They are also strong at premier positions starting with senior shortstop and right-handed pitcher Lipscomb signee Caden Shanks. Shanks can do it all as he has been clocked over 92 mph with the fastball but also comes in as a standout at the plate where he hit .418 last season with 56 hits, 17 doubles, 10 triples, 4 HR’s and 34 RBI’s. He is also extremely young for his class and likely creates early playing time next season at Lipscomb University. In center field will be Prep Baseball Future Games alum Justin Fallon. The junior will be in the top half of the lineup where he has a blend of power and contact ability. He is a likely two-way player at the next level where he likely projects as a top end bullpen or closer type. The fastball is heavy in the upper 80’s, low 90’s with control of the lower half of the zone. Junior Rookie Allison will be the primary backstop this season where he has valuable starting experience. Junior 1B and LHP Alec Wilson is back and will be one of their primary district arms. He is coming off an injury that cost him this past summer but the early indications say that he is fully healthy this season and should be somewhere in the low 80’s on the mound. Senior LHP and ETSU signee Wyatt Curtis is coming into the year as a top ranked left-handed arm in the state and likely will be one of their top end district arms. Junior Julian Llano likely fits in at second base and a backend of the lineup order hitter with ability to get on base. Junior Bobby Ray Kilpatrick likely mans the hot corner, while also creating opportunities for himself on the mound this season as a primary reliever. Upperman look strong once again and will be tested early with tough out of state matchups with Blessed Trinity, Stone Memorial and Gorden Lee before playing Alabama powerhouses Cullman, Bob Jones and Hoover at the end of March. They should go into district play with a sense of confidence as they will not play anyone to those caliber of teams. All eyes are set on them once again returning to the state tournament for a 3rd consecutive season. 

---

FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL TENNESSEE THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball Tennessee on X
+ Prep Baseball Tennessee on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Tennessee on Facebook

 

---

Related Content