The 2024 Georgia high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound 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 Georgia.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in mid-May inside one of Coolray Field, AdventHealth Stadium, or JI Clements Stadium at Georgia Southern University. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Georgia. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 25 rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action.

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 and updating the Power 25 rankings.

Our 2024 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: Appling County Pirates
Head Coach: Zack Griffis
Classification: 2A
2023 Record (Finish): 24-12 (Final Four)
Team X Handle: @ApplingBaseball

Team Strengths: Starting Pitching and returning offense
No. of Returning Position Players: 7
No. of Returning Pitchers: 4

 

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TOP SENIORS

• Collin Ewaldsen, USC-Aiken commit
• Greyson Hall, Chipola commit
• Jack Carter
• Issac Edenfield
• Cole Higgins
• Nate Livingston, ABAC commit

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TOP JUNIORS

• Dayson Griffis, Tennessee commit
• Nathan Nance Jr.
• John Evan Sikes

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TOP UNDERCLASS FOLLOWS

• Kaden Walls, 2026
• Braye Brown, 2026
• Jarrod Dean, 2026
• Ty Hutchinson, 2026

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TEAM OUTLOOK

The Pirates made an impressive run to the final four in 2023, and Appling County brings a majority of that talent back this spring. That starts with the fantastic returning pitching duo of Tennessee commit RHP/3B Dayson Griffis (0.75 ERA, 26/7 K:BB in 23’) and USC-Aiken commit RHP/INF Collin Ewaldsen (1.69, 35/11 K:BB) who could as good of a 1-2 punch as you’ll find in Class 2A. Seniors Issac Edenfield and Cole Huggins will also bring experience to the rotation, as well as solid depth throughout the bullpen. The infield will be the strength of the offense with Griffis and Ewalsen reprising their major two-way roles on the left side and Chipola commit Greyson Hall, who is coming off a big junior campaign at the keystone. There are real weapons as well as options throughout the outfield for the Pirates this spring, and it starts with juniors Nathan Nance and John Evan Sikes who bring loud tools and are both coming off strong Fall seasons and looking to contribute. Sophomore Dewey Brown brings pure plus speed that will be an asset on the base paths and throughout the outfield. Appling County brings strong depth across the diamond and led one of the best junior two-way players in the state, it’s easy to see this club making a strong run in back-to-back years.

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