2025 Georgia Preview: Habersham Central Raiders
January 16, 2025
The 2025 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 Georgia.
Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in the GHSA or GIAA state playoffs, 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 Georgia. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews and by continuing our scheduled podcasts and releasing our preseason top-10 rankings in each GHSA classification and Power 25.
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 ranks in each GHSA classification, as well updating our Power 25 overall rankings. One thing, especially, you don’t want to miss are our scheduled podcasts with guests from across the state, as well as the recaps and previews of the big games we’re covering.
*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: Habersham Central Raiders
Head Coach: Chris Akridge
Classification: GHSA Class 5A
Region: 8-5A
2024 Record (Finish): 21-11, Sweet 16
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5
Team Strengths: Returning a lot of ABs from last season as well as a lot of innings on defense.
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
- 2025 C Spencer Frady, Truett-McConnell commit
- 2026 OF/LHP Maverick Chitwood
- 2026 INF/RHP Tyler Rothell
- 2026 OF Kreed Barrett
- 2026 INF Hudson Gailey
TOP UNDERCLASSMEN
- 2027 SS/RHP Ethan Wheeler
- 2027 3B Micah Huff
- 2027 C Mason Whitt
TEAM OUTLOOK
Habersham Central put together a strong season in 2024 that ended with a sweet 16 playoff experience. They return about half of their contributors from a year ago, including 2 time all region junior Maverick Chitwood. Chitwood is the ball player type that can contribute in many different ways. He has lock down defense in center field, strike throwing lefty on the mound, and is one of the toughest outs in the state at the plate. Not to mention he can steal bases and beat out routine ground balls. He plays the game hard and will look to have another strong year in 2025. Senior, Truett-McConnell commit Spencer Frady will be one of the leaders of this year's team and contribute in all aspects. A new addition to the team this year is Junior Tyler Rothell, he will supply a large amount of innings on the mound and provide versatility in the field and in the line up. Kreed Barrett and Hudson Gailey will make the transition to upperclassmen and have a ton of experience from last season. Gailey is an all region starter and Kreed will be back in the outfield for his 2nd year starting out there. They will have some up and coming underclass talent that should help them tally up some wins over the next few years. Ethan Wheeler is an infielder and short stop that played really well this fall and will be one to keep an eye on. Micah Huff and Mason Witt will also be 2 impact underclassmen that will have a chance to contribute at a young age. The Raiders have the experience at the top that should be able to help lead the underclass players and have a shot to make another playoff run.
Find more information on the 2025 Habersham Central program below:
+ Follow them on X: @HAB_Baseball
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Georgia, 2025 HS Team Previews
FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL GEORGIA THROUGHOUT THE SPRING
+ Prep Baseball Georgia on X
+ Prep Baseball Georgia on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Georgia on Facebook
Upcoming Events
SHOWCASE | DATE | LOCATION |
Preseason All-State: Underclass | 1/18 | Infinite Vision Sports Academy - Flowery Branch, Ga |
Preseason All-State: Upperclass | 1/19 | Infinite Vision Sports Academy - Flowery Branch, Ga |
East Georgia Rising Stars ID (2029 and 2030 grads) | 2/1 | Infinite Vision Sports Academy - Flowery Branch, Ga |
LakePoint Rising Stars ID (2029 and 2030 grads) | 2/17 | LakePoint Sports |
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- GA 2025 Georgia Preview: North Springs Spartans 2/10/25
- GA East Georgia Rising Stars Preseason ID: Pitcher & Catcher Reports 2/09/25
- GA East Georgia Rising Stars Preseason ID: Outfielder Reports 2/09/25
- GA East Georgia Rising Stars Preseason ID: Infielder Reports 2/09/25
- GA 2025 Georgia Preview: Flowery Branch Falcons 2/09/25