Prep Baseball Report

2025 Georgia Preview: Whitewater Wildcats


Prep Baseball Georgia
Staff

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: Whitewater Wildcats
Head Coach: Brandon Crumbley
Classification: GHSA Class 3A
Region: 2-3A
2024 Record (Finish): 19-16, Sweet 16
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 8
Team Strengths: Experience and offense


TOP RETURNING PLAYERS 

  • 2025 RHP/SS Austen Davis 
  • 2025 3B/OF Trent Ellington, Walters State CC commit
  • 2025 OF/INF Chris Naggles
  • 2025 C/OF Will Roan 
  • 2026 LHP/1B Trey Robbins 
  • 2026 MIF/RHP Brandon Campbell 
  • 2026 OF/RHP Paxton Benoit  
  • 2026 C/RHP Xander Sholar  
  • 2026 2B/RHP Landen Johnston 
  • 2026 LHP/1B Hunter Gratzer 

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

  • 2027 OF Brenden Sholar 
  • 2028 RHP/MIF Camren Naggles 
  • 2028 SS Braylon Bolton

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Wildcats appear on paper to have one of the deepest line-ups in 2025 as they return an experienced group. The pitchability of senior two-way Austen Davis is conspicuous as he leads the charge as SP1. Davis can really swing it as well and is an uncommitted name to monitor heading into the Spring season. The projection remains emphatic for 2026 two-way Trey Robbins. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior is an essential component to the club's success. Robbins fortifies the middle of the order with a mighty power profile. The arsenal is loud on the mound with the fastball being up to 88, which could easily creep up into the low 90's this Spring. Junior LHP Hunter Gratzer rounds out the rotation as he looks to contribute quality innings. At the helm of the Wildcats line-up is senior 3B/OF Trent Ellington. The Walters State CC commit simply just hits in all facets. After earning 1st team All-State honors last season, Ellington looks to lead Whitewater back to the 3A state playoffs. Will Roan, a senior C/OF, shows an advanced approach at the plate with real impact in the barrel and provides the Wildcats with another strong bat in the middle of the order. In addition to being a versatile piece on defense. After having a breakout season last year, Chris Naggles could have an even bigger 2025 in store as part of a well-built senior class. After hitting .385 as a sophomore last year OF Paxton Benoit has a chance to erupt this Spring seeing everyday time. Benoit epitomizes the term gamer and could be a "Swiss-Army Knife" type of player for the Wildcats in 2025. At the plate, the LHH possesses excellent barrel skills in an all-fields approach and will be a staple atop the order. Plus, occupying a spot in the bullpen. 2026 C/RHP Xander Sholar piled together strong Summer and Fall campaigns and looks poised to breakout this Spring. Sholar has grown into his body over the last year standing a physical 6-foot-5, 220-pounds with plenty of projection remaining. The junior holds notable strength at the plate and provides a key source of power to the middle of the order. As well as being a defensive weapon behind the plate with present arm-strength. Sholar has lit up the radar gun this Fall running the fastball up to 93 MPH and yields a prominent piece out of the bullpen for Whitewater. Xander's younger brother, 2027 OF Brenden Sholar, displays a budding hit-tool with effortless bat-speed and present whip in the barrel. The Sholar brothers will be ones to keep an eye on for the coming years at Whitewater. A pair of juniors Brandon Campbell and Landen Johnston hold down spots in the infield, while also adding depth to the rotation and bullpen. Younger brother of Chris, freshman RHP Camren Naggles, has a chance to be a key asset out of the bullpen. As he showed solid pitchability this Fall and is armed with a fastball that was up to 83 MPH. Watch out for Whitewater as they compete for a region title with the likes of LaGrange, Mary Persons, and Troup County in a stout 2-3A region. If playoff bound, they could make some significant noise in the 3A State Playoffs.


Find more information on the 2025 Union Grove program below:

+ Follow them on X: @WHSWildcatbsbal
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Georgia, 2025 HS Team Previews


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Upcoming Events

SHOWCASE DATE LOCATION
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