GHSA Class 5A Preseason Top-10
February 13, 2022
The 2022 GHSA baseball season is less than a week away. Which means it is time to unveil our class-by-class top-10 rankings.
+ No. 1 Loganville
The Red Devils ended 2021 with heartbreak, falling in the State Championship to Starr’s Mill. They will have a chance at redemption in 2022 behind a strong group of arms. Loganville will need some bats to step up, but the arrival of 2B/3B Kyle Shivers (2022; Loganville) certainly helps in a big way. Shivers is one of the most reliable bats in the class. SS Jackson Chizek (2022; Columbus State) will team up with Shivers to form a strong partnership on the infield and at the top of the order.
The pitching staff will be a real focal point for Loganville. RHP Trenton Burnette (2022; USC-Upstate), LHP Dawson Coe (2022; Uncommitted) and 3B/RHP Matthew Heard (2022; North Georgia) give the Red Devils three power arms that are capable of shutting any team down. LHP JP Myers (2024; Georgia Tech) saw time as a freshman and will no doubt have an elevated role in the staff.
Loganville has all the ingredients to make another deep run in May. They will need some bats to step up in the lineup, but their pitching will keep them in any game.
+ No. 2 Blessed Trinity
The Titans boast quite possibly the most talented junior class in the state, and they will lean heavily on them to propel the team forward. The pitching staff will be especially impressive. They will be capable of rolling out multiple arms that can completely shutdown a lineup.
RHP Jake Lankie (2023; Georgia) is one of the state’s top arms. The right-hander, who works into the low 90s, enters his third season of varsity play. He will anchor the staff along with OF/RHP Cooper Milford (2023; Georgia), OF/LHP Justice Haynes (2023; Uncommitted), RHP/SS Evan O’Neill (2023; Indiana), and RHP/OF Porter Buursema (2023; Georgia Southern). All the arms mentioned can run their fastballs into the upper 80s or better and can miss bats at a regular rate.
1B/LHP Max Puckett (2022; Mercer) will also feature in the rotation, but his presence will be most felt on the offensive side of things. Puckett swings a major power bat, and will be counted on to be a run producer. Milford is one of the most dynamic players in the state. He will be a game changer in the lineup.
+ No. 3 Starr’s Mill
The defending state champs will need some new faces to step up if they want to repeat last year's success. Lucky for the Panthers, they have the incoming talent to do just that. OF Austin Killingsworth (2025; Uncommitted), OF Bo Walker (2024; Uncommitted), SS Max Prozny (2025; Uncommitted) are all very highly regarded prospects who can step in and contribute immediately. 3B/RHP Jack Ryan (2024; Uncommitted) and C/RHP Drew Richardson (2024; Uncommitted) also look ready and able to make a potential impact this season. The big bat of OF Sully White (2023; Uncommitted) will be a welcomed addition as well.
The returning core of players is a highly talented group. SS Josh Tate (2022; Georgia), OF/LHP Heath Whitlock (2024; Mississippi State), and C/RHP Ariston Veasey (2024; Georgia) are all impact bats that can carry the offense. 1B Ben Moseley (2022; Uncommitted), SS Austin Sellars (2024; Uncommitted), and 3B Evan Harrah (2023; Uncommitted) are all back and will reprise their roles in the lineup.
While the Panthers will be young in multiple areas, they have a highly talented group that could set them up for success for years to come.
+ No. 4 Cartersville
The Purple Hurricanes will sport one of the most well balanced lineups with a deep and experienced senior class. C Hank Smith (2022; Jacksonville State), C Curt Bonner (2022; LaGrange), OF Jake Brasfield (2022; Shorter), OF/2B Elliott Eastin (2022; South Georgia State), C/CIF Drew Rothschild (2022; ABAC) and C/OF Blake Sutton (2022; Uncommitted) are all back and provide a wealth of experience.
The returning junior class will provide further depth, and gives the Purple Hurricanes quite a bit of freedom when filling out the lineup card. Keep an eye on a talented trio of sophomores who look like they are ready to produce at the varsity level. C/3B Landon Cole (2024; Uncommitted), C/2B Caleb Daniel (2024; Uncommitted) and RHP/SS Ryan Johnson (2024; Uncommitted) are all promising prospects.
The pitching staff will feature some strong arms in LHP/OF Colt McKibben (2022; Lee), RHP Cal Goss (2022; Lee), RHP Phillip Schiltz (2023; Uncommitted), and RHP Caden Carroll (2023; Uncommitted). They, along with some new arms, will have to fill the void left by graduation. Johnson has a chance to be an impact arm as a sophomore in his first varsity season.
If everything comes together, look out for the Purple Hurricanes late in the season.
+ No. 5 St. Pius X
The Golden Lions are coming off a run to the state semifinals and look primed to make some more noise in 5A. SS/RHP Will Tippett (2022; South Carolina) returns to lead the offense. Tippett is an elite athlete who can impact the game in multiple facets. He will be aided by an experienced senior class including Nick Kostopoulos (2022; Emmanuel College), SS Devin Portee (2022; Uncommitted), OF/LHP Matt Navarro (2022; Uncommitted), and RHP/1B Trevor Zimmerman (2022; Centre College)
Keep an eye on C/3B Kevin Beirne (2023; Uncommitted and OF/RHP Daniel Simontacchi (2023; Uncommitted) who could be in store for a big 2022 at the plate and on the mound. Simontacchi has big tools that will be of valuable use.
Much like the offense, the pitching staff will feature a number of senior arms. The Golden Lions did lose key members of their staff to graduation, so there will have to be some new arms that fill that void.
+ No. 6 Greenbrier
The Wolfpack will be back at the top of the class despite losing quite a bit of production to graduation. However, they return their top two starting pitchers in two-way standout C/RHP David Bell (2022; Georgia State) and RHP Tyler Rowland (2022; USC-Aiken). The duo had dominant years in 2021 and will look to do more of the same in 2022.
A core of Bell, OF/RHP AJ Trupp (2022; Georgia Southern), SS Jackson Smith (2022; Uncommitted), and C Maddox Smith (2022; Uncommitted) lead the offense into 2022. Bell is more than capable of taking a game over with his arm and bat. 2B Mark Abell (2023; Uncommitted) and 3B Gage Kirkland (2023; Uncommitted) will be relied on to have a greater presence in the lineup.
Keep an eye out for C/RHP Luca Perriello (2024; Virginia Tech) to have a big year. Perriello is one of the state’s top two-way prospects in the sophomore class.
+ No. 7 North Springs
The Spartans will be a very dangerous team with an explosive offense in 2022. They return multiple impact bats. OF/3B Jake Streeter (2022; Kennesaw State) and C/RHP Daniel Jackson (2023; Uncommitted) will provide more than enough power in the lineup. The return of C/RHP Tyler Jackson (2022; Southern Wesleyan) and OF Caden Rogers (2022; Uncommitted) add two more reliable bats. Some new bats will have to come forward for the Spartans, but we know the top of the order will be highly competitive.
RHP/3B Dylan Reid (2022; Uncommitted) and Daniel Jackson were both consistent arms for North Springs in 2021. The duo will headline the pitching rotation once more. Both are mid 80s arms who are quality strike throwers. Tyler Jackson and Rogers provide some depth on the mound, but like the offense, some new arms are going to have to emerge.
+ No. 8 Northside-Columbus
The Patriots will pose a real threat to Starr’s Mill in region 2, as they return a good portion of last season’s 21-win team. RHP Connor Trepanier (2022; Uncommitted) OF/LHP Justin Veloz (2022; Uncommitted), SS Carson Garner (2022;Uncommitted) and 3B Ryan Van Dinter (2022; Uncommitted) are back for one last ride and will be counted on. Look to the junior class to dictate the overall success of the Patriots though. It is a deep and talented group.
C/RHP Coleman Garner (2023; Uncommitted) really took some big steps forward last year. He will be a huge asset on the mound in addition to the batting order. The left-handed bat of C/RHP Colton Masse (2023; Uncommitted) and 1B/RHP Ryan Grantham (2023; Uncommitted)
will be major run producers.
+ No. 9 Wayne County
The Yellow Jackets lost a lot of talent to graduation, but they return one of the most dynamic prospects in the state, OF Luke Boykin (2022; Georgia). Boykin possesses game changing tools with his ability to hit, run and defend. While not traditionally a pitcher, Boykin will provide a strong arm on the mound.
Aiding Boykin in his efforts will be a multitude of players. LHP Brad Ierardi (2022; Uncommitted), RHP Asher Cathey (2022; Uncommitted), and RHP Hadley Long (2023; Uncommitted) will feature prominently on the mound. The powerful 1B Miles Starling (2022; Uncommitted) will provide some firepower in the batting order.
+ No. 10 Coffee
The Coffee boys will look to take the next step forward in 2022. The core of 3B/RHP Logan Dale (2022; Uncommitted), SS/RHP Brady Skipper (2022; North Georgia) and OF/RHP Justin Swords (2022; ABAC) have been mainstays in the Trojans lineup for multiple seasons now. The pair of Dale and Skipper forms one of the top infields in the class. Swords brings a power bat to the lineup, and will anchor the pitching rotation.
The Trojans have a very promising group of sophomores that could help them win a lot of games this season. 2B Cannon Jones (2024; Uncommitted) is a reliable defender up the middle, and a solid bat. C/RHP Payton Bryant (2024; Uncommitted) looks like a potential impact bat. Finally, OF Zaelyn Smith (2024; Uncommitted) brings a whole lot of athleticism and a left-handed stick.
If the new talent can mesh and find its way early in the season, the Trojans may just come away with the region 1 title.
2022 Classification Polls
Related Content
- GA GHSA Class 7A Preseason Top-10 2/14/22
- GA GHSA Class 5A Preseason Top-10 2/13/22
- GA GHSA Class 6A Preseason Top-10 2/13/22
- GA GHSA Class 4A Preseason Top-10 2/12/22
- GA GHSA Class 3A Preseason Top-10 2/11/22
- GA GHSA Class 2A Preseason Top-10 2/10/22
- GA GHSA Class 1A-Public Preseason Top-10 2/09/22
- GA GHSA Class 1A-Private Preseason Top-10 2/08/22