MS HIgh School Team Preview: Oak Grove Warriors
February 13, 2023
The 2023 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 Mississippi.
Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Pearl, MS at Trustmark Park 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 Mississippi. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews and by continuing other pieces of content covering the Magnolia 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 Top 10 in each MHSAA classification as well as a Power 25.
*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.
High School Name: Oak Grove High School
Coach’s Name: Chris McCardle
Classification: MHSAA 6A
2022 Record: 16-11
District Number: District 5
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 3
No. of Returning Pitchers: 7
Team Strengths: Pitching and Defense
Top Returning Players:
- OF Sawyer Speights
- RHP Brodie Wedgeworth
- INF/RHP AJ Maddox
- 2B Eli Wheat
- INF/RHP Gage Thompson
- 1B/LHP Maddox Miller (Mississippi State)
Top 2023 Prospects:
- 1B Evan Brewer
Top 2024 Prospects:
- C Coy Clements
- OF Dylan Friend
- OF/INF/LHP Jackson Haden
- RHP Reese Littlejohn
- C/INF Kaleb Lewis
Top 2025/2026 Prospects:
- INF Joseph Polk
- OF/LHP Eric "EJ" Booth Jr.
- OF/INF/RHP De'Aveon "DJ" Johnson
- OF/LHP Coby Caillet
Team Outlook:
The Oak Grove Warriors return just 3 starters from a roster that finished 16-11 a year ago with a first round appearance in the 6A state playoffs. Head Coach Chris McCardle has a lot to be excited about though as his 2023 roster features some very good young talent along with solid senior leadership that could lead to a successful spring.
Top returners for the Warriors include seniors Sawyer Speights (OF) and Brodie Wedgeworth (RHP), along with junior AJ Maddox (INF/RHP - Texas A&M Football), and sophomores Eli Wheat (2B/RHP), Maddox Miller (1B/LHP - Mississippi State), and Gage Thompson (INF/RHP). Speights could be the catalyst to get the offense going at the front end of the order and plays a very valuable centerfield. Wedgeworth, Miller, and Thompson should provide Oak Grove with quality innings in big games this spring. Both Miller and Thompson were also PBR Future Games participants.
Other players McCardle will count heavily on will be seniors Evan Brewer (1B) and Derik Lomax (RHP), juniors Coy Clements (C), Dylan Friend (OF), Jackson Haden (OF/INF/LHP), Reese Littlejohn (RHP), and Kaleb Lewis (C). Clements, a PBR Future Games participant, transferred in from Idaho and will provide the Warriors with a solid receiver and middle of the order power bat.
Underclassmen looking to make their mark are sophomores Joseph Polk (INF/RHP) and Bryson Chapman (INF), along with freshmen Eric “EJ” Booth (OF/LHP), De’Aveon “DJ” Johnson (OF/INF/RHP), and Coby Caillet (OF/LHP).
Expect Oak Grove to be competitive in 2022 and with tons of young talent, the foreseeable future looks very bright for the Warriors.
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Upcoming Events
| SHOWCASE | DATE | LOCATION |
| South Mississippi Rising Stars ID | 3/25 | Southern Performance Institute - (Madison, MS) |
| North Mississippi Rising Stars ID | 4/1 | The Gatorade Fieldhouse (Elevate) - (Hernando, MS) |
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