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: Hancock High School 

Coach’s Name: Anthony DeWitt 

Classification: MHSAA 6A 

2022 Record: 12-18

District Number: District 8

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 6 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 1 

Team Strengths: Experienced roster

Top Returning Players:

• UTL Peyton DeWitt (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC)
• UTL Tanner Ladner (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC)
• UTL Max Garrett (East Mississippi CC)

Top 2023 Prospects:

• 3B/RHP Sean Ostheimer

Top 2024 Prospects:

• 2B Jeffrey Hopgood
• INF/RHP Matthew Cuevas

Top 2025 & 2026 Prospects:

• INF/RHP Brandon Arcement
• OF Jude Ulrich

Team Outlook:

The Hancock Hawks are looking to rebound from a 12-18 record a year ago with 6 positional starters returning and ready to take the field in 2023. Head Coach Anthony DeWitt will count on those experienced players, though will be looking for additional arms to help lead the charge into the spring. 

Top returners for the Hawks include seniors Peyton DeWitt (UTL), Tanner Ladner (UTL), both Mississippi Gulf Coast CC recruits, and Max Garrett (UTL), a East Mississippi CC recruit. Dewitt led the Hawks with .427 average along with 4 homers and 32 RBI’s and will be expected to be a big time run producer in 2023 as well. Ladner and Garrett were also solid offensive producers and look to repeat their success this season. 

Other players Coach DeWitt will count on this will be senior Seth Ostheimer (3B/RHP) and juniors Jeffrey Hopgood (2B) and Matthew Cuevas (INF/RHP). After a full season of experience last season DeWitt expects Hopgood to have a coming out party at the plate in 2023. 

Underclassmen looking to step up are sophomore’s Jude Ulrich (OF) and Brandon Arcement (INF/RHP). Ulrich started in the outfield as a freshman and Arcement looks to provide the Hawks with quality innings on the bump this spring. 

Expect a very competitive team on the diamond this year for the Hawks and with a solid roster of young talent the next couple of season could be very interesting. 

 

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