MS High School Team Preview: Wayne Academy Jaguars
February 12, 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: Wayne Academy High School
Coach’s Name: Dusty Hillman
Classification: MAIS 4A
2022 Record: 23-14
District Number: District 4
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7
No. of Returning Pitchers: 6
Team Strengths: Offensively sound squad, fundamentally strong defensively.
Top Returning Players:
- C/RHP Sam Cook (Co-Lin CC)
- OF/P Jackson White (Pearl River CC)
- UTL Walker Hall
- SS Kemper Williams
Top 2023 Prospects:
- 3B Hayden Pickering
- P Camryn Carlisle
Team Outlook:
Wayne Academy Head Coach Dusty Hillman is very optimistic heading into the 2023 season as he returns 7 positional starters and 6 arms from a team that went 23-14 a year ago. Hillman feels his Jaguars will put up plenty of runs with a solid offensive attack and has enough to pitching to keep opposing hitters in check.
Top returners for the Jaguars will be senior Sam Cook (C/RHP - Copiah Lincoln CC), and juniors Jackson White (OF/RHP - Pearl River CC), Davin Lowery (OF/RHP - East Central CC), Walker Hall (UTL), and Kemper Williams (SS/RHP). Cook finished 7-3 on the mound last season and also serves as a solid defender behind the plate while White carries a big stick to plate with a .437 average and 6 HR’s in 2022.
Other players Coach Hillman expects to contribute include seniors Hayden Pickering (3B) and Camryn Carlisle (RHP). Hillman says Pickering is an excellent defender and clutch hitter and after a good fall Carlisle is ready to step up on the mound for the Jaguars.
Wayne Academy looks to have the ingredients to make a serious run in MAIS 4A state playoffs this spring.
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