Prep Baseball Report

MS HS Team Preview: Ripley Tigers


Matt Miller
State Director

The 2024 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 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: Ripley High School
Head Coach: Joel Gafford
Classification: MHSAA 4A
District Number: 4A, District 1
2023 Record (Finish): 16-12
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 8
No. of Returning Pitchers: 3
Team Strengths: Starting Pitching & Defense

 


TOP RETURNING PLAYERS


Ty Long (2024, Southern Miss)

MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2024

  • LHP Tanner Allen (2024)
  • CF Curt Cohea (2024)

Class of 2025

Hunter Kuhl (2025)

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN


TEAM OUTLOOK

Ripley returns 8 starters and 3 arms from last season’s roster that finished 16-12 after a 2nd round loss to Mooreville in the 4A state playoffs. Coach Joel Gafford expects starting pitching and solid defense to be the key components to a competitive 2024 season for his Tigers.

Top returners include seniors Ty Long (SS/RHP - Southern Miss recruit) and Cooper Davis (Catcher/RHP - Northeast MS CC recruit).

Other players Coach Gafford expects to contribute heavily are seniors Tanner Allen (LHP), Curt Cohea (OF), juniors Hunter Kuhl (OF/CI/RHP) and Will Caviness (1B), along with sophomores Ryan Scott (3B/C) and Hayden Kuhl (MI).

Ripely begins regular season play on February 13th versus North Pontotoc.


Find more information on the 2024 Ripley program below:

+ Follow them on X: @ripleybaseball
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Mississippi, 2024 HS Team Previews

 

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+ Prep Baseball Mississippi on X
+ Prep Baseball Mississippi on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Mississippi on Facebook

 


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