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: West Union High School
Head Coach: Ashley Russell
Classification: MHSAA 1A
District Number: 1A, District 4
2023 Record (Finish): 28-6
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 8
No. of Returning Pitchers: 5
Team Strengths: Offensive Power; Pitching Depth

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

• C Greer Manning (2024, East Mississippi CC)
• UTL Cole Willard (2024)
• 3B/C/RHP Benton Burks (2025)
• RHP/MIF Grant Martin (2025)
• RHP/INF Jon Grey Morrisson (2026)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

West Union returns 8 positional starters and 5 arms from a squad that finished an impressive 28-6 in 2023 after falling to Resurrection Catholic in the 1A State Championship at Trustmark Park. Head Coach Ashley Russell is confident his Eagles are primed and ready for a run at a possible return trip to Jackson due to offensive power and depth on the pitching staff. 

Top returners for West Union are seniors Greer Manning (Catcher - East MS CC recruit) and Cole Willard (UT), juniors Benton Burks (3B/C/RHP) and Grant Martin (RHP/MI), along with sophomore Jon Grey Morrisson (RHP/INF).

Greer Manning had a monster year in 2023 hitting .463 with 8 home runs, 12 doubles and 61 runs batted in. Grant Martin was another member of the 400 club after hitting .419 with 2 home runs and 35 RBI’s. Cole Willard (.382), Benton Burks (.326, 5 HR, 42 RBI) and Jon Grey Morrisson (.308, 4 HR, 35 RBI) should settle into the middle of the order. The big righty, Morrisson, led the pitching staff with a 8-0 record, 1.83 ERA, and 67 strikeouts, while Martin finished a solid 6-0 with a 2.73 ERA and another 54 strikeouts. Burks was also a big contributor on the bump with 37 innings (49 K’s) and a 2.65 ERA.

West Union begins regular season play on February 27th versus Itawamba AHS.

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Find more information on the 2024 West Union High School program below:

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

 

FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL MISSISSIPPI THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

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

 

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