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: Itawamba Agricultural High School 

Coach’s Name: Steve Kerr 

Classification: MHSAA 4A 

2022 Record: 14-16

District Number: District 1 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 5 

Team Strengths: An experienced group who should be well-rounded on the mound. Also returning some key pieces who have been injured.

Top Returning Players:

• LHP/CF Cooper Waddle
• UTL Solomon Smith
• MIF/OF Carson Shells
• UTL/RHP Hagan Pearce
• OF/LHP Dylan Walters
• UTL Kaleb Davis
• C John Austin Wood (TCU)

Top 2023 Prospects:

• OF Brantley Wiygul
• UTL/RHP Ty Davis

Top 2025 & 2026 Prospects:

• LHP/OF Cayden Prestage
• C/3B Bryson Walters
• RHP Carson Ozbirn
• RHP Braedon Dobbs
• SS/RHP Dayne Wray
• RHP Andrew Green

Team Outlook:

Itawamba AHS Coach Steve Kerr has a lot to be excited about with his talented young roster. The Indians hope to improve on their 14-16 record from a year ago and with this group, which includes 7 positional starters coming back and 5 returning pitchers, that task looks to be somewhat of a guarantee. 

Returning starters are seniors Solomon Smith (U/RHP) and Zion Ashby (INF), and a host of sophomores, featuring one of the top left handed pitchers in the 2025 class, Cooper Waddle (OF/LHP). Waddle along with Carson Shells (UT), Hagan Pearce (UT/RHP), Dylan Walters (OF/RHP), and Kaleb Davis (UT) will make the Indians 4A contenders for the next few seasons at the very least. 

Other players Coach Kerr expects to provide production will be seniors Brantley Wiygul (OF), Ty Davis (UT/RHP) and sophomore transfer (C) John Austin Wood, a Texas Christian commit. 

The Indians should be a force to be reckoned with for a while with a strong group of underclassmen on the way. One of the top 2026 players in the state, lefty Cayden Prestage, leads a pack that also includes Bryson Walters (C/3B), Carson Ozbin (RHP), Braedon Dobbs (RHP), Dayne Wray (SS/RHP), and Andrew Green (RHP). 

Can’t wait to get to Fulton and see these guys in action!