Prep Baseball Report

2022 PBR TN Top 100: No. 1-10


Colton Provey
Tennessee Scouting Director

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It won't be long before we're hearing the ringing of high school bats and popping of leather mitts as the 2022 high school season will kick off on March 14th. We've been rolling out preseason coverage with team previews and team/class rankings will be presented in the near future.

At the conclusion of last season, we posted our inaugural PBR TN All-State teams featuring three rosters and 75 total players. Those teams were selected based on a blend of high school stats and also prospect profile as it was a great way to recognize some incredible individual performances from the 2021 season. For this upcoming season, we've decided to put together a PBR TN All-State watchlist in the form of the PBR TN Top 100. To be clear, this is not a top 100 prospect rankings. This list is formed based on a combination of factors: 1. projected production in hitting/pitching 2. player will play an integral role in their school's success 3. simply these are the players that opposing coaches do not want to see on the mound or at bat in big game moments. As we release the list you'll see: Mr. baseball winners/finalist, limited players per high school, some power 5 commits will not included, some D2/Juco commits will be included, and uncommitted players will be included. This list is centered around production and the ability to impact games every single night of the season. 

We can look at it a few ways, so first let's think of it as a 2022 TN high school fantasy baseball rankings. If you were constructing a team, you're gonna want guys who suit up every night and are gonna log a lot of at bats and innings on the mound to maximize stat output. This list features a lot of team's aces and meat of the order hitters, who may play a key position defensively or produce as a two-way. Fantasy sports websites always put out a preseason rankings to help consumers draft and help maximize their season success. The second way to to observe the list, is consider crossing sport lines in comparison to the annual NFL Top 100. For those not familiar, the NFL Top 100 is a preseason publication that honors the top 100 players voted on by the players. They usually roll it out and players give insight on other players abilities, but often fans are fully engaged in dissecting and criticizing the surprises and "snubs." For an example, I think it would be hard pressed to convince anyone that Tom Brady is NOT the best player to suit it up in the NFL, entirely based on his stats, records, awards, championships, etc. However, Brady has only been voted no. 1 three times in the past decade with his last being before the 2018 season. Also, Cooper Kupp was arguably the best wide receiver this past season, racking up nearly 2,000 receiving yards and a Super Bowl MVP, but he wasn't featured on the preseason list. Soooo with that being said sit back and enjoy the list, its purpose is a fun way for players and parents to follow numerous skilled high school kids this season. 

*One more time for the people in the back: This is not a Top 100 prospects list*

Top 100

No. 91-100

No. 81-90

No. 71-80

No. 61-70

No. 51-60

No. 41-50

No. 31-40

No. 21-30

No. 11-20

 

No. 1-10

Trenton Lyons C / SS / Christian Brothers, TN / 2023

No. 10: The switch hitting catcher/super utility looks to lead Christian Brothers in his junior campaign. He handles the stick well from both sides of the plate and can handle catching duties while also having the athleticism to play any position in the field. Last year, he hit .366 while scoring 41 runs and driving in 26 with 14 doubles. The Purple Wave had a younger club last season, so they'll be a year older and should be in contention of coming out of the D2-AA West region.

AJ Russell RHP / 3B / Franklin, TN / 2022

No. 9: Russell moved in from Oregon last year, and he had a breakout season last Spring for the Admirals. He posted some monster starts in a tough district, and the buzz just continued to grow as he committed to Tennessee in the summer. He went 3-0 with a 0.63 ERA and 67 punch outs in 44.1 innings last Spring, earning second team All-PBR honors. He'll remain the ace and provide the Admirals a chance to keep against any club during his senior season.

Austin Hunley RHP / SS / Mount Juliet, TN / 2022

No. 8: Hunley has been a staple in the Mt. Juliet rotation, and last year was much of the same. The Tennessee commit went 6-1 with 0.46 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 46 innings, earning second team All-PBR honors. He's been in the upper 80s with a sharp SL and really attacks the zone (8 walks last season). The Golden Bears will have another good club looking to push deeper in the postseason after falling to Clarksville in region semifinals. Hunley will play up the middle as well and heading a talented pitching staff.

James Smith SS / RHP / Northpoint, TN / 2022

No. 7: Smith was an absolute force for Northpoint, helping lead them to a state runner up season. He committed to Ole Miss shortly after starring on the mound and at SS. He went 7-2 with a 1.67 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 54.2 innings. At the plate he hit .434 with 11 doubles, 6 triples, 8 home runs while driving 55 runs, earning him first team All-PBR honors as a two-way. Northpoint lost a couple pieces from last year, but Smith and Co. will look to get back to state and try to close it out this Spring.

Jayden Davis SS / RHP / Cookeville, TN / 2022

No. 6: Davis was an impact player every night for the Cavaliers as he hit a remarkable .625 with 15 doubles and 10 jacks. He also added 17 stolen bases, 40 runs scored, and 44 runs driven in, earning first team All-PBR honors. The Samford commit is also a strong defender at shortstop, and can even close out some games if need as he's been up to 91 on the mound. Davis will lead the Cavs into a new district in 4A with hopes of making a deep postseason run.

Ethan McElvain LHP / 1B / Nolensville , TN / 2023

No. 5: The Vandy commit transferred to Nolensville last year, and helped lead the Knights to the state tournament. He was a 2A Mr. Baseball finalist after going 9-2 with a 0.77 ERA and 130 punches in 63.2 innings. He also cut his walk rate down (18 walks last Spring) and only allowed 22 hits, which helped him earn first team All-PBR. Nolensville will bump from 2A to 4A this year, but return a good chunk of their state tourney squad as they'll look to compete at the highest public school level.

Joe King LHP / OF / Ravenwood, TN / 2022

No. 4: Last Spring, Ezell Harding did not field a baseball team, so King was busy sharpening his skills through training and bullpen work. He competed with Nashville Stars this summer, getting a full slate of innings, and transferred to 4A Ravenwood. Last we saw King he was up to 92 with two strong off speed offerings from the left side. The Vandy commit will be a plugged into the Raptors rotation and help them compete in a tough district. They reached sub-state last season and should have another club that can push to the Boro this Spring.

Henry Godbout SS / 2B / Baylor, TN / 2022

No. 3: The Virginia commit was a bit overshadowed last season with so many high-caliber players in the Baylor lineup. However, he will be more of a focal point in his senior campaign after swinging it well from the left side in a complimentary role. Godbout hit .366 with 15 extra base hits and scored 39 runs. He'll play multiple infield position and should be a force to help Baylor try to capture their fourth straight D2-AA state title.

Miller Green LHP / 1B / Lipscomb Academy, TN / 2023

No. 2: Green was outstanding for Lippy last season, leading to a D2-AA Mr. Baseball Finalist nomination. The Georgia Tech commit went 8-0 on the mound with 1.00 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 49 innings while hitting .416 with 12 doubles and 35 RBIs, earning first team All-PBR honors as a two-way. Their season came up short of their goals, falling to McCallie in the final eight, but Lippy will have a deep ball club with Green at the forefront this season.

Grayson Saunier RHP / OF / Collierville , TN / 2022

No. 1:The number one prospect in the 2022 class will draw plenty of draft looks this Spring after building quite a resume this past year. He participated in the Area Code Games and USA baseball trials, and he's climbed to 97th on the PBR Draft Board. Last Spring, the Ole Miss Commit went 5-3 with a 2.18 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 48 innings. He also hit .344 with 6 doubles, 2 triples, and 4 home runs, earning third team All-PBR honors as a two-way. He's behind throwing schedule due to covid shutdown, but once he's a full go he'll be able to stack up some serious numbers. He'll be a tough matchup for any opposing club in districts or the postseason.

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