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The 2022 TN high school season is less than a week away! Teams across the state are making the final touches and prepping for the Spring campaign. With season around the corner, the PBR TN Preseason Power 25 Rankings returns for our second season highlighting the top clubs to and Spring Fling hopefuls. Of the 25 programs featured in the 2021 preseason rankings, 12 of them reached the state tournament: #1 Baylor, #2 Farragut, #3 CAK, #4 Beech, #5 CPA, #8 Briarcrest, #16 Siegel, #19 Clarksville, #20 McCallie, #21 Science Hill, #23 McMinn County, and #24 Pigeon Forge. Three of those clubs walked away state champions (Baylor, CPA, & Science Hill) and two finished runner up (Briarcrest & Pigeon Forge). This year will hopefully be more of the same, littered with teams making serious postseason runs in 2022. The Power 25 is determined by returning prospects, season outlook, and building off last season for teams from all classifications. 

We'll continue to update this list throughout the season and expand our coverage with the TN Preseason Class Rankings coming out on opening day (March 14th). Be sure to stay tuned as we continue releasing the PBR TN Top 100 and Team Previews to provide top notch coverage of high school teams and prospects. For the Power 25, let's get started with no. 21-25....

Preseason Power 25 Rankings

No. 21-25

No. 16-20

No. 11-15

 

No. 6-10

No. 10 CPA (Last year: 31-14 | D2-AA)
The Lions very up n down out the gate last season as they were 7-8 on April 6th and finished as the four seed from D2-A district 3 tournament. However, they flipped the switch in region play upsetting Goodpasture and sweeping the region section leading to a matchup with King's Academy. They took two of the three game series, and swept the state tournament, capping it off with a 12-11 win over Northpoint. They were a very talented squad (hence their number five preseason rank last season), and put it together to cap off an outstanding second half to bring home a state title. They return one of the more physical lineups in the state featuring '22 C Cade Law (Vanderbilt Commit), '22 INF Langston Patterson (Vandy FB commit), and '23 CINF Bo Burklow. '23 SS Easton Dillard returns as the everyday starter and '23 RHP/MINF Braxton Orr looks to be in the mix more along with a feature arm role. The outfield will have several options including '23 OF London Humphreys, '22 OF Drew Webster, and '23 OF Trey Brown. '22 1B/LHP Gavin McEvoy and '22 1B/RHP Evan Carney can be a veteran presence and provide depth in multiple ways. They'll also have '25 OF Hutson Chance (Tennessee commit) and '25 C Brock Beddingfield as two pieces to build on for the next few years. They'll have to fill some major innings from last year on the mound, but Orr is a good building block and others will emerge into the mix.

 

No. 9 Ravenwood (Last year: 23-10 | 4A)
The Raptors were a very, physical club with plenty of quality bats and a mix n match strategy of arms, which allowed them to win the regular season district title. They went two and out in the district tourney, but won the region semifinals and reached sub state before falling to Beech. '22 1B/RHP Blake Bevis (Ball State Commit) can impact the games with his power bat and also throwing in the upper 80s on the bump. '22 3B/RHP Thomas Cooper (Valpo Commit) and '22 3B/OF Myles Denton (Uncommitted) are two proven bats that can consistently hit and plug infield spots after the Raptors graduated both middle infielders. They'll have '22 OF/LHP Stephen Bell (Alderson Broaddus Commit) and '22 OF/RHP Nic Raum (Uncommitted) return after consistently starting last year. '22 C Andrew Dudas (Uncommitted) returns behind the plate and '23 C Andrew Moser has shown potential with the bat and as a number two. They return the district pitcher of the year in '22 RHP/OF Luke Kocian (Uncommitted), and probably add the biggest piece in transfer '22 LHP Joe King (Vanderbilt Commit). Several of the guys listed above will contribute on the mound along with '22 RHP Ben Schmisseur (LaGrange College Commit), '22 RHP Alex Sterling (Uncommitted), and '22 LHP Jack Wilson (Uncommitted). They'll need a couple of arms to continue to develop and replace the middle infield, but this looks like a club that can content to get back to the Boro.

 

No. 8 Mt. Juliet (Last year: 28-9 | 4A)
The Golden Bears lead the pack last year in district going 11-1 in the regular season. They dropped the opening game of the tourney, but battled all the way back to reach the championship, falling to Beech. That set them up for a region semifinal game at Clarksville, and the two clubs were featured in a classic battle, going into extras at 1-1 until a walk off home run sealed the Golden Bears fate. They lose a good chunk of their lineup, but the Golden Bears will lean on '22 RHP/SS Austin Hunley (Tennessee Commit) and '22 RHP/INF Justin Lee (MTSU Commit), who both posted outstanding numbers last Spring. '24 LHP Roman Petricca and '24 LHP Landon Parman will follow the studs and log good chunk of innings. '22 RHP/CINF Tannor Meyer and '22 2B/RHP Joey Losurdo will contribute as veteran two-ways. '22 C Anthony Buckland (Uncommitted) returns behind the plate and '23 C Kyle Fitzgibbons is a very sound number two backstop. '22 MINF Daniel Michael can really pick it and will play a role on the infield. '23 OF Tyler Vestal and '23 OF Easton Krenzke will help fill some holes in the outfield and provide some versatility in the lineup. '25 C/OF Baylor Osborne has shown athleticism and may find some varsity time in his freshman campaign. They return some depth on the mound and should be very sound defensively, but certainly some holes to fill in the lineup are graduating a position heavy class last year.

 

No. 7 McCallie (Last year: 22-10 | D2-AA)
The Blue Tornadoes were rolling to start off the year 18-2 heading into the end of April, but they hit a tough skid losing 6 of 7, including the first game of the first round to Lipscomb Academy. However, they bounced back and won the next two on the road to advance to the final four in Murfreesboro. They opened up with a win against Briarcrest, but dropped the next two to end their season. It will all start with the arms this season: '23 RHP Grayson Smith (Florida Commit), '23 RHP Olin Johnson (Washington St Commit), and '22 RHP/UTL Austin Breedlove (Bossier Parish CC Commit). With reports of '23 RHP/SS Hudson Calhoun (Ole Miss Commit) out this year, these three arms will pick up some more innings and have the stuff to make some noise. We've seen Smith up to 91 with a sharp breaking ball, and Breedlove is tickling 90 while also contributing with the bat as an outfielder. Johnson is a transfer from Washington and was up to 87 last Spring with a long, lanky frame. '22 3B Carter Hewitt (Army Commit) will look to lead the offense in the middle of the order again with some big power and very sound at the hot corner. '22 INF Brock Ragsdale (Covenant College Commit) played a nice role last season and be a veteran presence. '22 INF Javen Johnson and '23 INF Sebastian Leinberger are solid contributors that are back while '22 INF/RHP William Baker could contribute as a two-way. '24 OF Bryce Sanders has continued to develop and can work his way into the mix along with '25 RHP Nolan Bernard, who showed great upside this Preseason. McCallie has the depth on the mound and veterans in the field, as they'll look to push Baylor in the East and get back to Spring Fling. 

 

No. 6 CAK (Last year: 33-10 | D2-A) 
CAK coming off a three peat (2017-2019) picked up where the left off as they just dominated the East Region last season. They won the region section outscoring opponents 52-2 in four games, then swept a good Columbia Academy squad to advance to the final four in Murfreesboro. They opened with a win in the Boro, but ultimately dropped the next two to end their season. The Warriors lost a deep group of seniors from last season, but it always seems to be a reload program. '22 RHP Simon Tesh (Belmont Commit) returns after working up to 88 and '23 RHP Andrew Moore worked up to 90 at Future Games with an expanded role on the bump. '22 3B/RHP Walker Strange (Lipscomb Commit) is a physical bat in the middle and solid option on the mound. '23 RHP Luke Jones has been up to 85 and logged some innings out of the bullpen last year. '24 MINF Wesley Alig really impressed at the Preseason All-State Showcase and will have a more featured role in a potential breakout season. '22 OF Tyler Jenkins and '22 1B/OF Jeremy Crider look like two veterans that can plug some holes and contribute plus '23 3B/OF Sam Cecil has flashed some upside. '25 OF/RHP Bleau Kennedy has shown potential and flashed arm strength on the mound, who may see a little time with so many moving pieces. CAK won't be as deep as last season, but they'll have players emerge throughout the year and fill voids safe to say they'll be the favorite in the D2-A East region.

 

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