Prep Baseball Report

Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 5 CPA


Colton Provey
Tennessee Scouting Director

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The 2021 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state. That excitement may be at an all-time high entering this high school season as the 2020 high school baseball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season during an offseason unlike any other and as always, there are some very talented players and teams across Tennessee.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Murfreesboro at the TSSAA Spring Fling state championships, 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. 

We start diving into the Preseason Power 25 Rankings, highlighting some of the deepest clubs across the state. Although we could have done 40+ clubs with so many talented teams getting tuned up for the 2021 season, we can only rank 25 and this list will continue to change as the season plays out on the field.  There will be teams not on the list that will be battling for a state championship come late May, so take it for what it's worth, as no championships have ever been won on paper.  

 *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: Christ Presbyterian Academy

Coach: Larry Nesbitt

Classification: TSSAA D2A-District 3

 

 Top Returning Players:

2021 OF JJ Williams (Lee Univ Commit)

2021 1B Cade Reynolds (Uncommitted)

2021 SS Ben Ivey (Uncommitted)

2022 C Cade Law

2023 1B/3B Bo Burklow (Tennessee Commit) 

 

2021 Prospects:

2021 OF JJ Williams (Lee Univ Commit)

2021 1B Cade Reynolds (Uncommitted)

2021 SS Ben Ivey (Uncommitted)

2021 RHP Zee Thompson (Transylvania Commit)

2021 RHP James Dickson (Trevecca Commit)

2021 C Spencer Dams (Uncommitted)

2021 RHP Jack Jennings (Uncommitted)

 

2022/Underclass Prospects:

2022 C Cade Law

2023 1B/3B Bo Burklow (Tennessee Commit)

2023 SS/RHP Braxton Orr

2022 2B Langston Patterson

2023 OF London Humphreys

2022 LHP/1B Gavin McEvoy

2022 OF Drew Webster

2023 OF Trey Brown

2023 SS Easton Dillard

2023 OF Hudson Smith

2023 2B Caleb Webster

 

Outlook: 

The Lions have strung together five straight 30+ win seasons making a state tournament appearance in all five of those seasons, including a AA state title in 2015 and three runner up finishes.  After going a perfect 3-0 in 2020, the Lions are primed for another deep run to the Boro due to a deep senior class and rising talent among the underclassmen.  Sr. SS Ben Ivey will look to lock down a college commitment after showing great defensive prowess and offensive upside as one of the top uncommitted seniors heading into Spring.  Former Future Gamer Sr. Cade Reynolds can pick it at 1B and has shown great power heading into his final campaign.  Sr. OF JJ Williams (Lee Univ.) can really swing it and will lead a talented OF as the veteran presence. They also have a trio of senior arms that can command and mix in low 80s with RHP Zee Thompson (Translvania), RHP James Dickson (Trevecca), and RHP Jack Jennings. '22 C/QB1 Cade Law capped off a state title on the gridiron this fall (with the help of 2B/LB Langston Patterson and Tennessee baseball commit Bo Burklow), and the lefty slugging catcher is the top uncommitted junior in the class.  Mix in sophomores SS/RHP Braxton Orr, OF London Humphreys, and emerging OF Trey Brown, forming one of the deeper lineups in the state.  Orr shined this preseason at short with great hands and consistent barrels spraying it to all fields, while topping 88 on the bump with four pitch mix.  Humphreys will be coming out of basketball, but has shown to be an extraordinary athlete while patrolling the outfield.  Brown has continued to improve and is a solid lefty bat to join in the festivities.  Burklow is the only committed underclassman after locking it in with the Vols this winter, and is another physical bat in the lineup that can play multiple positions.  The lineup is lethal with depth at multiple positions to combat against the skilled arms in the district, and the storyline of their own emerging arms will determine the best path back to Spring Fling.  Nonetheless, CPA has another deep group with postseason experience and expectations are high as they try to break through and secure their first state title in the D2-A classification. 

 

Best of luck this season!

 

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