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TN High School Team Preview: Clarksville Academy Cougars

January 16, 2023
PBR Tennessee Staff

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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 Tennessee.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Murfreesboro at The Spring Fling 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 Tennessee. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews and by continuing other pieces of content covering the Volunteer 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 TSSAA 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: Clarksville Academy 

Coach’s Name: Dustin Smith 

Team Twitter Handle: @_CougarBaseball

Classification: D2-A 

2022 Record: 29-10

District + Region Number: District 4 + Middle Region 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 8 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 7 

Team Strengths: Senior leadership and overall experience.

Top Returning Players:

Top 2025 & 2026 Prospects:

Team Outlook:

The Cougars finished third in the Middle Region last year, but advanced to the Quarterfinals where they ultimately dropped the best of three to state runner up Northpoint to finish 29-10. They expect to be the biggest challenger to defending state champ Goodpasture in district four this Spring. Luckily, they’ll return a vast majority of their roster with a lot of experience following their deep run last year. The headliner is ‘23 1B/LHP DJ Merriweather, who turned in a Mr. Baseball Finalist season and will be a key bat in the middle of the order and in the rotation. Merriweather had to be the ace last year, but ‘23 RHP Collin Rittenberry (Freed Hardeman) is back after missing a majority of last Spring due to injury, which will be a tough 1-2 punch on the mound. The brothers, ‘23 MINF/RHP Max Cassle and ‘25 MINF/RHP Harrison Cassle, will anchor the middle infield and throw significant innings on the mound behind Rittenberry and Merriweather. They’ll return all three outfielders from last season with ‘23 OF Cooper Wallace, ‘23 OF Jack Cross, and ‘23 OF Jacques Wyatt, which is a very strong experienced group both offensively/defensively. ‘23 3B/RHP Cole Smith (Union Univ.) will play the hot corner and provide pitching depth. ‘23 C Rudy Sleigh is back behind the plate and will be another lefty bat in the order while ‘25 C/RHP Evan Leonard will back him up and be a key weekend/relief arm. ‘25 RHP Jalon Page will be another contributing arm to watch. The Cougars will have 7-8 seniors on the field at any given point this season with their top arms back and a deep lineup, but they will have to battle it out in the Middle Region and certainly have the talent for the opportunity to be playing for a spot to go to Murfreesboro this Spring.

Check out our website for more information on prep baseball in the Volunteer State. 

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UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE DATE LOCATION
Nashville Preseason ID 1/22 Showtime Sports Academy (Franklin, TN)
East Tennessee Preseason ID 1/28 BC Athletics Facility (Knoxville, TN)
Preseason All-State (Invite-Only) 2/4 Showtime Sports Academy (Franklin, TN)

 

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