Tennessee HS Team Preview: Columbia Academy Bulldogs
February 6, 2025
The 2025 Tennessee high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound 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 state tournament 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 across Tennessee. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 25 rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action.
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 and updating the Power 25 rankings.
Our 2025 preseason coverage continues today.
High School: Columbia Academy
Head Coach: Richie Estep
TSSAA Classification: DII-1A
District & Region: (District 6: Middle Region)
2024 Record (Playoff Finish): 37-6
ROSTER PREVIEW
+ Key Returners:
- MIF/RHP Gunner Skelton (2026, Vanderbilt)
- MIF Briar Helton (2025)
- RHP Jackson Lee (2025)
2025 OUTLOOK
+ Columbia Academy comes into the spring 2025 season off of a stellar campaign last season that saw them win the DII-A State Championship with a 37-6 overall finish. The club will return a plethora of starters that include three seniors, 4 juniors and 2 sophomores with valuable playing experience. The Bulldogs will also bring back their top two arms that make for an exciting group looking to defend their title. The club loses two valuable players in Durrough and Reed who have since moved on but look out for some underclassmen to fill in their gap. Senior MIF Briar Helton led the team with a .407 batting average last season, while also drawing his fair share of BB’s. He looks in line to step into the top of the order and get things going offensively. Senior Jacob Woodward looks like he will be in the leadoff spot yet again where he batted .311 a year ago, while leading the team in walks. You then have senior Jackson Lee, who was the team ace last season throwing 73 innings with 2.09 ERA to go with 126 K’s. In the junior ranks, you have do-it all Mr. Baseball Gunner Skelton. The Vanderbilt commit was one of Team Tennessee’s top performers this past summer at the Prep Baseball Future Games. He threw 72 innings last season to a tune of a 1.16 ERA, while also batting .387 with 4 HR’s. The team goes as he goes and was a major factor in them winning it all last season. Junior Noah Gibson will be back somewhere in the middle part of the order and a major leader in the clubhouse. The catcher looks to bat clean-up after hitting .304 last year with 12 2B’s. Junior third baseman Jace Kinkaid was a strong option in the bottom part of the lineup last year where he time and time again turned it back over to the top half. He will be looked upon more this year offensively but can be a major spark if the bat continues to heat up. Junior William Rhodes will get more opportunities this year after playing in over a 3rd of their games last season. He will need to pick up some production at the plate but he has shown flashes at times. The sophomores will be relied upon yet again this season. Maine Metz was strong out of the pen last year and likely steps into a consistent starting role this season and offers some projection. Another strong infielder that will receive ample playing time will be Wyatt Ayers. He offers some twitch with athleticism and should be able to steal a lot of bags this season when on base. The Bulldogs look strong yet again but have a target on their backs as they come into the season. While they did lose two valuable pieces from last year’s championship team, they return their lineup in full, as well as their main two arms with plenty in waiting that have gained experience over the last two seasons. Look for the Bulldogs to be back in state yet again and eye on them for a back-to-back finish as TSSAA DII-1A state champions.
FOLLOW US THROUGHOUT THE SPRING
+ Prep Baseball Tennessee on X
+ Prep Baseball Tennessee on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Tennessee on Facebook