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TN HS Team Preview: Clarksville Wildcats

March 7, 2024
Hunter Martin
TN Scouting Director

The 2024 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 Power 25 and much more.

*Please note the information has been gathered from head coaches across the state, based on their replies to the questionnaire we distributed over this offseason.

High School: Clarksville High School
Head Coach: Brian Hetland
Classification: AAAA
District + Region Number: District 13
2023 Record (Finish): 34-9
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5
No. of Returning Pitchers: 5
Team Strengths: Defensively we were one of the top teams in the state in AAAA! We return SS,3B, Catcher from infield and CF, and RF from outfield. We will likely move 3b to 2b and hope to fill 3B with a junior. Our lineup should be stronger this year on the offensive side. Five pitchers that threw a lot of innings are back so with continued improvement we should be solid on the mound.

 

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2024

Class of 2025

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

TEAM OUTLOOK

Clarksville had a remarkable campaign a season ago that saw them make it all the way to the TSSAA 4A state tournament. They had an extremely tough draw however as they would win the first game 10-0 before falling in back to back games to Farragut and Stewarts Creek. Both losses were extremely tight knit as pitching dominated their opponents, but they just couldn't find the right combination of hits with runners in scoring positions. The Wildcats would lose both games 1-0, which leads me to being high on them this season with a plethora of arms set to make their return. The club will return a good portion of their lineup with 5 position players set to return to their same positions. The kicker is that their pitching staff could also be better this season with some talented underclass dudes one year older and already having adequate varsity experience. Defensively, they will be one of the better teams as they basically return their entire infield, while their outfield pretty much stays intact. The club did lose their leadoff hitter, Gavin Dufault to Maryville but I get the impression that they have a guy that can step in and fill that role. The Wildcats will have one of the best players behind the dish in All-State Vanderbilt commit Korbin Reynolds. The junior is a plus defender with above average arm strength, while also showing the ability to bang from the right-side where he hit .490 last season and seemingly always producing in big time moments. He is one of my favorite players in that ‘25 class and has a bright future ahead of him in this game. In center field will be Preb Baseball Future Games alum and Evansville commit Kirk Weatherford. The kid is the definition of a gamer type of ball player that plays with a lot of consistency. He somehow always finds ways to get on base and the power should be that much better this season. Senior shortstop will be Preston Brooks who comes with a soft glove up the middle. He will most likely head the junior college route and Coach Hetland is hoping the bat can get back to form. Senior infielder Parker Frost likely moves over from 3rd to 2nd base this season to replace Dufault. He was a back-half of the lineup guy last year but looks to move up into the middle heart of the order. Senior outfielder Collin Windham should get the nod in right field this season. He is coming off a really strong summer and fall that saw him get interest from junior colleges around the region. Junior Jack Wyatt offers switch-hitting ability and should be a staple in the lineup either in a corner outfield spot or a DH type of role. Sophomore Keaton Anderson is a speedster on the base paths with an above average stick from the left-side as he will get plenty of opportunities this spring while sophomore Cooper Nebben likely taking over the hot corner position and a consistent bat in the bottom of the lineup order. The pitching is what will really separate the Wildcats in a tournament format as their depth is not only deep, but extremely talented at the high school level. Unsigned Senior Christian Henderson has quietly gone under the radar but the talent is there with him. He is coming off an All-State nomination season that saw him go 9-3 with him also getting the ball in crucial pressure games. The FB was sitting 86-88 mph at Prep Baseball Tennessee’s Preseason All-State with command of all 4 pitches and will be a really great late addition to a college pitching staff. Senior RHP Brady Davis was the winning pitcher in sub-state a season ago, while also shoving against eventual state champions Farragut going 7 innings giving up only 1 ER. He should be back in the #2 role and will start receiving more college looks as the season progresses. Rounding out their 3-man district rotation likely is ‘26 LHP Porter Murff. The Southpaw was another standout arm at Preseason All-State where he sat 86-88 mph with a power slider that is already touching 80 mph. He had a great freshman year and the expectations are for him to build upon that this season. Sophomore RHP Collie Reynolds is a big profile arm that comes in the mid 80’s with the heater. He got varsity innings a season ago and will likely create more opportunities for himself this season as a hybrid starter/1st out of the pen type of role. Sophomore Dawson Smith is another guy that likely factors into a closer type with a mid 80’s FB, while also getting innings behind the dish. It is safe to presume that the Wildcats are loaded on the mound and in the lineup. This may be one of Coach Hetland’s best teams that he has had during his tenure as the head coach at Clarksville. District 13 is never easy as crosstown rival Rossview is equally as impressive, but if their pitching can continue to do what they did last season, they will be tough to beat in a 3 game setting, while also having enough depth on the hill to make a long run in the state tournament.

Find more information on the 2024 Clarksville High program below:

+ Follow them on X: @ClkHighBaseball
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Tennessee Team Previews Page

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+ Prep Baseball Tennessee on X
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