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: Karns High School
Head Coach: Drew Patterson
Classification: AAAA
District + Region Number: District 3 + Region 2
2023 Record (Finish): 6-21
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5
No. of Returning Pitchers: 4
Team Strengths: Overly Talented 2027 class, with a few upperclassmen with experience. Team speed and a quickness as well as multiple arms on the mound. New buy in from the program with new players and new staff. Excitement in a huge strength for us right now. 

 

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

• SS Conner Clark (2024, Union College - KY)
• CF Brodie Miles (2025)

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MORE UPPERCLASS FOLLOWS

Class of 2025

• P/1B Bryce Elgin (2025)
• C Isaac Schmidt (2025)
• RHP Thomas Butler (2025)
• 3B Luke Barnes (2025)

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TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

• RHP/INF Blake Bowers (2027)
• INF Joe Currier (2027)
• C Hayden Jennings (2027)
• OF Ben Styles (2027)
• OF Tucker Fowlkes (2027)
• OF CJ Burnette (2027)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

Karns Beavers took a lot of bumps on the road a season ago to an overall record of 6-21 with only 1 win in their district regular season and 1 win in their district tournament. This was a team that had lost a lot of players in 2022 and just didn’t have enough manpower to realistically compete last season. There were a few close games but were ultimately outscored by a large margin throughout the spring schedule. However, coming into 2024, the Beavers have an entirely new look thanks to a new coaching staff and upgraded facilities that lead to believe that this year’s squad led by Coach Patterson will have a different approach and outcome. Coach Patterson comes over from Cherokee High School where he led the Chiefs to a 19 win season in 2022 and  was awarded the Twin Lakes Coach of the Year award, following that with  a 23 win season in 2023 with a regional appearance. Coach Patterson has high expectations and looks to rebuild the program to its former glory and will have some help this year as the club returns key pieces from a year ago. In total 5 returning position players with starting experience, as well as 4 returning  pitchers with starting time or appearances. There are a handful of college prospects that don the yellow and blue starting with Union College signee and senior shortstop Conner Clark. He looks to bat in the 3-hole as he secured that spot in the lineup late last season. Alongside him is a group of juniors that have played a significant amount of innings. Starting in centerfield, you have Team Tennessee summer participant Brodie Miles who should provide speed on the bases and assist in the outfield. P/1B Bryce Elgin should offer a spot in the rotation and man 1st when not. Issac Schmidt will be back at the catching position and bat somewhere in the middle of the order. You also have pitcher Thomas Butler who is another guy that should look to compete for a spot in the district rotation and then infielder Luke Barnes who offers some physicality and athleticism. This team is loaded with younger underclassmen with a really talented freshman group that should also step up and provide a spark this season. 2027 class prospects include pitcher and infielder  Blake Bowers that already has maturity with him from a physical standpoint. You then have infielder Joe Currier to go alongside outfielders Ben Styles, CJ Burnette  and Tucker Fowlkes, while Hayden Jennings will grow into his role as their catcher. The strength of the Beavers looked to be their team speed and having a plethora of arms on the mound to go to. Coach Patterson is looking for new buy-in from the players with their new staff in place and there seems to be a lot of excitement brewing for 2024. This year’s squad will be young and a weakness of sorts will be how youthful they are but don’t count them out as they play with a lot of heart and will this year. Look for the Beavers to improve on their 6 wins this season, while being a pesky opponent in a competitive District 3. 

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Find more information on the 2024 Karns High School program below:

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

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FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL TENNESSEE THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball Tennessee on X
+ Prep Baseball Tennessee on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Tennessee on Facebook

 

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