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TN HS Team Preview: Nolensville Knights

January 19, 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: Nolensville High School
Head Coach: Zach Hudson
Classification: AAAA
District + Region Number: District 10, Region 5
2023 Record (Finish): 20-12
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 4
No. of Returning Pitchers: 6
Team Strengths: Pitching

 

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

Chase Clatur (2024, Murray State)

Dawson Sweeney (2024, Trevecca Nazarene)

Tate Riggs (2024, Columbia State CC)

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

Kyson Barney (2026)

Kael Barney (2026)

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Nolensville Knights looked poised to make a strong push this season in one of the most competitive districts in all of Tennessee with the likes of Independence, Ravenwood and Summitt. The club relied on a plethora of younger talent a season ago, while ‘23 LHP graduate and current Vanderbilt freshman Ethan McElvain led the charge on the bump. One could argue that the Knights underachieved last season, even with a 20-12 record, being bounced out of the district tournament and never seeing the postseason. This year's club offers a bunch of key pieces back with plenty of arms with valuable starting experience to go alongside a few positional starters set to mark their return. It all starts on the mound with the Knights and will be in a good position to compete and win in every single game they play in. Senior RHP and Murray State signee Chase Clatur steps into the ace role with a low ¾ arm slot and upper 80’s mph on the heater. Not only that, but he commands a wipeout slider that can be used in any count to go alongside a changeup, which offers deception and arm-side run that should allow him to pitch against anyone’s number 1. ‘26 uber talented sophomore and LHP Bo Holloway offers the most upside out of the bunch and has eyes on stepping into the #2 role where can offer the Knights a chance to go up 2-0 in a 3 game series format against anyone. Holloway comes with a lengthy frame at 6 foot 5 with a downhill and over the top release. The arm is legit with upper 80’s mph and should have zero issue climbing into the 90’s mph this season. Secondary is where he will need to make his jump with competitive offspeed pitches in the zone, while showing the ability to get ahead. Teams will have trouble hitting him and it really comes down to if he can limit his walks and attack the zone consistently. ‘24 RHP and Columbia State signee Tate Riggs is another arm that will fill out the rotation where he sits low to mid 80’s on the heater with command of two secondary offerings. ‘24 3B/RHP and Trevecca signee Dawson Sweeney is another arm that offers low 80’s mph and should eat up a lot of innings in a start or relief type of role. ‘25 Ryan Stein is another LHP that offers low to mid 80’s on the fastball with the ability to throw strikes and will push for a rotation spot and a bulk of innings. Coach Hudson will have a problem on his hands allocating innings, albeit a great one with so many options on the hill. In the lineup, the Knights return 4 starters with some fresh names set to make their mark on varsity. ‘26 Evan McElvain (younger brother of Ethan) will slide back into the catching spot where he started the bulk of innings last season as a freshman. Then you have a pair of twin brothers with length and athletic components in ‘26 class prospects Kyson and Kael Barney who look to command positions. Kyson has a chance to compete for the starting SS role, while Kael looks to take over one of the corner outfield spots. Both players offer projection with current ability present. ‘26 Max Riggs (younger brother of Tate) will push for playing time in the middle infield. ‘26 corner infielder Griffin Hendrickson is another younger player that offers present talent and will also make a push for innings this season and is a highlighted player coming to our PBR Tennessee Preseason All-State event before the season. Lastly you have ‘27 class prospect LHP/OF Ryan Newell who was a major player on this summer’s PBR Tennessee Junior Future Game team. He may dress varsity, and even push for opportunities, but looks to get the bulk of his playing time on JV this year. The Knights will be led by their pitching and will go as far as that takes them this season. Their lineup still looks to be a work in progress and don’t count on them having that set completely early on in the season. If they can stack some early wins together and mesh the rotation and lineup together, look for the club to be a major factor in District 10. This team may still be young but have enough talented players to work with to make some noise and make a push for the postseason.

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

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

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+ Prep Baseball Tennessee on X
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