Power 25 HS Preview: #15 Calhoun

High School Name: Calhoun

Coach’s Name: Matt Montgomery

Classification: 5A

2022 Record: 17-14

Region: 7-5A

No. of Returning Starters: 8

Team Strengths: Young Talent

Returning Players: 

• RHP Cooper Evans (Bossier Parish, 2023)

• OF CJ Hawkins (2023)

Top 2024 Prospects:

• OF/RHP Cohen Chadwick

• OF/LHP Isaac Green 

Top 2025 and 2026 Prospects

• SS/RHP Andrew Purdy (Alabama, 2025)

• RHP Jax Bishop (Tennessee, 2025)

• LHP/1B Avery Shiflett (Georgia, 2025)

• SS/RHP Ripken West (2025)

• INF Wes Taylor (2025)

• LHP Spencer Evans (2026)

Team Outlook

New head coach Matt Montgomery begins his first season at Calhoun with some of the best underclass talent in the state. His pitching staff will be one of the most talented regardless of class. Senior, Cooper Evans will lead the young bucks on the mound. Evans pounds the zone with an upper 80’s fastball. Expect him to be in the 90’s this spring after a successful off season.

Cooper Evans RHP / OF / Calhoun, GA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 268 / POS: 81

Following Evans will be the top sophomores in the state, Andrew Purdy, Jax Bishop, and Avery Shiflett. Purdy was a 2021 Junior Future Games participant that got the chance to play with the older guys for a couple days at the event. The QB1 is one of the top athletes in the state, and a legit two way candidate at Alabama. He is smooth and effortless in all aspects of his game. His swing from the left side gets more pop every time we see him. Expecting to see 90’s on the mound this year after seeing him mid-upper 80’s all summer. Tennessee commit, Jax Bishop is next up for the Jackets in the mound. Bishop is a gamer, he seems to get into a different zone when he steps in between the lines. Once again Bishop is another arm that will creep into the low 90’s this spring. After the Jackets run out 3 90 arms, they will bring in UGA commit, Avery Shiflett. Shifllet will fill up the zone with a mid 80’s fastball, and has the breaking ball that is one of the best in the state from the left side.

Andrew Purdy SS / RHP / Calhoun, GA / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 7 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 67 / POS: 20   Here's a look from earlier at '25 #RollTide commit, Andrew Purdy (@AndrewPurdy21). Purdy went 2-3 at the plate, including this single on an 0-2 count. Ranked #7 in the GA 2025 class. @ShooterHunt @CHSBASEBALLGA pic.twitter.com/r5VO0DMqy7 — PBR Georgia (@PBRGeorgia) March 16, 2022

Jax Bishop RHP / OF / Calhoun, GA / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 5 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 51 / POS: 10   #Vols commit ‘25 RHP Jax Bishop (@Official_ECB) with a dominant performance in bracket play. 5.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 K. Pounded the zone all game long. Mixed speeds on FB. FB: 82-85, T86 SL: 70-72@PBRGeorgia @ShooterHunt #PBRnpi pic.twitter.com/qb4eKFi9Ug — Phil Kerber (@PhilKerber) June 13, 2021

Avery Shiflett LHP / 1B / Calhoun, GA / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 29 / POS: 3 OverallRank: 301 / POS: 38   Scoreless first three innings for ‘25 LHP #Georgia commit Avery Shiflett (@AveryShiflett). Done a nice job mixing speeds, playing off FB at 82-84. Breaking ball showing large shape at 67-68 for @CHSBASEBALLGA.@ShooterHunt pic.twitter.com/GsQja12NSp — PBR Georgia (@PBRGeorgia) March 15, 2022

Another lefty that has a shot to be in the rotation is freshman, Spencer Evans. Evans, a 2 time Junior Future Gamer continues to fill out his long, lanky frame. His delivery is effortless, and the fastball continues to tick up each year. He has a plus change up for a 2026 that he can throw off his fastball for a strike anytime. Isaac Green and Cohen Chadwick will be in charge of getting the bats going for the Jackets. 2021 Junior Future Games participant, Wes Taylor also has a shot to add some run production  to the offense. Calhoun’s schedule will be a little more in their favor this year, losing Blessed Trinity 6A. They will still have to face off with region foe Cartersville.