The 2023 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 Mississippi.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Pearl, MS at Trustmark Park 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 Mississippi. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews and by continuing other pieces of content covering the Magnolia 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 Top 10 in each MHSAA classification as well as a Power 25. 

*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.

High School Name: Northwest Rankin High School

Coach’s Name: KK Aldridge

Classification: MHSAA 6A

2022 Record: 34-3

District Number: District 6

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5

No. of Returning Pitchers: 3

Team Strengths: Overall team depth, hitting

Top Returning Players:

• P/OF Dawson Muenzenmay (Hinds CC)
• 1B/P Powell Ingram
• OF/INF Tucker Jones (Copiah-Lincoln CC)
• INF Langston Cotten
• C Chase Brown
• 1B/RHP Wes White

Top 2023 Prospects:

• OF/P Austin Allen
• LHP Currie Jones (Meridian CC)
• 1B/DH Cruse Lloyd

Top 2024 Prospects:

• INF Trey Davidson
• INF Charlie Gordon
• OF Blake Young
• LHP Calvin Robinson
• INF/OF Bryson Young

Top 2025 & 2026 Prospects:

• UTL Brady Saxton
• UTL Sam Oakley
• UTL Gabe Hodges
• UTL Jed Welch
• INF Chase Peeples

Team Outlook:

 

Northwest Rankin is coming off a season to remember in 2022, going 34-3 and capturing the 6A state championship at Trustmark Park. Coach KK Aldridge has some turnover but feels confident his Cougars will be very competitive once again this spring. Aldridge believes depth at key positions and a line up that should be productive will be the key ingredients that determine how successful 2023 could be. 

Top returners for the Cougars are seniors Dawson Muenzenmay (OF/RHP - Hinds CC), Powell Ingram (1B/RHP - Hinds CC), Tucker Jones (OF/INF - Copiah Lincoln CC), Langston Cotten (INF), Chase Brown (C), and junior Wes White (1B, RHP). Muenzenmay led all returning players with 26 RBI’s last season and will be expected to provide lots of production this spring both offensively and on the mound. Powell and White will also be key arms on the bump for Northwest Rankin as they both picked up valuable innings in 2022. 

Other players Coach Aldridge counts on to step up in 2023 will be seniors Austin Allen (OF/RHP Southwest MS CC), Currie Jones (LHP - Meridian CC), and Cruse Lloyd (1B/DH), along with a host of juniors that include Trey Davidson (INF), Charlie Gordon (INF), Blake Young (OF), Calvin Robinson (OF/LHP), and Bryson Jones (INF/OF). Jones contributed 19 stolen bases in 2022 which ranked 3rd on the team. 

A solid group of underclassmen looking to prove their worth are sophomores Brady Saxton (OF/1B/LHP), Sam Oakley (OF/1B/P), Gabe Hodges (C/OF/RHP), Jed Welch (C/INF/RHP), and Chase Peeples (INF). 

Look for the Cougars to be very competitive once again in 2023 and with a solid group of younger players on the roster, expect them to be in contention at the 6A level for the foreseeable future. 

 

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