The season is almost here. Meet the top baseball players in South Mississippi
Prep baseball in the hotbed that is South Mississippi is just around the corner.
The new season begins in February and will afford area fans an opportunity to catch some of the top athletes in the state, as well as some of the best teams.
The Coast produced one South State champion a year ago in George County and is reloading for a shot at producing a state title for the first time since Vancleave and the Rebels each claimed one in 2024.
Here’s a look at some of the top athletes roaming the diamonds of South Mississippi this spring.
Preseason Sun Herald Starting Nine
The best of the Coast, regardless of position.
Adam Rugg, Biloxi: The junior outfielder is ready to build on an explosive sophomore season that saw him bat .392 with 21 RBIs and 25 stolen bases.
Carter Naron, D’Iberville: Naron is an East Central C.C. signee who is coming off a 35-hit season at the plate. The senior also worked the mound with a 2.04 ERA and 47 strikeouts.
Taevion Collier, Gulfport: Collier put together a 1.82 ERA in 34.2 innings as a junior. He’s a Copiah-Lincoln signee.
Adam Clower, Ocean Springs: The Greyhounds have a Pearl River C.C. signature who put together a .935 OPS as a junior batter along with recording a 2.83 ERA as a pitcher.
Jasper Moran, St. Patrick: Moran had one of the Coast’s highest OPS figures with his 1.226 mark. He hit .407 and drove in 35 runs.
Ayden Dartez, St. Stanislaus: Dartez has emerged as one of the state’s better catchers and is coming out of a season where he slashed .423/.504/.577 and hit a Coast-high 13 doubles.
Wiley Mossy, St. Stanislaus: Mossy slammed 11 home runs on his way to posting a Coast-leading 1.251 OPS as a junior.
Jackson Orozco, St. Stanislaus: Orozco was only a freshman in 2025, but dominated from the mound with a 1.90 ERA in 55.1 innings.
Reese Parker, West Harrison: Parker has over 70 varsity hits already under his belt heading into his ninth grade season.
Players to watch on the Coast
Ayden Demoran, D’Iberville: A Southern Miss commit, Demoran impressed as a sophomore with 28 hits and an .897 OPS.
Cayler Havard, George County: Havard is an experienced senior Rebel who had 30 hits, 33 RBIs and 33 runs scored a year ago.
Grant Reeves, George County: Reeves gave the GC lineup 30 hits, including 11 for extra bases, in his sophomore year.
Walker Cooke, Long Beach: Cooke will be one of the Coast’s top senior pitchers after putting together a 2.08 ERA striking out 42 batters in 2025.
Tristen Fox, Ocean Springs: Fox is another top senior arm coming off a 2.33 ERA junior season.
Chase Sones, Poplarville: The two-way talent is building off a sophomore season featuring 25 hits, 25 RBIs and a 3.76 ERA from the mound.
Ty Keys, Poplarville: A four-star prospect on the gridiron, Keys is a top athlete on the diamond, too. He batted .347 a year ago and led the Coast in both runs (38) and stolen bases (33).
Lincoln Hust, St. Martin: The Holmes C.C. signee logged 54.1 innings last year with 52 strikeouts and a 2.96 ERA.
Tate Murphy, St. Stanislaus: The senior Pearl River C.C. signee enjoyed a 40-hit season a year ago that included 17 extra base hits.
Dane McElroy, Vancleave: The line of great Vancleave pitchers continues with McElroy, who posted a 2.94 ERA with 56 strikeouts his junior year.
Impact players
- Jaylan Johnson, D’Iberville
- Christian McFaul, East Central
- Carson Pierce, George County
- Thomas Stennis, Gulfport
- Jaxson Knight, Hancock
- Justin San Miguel, Ocean Springs
- Kendall Blevins, Picayune
- Trac Smith, Poplarville
- Caleb Lawrence, St. Martin
- River Groue, St. Martin
This story was originally published January 25, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
