Teams to watch
1. Cleveland: The Blue Raiders have a good number of returners from Preston Scoggins’ first year as head coach, and they have a good blend of starting pitching and experienced position players. That should help them survive in a tough Class AAA district.2. Signal Mountain: The Eagles reportedly can go at least six deep on their pitching staff, and it’s a veteran team that could make waves in the Class AA postseason.3. South Pittsburg: The Pirates have a strong pitching staff to go with a good number of returning starters and should be a force in Class A.
Players to watch
1. Nick Woods, East Hamilton: A Tennessee signee, he’ll pitch for the Hurricanes and bat No. 3 for the fourth straight year.2. Corbin Brooksbank, McCallie: The outfielder and pitcher has signed with Vanderbilt.3. Gunnar Ricketts, Baylor: The outfielder will be in his fourth season to play for the Red Raiders. He has signed with Tennessee.
Since 2009, when East Hamilton first opened its doors, the school has produced two Southeastern Conference athletes: Shaliyah Geathers, who played softball for Tennessee, and Tre Herndon, a rising senior in Vanderbilt's football program.
Neither Geathers nor Herndon endured the tribulations that befell Nick Woods in becoming the school's third SEC signee. Woods has overcome two trips under the knife - to repair torn ACLs in the same knee - to earn a Tennessee baseball scholarship.
He was hurt both times while playing quarterback for the Hurricanes, the first time as a sophomore in his first game as a starter. The second came last season in East Hamilton's second game.
"I don't regret any of it. I love football," he said recently. "The toughest thing was watching others play and not being able to be out there with them."
The injuries and subsequent rehab and therapy wound up costing him little time away from baseball, where he continued to excel. He went into the Hurricanes' batting order as their No. 3 batter as a freshman and has been entrenched there since.
"I have had freshmen pitch and I've had some freshmen play in utility-type roles, but I've only had two freshmen to start all four years - Nick and (Soddy-Daisy's) Zach Stephens," East Hamilton coach Steve Garland said.
Garland, who has had dozens of college signees, has been a head coach for 19 seasons. Woods, though, is his first SEC signee.
"Nick hits really well, but it's more than just his talent," Garland said in explaining why Tennessee tendered a scholarship offer after Woods' sophomore season. "He has a great baseball IQ. He works, and works hard, and he's well-liked."
Tennessee made its offer after seeing Woods play for Team Tennessee at the 2015 Sunbelt tournament.
"After I talked with Tennessee I pretty much quit talking with everybody else," said Woods, whose early recruiting conversations also included Kentucky, Middle Tennessee State and Michigan.
McCallie's Corbin Brooksbank has signed with Vanderbilt and Baylor's Gunnar Ricketts will be joining Woods at Tennessee.
In his comments about incoming freshmen, Tennessee recruiting coordinator Aric Thomas wrote, "Nick is another two-sport standout that is one of the best athletes in the state of Tennessee. He will bring great leadership qualities and great versatility to our program. As an infielder, he is a front-line defender that is fundamentally sound. Offensively, he is a run producer that has the ability to drive the ball to all fields and complements that with good speed. His offensive skills provide him the ability to bat anywhere in the lineup. Nick also possesses the skill set to pitch at this level. He has a clean delivery with a good fastball and a power breaking ball."
Garland said Woods' versatility may be one reason Tennessee sees him as a position player and also as a potential pitcher.
"Nick is so well-rounded. He's so good at so many things - a great hitter, great arm, great defensively at shortstop," Garland said. "He's so steady, too. He doesn't let the highs be too high or the lows be too low.
"And it's not every day you're talking about an athlete this distinguished being recognized also for his academics."
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.