Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 3/11/16. – Cleveland High School baseball coach Preston Scoggins works with players during practice on Friday, March 11, 2016. New southeast Tennessee coaches
Billy Berry, Baylor, replacing Gene EtterTaylor Gilley, Boyd-Buchanan, replacing Josh RiderPreston Scoggins, Cleveland, replacing Ted CarsonTommy Morrell, Grace Academy, replacing Jeffrey ReeseTyler Roberts, Meigs County, replacing Justin JenningsGeorge Oleksik, Notre Dame, replacing Greg Elie
Teams to watch
1. Soddy-Daisy: The Trojans are aiming for a second consecutive state tournament appearance with such players as outfielder Tre Carter (Tennessee signee) and pitchers Gavin Rogers (West Alabama signee) and Colin Kearney (Bryan signee). There are five starters returning from 2015.2. McCallie: The Blue Tornado also hope to repeat a 2015 state tournament appearance with a handful of college signees/commitments, led by junior pitcher Corbin Brooksbank, a Vanderbilt commitment whose fastball was touching 92 mph last spring.3. Baylor: The Red Raiders will miss coach Gene Etter, but successor Billy Berry has outstanding credentials that include an NAIA national championship at Tennessee Wesleyan. The Red Raiders have talented pitching and quality position players, with that group led by UT commitment Gunnar Ricketts.
Players to watch
1. Tre Carter, Soddy-Daisy: Pro scouts are showing up at practices and scrimmages, and one scouting service has boosted him into the top 100 national prep prospects. The speedy outfielder has signed with Tennessee.2. Nick Woods, East Hamilton: A Tennessee commitment, the junior pitcher/shortstop was slowed last season as he recovered from ACL surgery but came on very strong in the second half of the season.3. Gunnar Ricketts, Baylor: Another UT commitment, the junior outfielder is coming off a season in which he hit .392 with a .492 on-base percentage and a .527 slugging percentage.
There are a half-dozen new high school baseball coaches in southeast Tennessee but none with less experience than Tommy Morrell, who has taken over the program at Grace Academy.
“The position had been vacant for some time, and I meet state guidelines to be a head coach,” he said. “I accepted an opportunity to be a head coach even though I know nothing about baseball.”