Ten DeSoto County players lead Northeast baseball hopes
Feb. 1, 2025-Northeast Mississippi Community College head baseball coach Richy Harrelson hopes that history repeats itself during the upcoming 2025 campaign.
Six everyday starting position players along with eight pitchers are returning from last year’s team that extended the Tigers’ playoff streak to three consecutive seasons.
Those are similar numbers to Northeast’s special 2023 ballclub that tied the program record for most wins in a single season with 33 and advanced to the double elimination portion of the region tournament, which was hosted by Louisiana State University (LSU) Eunice.
“There’s going to be a lot of guys that contribute a lot,” said Harrelson. “We remind them all the time it’s not like high school where we you can win with seven players. We’ll see how it goes.”
Harrelson is pleased with the Tigers’ talent across the board and praised his assistants, especially pitching coach Will Brand, for their work in recruiting. However, one spot on the field in particular has him extremely excited.
“Of course our pitching is gonna be good too, but we are so good up the middle defensively this time,” Harrelson said. “We are that good up the middle and deep. That’s a huge thing.”
Andrew Davis (Atoka, Tenn.) headlines that group after earning all-conference honors one year ago. He committed only 10 errors and helped to turn 21 double plays in 50 games as Northeast’s shortstop.
Drake Douglas (Saltillo) and Layth Holiday (Itawamba), who had the second highest on-base percentage of any Tiger last season behind only Southern Illinois University signee Kristian Sprawling, will lead the outfielders from center.
Northeast may have more depth at catcher than any other position. Parker Hall (Hazel Green, Ala.), who Harrelson describes as the “team captain, bar none,” is back after throwing out one of every four runners attempting to steal.
Trae Cagle (Lewisburg) and Cooper Davis (Ripley) will gear up behind the dish as well. Cagle was a two-time Perfect Game Preseason All-American while Davis was a first-team Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) All-State selection as a senior.
“I can’t say enough about those two guys,” said Harrelson. “I don’t know that anybody has two guys in the same class that are that talented behind the plate. Those guys are doing just unbelievable. We’re going to need them.”
Two more newcomers in Kieran Coleman (Starkville) and Kody Gilmore (Lewisburg) are competing for a job at second base. They were both MAC Class 7A All-State recipients last spring.
University of Memphis (Tenn.) transfer Austin Hannigan will factor into the infield equation as well. He was the No. 15 overall prospect from the Magnolia State in the class of 2024 according to Perfect Game and had a career batting average of .421 at Lewisburg.
Carter Wells (Huntsville, Ala.) topped the Tigers as a freshman with eight home runs, 43 RBIs and 30 walks. Conner McKnatt (Northpoint Christian) split his inaugural campaign at Northeast between first base with Wells and the outfield.
Other options for the Tigers in the corner outfield slots are Ryan Bland (Houston, Tenn.), Easton Fesmire (Lewisburg), Gavin Puckett (Tupelo) and Jonah Warren (Jumpertown).
Samuel Curtis (Corinth), Jacobie Smith (Tupelo) and JB Williams (Northpoint Christian) are among the sophomore leaders for the pitching staff. All three tossed more than 30 innings in their debut seasons at Northeast.
Smith, who went back-and-forth between a starter and reliever, tops all returners with 44.1 innings of work. Curtis tied current Delta State University hurler Brant Smith for a team-best 18 appearances during the previous campaign.
Douglas, McKnatt and Wells are position players that should see time on the mound as well. Douglas had a solid 1.59 earned run average (ERA) over 11.1 frames while Wells could settle into the role of closer.
Northeast will benefit from the addition of transfer pitchers Dean McCalla (Collierville, Tenn.) from Dyersburg State (Tenn.) Community College and Dominic Rivino (Center Hill) from Southern Arkansas University.
A majority of the Tigers’ roster (10) is from DeSoto County. Northeast’s traditional five-county service area is also well represented with 11 total players from Alcorn, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo and Union counties.
