Here are The Daily Leader’s All-Area Baseball Team selections 2023
Published 4:00 pm Saturday, June 17, 2023
Caleb Authement, Brookhaven Academy
A freshman, Authement posted a team best .346 batting average for the Cougars this season. A catcher who hits with power, he slugged 10 home runs and drove in a team best 36 RBIs for coach Caleb Upton and his staff. Also finished tops on the team by drawing 26 walks while hitting nine doubles. Hit more home runs (10) than singles (9) for a BA team that made the second round of the MAIS 5A playoffs.
Landon Beasley, Wesson
A junior, Beasley led the Cobras with a team best .387 batting average in 2023. An MAC 4A Second Team All-State selection for coach Vance Windom, Beasley drove in 21 runs while hitting nine doubles, one triple and one home run. An outfielder, Beasley helped Wesson finish as runner-up in Region 7-3A and reach the first round of the 3A playoffs with a 14-12 record.
Kelly Burgess, Enterprise
A freshman, Burgess was outstanding on the mound to help lead Enterprise to the quarterfinals of the MHSAA 1A playoffs. He put up a team best 2.66 ERA while striking out 56 batters and giving up just 18 earned runs in 47.1 innings of action for coach Austin Hood.
Brandon Burt, Loyd Star,
A junior, Burt put up a .364 average at the plate for coach Jared Britt and his Loyd Star Hornets. An outfielder, Burt drove in 21 runs while hitting two doubles and one triple. Finished second on the team with 32 hits in 2023 and struck out just 10 times in 102 plate appearances for a 25-7 team.
Conner Cunningham, Loyd Star
A junior, Cunningham had the hottest bat of the season for a Loyd Star team that once again won Region 7-2A as he led the Hornets with a .423 average at the dish. An infielder, he drove in a team best 39 runs for coach Jared Britt. Cunningham blasted 11 doubles and two home runs while also leading the team with a .641 slugging percentage.
Casen DeHart, Loyd Star
A senior, DeHart is making his final appearance on the All-Area team after finishing his standout career at Loyd Star. A Co-Lin baseball signee, hit for a .304 average and led the team with 51 runs scored in 2023. A catcher, he drove in 31 runs, hit six doubles, five home runs and was hit by a pitch 20 times for coach Jared Britt.
Prewitt Falvey, Enterprise
A sophomore, big Falvey led the Yellow Jackets with a team high .345 batting average during their run to the MHSAA 1A quarterfinals. Falvey drove in 23 runs while hitting eight doubles and one triple at the plate. An infielder, he was also tops on the team for coach Austin Hood with a .540 slugging percentage in 2023.
Trevor Fortenberry, Brookhaven Academy
A senior, Fortenberry wraps up his high school career with another All-Area selection after starring for the Cougars in three sports. A repeat pick in baseball, he was a valuable arm for coach Caleb Upton in 2023, finished with a 3.37 ERA in 37.1 innings of work on the mound. Fortenberry struck out 45 batters for the Cougars on the mound and batted for a .309 average at the plate where he drove in 13 runs. He’ll suit up to play football next at Co-Lin.
Colton Frith, Bogue Chitto
A senior, Frith led the Bobcats with a team best .467 average at the plate as Bogue Chitto finished runners-up in Region 7-2A and boasted a 21-11 overall record. He drove in 30 runs while hitting 10 doubles and one triple. Long a standout on the football field as a quarterback, he was credited with 43 stolen bases in 2023 for coach Gareth Sartin. A utility player that could fit in anywhere, Frith led the Bobcats in innings pitched with 48.1 and struck out 57 batters on the hill.
Wyatt Garrett, Wesson
A sophomore, Garrett was also an All-Area selection last season as a freshman at Enterprise. Followed his father, Cobra assistant coach Josh Garrett, to Wesson and ended the season with a team best 1.40 ERA in 11 appearances. Struck out 55 batters for coach Vance Windom. Also drove in 21 runs with his bat for a Cobra club that finished 14-12.
Will Loy, Wesson
A senior, Loy is a repeat All-Area selection after leading Wesson and coach Vance Windom on the mound this season. Pitched a team high 43 innings and struck out a best 59 batters. Finished with a 2.44 ERA on the mound for a Wesson squad that lost a close MHSAA 3A playoff series to Southeast Lauderdale. Also finished second on the team with 22 RBIs this season. The All-Area MVP in football, he’ll play football next season for Co-Lin.
Ryder Martin, Enterprise
A freshman, Martin was a standout on the mound this season for coach Austin Hood. Finished with a 2.90 ERA in 41 innings of work. Martin struck out 47 batters and issued just 17 walks for an Enterprise squad that reached the MHSAA 1A quarterfinals. At the plate, he hit three doubles in 66 at-bats.
Tripp McCaffrey, Bogue Chitto
A freshman, McCaffrey finished second on the team for coach Gareth Sartin with 36 RBIs this season. An infielder, he put up a .402 average at the plate and had 37 hits for the Bobcats in 2023. Credited with stealing 28 bases, he finished second on the team with 25 walks drawn. Hit nine doubles, three triples and five home runs for a BC squad that made the second round of the MHSAA 2A playoffs. McCaffrey also pitched 25 innings and struck out 40 batters while finishing with a 3.64 ERA.
Nathan Mills, Loyd Star
A junior, Mills stepped up to finish with a .362 average at the plate for a Loyd Star team that once again captured first place in Region 7-2A by finishing 11-1 in the division. An infielder, he finished with 29 hits and drove in 31 runs for coach Jared Britt. Hit two doubles and one triple and finished second on the team with 19 walks drawn.
Easton Sartin, Bogue Chitto
A junior, Sartin was able to recover from a lower leg injury in football to help push the BC baseball team, coached by his father Gareth Sartin, to a 21-11 record in 2023. At the plate he finished with a .400 average and drove in 31 runs. Sartin smacked five doubles, two triples and one home run while also being credited with 17 stolen bases.
Gabe Selman, Wesson
A senior, Selman was another quality arm at the disposal of Wesson coach Vance Windom. Finished the season with a 2.08 ERA in 37 innings of play. Selman struck out 46 batters for the 3A Cobras and earned All-Area honors for a second straight year. At the plate, batted .302 with 21 RBIs, seven doubles and one home run.
Caleb Smith, Loyd Star
A junior, Smith was second on the team in 2023 for Loyd Star with a .393 batting average. A starter in the outfield since his freshman season for coach Jared Britt, Smith led Loyd Star with 13 doubles this season. He also hit one triple and drove in 30 runs for LS squad that went 25-7. Smith struck out just two times in 106 plate appearances for the Hornets.
Blake Thornton, Loyd Star
A senior, Thornton was a key piece at the plate and on the hill for coach Jared Britt in 2023. A multi-year starter and repeat All-Area selection, Thronton put up a .362 average at the plate for the Region 7-2A winning Hornets. He drove in 21 runs and hit two doubles and one triple. On the mound, Thornton led LS in innings pitched and struck out 50 batters while posting a 3.56 ERA.
Payne Waldrop, Enterprise
A senior, Waldrop was second on the team for coach Austin Hood with a .312 batting average this season for the Yellow Jackets. An MAC 1A Second Team All-State pick for a squad that finished 20-13, he drove in 14 runs while hitting five doubles and a triple. An outfielder, Waldrop was the only senior on the roster for an Enterprise squad that reached the 1A quarterfinals.
JP Wallace, Brookhaven High
A senior, Wallace was a captain and a slick fielding infielder for coach Matt White on a Brookhaven High squad that reached the MHSAA 5A playoffs. A multi-year starter, Wallce finished with a .405 average at the plate while earning All-Region honors. Credited with stealing 25 bases, he scored 21 runs and had 30 hits for the Panthers including six doubles, two triples and two home runs.