2025 High School Team Preview: North Paulding Wolfpack

The 2026 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Georgia.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in the GHSA or GIAA state playoffs, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Georgia. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews and by continuing our scheduled podcasts and releasing our preseason top-10 rankings in each GHSA classification and Power 25.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state.

Each week we will be releasing our Players of the Week, updating the top-10 ranks in each GHSA classification, as well updating our Power 25 overall rankings. One thing, especially, you don’t want to miss are our scheduled podcasts with guests from across the state, as well as the recaps and previews of the big games we’re covering.

*Please note the information has been gathered from head coaches across the state, based on their replies to the questionnaire we distributed over this offseason.

High School: North Paulding Wolfpack
Head Coach: Matt Richardson
Classification: GHSA Class 6A
Region: 5-6A
2025 Record (Finish): 28-10, Elite 8
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 4

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS 

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

TEAM OUTLOOK

Experience will be a luxury for the Wolfpack head into 2026. Coach Richardson returns 7 seniors combined with 7 everyday contributors who know what it takes to win after reaching the elite eight or better each of the last three years. Senior SS Cade Cox is the definition of a leader for this club as a soon-to-be four-year starter at SS with a high-floor profile that brings immense value to this club on both sides. Another senior in 3B Lawson Sheffield provides consistency with high-level production (1.000+ OPS in ‘25) to make up the left-side of the infield that will be a strength for the Wolfpack. A former future gamer at the keystone in junior 2B Wesley Moering will be a major power/speed asset to this lineup once again and offers some of the best athleticism on the roster. Uncommitted senior OF Bryce Davis is the glue for this lineup with high-level bat-to-ball skills and the invaluable clutch factor. Will be looked upon in a leadership role this spring as the only returning starter in the outfield with players like junior J.R. Hoffman and seniors Grant Dorrell, Noah Larson having the chance to earn major roles alongside him. Hoffman offers huge intrigue heading into 2026 with massive, two-way tools that can be a gamechanger for this team if it all comes together on the field, including a potential flamethrower down the stretch. North Paulding has the rare luxury of two starting-caliber C heading into this spring with a pair of uncommitted upperclassmen in senior Casey O’Brien, a defensive leader for this club and junior Skyler Lee, who has made strides across the board in a very projectable profile. Expect both to play major roles for this club this spring. Pitching for the Wolfpack has all the pieces to handle a brutal region once again with experience, depth and upside alike. Starts with a pair of LHP in senior Luke Dolsen and junior Jacob Krivanek, who stepped into big roles last year and did nothing but produce. Expect the duo to hold down the 1-2 this spring with senior RHP Grant Travelsted having a chance to lock down the third spot. Bullpen depth is yet another strength for the Wolfpack with high-octane options like RHP Turk Williams and RHP Chance Williams providing swing-and-miss stuff and look for freshman RHP/INF Kellen Hoffman to find a role as well with plenty of upside. You don’t survive one the tougher regions in 6A with deep playoff runs by luck and Coach Richardson will have this position to make that run once again.

Find more information on the 2026 North Paulding program below:

+ Follow them on X: @NPPackBaseball
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Georgia, 2026 Team Previews

FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL GEORGIA THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball Georgia on X
+ Prep Baseball Georgia on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Georgia on Facebook
+ Podcast: Peach Fuzz on YouTube

UPCOMING EVENTS