2026 High School Team Preview: Clinch County

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: Clinch County Panthers
Head Coach: Lee Douglas
Classification: GHSA Class A DII
Region: 2-A DII
2024 Record (Finish): 16-17, First Round
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 8
Team Strengths: Returning experience and pitching depth

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS 

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

TEAM OUTLOOK

Clinch County returns an experienced core as they head into ‘26 and look to build off a 1st round playoff loss this past Spring. Backed by a pair of two-way juniors in 3B/RHP Jacob Delk and OF/RHP Tate Denmark who will supply significant innings to the pitching staff and yield reliability across the lineup. 2028 two-way Dane Brown is coming off a strong ‘25 campaign where he earned all-region freshman of the year and looks poised to be an impact 4-year player for the Panthers. Brown polishes off the rotation and provides athleticism that anchors the defense in centerfield with plenty more to project in a lean 6-foot-1 frame. Senior backstop Weston Bennett boasts strong positional flexibility across the diamond with budding strength at the dish. A trio of seniors in 2B Hunter Henderson, 1B Remington Wheeler, and DH Rayce Godfrey round out a strong senior class along with Bennett as they bring experience and depth to the Panthers lineup. Junior OF Carter Griffis returns as a steady presence in the OF. ‘28 SS Jake King earned a second team all-region bid as a freshman last season and is armed with present bat-to-ball skills that can stick anywhere in the lineup along with strong defense up-the-middle. 2028 two-way OF/P Chase Henderson is an underclass option who has the potential to be a factor both in the pitching staff and lineup. Coach Douglas has a versatile and experienced group that will be ready to go come February 10th.

Find more information on the 2026 Clinch County program below:

+ Follow them on X: @ClinchBaseball
+ 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