2026 High School Team Preview: East Paulding Raiders

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: East Paulding Raiders
Head Coach: Tony Boyd
Classification: GHSA Class 5A
Region: 5-5A
2025 Record (Finish): 17-16, First Round
Returning starters: 6
Team Strengths: Returning production.

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS 

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Raiders look to build off their postseason berth from a year ago and return the production to surpass their first round exit. Uncommitted 2026 3B Noah McGuirt looked the part at Senior Games back in August and will pace the lineup while holding down the hot corner. Young Harris commit 2026 1B/RHP Daulton Mccoy will be a steady presence in the order with quality bat-to-ball skills in an all-fields approach and offers some pitchability on the mound as well. Uncommitted senior MIF Troy Bennett is coming off a strong junior campaign and will be another main focal point of the offense along with furnishing the infield defense up-the-middle after posting a .949 FPCT a year ago. 2027 OF Caden Lawton did nothing but show well this past year and could be a breakout candidate as he brings a well-rounded skillset to the offense while offering a consistent glove in the OF to match. 2026 C/RHP Aaron Humphries and 2026 C/1B Cooper Martin provide senior experience to the lineup and look to give consistency on a nightly basis to handle the demands of region play. Humphries also offers value on the mound as he holds down a spot in the rotation. 2027 OF/LHP Hunter Dillard will be looked upon as a dependable arm in the rotation and boasts present athleticism as a key piece at the top of the offense. Transfer addition junior IF Cole Pemberton was a steady performer across the Summer/Fall circuits and could carry an important role. 2027 RHP Jacob Biester anchors the staff as SP1 and holds a ton of projection in a wiry 6-foot-5 frame. Senior RHP Jake Nunnally follows Biester in the rotation and yields experience while bolstering the depth of the staff. A pair of underclassmen consisting of 2028 IF/OF Sam Lumpkin and C/1B Nolan Manning both look to carve out roles and make an impact in the lineup as well. Coach Boyd and staff will have this group ready to roll on on February 9th as they compete for a region title with the likes of Villa Rica, Kennesaw Mountain and South Paulding.

Find more information on the 2026 high school season below:
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Georgia, 2026 Team Previews

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UPCOMING EVENTS