2026 High School Team Preview: Mary Persons Bulldogs

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: Mary Persons Bulldogs
Head Coach: Blake Cannady
Classification: GHSA Class 2A
Region: 2-3A
2025 Record (Finish): 19-16, Elite 8
Returning starters: 3
Team Strengths: Talented 2027, 2028, 2029 classes and senior leadership.

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS 

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Bulldogs made it to the Elite Eight or better for the second consecutive season and only the third time in school history. Coach Cannady and staff lost a good bit by graduating seven starters and returned three seniors as they will have to rely heavily on the 2027, 2028, and 2029 classes. Senior leadership comes by the way of OF/INF/RHP Gavin Mitchell who yields swiss-army knife production to the club. The Thomas University commit put together a breakout year in ‘25 and will pace the lineup with plenty of tools and projection. As well as bringing a strong glove at a multitude of positions while offering pitchability out of the rotation. 2026 1B/RHP Wiley Smith put together a strong sophomore campaign in 2024 during the dogs run to the Final Four and was marred by injuries in 2025 with a big senior year on tap. Smith offers two-way value and holds immense projection in a physical 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame. A standout this Pre-Season, 2027 LHP/OF Andrew Snow, anchors the staff as SP1 with innate feel for a three-pitch mix and works in the low-mid 80’s while providing a well-rounded skillset to the lineup. Junior 2B Bradley Hendricks possesses excellent barrel skills and provides an on-base threat at the top. 2028 3B Rylan Holloway gained invaluable experience as a freshman a year ago and will be a key piece in the middle-of-the-order while being a mainstay at the hot corner. A pair of juniors including OF Bailey Pittman and 1B/DH Harrison Bell have shown well this off-season as they look to step into everyday roles and strengthen the depth of the lineup. Sophomore C Braxton Lovett has been a consistent performer in each setting over the years and is armed with high-level bat-to-ball skills that can stick anywhere in the lineup. Alongside Mitchell and Snow in the rotation is 2028 SS/RHP Caspian Chambers who boasts athleticism on the mound and operates in the mid 80’s while being tasked to carry an everyday role at SS as well. More two-way impact will come from 2027 RHP/OF Jackson Redus who rounds out the rotation and looks to give consistency out of the corner outfield spot. 2029 SS/RHP Cole Pace shows present feel to hit in an all-fields approach and looks to make an impact. Another freshman that aims to earn quality time is OF/LHP Brayden Drury. There will be a bunch of new faces in starting roles this season for Coach Cannady and staff, but the talent runs deep as they gear up to make another postseason berth.

Find more information on the 2026 Mary Persons program below:

+ Follow them on X: @MP_Base
+ 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