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2026 Madison Central Jaguars Team Preview

February 5, 2026
Prep Baseball Mississippi Staff

The 2026 Mississippi high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound 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 Mississippi.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons at Pearl’s Trustmark Park, in the State Tournament finals at the end of May, 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 Mississippi. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 25 rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action.

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 and updating the Power 25 rankings.

Our 2026 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: Madison Central Jaguars
Head Coach: Jake Mills
MHSAA Classification: 7A
District Number: 2
2025 Record (Playoff Finish): 27-8 (State Champion)

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2026 OUTLOOK

+ Madison Central enters the 2026 season carrying championship momentum after a dominant 27–8 campaign that culminated in a Class 7A state title. Under head coach Jake Mills, the Jaguars return a battle-tested core highlighted by a deep pitching staff and key positional pieces, setting the tone for another competitive run through District 2.

Offensively, the lineup is anchored by shortstop Ryder Busby (2026), a steady presence up the middle who brings defensive consistency and competitive at-bats to the top half of the order. Busby’s ability to control the infield while providing reliable production gives Madison Central a foundational piece as the offense continues to take shape around returning contributors and emerging depth.

The strength of this roster again projects to be on the mound. Hayden Wilson (2026, Hinds CC) returns after serving as a primary innings-eater during last year’s championship run, showing the ability to navigate lineups and pitch deep into games. Tucker Rice (2027, Alabama) adds a high-upside arm with power stuff, while Ross Beavers (2027) and Weston Rogers (2026) provide additional strike-throwing options and role flexibility throughout the staff. This group gives the Jaguars multiple looks on the mound and the depth to manage innings across a demanding 7A schedule.

Behind that core, Madison Central brings back a strong supporting cast in the 2026 class, including catcher Buckley Stewart, right-hander Norris Kelly, and first baseman/left-hander Steven Lee, each of whom projects to take on expanded roles this spring. The 2027 group adds further depth with catcher Graham Raffaelle, outfielders Landon Hathorn and Reed Sandberg (Pearl River CC), infielder Noah Scott, and two-way infielder Reid Beach, creating internal competition and lineup versatility across the diamond.

Braylon Edwards (2028) headlines the incoming wave as a versatile utility piece with upside on both sides of the ball, representing the next group ready to be integrated into meaningful varsity action.

With a returning middle-infield anchor, a deep and experienced pitching staff, and quality depth throughout the roster, Madison Central enters 2026 positioned as one of the top programs in Class 7A. If the Jaguars continue to get consistent production from their arms and establish offensive roles early, they have the makeup to make another deep postseason run while working to defend their state title.

Find more information on Madison Central’s 2026 season below:

+ Follow them on X: @Jaguar_Baseball
+ Find more 2026 team previews on our MHSAA Season Preview page

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