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: Newton County Academy Generals
Head Coach: Jody Kyzar
MHSAA Classification: MAIS 2A
District Number: District 3
2025 Record (Playoff Finish): 15-15

 

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ROSTER PREVIEW

+ Top Returning Position Players:

• SS Cooper Savell (2026)
• C/1B Taylor Burt (2026)
• OF/INF Gaines Boyd (2026)
• CINF Cooper Thrash (2028)

+ Top Returning Pitchers:

• P Cooper Savell (2026)
• P Taylor Burt (2026)
• P Gaines Boyd (2026)
• P Cooper Thrash (2028)

More Names to Know

2027s:

• OF/P Max Ferguson (2027)

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TOP NEWCOMERS

+ Impact Underclassmen:

• John Hardy (2028)
• Carson McMillan (2028)

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2026 OUTLOOK

+ Newton County Academy enters the 2026 season coming off a .500 campaign (15–15) in MAIS Class 2A, returning a compact but experienced core that logged significant varsity innings and at-bats a season ago. Under head coach Jody Kyzar, the Generals bring back multiple two-way contributors who will be relied upon heavily as they look to take a step forward in District 3 and establish more consistency across the spring.

Offensively, the lineup will be built around Cooper Savell (2026), a middle-infield presence who returns as the primary catalyst on both sides of the ball. Savell provides defensive stability at shortstop while also being counted on to set the tone offensively. His feel for the game and ability to impact all phases makes him one of the key pieces in the Generals’ attack. Taylor Burt (2026) adds physicality to the lineup as a catcher/first baseman, offering run-producing potential in the middle of the order while also handling pitching duties on the mound. Burt’s versatility allows Newton County Academy to stay flexible with lineup construction and pitching usage.

Gaines Boyd (2026) returns as another experienced bat who can move between the outfield and infield, giving the Generals athleticism and coverage at multiple spots. Boyd’s two-way ability further lengthens the lineup and provides another arm capable of logging meaningful innings. Cooper Thrash (2028) rounds out the returning positional group, bringing underclass upside at the corner infield spots with continued development expected as he gains more varsity reps.

On the mound, Newton County Academy leans heavily on its returning two-way core. Savell, Burt, and Boyd each bring prior varsity experience and will be tasked with carrying much of the workload throughout the season. Thrash adds depth to the staff and gives the Generals another developing arm to mix in as roles begin to solidify. While the staff may not feature overwhelming depth, the familiarity and versatility of these arms should allow NCA to manage innings effectively.

Max Ferguson (2027), a two-way outfielder/pitcher who provides additional upside within the 2027 class and could work his way into expanded opportunities as the season progresses.

The next wave of contributors includes John Hardy (2028) and Carson McMillan (2028), both of who add underclass depth and project as potential impact pieces as they continue to develop physically and gain varsity experience.

With an experienced senior core, multiple two-way options, and a developing group of underclassmen, Newton County Academy enters 2026 with a foundation built on versatility and familiarity. If the Generals can take a step forward offensively and solidify defined roles on the mound, they have the makeup to compete consistently in MAIS Class 2A and push toward postseason success.

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