The 2026 South Carolina 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 The Palmetto State.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons atop their respective South Carolina High School League class, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams with this initial Preseason Power 25 release which will take us right up to first pitch.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across South Carolina. Each week we will be releasing our Power 25, Players of the Week, Diamond Notes, Scout Blog and much more. 

Our 2026 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: D.W. Daniel Lions
Head Coach: Jarrod Payne
SCHSL Classification: 4A (Region Region 2)
Last Year’s Record: 23-11, District B-AAAA Champion, Upper State Runner-Up 
2025 Season Highlights: The Classic Runner-Up, District B-AAAA Champion, Upper State Runner-Up.  School Records in Wins (23), Batting Average (.347), Runs (275), Hits (317), HR (21), and Pitcher Strikeouts (266).
Key Players Lost: Ian McCrary (USC Sumter), Jasean Perry (USC Sumter), Spencer Conn (Murray State- Football), Lee Turnipseed (Charleston Southern), Quint Cumbie (Anderson), Julian Baldwin (USC Sumter), Greyson Davis

 

ROSTER PREVIEW

Team Strengths: Well-balanced.  Very deep roster.  Multiple options within our pitching staff. Balanced offense with the potential for power numbers.  Defense should be improved from 2025.

Top Returning Players: 3B/RHP Ty Simpson (2026)
UTL/RHP Liam Purcell (2026- Eastern Kentucky Commit)
OF/RHP Eli Payne (2026- USC Sumter Commit)
RHP/OF Luke Turner (2027)
1B/RHP Jackson Ownbey (2027)

Projected Starting 9: TBD 

Projected Rotation: TBD

 
NEWCOMER TO WATCH

Impact Underclassmen: 2028 Brady Purcell, 2028 Jackson Livingston, 2028 Cal Schnabel and 2028 Colt Bakich could all compete for Varsity role.

TEAM OUTLOOK

“"On paper, this is the deepest team that I have ever coached.  We have a strong group of returners that I think learned a great deal from the highs and lows of 2025, and we will combine that with new faces that will bolster our roster immediately.  The final product should be a fast-paced, high-energy ball club that plays hard, produces runs, and will pitch and defend at a very high level."” – Jarrod Payne, head coach

+ Top Seniors: Ty Simpson (3B/RHP), Liam Purcell (UTL/RHP- Eastern Kentucky Commit), Eli Payne (OF/RHP- USC Sumter Commit), David Desrosiers (1B- Lander Commit), Donfu Iizuka (RHP), Will Davis (RHP)
+ Top Juniors: Corbin Spilliards (UTL/RHP- Wake Forest Commit), Tobie Lowe (C), Luke Turner (RHP/OF), Jackson Ownbey (1B/RHP)

 

Find more information on the 2026 Lions program below:

Follow D.W. Daniel on X at X: @dwdbaseball  Insta: dwd.baseball
Watch and listen to our podcast, “Palmetto Dugout Show”, on YouTube
Read our in-season analysis on Prep Baseball South Carolina’s homepage
 

 

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