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: East Clarendon Wolverines
Head Coach: Curtis Johnson
SCHSL Classification: 2A (Region 7)
Last Year’s Record: 25-8 Lowerstate Championship Runner Up 
2025 Season Highlights: Made a deep playoff run, ended the year 25-8 after starting 0-3 
Key Players Lost: Foster Matthews, Dawson Beard, Hunter Mixon, Whit Nesbitt

 

 

 
 

ROSTER PREVIEW

Team Strengths: Pitching and Defense

Top Returning Players: Blease Hardy-Class of 2027, P/2B, went 8-2 on the mound last year with a 2.08 ERA and hit .358
Barnes McConnell-Class of 2026, hit .337 and was 4-1 and 2 saves last year
Gavin White-Class of 2028, SS hit .323 and had 7 sb after becoming the starter late in the year
Kenley Sullivan- Class of 2027, C hit .271 last year and threw out 9 base runners
Projected Starting 9: C-Kenley Sullivan/Cade Mooneyham, 1B-Barnes McConnell, 2B- Blease Hardy, SS-Gavin White, 3B-Cade Mooneyham/Rylan McKenzie, Of's-Wes Springs, Evan Lee, Shamar Graham, Easton Donlon

Projected Rotation: Blease Hardy, Heath Jordan, Rylan McKenzie

 
NEWCOMER TO WATCH

Impact Underclassmen: Gavin White-Class of 2028, Easton Donlon-Class of 2029

  

TEAM OUTLOOK

“I'm looking for to see how these years team will grow and compete throughout the season. We have the ability to be a team that can pitch and play defense.  Hopefully by the end of the year we will be a dangerous offensive team as well. ” – Curtis Johnson, head coach

+ Top Seniors: Barnes McConnell-1B/P
+ Top Juniors: Blease Hardy-P/2B, Kenley Sullivan-C, Cade Mooneyham-C/Inf

 

Find more information on the 2026 Wolverines program below:

Follow East Clarendon on X at 
Watch and listen to our podcast, “Palmetto Dugout Show”, on YouTube
Read our in-season analysis on Prep Baseball South Carolina’s homepage