2026 Power 25 Countdown: No. 15 Columbia Academy Bulldogs

The Columbia Academy baseball program finished the 2025 season going 36-5 and winning the state championship and going back to back. Going into the spring, the Bulldogs look to complete the three-peat. 

The 2026 season will come with more challenges than the last two years that lead to back to back championships. Columbia Academy will have to replace 5 out of the 9 players in the lineup along with one of the best pitchers in the state in Lipscomb LHP Jackson Lee. The good thing for the Bulldogs return 2025 TBCA Mr. Baseball Gunner Skelton. The 2026 Vandy commit is also a former Future Game alum and Super 60 attendee. One of the top players in the country, Gunner is a true two way talent that has dominated on the mound and at the plate for Columbia Academy. At the plate, Gunner shows the potential to be a high average guy along with a ceiling to be a power hitter at the next level. In the field, Gunner has the chance to stick in the middle of the field but probably ends up at the hot corner to man third base for Vandy in the fall. On the mound, Gunner has been the closest thing to a sure thing for the Bulldogs to get a win. Pitching is where his competitiveness really shines as he uses different arm slots and multiple pitches to dominate the competition. 

Returning to help get Columbia Academy back to state are juniors Wyatt Ayers, Nixon Love, and Jax Jones. All three players were staples to the 2025 championship team and will be counted on to step into more prominent roles at the top of the lineup and the pitching staff. 

The Columbia Academy Bulldogs face an uphill battle to secure an unbelievable third championship in a row. With the loss of so many seniors and other prominent private school programs on the rise it will be the most difficult test yet. But, even with all these challenges, the Bulldogs should still be the favorite to win it all because the challengers will have to go through a Gunner Skelton led team to get the trophy.