2026 Power 25 Countdown: No. 22 Clarksville Wildcats

The Clarksville High baseball program was a powerhouse in 2025 finishing 38-8 and runner-up in the state championship. This spring presents new challenges for the Wildcats as most of the lineup has since graduated. 

The strength of the 2026 team should be on the mound as Clarksville returns a couple of big pieces from last year’s team. 2026 UAB commit LHP Porter Murff should be a top of the rotation arm once again for the Wildcats. Porter is a left-handed pitcher that sits upper 80’s with quality offspeed pitches. He has a high ceiling, standing at 6’3 with room to add more to his long frame. 2026 RHP Cooper Nebben is another big arm that was huge down the stretch for the Wildcats being an important piece in their run to the state championship. One of the best uncommitted arms in the class, Cooper has been up to 91 MPH and has a hammer of a breaking ball that is a true strikeout pitch. Another arm that was big in a relief role down the stretch was 2026 RHP Dawson Smith. Dawson is a big 6’2 205 lbs right-handed pitcher who sits in the mid-80’s. 

In the lineup, Clarksville brings back two big pieces in Kayden Pledger and Keaton Anderson. 2027 MIF Kayden Pledger will return to the shortstop position and top of the lineup and will be counted on to lead a younger team. Kayden is no stranger to leading as he is a two way athlete and is the starting quarterback on the football team. That athleticism shines bright on the baseball field as Kayden proves to be a true shortstop and a force at the plate. 2026 OF Keaton Anderson is another holdover from last year’s team and will be counted on to fill the leadoff role. Keaton is left-handed who is a burner on the base paths and has a knack for finding his way on base. One newcomer who should be a mainstay in the lineup on day one is 2029 C Anderson McAfee who is the 5th ranked player in the state of Tennessee. Anderson has a stocky build that packs big power potential at the plate putting up consistent 100 MPH plus exit velocities at the plate. His ceiling is extremely high especially with the ability to stick as a catcher long term. 

While Clarksville lost a majority of the contributors from 2025, it shouldn’t slow down their momentum too much as Coach Hetland has consistently found ways to reload and put his teams in position to win year in and year out.