TENNESSEE - With the calendar coming to a close in 2025, our staff has taken time to reflect on several accomplishments that occurred across the Volunteer State this past year. From state championships to a Junior Future Games title and much more, 2025 proved to be an exciting and memorable year for baseball throughout Tennessee.

Today we are recapping the 2025 Junior Future Games as Team Tennessee would walk away with the hardware.

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TEAM TENNESSEE: JUNIOR FUTURE GAMES

+ CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2029 class in Tennessee started their Prep Baseball journey off with a bang, making a name for themselves with a dominating performance at the Junior Future Games and ultimately winning the championship. The Future Games event is the premier event for Prep Baseball, and the Tennessee staff works meticulously all year to build the most competitive roster.

+ GAME PLAY

The week began with pool play. The first game was a border battle with Team Kentucky that resulted in a 9-2 win highlighted by a juggernaut of an offensive performance. The game started with three doubles and a home run. Up next was a thrilling 7-6 victory over Team Nevada that came down to a well-executed rundown to seal it. The game was highlighted by a gritty performance on the mound by pitcher RHP Jace Scoggins (Tipton-Rosemark Academy, 2029). 

In bracket play, the bats stayed hot in the opening round with a convincing 8-2 win against Georgia. On the mound, Brayden Greene (Lawrence County High, 2029) set the tone with double-digit strikeouts. In the quarterfinals, the runs came early and often with a 10-1 win over No. 1 seed Alabama. On the mound, the MVP Pitcher RHP/INF Reid Olivier (Siegel High School, 2029) was dominant as he settled in, showing an advanced ability to manage the game and set up hitters. 

In the semifinals, it was a back-and-forth affair with a strong Team Illinois squad. Clutch hits down the stretch from OF/RHP Mason Kelly (Farragut High School, 2029) and INF Cannon Jewell (Briarcrest Christian School, 2029) sealed it. Finally, in the championship game against Team Minnesota-who entered with a juggernaut offense after scoring 67 runs in their first five games-they proved as much by starting the game with six straight hits and taking a 3-0 lead. Team Tennessee’s offense once again came through, scoring nine unanswered runs with a strong performance from C Barret Gates (Goodpasture Christian School, 2029). The final score ended up being 9-3 bringing the championship back to the Volunteer State. 

+ OFFENSE

Team Tennessee finished the Junior Future Games going 6-0 and outscoring their opponents 51-19. The offense was led by strong performances from multiple players throughout the week. The MVP of the event, OF/RHP Mason Kelly, had several games where he had multiple extra-base hits, along with a home run in Game 1 against Kentucky. The No. 6 ranked player in the state of Tennessee was hard to get out, showing an impressive ability to use gap-to-gap power. The bat-to-ball skills are super impressive and will only be enhanced as he gets stronger in high school.

The cleanup hitter was C Barrett Gates, who came up with multiple clutch hits with runners in scoring position throughout the week. Gates has a prototypical build to be a long-term catcher and demonstrated tremendous leadership skills throughout the week with his ability to work with the pitching staff. Look for Gates to be a power-hitting catcher at the next level. 

One of the most impressive weeks came from INF Knox Johnson (Baylor School, 2029) who showed legit power potential with an athletic, strong build. Early on, it was clear that Knox always comes to the plate looking to do damage with a power stroke that should lead to double-digit home runs in his career. He also showed the athleticism to play multiple positions in both the infield and outfield. 

+ PITCHING

On the mound, Team Tennessee posted a 3.17 ERA for the week. MVP Pitcher, RHP/INF Reid Olivier worked in the mid-80s, topping out at 87 mph during his outing. Olivier also featured a sharp breaking ball and a changeup that fell off the table. The No. 4 ranked player in the state will be a sought-after arm with a big, projectable frame. 

LHP Brayden Greene set the tone early in his outing posting double-digit strikeouts. Greene is a quick worker with a highly competitive presence on the mound. The No. 9 ranked player in the class got up to 86 mph with a highly effective breaking ball with big depth. The sky is the limit for Brayden as he is already one of the best lefty pitchers in the 2029 class. 

RHP Jace Scoggins threw the pivotal pool play game that propelled the team to bracket play. Scoggins worked 80-83 mph with his fastball and mixed in a curveball and changeup. He settled into the game nicely as all 3 pitches began working for him, showing a mature presence on the mound.

+ DEFENSE

The defense was the most underrated aspect of the championship run. SS Barrett O’Brien (Liberty Creek High School, 2029) was a lockdown defender at shortstop, showing tremendous range along with advanced skills beyond his age. He also produced at the plate with his ability to get on base at a high rate, using hard contact and a low line- drive approach. 

OF Parker Cates (Brentwood High School, 2029) showed off tremendous range while manning center field, with his 6.8 60-yard dash speed leading to multiple big catches. He also anchored the leadoff spot with a true gritty approach, often grinding through 10-12 pitch at-bats to run up pitch counts and find his way on base.

INF Cannon Jewell turned into a ball magnet in bracket play at third base and showed a rare ability to look like a natural at the position with elite footwork. Jewell also led the team in hitting and was an RBI machine at times. He is complemented by a strong, mature build and shows good barrel control for his age with very little swing and miss.

+ OTHER BIG CONTRIBUTORS

Winning the championship was truly a team effort with contributions from the entire roster. OF/RHP Trey Fowler (Brentwood High School, 2029) is a gamer who showed his versatility throughout the week. On the mound, Fowler closed multiple games, showing an acumen for being a strike thrower. In the championship game, Fowler stepped up as the starter and threw four solid innings against a tough lineup in Minnesota. At the plate, Fowler is scrappy and athletic, with a great approach to get on base and cause havoc. 

OF/RHP Brady Sumner (Collierville High School, 2029) has one of the highest ceilings in the class with a mature, athletic build. As a hitter, Sumner has a big power profile with an exit velocity topping out at 98 MPH in the showcase portion. He really shined in the championship game, scorching a double into the gap. On the mound, Sumner closed out the championship with an electric fastball in the mid-80’s. 

INF/C Colin Haskins (Westview High School, 2029) hit in the middle of the order and showed good power that led to some big RBI’s. He also showed great versatility and anchored the second base position during bracket play. Looking ahead, he has the ability to play anywhere in the infield and to be a force, as a hit machine in the middle of the lineup. 

C/OF McClain Garner (Collierville High School, 2029) became a consistent force in the lineup, showing a knack for getting on base and advanced bat-to-ball skills. Garner played mostly outfield during the week but profiles as a catcher at the next level with a strong, athletic build. As a left-handed power-hitting catcher, he will attract a lot of interest in the coming years. 

C Bo Daniel (Christ Presbyterian Academy, 2029) is an athletic catcher with great length and a strong arm. His athleticism translates well at the plate, where he has gap-to-gap power which will only grow as he gets stronger in high school. Look for Daniel to make a big push for playing time in the spring as his versatility is valuable. 

INF/OF Luke Davidson (Lipscomb Academy, 2029) solidified the first base position, where he shined making multiple big-time plays that saved runs. He also came up huge in the semifinals and championship game, delivering multiple huge hits with runners in scoring position. Davidson is likely too athletic to stick at first base long term and may be better served at the opposite infield corner or the outfield. His length is impressive and will continue to fill out as he matures.

+ FINAL RECAP

This group was truly special, and conquered multiple obstacles along the way, showing their ability to come back in three of their six games. It will be exciting to see how this group of young men progress over the next two years as they fight for spots in the Future Games in 2027. They paved the path and raised the bar for the 2030 class as Team Tennessee looks to repeat.

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UPCOMING 2026 PRESEASON EVENTS ⤵️

SHOWCASE	DATE	LOCATION
Nashville Preseason ID	01/11	Liberty Creek HS Indoor (Gallatin, TN)
Knoxville Preseason ID	01/24	BC Athletics (Knoxville, TN)
Memphis Preseason ID	01/31	Collierville HS Indoor (Collierville, TN)
TN PAS: Underclass	02/07	Liberty Creek HS Indoor (Gallatin, TN)
TN PAS: Upperclass	02/08	Liberty Creek HS Indoor (Gallatin, TN)

 

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