This edition of the “Midsouth Mafia Corner” dives in on these select student-athletes that are continuing to make an impression both on and off the field. Coaches want the guys they can trust to handle their business. The guys they don’t have to worry about when it comes to being inside a classroom. Well we know one thing is for sure, these four young men handle their business just as well as anyone. These dudes are:

1.) Aaron Moffitt – 2023 | Livingston Academy

2.) Townsend Stevenson – 2023 | USN

3.) Creed Pierce – 2022 | Livingston Academy

4.) Braden Bornstein – 2022 | Lipscomb Academy  

In this write-up, we will include their GPA, ACT, and show videos for each player. So without further ado let us begin!

1.) Aaron Moffitt – 2023 | Livingston Academy | 5 Star Midsouth 2023 National

The Livingston Academy product made quite the impression last summer, and into the Fall season. His ability to hit the baseball from both sides of the plate makes him a huge threat inside the middle of the lineup. However, what makes Aaron different is just his attention to detail every time he steps on the field. He is a “baseball guy” and it shows immediately. With a 4.0 GPA and an ACT score of 26, Aaron puts himself in a really unique spot academically as he continues to mature. We also expect a higher ACT score as he received a 26 on his 1st attempt.

Positional Tools: 95.8 Exit Velocity | 84 IF Velo | 7.10 60 Time | 85 Max FB

2.) Townsend Stevenson – 2023 | University School of Nashville | 5 Star Midsouth 2023

Talk about the fall this young man has had… Townsend put everything he had this fall and winter with the mindset of getting physically stronger. Without a shadow of a doubt, that has paid off for him in a big way. Townsend is new to the Midsouth Mafia this season. He left quite the impression with obviously his huge frame at 6-4 weighing 225 lbs. He was sitting in the low 80s back in August, but come this January he put on quite the show at the Preseason All-State event with PBR. He sat 85-86 with the FB with even reports this winter of him up to 87 to 88 mph. With a GPA of around 4.0 and an ACT score up to 32. There’s no doubt this right-handed arm is going to be claimed by someone soon!

Positional Tools: 86.3 Max FB | 65-68 mph CB | 74-78 mph CH

3.) Creed Pierce – 2022 | Livingston Academy | 5 Star Midsouth 2022 National

Another Livingston Academy guy on this list! Creed Pierce, the seasoned veteran with the Midsouth Mafia, is one of the best people we have had come through our program since we began. Creed is a leader, competitor, and any intangible that you can name Creed has. It’s just an extra bonus honestly that he’s a hell of a baseball player. The uncommitted 2022 has a 4.3 GPA and a 33 ACT score. If college coaches truly want someone with strong makeup, Creed is the guy you should be on immediately.

Positional Tools: 2.07-2.12 Pop Time | 94 Exit Velo | 77 mph C Velo

4.) Braden Bornstein | Lipscomb Academy

Talk about ultra-competitive… Braden is a guy who is not willing to back down from anybody. He’s going to continue to put in whatever work is necessary to be the best version of himself. He came out of the gates last Spring with authority when the Mustangs really needed an arm to work for them. Towards the back half of summer, some fatigue shut him down, but throughout the fall and into winter as you can imagine the work he has put in is going to be huge dividends for him this upcoming spring. A GPA of 3.5 with a 27 ACT score provides another high-academic uncommitted 2022 arm wanting a home for next season.

Positional Tools: 86 Max FB | 65-70 CB | 73-76 CH

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This edition of the “Midsouth Mafia Corner” dives in on 5 uncommitted 2023 arms that we are fortunate to have with us for the upcoming summer season. These arms include:

. Jacob Conquest & Trent Miller from Greenbrier HS

. Andrew Moore & Luke Jones from CAK

. Cannon Rice from Rossview HS

All of these young men are continuing to make huge strides into this Spring season. In this write-up, we are going to break down each player and show off some videos on these guys. So let’s begin!

 

1.) Jacob Conquest: Report

Limited early summer last year. Jacob continued to put in the work he needed inside the weight room. He began to see results fairly quickly once he was fully at strength. Yes, he gets knacked with having a “small frame” but no one can speak ill of the competitiveness & drive this dude has. He’s going to move athletically, and he’s going to do whatever he can to be on top. He’s been working hard this off-season on his strength and improving his stuff. We expect a big return this spring when he steps on the mound for Greenbrier.

Early Summer 2021 – 80 – 85 FB mph | 68 – 72 mph CB

Mid Summer 2021 – 84 – 87 FB mph | 88 Max FB | 68-71 mph CB

End Summer 2021 – 87-91 FB mph | 92 Max FB | 70-71 mph CB

End Fall 2021 – 85-89 FB mph | 90 Max FB | 70-73 mph CB

2.) Trent Miller: Report

Another Greenbrier arm, Trent was vital last year on varsity. He, unfortunately, had to be sidelined halfway into summer with some “arm fatigue” so rest came into effect. However, the light switched turned on for one of the hardest working individuals in our program. Spent all fall working on his craft preparing for our scout day, and he did not disappoint. Sat 87-89 mph to go with a 77-79 mph SL and a 79-81 mph CH. With a 6-4, 230-lbs frame, Trent is continuing to show what he’s made of. Big spring is in store for this guy.

Early Summer 2021 – 80-83 mph FB | 69-72 mph CB | 74-75 mph CH

Mid Summer 2021 – 83-86 mph FB | 86 Max FB | 70-73 mph CB | 76-78 mph CH

End Fall 2021 – 87-89 mph FB | 76-79 mph SL | 78-81 mph CH

3.) Andrew Moore: Report

A name that surfaced early out of CAK in 2023 was our guy Andrew Moore. He was receiving some innings on varsity as a 10th grader for the strong CAK squad. His fastball carries a lot of life as it sat in the mid 8’s through spring 2021. Fast forward into summer, Andrew would continue to show his natural strength. Standing at 6 ft 3 weighing 195 lbs, he was able to touch his first 90 competing for Team Tennessee in the Futures Games. He also set the tone by receiving the “player of the game honors.” He would throw 2 innings while striking out 4. He’s lived all fall inside the weight room. So we expect a strong spring season ahead for the righty who will be asked to compete for more innings this spring!

Early Summer 2021 – 84-87 mph FB | 78-82 mph CH

Mid Summer 2021 – 85-88 mph FB | 72-75 mph SL

End Summer 2021 – 87-90 mph FB | 90 mph FB Max | 81-85 mph CH | 76-78 mph SL

4.) Luke Jones: Report

“Mr.Reliable” is how we felt about our guy Luke Jones last summer. Another CAK product, Luke fills up the zone every time he steps foot on the mound. Last season, he was a guy used predominantly in relief. However, this season Luke is in line for a bigger role out of CAK this upcoming spring. Last summer, he was a low 8’s guy topping out at 85 on the bump. However, reports early on suggest his fall training regime has him sitting more consistently in the mid 8’s. He’s a guy to follow with a GPA sitting at a 3.7 with an ACT score at 28.

Early Summer 2021 – 80-83 mph FB | 84 mph FB max | 67-71 CB

Mid Summer 2021 – 80-83 mph FB | 84 mph FB max 

End Summer 2021 – 80-83 mph FB | 71-73 mph CB | 74-76 mph CH

5.) Cannon Rice: Report

Newcomer Cannon Rice from Rossview HS was impressive this Fall. He’s been an absolute treat since he’s joined us. Last season, Cannon, unfortunately, missed his spring and most of the summer seasons. A lot of noise came around him during the winter of last year, but he kind of went under the radar with him working his way back from everything. He came back strong towards the end of summer sitting predominantly 83-86 mph on the bump. Then throughout all fall, you began to see flashes of what was to come for this young man. He touched an 88 early out of the gate during the fall. Then, Cannon as you could have imagined was hungry. It showed because a few weeks back Cannon sat 86-89 mph while touching his first 90. Now reports out his high school has him sitting 88-91. We expect a big spring from our guy!

End Summer 2021 – 83-86 mph FB | 73-75 mph CH | 74 – 77 mph SL

Fall 2021 – 84 – 87 mph FB | 88 mph Max FB | 77-80 mph SL

Winter 2022 – 86-89 mph FB | 90 mph Max FB | 78-81 mph SL | 80-83 mph CH

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2022 Copeland Bradford (catcher) from Lebanon HS commits to SW Tennessee CC! We cannot be more excited for what’s to come for Copeland & his family! A huge congrats again to big Cope!

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This edition of the “Midsouth Mafia Corner” dives in with one of our talented high school players in the likes of Bishop Quarles. Bishop a 2024 grad from Goodpasture Christian, is off to the races after an impressive 2020 (fall) – 2021 year. The Ohio State commit had the privilege of competing in some of the best events across the country with his invites to:

1.) Junior Futures Games

2.) USA Southeast Identification Series

3.) THE USA National Identification Series

This recognition through these events, his spring & summer performances, has earned him the recognition as being ranked as the #1 ranked player in his grad class in the state of Tennessee and ranked #36 nationally according to Prep Baseball Report.

 

With all of this being said, Bishop & the type of person he is just stays the course with everything he does. He doesn’t let the noise around him judge him for the person he wants to be. That’s what makes him different. It’s that selfless mindset that allows him to understand what he needs to accomplish, while also making him that much hungrier to develop his craft.

We wanted to check in on our guy, see how this upcoming Spring season was going for him and ask him about 5-star baseball of course. Here is the interview with Bishop below. Enjoy!

Coach Cohick: Bishop hope all is well! We wanted to know how this off-season has been going for you? Has it been different this year with having a year of high school baseball under your belt?

Bishop: Thanks, Coach! You as well! Yeah, I think coming in as the only 9th grader on varsity was an amazing feeling, but from a physical standpoint, I wasn’t there just yet. This off-season though I feel like I have lived in the weight room which is helping me gain the muscle I need. I’ve also been hitting off our pitching machine that’s set to see 91-92, and I can see a big difference from last year me, and this year me. Couldn’t touch it as consistently last year, and now the confidence & strength I have gained feels like I am hitting line drives more consistently than I could before.

Coach Cohick: What goals do you have set for yourself this Spring?

Bishop: I would love to make an all-region team. Last year I, unfortunately, had a hamstring injury that kept me out from competing a lot. So I want to do whatever I can to stay healthy for the whole season.

Coach Cohick: Let’s get a little personal now… If you had to use only 1 word to describe who you are, what word would you use?

Bishop: “Humble” would be the word I use. I am not the type of person to brag about where I’m going to college or what my rank is, none of that matters if I can’t show people who I am.

Coach Cohick: Which player do you try to imitate yourself after?

Bishop: Mookie Betts. He’s the only player I try to be like. His swing is so calm and controlled, he has a huge arm in the outfield. He’s just the player I want to be like.

Coach Cohick: Last question. Figure I ask you about 5-Star. What does 5-Star mean to you? You have been not only a part of 5-Star but a part of the Midsouth Region for the last 3 years, what has it felt like putting on the gold & black?

Bishop: 5 Star means a lot to me. In my 1st year playing, I played for Coach Hoppe and he just pulled me over one day and said “play your game.” That sat with me, and I just concentrated on being who I am. Eventually, I trusted myself and colleges started rolling around. It’s why I love Coach Hoppe and everything he stands for. He understands “ME” and my game. It’s a big part of me. To answer your 2nd question, being able to put on the gold and black makes me feel untouched because I know my teammates are going to ride with me to the end.

Coach Cohick: This was great Bishop thank you for sharing with us!

Bishop: No problem Coach!

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This edition of the Midsouth Mafia Corner brings us down to our youth teams as we discuss one of our talented 12U players, and the opportunity they had a week ago!

Graham Stockton (Friendship Christian) & a part of the 12U Hill squad, had the opportunity to go down & compete in a highly competitive event in Viera, Florida. He was nominated to represent Tennessee in the USSSA Southeast All-Star Games!

Graham put on quite the show with his ability to control the game on the mound, and defensively.

He was even able to turn several double plays on his own. Check out this clip of the two double plays he turned on his own in some huge spots.

Overall, it was a great showing for our “lil mafia” down in Viera. We know we can’t wait to watch Graham grow this upcoming season.

Here are a few more highlights from the event featuring our guy Graham!

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As the Midsouth Mafia 2022 grad class preps for the upcoming Spring Season. We take this time to share the current players currently committed & signed in this grad class to their respected schools for next year.

  1. Austin Hunley (MJHS) – University of Tennessee
  2. Will Dugan (Lipscomb Academy) – Lipscomb University
  3. Justin Lee (MJHS) – Middle Tennessee State
  4. Aden Napier (Lipscomb Academy) – Trevecca Nazarene
  5. Tyler Schrampf (Lipscomb Academy) – Southwest Tennessee CC
  6. Merik Carter (Rockvale HS) – University Alabama in Huntsville
  7. Dakota Goins (Blackman HS) – Freed-Hardeman University
  8. Keenan Saiyasak (Stewarts Creek HS) – Freed-Hardeman University
  9. Robert Carroll (JPII) – Hanover College
  10. Ben Turner (Blackman HS) – Freed-Hardeman University
  11. Kaleb Gupton (Davidson Academy) – Motlow State CC
  12. Patrick Cantrell (DeKalb County) – Freed-Hardeman University
  13. Christian Pencek (Siegel HS) – Lincoln Memorial University
  14. Jabez Sampson (Hazel Green HS) – Huntingdon College
  15. Andrew Davidson (Lipscomb Academy) – Harding University

 

Just extremely proud of the hard work of each young man on this list. We cannot wait to see what their future holds for them down the road. It’s just the start….. There are still several 2022’s a part of the Midsouth Mafia still looking for a home for next year. We know whoever lands these guys is going to be very lucky to have them. Here is the list of current uncommitted 2022’s that are ready for the next step!

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Andrew Davidson 2022 from Lipscomb Academy commits to Harding University! This was a long one in the making as Andrew was one of the “originals” to help us begin the Midsouth region. We could not be more pumped for him & his family on his commitment. A huge congrats again to Andrew and his family. Job well done!

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Jabez Sampson 2022 from Hazel Green (AL) commits to Huntingdon College! The versatility that is displayed is far from none for the athletic outfielder. Could not be more excited for what’s to come! Congrats to Jabez and his family!

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Starting fall of 2021, we are proud to announce our youth program, the 5 Star Vols, will now be classified as 5 Star Midsouth for the foreseeable future. The growth that the Midsouth program continues to show on a local, and national level, has allowed for such a move to take place. The Vols started back in 2006 by Derek Hunley (owner of the Midsouth region) has continued to be seen as one of the top youth programs in the state of Tennessee. Back in 2018, when Andy Burress approached Derek about the potential move to 5 Star, the success of the Vols was the exact reason why the move to 5 Star could have ever existed. 

 

“We feel like this is the right move for us as a program moving forward,” said 5 Star Midsouth owner Derek Hunley. “We truly feel we have something special in the works here in the state of Tennessee, and if we can keep attracting the right players into the program early, it will be a game-changer for us once they reach the high school level.”

 

With the move from the 5 Star Vols to 5 Star Midsouth, the entire 5 Star Midsouth program will now offer 8U – 18U age groups (grad classes as they reach 8th grade), for the entire program. No more confusion about the 5 Star Vols and the transition to the 5 Star Midsouth questions. One program, one family, all the mafia. 

 

This transition to the 5 Star Midsouth brand, now allows our youth teams the opportunities for:

 

  1. National / Showcase teams at the youth level.
  2. High-Level Coaching
  3. Year ‘round training options
  4. And Much More!

 

It’s a great day to be a part of the #MidSouthMaFia. The Vols have put down the framework for the Midsouth region. It’s time now to continue growing inside the state of Tennessee amongst all age groups wanting to take part in something extraordinary. We say goodbye to the orange and black and embrace as a whole program the black & gold.

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Summer in Atlanta is really nice this time of year. The feeling of essence you get when you step foot at Lakepoint is something I think every baseball player lives for. It’s an unreal experience and something we truly take pride in at every event we play in. You never know when it is going to be your last, but you will always remember those times you played at a place like Lakepoint, East Cobb, or on Vandy’s field. They are memories that will last with you for a lifetime. That’s what this is all about. Creating an incredible experience for a group of young men, that will build friendships that will last with them forever. So to all that we say thank you to those that allow us to participate in these incredible events. The tip of the cap from the 5 Star Midsouth staff.

 

Now… onto the good stuff! Our 2023 National group is in for quite the summer ahead of them. Already a roster featuring two dudes committed to D1 schools, we expect big things ahead for this rising group. 

 

“Going to be interesting to watch this team play as a whole,” said Head Coach Josh Taylor. “We have to have the ability to contribute in all aspects of the game if we are going to have a strong showing this summer.”

 

That is definitely the intriguing part of this group. They have the depth, and the arms to really be one of the top teams in the area. That’s what they are going to rely on, is their ability to step toe for toe with anybody on the mound, and with the depth, they have their ability to play really strong defense no matter who is on the field.

 

“Defense is going to be the secret sauce,” said Taylor. “We have some top-end arms that are going to be able to keep teams off-balance. We just need to utilize our athleticism defensively to take care of the horses we have going on the mound.”

 

Speaking of horses, this pitching staff has already seen 5 dudes live in the low 80’s and, some even pushing into the mid 8’s this Spring & last Fall. One of the biggest pieces to the staff is Andrew Moore (CAK) who has lived in the mid 80 marks all Spring. He is a part of one of the deepest staff in the state and was seen pretty regularly throughout the week competing for innings. Even touching up to 88 on the bump. He’s going to be a lot of fun to watch. His teammate Luke Jones (CAK) was in a very similar position as well. Has been consistent in that low 80 mark getting up into that 85 to 86 range from time to time, he is another really strong kid that is ready to make a huge jump this summer on the travel ball circuit. 

 

Let’s continue the trend for pitchers who are teammates as well as we talk about Trent Miller and Jacob Conquest from (Greenbrier H.S.). Trent has put together a really strong Spring for the Bobcats. Living in the 82-84 range up to 87 this Spring. The physical body Trent possesses shows there is a lot more in the tank for this young man. Jacob may not possess the body Trent has, but he’s got a lot of strength and athleticism that really competes well for him on the mound. He was a guy that was 82-85 this Fall touching 86. He’s working himself back from an injury, but he should be able to compete for really strong quality innings by June. 

 

Hunter Harris (Ensworth) is another freak-athlete that who can play anywhere in the outfield. Hunter really has a strong arm, that’s his huge strength. He was a guy earlier this year up to 86 from the OF and 84 on the mound back in the Fall. He is continuing to put in the work, and he is going to be one of the biggest sleepers we believe in. 

 

Caleb Ferguson (Lebanon H.S.) is another arm on the mound this group will rely on. A guy who came on late last summer, unfortunately, had an injury in the Fall that kept him out most of Spring. He’s in for a long summer season as he has recently increased his workload on the mound. 

 

Let’s get to the offensive standpoint and talk about the fellas who will be doing the bulk of the duties behind the plate. Adam Partin (Green Hill H.S.), Kyle Fitzgibbons (Mount Juliet H.S.), and Ty Gantt (Cookeville H.S.). All have the ability to catch at a very high level. Adam both offensively and defensively is a trendsetter for this group. He’s been in the middle of the lineup all year for his high school and was a guy this past fall that hit over .400. He just finds ways to get on base, and with his leadership behind the plate, he is one of the best catchers without a doubt in the state.

 

“I feel our team is going to do very well and compete deep into the tournaments,” said Partin. “We want to compete against the best teams.”

 

Kyle is an extremely athletic catcher who can also play quite a bit of outfield. He runs well and will utilize his athleticism wherever he is asked to do so. He could be one of the strongest kids on this team, so it’s going to be exciting to watch his development unfold. Ty is built like a brick house. Don’t be mistaken though, this guy moves well for his size. His ability to find the barrel and the ability to hit it out of the park is going to be a huge difference-maker for this team. 

 

Around the infield, we have Christian Taylor (Green Hill H.S.), Taylor Head (Jo Byrns H.S.), Jackson Lea (Lebanon H.S.), Connor Gannon (Lebanon H.S.), and Easton Krenzke (Mount Juliet H.S.). Christian, is an (MTSU commit) and is the first commit inside this really talented 2023 class. He is one of the best middle infielders in the state respectfully. He’s as clean with the glove as anyone we have seen no matter the class you are in. His ability to run, 6.87 | 60’ time allows him to be an extra-base hit machine. He’s a ton of fun to watch, and we are proud the hard work he continues to put in continues to get noticed on a national level. 

 

“We will be one of the higher caliber teams this summer,” said Taylor. “Every tournament we play in, we expect to be able to hang with the best of them, and find ways to win.”

 

Taylor Head is Mr.Fundamental in our eyes. He is really versatile as he can play anywhere on the infield. He’s really put in the work this off-season and is getting much stronger as he has two home runs on the year for his high school club. We also expect him to have a lot of mound time for this group this summer. Jackson Lea does all the little things right for this team. The middle infielder runs well, and always finds ways to get on-base. He’s an OBP machine with his ability to work counts and set the tone with his discipline at the plate. 

 

His teammate for his high school, Connor Gannon, is a very physical-looking kid. His ability to hit baseballs is what sets him apart as he utilizes much of that strength he has to barrel balls up. He can play both corner positions and will be able to do so all summer long. Easton Krenzke, aka “Mr.Bunt,” is a true teammate for the guys on this team. He provides a ton of energy for the team, and it reflects that top to bottom with the group of players we have. He’s also a bunting guru we think because it does not matter who’s on base, or the count he is in, his ability to get on-base with the bunt game is a huge difference-maker especially for what this team hopes to accomplish. 

 

“We are going to cause a lot of action on the offensive standpoint,” said Coach Taylor. “We are going to bunt, we are going to use the hit & run, we just want to create a lot of moving parts for the opposing team to decide how to play us.”

 

Patrolling the bulk of the outfield comes pure athleticism in Bishop Quarles (Goodpasture Christian), Brody Ballou (Siegel H.S.), and Ben Marshall (Blackman H.S.). Bishop, who is the youngest on the team, is a 2024 commit and the first 2024 commit to being committed in the class as he is committed to Ohio State. He’s one of the top players in the class and is being recognized on a national level with his showings he had this Fall and Winter. The smooth-moving OF is going to be a lot of fun to watch, as he is a true difference-maker for this team both offensively and defensively. Brody is another smooth-moving lefty who can play anywhere in the outfield. He can impact similarly like Bishop, both offensively and defensively for this team. He has shown just that this spring as he’s been in the starting outfield in just about every single game this season for Siegel. Ben, is another freak athlete who is the starting TE currently on the Blackman football team. He runs well for his huge size, which allows him to be another XBH monster in the summer season. He will look to make a big splash for the team.

 

A lot to really like for this group. They have the depth to make runs in big events both on the offensive side and on the mound. It’s a talented group, and we expect nothing less from them when it comes to competing and wanting to play against the best. 

 

“We are going to see a lot of colleges wanting to come and watch these guys,” said Coach Taylor. “They all have a ton to contribute, which will make this summer really fun for these guys when their number is called.”

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