THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,491 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,491 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
High School  | General | 2/8/2021

Baylor still on top in Tennessee

Jeff Dahn
Photo: Daniel Corona (Perfect Game)

The concept of employing co-head coaches at the high school level isn’t a new one but the practice remains rare, at least among the nation’s most high-profile prep programs.

There is a special place in the Perfect Game High School Southeast Region where the co-coach plan is not only being put to the test but it’s acing exam after exam in a region of the country where high school baseball is as strong and as relevant as any place on the national map.



Greg Elie and Mike Kinney are beginning their fourth season serving as co-head coaches at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn., and the tandem has already left an indelible mark.

They’re set to lead a talented outfit that enters what promises to be an interesting 2021 season as the No. 12 team in the PGHS Preseason Top 50 National Rankings and the No. 2 squad in the PGHS Southeast Region (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee) behind only No. 4 Buford (Ga.) HS.

The Baylor administration’s decision to name co-coaches proved to be a brilliant one from the get-go. The Raiders won the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) Division II state championship in both 2018 (24-6 overall record) and 2019 (27-6) and were looking for the magical trifecta in 2020 before the season was halted.

“It’s just like any other coaching staff,” Elie told PG during a telephone conversation late last week. “We were both head coaches before this and when we talked with the AD we kind of said that there’s not very many times in a baseball game that the (entire) staff is not going to be pretty much in tune with what’s going on.”

Because Baylor School is a diverse, coeducational institution that welcomes both boarders and locals – referred to as day students – it is in a unique position to meet adversity head-on. And make no mistake, adversity and an abundance of challenges are sure to await this senior-laden group as an uncertain 2021 campaign gets underway next month in the midst of an ongoing pandemic.

The Red Raiders will be able to take part in official practices on Feb. 15 and in the meantime the players have been doing things mainly on their own while following a set of strict COVID-related rules and guidelines. There are facilities available to them where, if they need to get some work in, they’ll be able to do it.

“They work really hard,” Elie said. “That’s why we’re in the position that we are now is because they get after it.”

Kinney told PG his guys are excited to play this season, not that he ever thought for a minute it would be any other way. These high-schoolers are kids at heart and, simply put, they just love playing the game of baseball.

With this group, every one of them has their sights set on continuing to play beyond high school and no matter what transpires it’s important they keep working toward achieving their goals and realizing their aspirations.

“Let’s make it to where we want to make it no matter if it’s a pandemic year or the easiest year we’ve ever had,” Kinney said he told them. “Let’s continue to do what we have to do as players, and bend and be flexible and have a good attitude about what we’re doing.”

The 2021 varsity roster is stocked with eight D-I recruits from three classes. The senior headliners include Mike Kinney’s son, third baseman Cooper Kinney (No. 93-ranked, South Carolina commit) and shortstop/right-hander Daniel Corona (No. 142, Wake Forest), a boarder who is the No. 6-ranked 2021 prospect in his home state of New York.

Other seniors at the forefront are first baseman Vytas Valincius (No. 221, South Carolina); third baseman/right-hander James (Jay) Dill (No. 224, Missouri); first baseman/left-hander Nick Kurtz (t-500, Wake Forest) out of Pennsylvania and right-hander/outfielder Chris Campanella (t-500) from North Carolina.

Top juniors include another New Yorker in infielder/right-hander Henry Godbout (No. 429, Virginia) and right-hander/outfielder Patrick Johnson (t-1000, Middle Tennessee St.); outfielder/right-hander Caleb Hampton (No. 68, South Carolina) is the face of the sophomore class.

This is a team made up of players who have been together throughout their prep careers despite the fact that some of them came in from out of state. Elie called it a “special group of young men” and noted that Kinney, Corona, and Kurtz were teammates on USA Baseball 14u and 16u national teams in years past.

Kinney, Corona and Valincius were all in attendance at last summer’s PG National Showcase in Hoover, Ala., and Corona was at the 2018 PG 14u Select Festival in Fort Myers, Fla., so these are prospects quite familiar with some of amateur baseball’s biggest stages.

Elie and Coach Kinney are certainly counting on their talented seniors to exhibit the type of leadership skills that are expected from them but that’s nothing knew with this group. According to Kinney, players of this magnitude became leaders when they first entered the program.

“You just kind of pretended that they weren’t in charge but they were; they’ve been in charge since day one,” he said. “...This has been the first time, really, where we’ve said, hey, it’s your turn. You get to actually not pretend to be the leader – you’re the guy. If it doesn’t look right, you fix it.

“It’s an accountability issue as much as it is anything, with all of them trying to get to different spaces. They just feed off each other and the leadership comes from within, really.”

In dealing with COVID-19, Elie explained that the people associated with Baylor School have been “blessed” because the school is a private institution of good means that has its own research laboratory.

The lab is equipped to conduct coronavirus testing and is able to provide it throughout the entire Chattanooga area. With that indispensable tool at their disposal, the students and faculty at Baylor are tested on a regular basis.

“The protocols that are in place at the school are really amazing to be able to have a boarding school and have the athletics still going on,” Elie said. “Of course, we’ve had our bumps in the road like everybody else but the things that have been put in place by the administration and especially our trainers have allowed us to keep things relatively normal.”

Kinney said the message he and Elie are trying to drive home to the players is a simple one, and its basic tenet is to live in the moment. If they are able to play this spring, it’s important to savor every minute you’re on the field because it’s impossible to know when it might be taken away from you again.

The “enjoy every minute of it” refrain has always been around but after the 2020 experience it’s a much more prevalent thought in the minds of these teenagers.

When the games stopped before they really even got started a year ago – the Red Raiders finished 1-0 in 2020 – there was, of course, tremendous disappointment, but there was also resignation. There was nothing anyone could do about what happened and the players understood that.

“We just started going, hey, what’s the next thing we can prep for? Let’s go, let’s prep for it,” Kinney said. “Here’s a great opportunity...so let’s take the next two and let’s make a goal. So we were really goal-oriented with what each one of them needed to do individually.

“It wasn’t really fun but they took to that and they’ve done a really good job in the summer. (PG) has seen them and obviously you’ve ranked us high, so you know the type of kids that we’ve put together. We’re just totally excited to get to play and showcase these guys.”

Elie and Kinney had previously served as assistant coaches under former head coach Billy Berry in 2016-17 before assuming the role of co-head coaches.

Berry, now the head coach at Tennessee Wesleyan University in Athens, Tenn., coached those two seasons following the retirement of the legendary Gene Etter, who served as Baylor’s head baseball coach for 41 years. Etter led the Red Raiders to state championships in 2003 and 2006 and state runner-up finishes in 2002 and 2008.

As assistants, Elie worked primarily with the hitters and Kinney with the pitchers, and it seemed like too good of combination to break up in the mind of the school’s administrators.

“They were like, wait a second. Let’s not change it for the kids too much, let’s just make y’all co-head coaches,” Elie said. “We looked at it and laughed and said, 'We’ll give it a shot.' We both kind of have the personalities for it and it’s worked. And with the boarding component it just was really able to take on a life of its own. You sprinkle in a couple of boarders who are really talented with the local kids...

“That’s one thing I’m really proud about is if you look at the (number) of college commits right now it’s almost split down the middle with day students and boarding students.”

Selling the players and, most importantly, their parents on Baylor School is not difficult, Kinney said. The kids long for the opportunity to play alongside other like-minded prospects who perform at a very high level and the parents see the accompanying academic opportunities as a springboard into college. Excellence can be found just about everywhere on Baylor School’s 600 acre Chattanooga campus.

From a personal standpoint, Coach Kinney is certainly enjoying coaching his son Cooper at the high school level after also coaching him as a youngster. He called it a “very special piece” anytime a parent gets the chance to pass their passion onto their children.

“I’m a baseball coach, that’s what I do for a living, and he has been with me the entire way,” he said. “Now that he’s able to play we kind of look at each from different lenses and he’s done just an outstanding job of being able to deal with letting me be the coach.”

And now Cooper Kinney and his Red Raider teammates will be given an opportunity to compete for a third straight TSSAA D-II state championship, something they missed out on a year ago. Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but they’re certainly going to give it a try.

Expectations are high and that’s to be expected when you enter a season as the No. 12-ranked team in all the land. These seniors were sophomores the last time they wore a state crown which means that championship feeling is still very fresh in their minds.

Coaches Elie and Kinney should remember 2018 and 2019 quite fondly, as well. They were named the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association (TBCA) Coach of the Year at the conclusion of both those seasons, proving beyond a doubt that two heads can be better than one. And those heads like what they’re seeing as they move this 2021 team forward.

“I feel as good as you can feel for having the season pulled out from underneath you last year,” Elie said when asked his thoughts of the upcoming season. “You always have that in the pit of your stomach that it could happen (again) at any moment but we’re set to go to the NHSI the second week of the season, so we’re excited about that; we’ve got a pretty stout schedule.

“These boys have been working towards winning state every year and competing on a national front and this is the first year they’re really going to get to see that.”
Give us your feedback
High School | General | 7/1/2026

PG High School All-Americans
Tyler Russo
Article Image
High School Top 50: Final Update With the High School season all wrapped up, today we take a look at our First, Second and Third Team All-Americans from around the country. Below you'll find three teams with stats that seem otherworldly from players who'll likely hear their names called in the coming week's MLB Draft. Within the "Notable Stats" section you'll see the individual award winners as well. First Team All-American Pos.  Name Class School State Commitment Notable Stats C Cole Prosek 2026 Magnolia Heights MS Ole Miss .595 BA, 18 HR, 79 RBI 1B Will Adams 2026 Hoover AL LSU .489, 13 HR, 52 RBI IF James Tronstein 2026 Harvard-Westlake CA Vanderbilt .531, 10 HR, 29 RBI, 21 XBH IF Grady Emerson 2026 Fort Worth Christian TX Texas .508, 8 HR, 56 RBI, 34/35 SB, National POY IF Jacob Lombard 2026 Gulliver Schools FL Miami .477, 10 HR, 52 R, 42 H, 14 SB OF Martin Shelar 2026 Marist GA...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/2/2026

Freedom Classic Opens Holiday Weekend

Alyssa Golden
Article Image
More than 30 teams from the 14U-18U age divisions will head to Fort Myers, Florida this Fourth of July weekend for the seventh annual Perfect Game Freedom Classic. The tournament, running July 3-6, features several nationally ranked prospects from across the country as teams look to compete for a championship. Headlining the field are twin brothers Derek and Ryan Yormark of Merrick, New York. Right-handed pitcher Derek Yormack is the No. 51-ranked player in the class of 2027, the No. 1 player in New York and the No. 5-ranked right-handed pitcher in the country. First baseman Ryan Yormark comes in just behind his twin brother as the No. 3 overall player in New York, the No. 5 first baseman in the nation and the No. 90-ranked player nationally. Both brothers are committed to Vanderbilt. Derek Yormark has established himself as one of the top two-way prospects in the 2027 class. He has run...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/2/2026

14u West World Series Scout Notes

Quinton Hall
Article Image
Asher Contreras (2030 | Las Vegas, NV) The 5-foot-10, 170-pound right-handed hitter and outfielder was one of the most dangerous hitters in the tournament for Wow Factor Nv 2030, stuffing the stat sheet while displaying an impressive combination of power and speed. He finished the weekend with 9 hits, including two doubles and a home run, while driving in seven runs and scoring five more. He also swiped three bases and worked three walks, consistently putting pressure on opposing defenses while showing feel for the zone with just one strikeout all weekend. His ability to hit for extra bases while also creating offense on the bases made him one of the most impactful offensive performers at the event.    Braylen Silva (‘30 | NV) RBI 2B for GBG Vegas 14u Red. Direct path, quick trigger, & barrel feel. Solid 2-hole stick creating offense all day #14UWestWS...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

16u Elite Scout Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
16u Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2  ‘28 AJ Bonnette (TX) with 7 Ks thru 4 IP thus far, living 89-91 w/ heavy traits. Filling up all four quads & attacking hitters early in counts. Mixing a slurvy breaker & turning the CHG over well. @PG_Uncommitted #NatElite @Texas_PG pic.twitter.com/oz2XXoKHvt — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 30, 2026 Aj Bonnette (2028, Keller, Texas) showed out on both sides of the ball at the National Elite Championship, but really stood out on the mound Tuesday. He toed the rubber in round two of the playoffs, proceeding to toss six innings with eight punchouts and zero earned runs allowed. The 6-foot southpaw filled up all four quadrants of the strike zone, attacking hitters early and often with his fastball. The heater lived in the 88-91 mph range with heavy traits, often setting up his slurvy breaking ball. Bonnette showed good feel...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

Performance Baseball Rolls On

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Championship teams often reveal themselves when the game isn’t going their way. Performance Baseball 2028/Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team did exactly that. Trailing Florida Burn 2028 Scout through four innings, the Brewers refused to panic. Instead, they relied on timely hitting, consistent pitching, and an unselfish approach at the plate, rallying a five-run fifth inning before pulling away for a 9-5 victory to clinch their spot in the semifinals. The comeback was fueled by contributions throughout the lineup. Six different players drove in runs, including two RBIs each from Aiden Capobianco and Cameron Massey, while Matthew Heredia, Parker Weston, Ethan Smith, and Aj Bonnette each added an RBI of their own. On the mound, Derek Wenzel set the tone with 3.2 solid innings before Ethan Smith shut the door in relief, helping preserve the comeback victory. Although the Brewers have had a...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 7/1/2026

JK Select Hawaii Tackles 14u West WS

Emily Hicks
Article Image
JK Select Hawaii capped off an impressive tournament run by defeating GBG Vegas 14u Red14-4 in the championship game on Sunday at Goodyear Ballpark, claiming the 14u West World Series title. From the opening pitch, JK Select controlled the pace of the game. The offense jumped out early, scoring 6 runs in the 1st inning after timely hits from MVP Sean Shindo and Kade Manarpaac. The early lead gave the pitching staff confidence as they worked efficiently through the opposing lineup. “I've worked hard to get better at my game for the past few months; it means a lot that I did well and performed in a tournament like this” said Shindo. Starting pitcher Maddox Prones turned in a strong performance, allowing 3 runs while striking out 5 batters over 3 innings. The defense backed the effort with great plays in the middle infield, preventing GBG Vegas from building momentum....
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

"Wow" Swings Catch Eyes at 16u Elite

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
On the second day of the 2026 Perfect Game National Elite Championship, one swing turned heads across the ballpark. The next one brought everyone to a stop. With Wow Factor Nation 16U trailing midway through its matchup against Sandlot Scout Team 2028, Micheal O'Connor launched a solo home run to spark the offense. Just one batter later, Aaron Frink stepped into the box and sent another ball over the fence, delivering back-to-back home runs that quickly became one of the most talked about moments of the tournament’s opening days. Parents gathered along the nets, players from previous games stopped to watch, and college scouts turned their attention toward the action as the two towering swings energized the crowd and brought new life to the game. Although Wow Factor Nation ultimately lost 5-3 after a hard-fought performance, the back-to-back home runs served as a reminder of the...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Stacked Runs the Table at 17u WWBA

Will Dembo
Article Image
Following a jam-packed week of entertainment at the 17u WWBA Championships, the top nationally ranked program, USA Prime 17u National/Detroit Tigers Scout Team, faced off against Stacked Baseball 17u (No. 80 nationally) in the highly anticipated championship matchup as both teams looked to earn one of the most prestigious titles in all of travel baseball. Each talented squad entered the finale undefeated, but Stacked Baseball continued their dominance throughout the tournament, defeating the Detroit Tigers Scout Team 10-2 in mercy rule fashion to become national champions behind explosive bats and impressive pitching. Stacked Baseball was the overwhelming top team throughout the week as the WWBA Champions outscored opponents by an absurd 117-12 during their 11-0 run. “We got some talented kids, but we played against a little bit of Goliath over there,” Stacked Head Coach Mike...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

17u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 7

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
17u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4  Day 5 | Day 6 Shea Corona (2027, Brooklyn, N.Y.) showcased some loud stuff out of the bullpen for MLB Breakthrough Series 2027. The New York native and primary shortstop topped out at 93 with the fastball, sitting comfortable in the 90-92 range. Corona paired it with a sharp and tight slider at 81-83, staying on the same plane until late. The pitch plays well already and the delivery is very athletic. The uncommitted right-hander went three scoreless and was in the zone plenty, striking out two while not allowing a walk. '27 SS Moises Gudino (FL) continues to stay red hot, working a long AB & cracking an oppo 2B on the 8th pitch. Really seeing ing well. #WWBA @Florida_PG https://t.co/OjNJ8Bmzao pic.twitter.com/WoDDp35EI1 — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 30, 2026 Moises Gudino (2027, Tampa, Fla.)...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Texas Twelve Firing On Full Cylinders

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Every team hopes to start a tournament with momentum, but few make a statement quite like Texas Twelve Maroon 2028. Matched up against defending champion Excel Blue Wave National to kick off their debut in the 2026 Perfect Game National Elite Championship, Texas Twelve Maroon delivered a complete team performance, earning a hard-fought 3-2 victory and immediately establishing themselves as one of the top teams to watch this week. The win showcased the balance that has made Texas Twelve Maroon a powerful team. Strong pitching, timely hitting, and steady defense all played a role as the team held off one of the tournament’s premier programs. Right-hander Ty Antley turned in an outstanding performance on the mound, throwing a complete game while allowing only five hits and two walks over seven innings. The High Follow prospect worked consistently between 85-89 mph and mixed in a sharp...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2026 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.