THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION

| 2,631 MLB PLAYERS | 16,402 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS

2,631 MLB PLAYERS | 16,402 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS

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.”

PERFECTGAME.TV

Give us your feedback

High School | Rankings | 11/4/2026

Class of 2027 Rankings Risers

Kyler Peterson

Complete Class of 2027 Rankings With the end of the summer and fall seasons behind us, it was time for a quick refresh of the 2027 class rankings. Below you'll be able to read about some of the biggest risers up the board, led by North Carolina outfielder John Hucko who jumped more than 110 spots to now sit at No. 20 overall. John Hucko, OF, Charlotte, N.C. Previous Rank: 132 | Current Rank: 20 Hucko makes a huge leap into the top-20 players in the class after a dominating showing in Jupiter. It’s as good of a left-handed swing as you’ll come across with pretty easy impact to all parts. He’s a supreme athlete with all the tools to play center long term and is a present plus runner. Hucko is a name that cemented his prospect status in Jupiter and will be a name to follow for next year’s MLB Draft. Elyjah Mason, SS, Lake Forest, Calif. Previous Rank: 71 |...

Draft | Mock Draft | 11/13/2026

2027 MLB Mock Draft: November 13

Tyler Henninger

With our updated board expanding to a Top 200 last week, it was only fitting that we follow it up with a mock draft. With roughly eight months remaining until draft day and no real intel available on which players individual clubs may be targeting at this stage of the cycle, we decided to take a different approach than we typically do. Rather than attempting to match teams with players based on projected preferences or organizational fits, members of our draft team stepped into the role of general manager, taking turns making selections for their assigned clubs. As for the draft order, teams were slotted according to the current lottery odds. The San Francisco Giants are not eligible for a lottery selection and are therefore slotted into the No. 10 spot. It is also worth noting that it remains to be seen if a draft lottery will even take place in December due to impending CBA...

Tournaments | Story | 11/13/2026

National All State Preview: Week 2

Hannah Jo Groves

The second week of of PG All-State National Championships starts this weekend - this particular one featuring the 9U, 11U and 13U age groups. Last week, the 10U, 12U and 14U divisions got their chance to represent their states and compete in the Houston, Texas area. This weekend, there will be 23 teams competing in the 13U and 11U divisions and 15 teams competing for the 9U title. “For Tony [Harper] and I, it’s an early glimpse of guys yearning to impress as we head to the new year…for those seeking consideration for the Select Festival,” National Cross-Checker and Northeast Scouting Director, John McAdams, said. For those competing in the 11U division, this event marks their first opportunity to show out, get some recognition and potentially receive a coveted invitation to the 2027 11U Select Festival. Some names that have already stood out to PG’s scouts...

College | Story | 11/13/2026

College Fall Notebook: November 13

Craig Cozart

UCF Knights 2026 In Review: The Knights recorded their best finish of the Big 12 era tied for 3rd place in the regular season with a (19-11) record and (32-23) overall. Their resume would earn them an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in the last three seasons under Head Coach Rich Wallace in what would be the 14th all-time postseason appearance. The 19 conference wins were the most by a UCF team since 2005 as they won 7 of their 10-conference series. UCF was a consistent on the offensive side batting .289 as a team and averaging almost 7-runs per game. They also took another step forward on the mound, with a team ERA of 4.61 while registering an impressive 6-shutouts on the year. INF Austin Jacobs (@UCF_Baseball)turns on this heater and deposits it over the LF wall for a 3 run HR (96 EV/ 364 FT). Nice job pulling the...

College | Recruiting | 11/12/2026

Head of the Class: No. 4 Arkansas

Jordan Gates

Complete 2027 Arkansas Recruiting Class No. 4 Arkansas Head Coach: Dave Van Horn | Recruiting Coordinator: Nate Thompson Total Signees: 18 | Top 100 Signees: 3 Top 5 Recruits: Rk. Name Pos. HT WT B-T High School Hometown ST 42 Christopher (CJ) Wall C 6-1 195 L-R Georgia Premier Academy Statesboro GA 52 Jake Ivey LHP 6-3 200 L-L Gunter Gunter TX 91 Conor Rae SS 6-1 170 R-R Corona Del Sol Gilbert AZ 102 Charlie Sarsfield OF 5-10 170 L-R Linn-Mar Cedar Rapids IA 107 Bear Calvo SS 6-1 200 R-R Orange Lutheran Fullerton CA Over the last decade, Arkansas has found themselves ranked inside the top ten in recruiting classes eight of the last ten years. They are no stranger to being ranked towards the top either with a handful of top five finishes, with their 2027 class checking in at number four. While the transfer portal has had the largest impact on college baseball and sports in general, the...

College | Recruiting | 11/12/2026

Head of the Class: No. 3 Texas A&M

Vincent Cervino

Complete 2027 Texas A&M Recruiting Class No. 3 Texas A&M Head Coach: Michael Earley | Recruiting Coordinator: Nolan Cain Total Signees: 17 | Top 100 Signees: 6 Top 5 Recruits RK. Name Pos. HT WT High School Hometown State 11 Striker Pence RHP/1B 6-6 215 Santiago Corona CA 15 Brady Cunningham 3B/RHP 6-3 225 Brother Rice Mokena IL 40 Isaiah Snavely SS 6-3 195 Zionsville Community Zionsville IN 77 Jordan Ayala RHP 6-1 185 Norco La Habra CA 88 Clyde Williams III OF 5-11 178 Magnolia Magnolia TX The Aggies jumped into the top 10 with their 2026 high school recruits and in his third season Michael Earley has achieved a the highest ranked recruiting class of his career at No. 3 for the 2027 class. Credit due as well to RC Nolan Cain who rejoined the Aggies just this past summer. There’s star power littered throughout this class including four PG All-Americans, led by...

Tournaments | Championship | 11/12/2026

Texas Defends Home Turf at All State

Hannah Jo Groves

Texas American Dominates for the 12U All-State Select Championship A run-rule, 11-3 victory over California National sealed the deal for Texas American’s 12U PG National All-State Select Championship win. 6 different players combined for Texas American’s 11 total runs - Ishmael Ruiz knocked in 2 runs with a double in the bottom of the second, Cannon Hughes knocked in 5 runs with 2, 2-run home runs in the first and second innings and an RBI walk to seal the game. Though it’s clear Texas American’s offense was explosive, right-handed pitcher Martin Vazquez did his part on the mound, striking out 6 batters and only dealing 1 walk in his 4 innings and 61 pitches of work. Earlier in the tournament, Lucas Bingham, the tournament’s MVPitcher, struck out 11 batters over 6.1 innings in his outing - and despite that impressive stat line - Bingham said he was not...

Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 11/12/2026

2027 Draft Board Update: Biggest Risers

Tyler Henninger

2027 MLB Draft Content Hub With our latest draft board update, several prospects have made significant moves up the rankings following strong performances throughout the fall. From prep talent finishing off the circuit to college players ramping up for the spring, the latest update features plenty of new names and notable jumps. Here we will take a closer look at some of the biggest risers, highlighting the players who have done the most to improve their draft stock and have positioned themselves well heading into the winter. Biggest Riser John Hucko (‘27 NC) lifts this one into RF for an RBI 2B, does a nice job of recognizing off speed w/ good adjustment; athletic frame w/ strength present. @AuburnBaseball commit #WWBAWorlds @PG_Coastal https://t.co/GXnZlsMidh — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 8, 2026 OF John Hucko, Charlotte Catholic | Pres. Rank: 23...

College | Recruiting | 11/13/2026

Head of the Class: No. 1 Louisiana State

Jheremy Brown

Complete 2027 LSU Recruiting Class No. 1 Louisiana State Head Coach: Jay Johnson | Recruiting Coordinator: Josh Jordan Total Signees: 17 | Top 100 Signees: 12 Top 5 Recruits RK Name Pos. HT WT B-T High School Hometown ST 6 Samir Mohammed RHP 6-5 240 R-R Tampa Jesuit Trinity FL 13 Sebastian Castillo SS 6-0 195 R-R Byron Nelson Justin TX 16 Graham Houston SS 6-1 175 S-R Venice Nokomis FL 22 Drake Hawpe OF 6-4 215 L-R Liberty Christian Argyle TX 32 Jordin Griffin OF 5-10 190 L-R Barbe Lake Charles LA Wash. Rinse. Repeat. The 2027 recruiting cycle saw Jay Johnson and his staff pull in the top class in the country, something we've come to almost expect as of late, and though they have some names to monitor heading into next year's MLB Draft, the depth of this group is unreal and one of the best we've seen in some time. Just how good is this class as a whole? Of their 16 commits, 12 are ranked...

College | Recruiting | 11/11/2026

Head of the Class: No. 5 Vanderbilt

Kyler Peterson

Complete 2027 Vanderbilt Recruiting Class No. 5 Vanderbilt Head Coach: Tim Corbin | Recruiting Coordinator: Scott Brown Total Signees: 16 | Top 100 Signees: 5 Top 5 Recruits RK Name Pos. HT WT B-T High School Hometown ST 21 Ethan Gustus RHP 6-6 192 R-R Roseville Roseville CA 55 Broder Katke C 6-2 205 R-R Brother Rice Bloomfield Hills MI 61 Graham Keen 3B/RHP 6-4 185 R-R Mt Lebanon Pittsburgh PA 63 Stephen Bobo OF 5-11 175 L-L Shelbyville Central Shelbyville TN 85 Derek Yormack RHP 6-3 220 R-R Bellmore JFK Merrick NY The Dores check in at No. 5 in the recruiting rankings with a loaded 2027 class. The class holds five players currently ranked in the top 100 and ten total ranked within the top 200. Coach Corbin and his staff dipped into the west coast to head their class with one of the best arms in the country, California native Ethan Gustus. The 6-foot-6 right-hander has touched triple...

College | Recruiting | 11/11/2026

Head of the Class: No. 6 Alabama

Jay Vossler

Complete 2027 Alabama Recruiting Class Head Coach: Rob Vaughn | Recruiting Coordinator: Jason Jackson Total Signees: 17 | Top 100 Signees: 4 Top 5 Recruits RK Name Pos. HT WT B-T High School Hometown ST 29 Finnian O'Loughlin OF 6-2 200 R-R Delbarton Jersey City NJ 31 Mac Morris SS 6-0 187 R-R Dorman Taylors SC 47 Harry Chubb Jones Jr. * SS 6-4 190 R-R McEachern Douglasville GA 86 Anderson Lambert OF 6-0 180 R-R McDonogh Laurel MD 108 Jude Carter RHP 6-5 210 R-R Alexander Central Taylorsville NC * denotes enrolling early for upcoming spring After three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a trip to Omaha in 2026, Rob Vaughn and the Alabama Crimson Tide have seen their recruiting class skyrocket in the rankings. After checking in at 24 in 2024, they took a huge leap up to 8 in 2025, stayed close to that at 13 in 2026, and now sit at 6 in 2027, the highest under Rob Vaughn....

Loading more articles...

PERFECTGAME.TV

SPEND MORE. SAVE MORE.

Event Types

Special Events

Featured

Baseball Showcases

Player Rankings

DRAFT BOARD

Team Rankings

Travel Team Rankings

College Rankings

Softball Player Rankings

Top Ranked Players

PG Rawlings Preseason All American

Top Ranked Teams

Recruiting Menu

Event Results

PG EVENT CONTENT

HIGH SCHOOL CONTENT

MLB DRAFT CONTENT

COLLEGE CONTENT

RECENT ARTICLES

PG Alumni

NOTABLE MLB PLAYERS

About Perfect Game