By Robert Wilson
Magnolia Heights School shortstop-pitcher Cooper Pratt has several family members who were stars in high school, but he is the first one in his family to achieve a Gatorade Player of the Year award.
Pratt was named the Mississippi Gatorade Baseball Player after an incredible senior season.
His father, Russell, played baseball at the University of Utah. His mother, Heidi, played softball at Utah Valley University and Nova Southeastern in Florida. He has four uncles who played college baseball, Trent Pratt (Auburn), Scott Pratt (Auburn), Paul Pratt (Air Force) and Kyle Pratt (Dixie State University in Utah) and one uncle, Mark Pratt, who played college football (Youngstown State University in Ohio). His older brother, Ozzie, played baseball at Magnolia Heights and was a sophomore infielder who hit .305 and started all 45 games for Brigham Young this season and is transferring to Southern Miss.
None of them won Gatorade Player of the Year for their respective state.
Cooper Pratt – an Ole Miss signee and pitcher-shortstop who is rated the No. 43 player in the upcoming Major League Baseball Draft and the 22nd highest high school pick by mlb.com – finished with a 10-0 record and a 0.14 earned run average, allowing only one earned run in 49 innings this season, and had 66 strikeouts and only eight walks. He led his team with a .463 batting average, 18 doubles, 4 triples, 69 runs scored, 57 hits and 32 stolen bases.
Pratt pitched a three-hit shutout and had a double with two runs batted in to complete his outstanding high school career in the MAIS Class 5A state championship series against Oak Forest, La., and led Magnolia Heights to its fifth consecutive state title.
Pratt led Magnolia Heights to a No. 7 national ranking by Collegiate Baseball and a school record 40 victories and an undefeated record against Mississippi teams. The Chiefs’ only three losses were to Class 6A public school teams from Texas, Rockwall, Marcus and Prosper, a trio of the best teams in the Dallas area. Magnolia Heights won its last 37 games and its last 44 against MAIS teams, dating back to a 9-8 loss to Starkville Academy last season. The Chiefs have dominated MAIS Class 5A, winning 40, 33, 30 and 30 games in the last state title seasons and haven’t lost a playoff game since 2019. Magnolia Heights’ two wins over Oak Forest (a 16-0 win in Game 1 at Oak Forest) were its 23rd and 24th consecutive playoff victories.
“I have been wanting to win this award since I found out about it when I was younger and being able to receive it is awesome to say the least,” Pratt said. “It was an awesome year and I’m going to miss high school baseball.”
“Chris did it in all three phases,” Magnolia Heights coach Chris McMinn said. “He only made three errors all season, only one after March 18. He won 10 games and allowed only one earned run. Cooper controlled the game. His work ethic is unmatched. He could go 4 for 5 and then he would go work out with (Ole Miss All-American outfielder Kemp Alderman) after the game. What separates Cooper from a lot of people across the country is his will to win. He’s a true competitor. He was our best hitter, best pitcher, and best teammate. Cooper got bigger and stronger this year. He stayed in the weight room and did the little things. Cooper is the best shortstop in the country. He gained 10-15 pounds this year and his arm got stronger, and he was a step faster. We had at some point this year every major league team here watching him. We had front office people, scouting directors, you name it. That’s what so special about Cooper, he was able to perform in front of those guys. He’s not about individual stats. It was all about our team and helping us win. He will likely play shortstop at Ole Miss or in the big leagues.”
Pratt has two younger brothers who might become stars at Magnolia Heights. Quincy will be a freshman next year and is a catcher, pitcher and infielder and played some on the varsity this season. He has committed to Ole Miss. Quincy also plays basketball. Jett will be in the seventh grade next year and plays baseball and basketball. McMinn believes both Quincy and Jett have the potential to be excellent players like Cooper and Ozzie.
Pratt is the second consecutive MAIS player to win the Mississippi Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year award. Jackson Academy’s Dakota Jordan – who was named Freshman All-American at Mississippi State this season – won the award last year.
Pratt is also the third MAIS athlete to win a Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year this school year. JA’s Lakin Laurendine won volleyball and Madison-Ridgeland Academy’s Josh Hubbard won boys basketball this season. Laurendine became Mississippi’s all-time leader in kills and Hubbard became Mississippi’s career scoring leader.
“We are proud of Lakin, Josh and Cooper on being named the Gatorade Players of the Year for each of their respective sports,” MAIS director of development Les Triplett said. “All three are outstanding student-athletes who have represented the MAIS, not only with their abilities, but more importantly, their character.”
