Photo Credits: Kelly Crumpton/Robert Smith – Jeffrey Ince/Jennifer Mooneyham – Braeden Jones/Lonnie Kees – Braden Montgomery/Montgomery Family
Four Metro Jackson high school baseball players have been named to the Rawlings-Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American teams.
Jackson Prep junior shortstop Kelly Crumpton, who has verbally committed to Ole Miss, and Madison Central junior outfielder Braden Montgomery, who has committed to Stanford, were named to the first team.
Rawlings-Perfect Game named 100 players across the country to each of the three teams.
“Kelly is one of the most talented players in the state,” Prep coach Brent Heavener said. “He’s got all the tools and has a chance to be one of the best players in the country his senior year. He has a big arm and a big bat.”
“Braden is a great example of what a student athlete should be,” Madison Central coach Patrick Robey said. “Not only does he work hard on his baseball skills and athleticism, but he works equally or even harder in the classroom. Braden comes from a family where academics are extremely important, much like most families that are in our Madison Central family. Braden has a power arm with good speed as an outfielder. He has a powerful bat and hits from both sides of the plate. It will be interesting to see if he lands as a position player or hitter at Stanford or professional baseball.”
Prep junior second baseman Jeffrey Ince, a Mississippi State commit, and Madison-Ridgeland Academy junior right-handed pitcher Brayden Jones, an Ole Miss commit, were named to the third team.
“Jeffery is one of the most consistent players that I’ve been around,” Heavener said. “He is a great hitter from both sides and is very smooth with his glove. He has one of the highest baseball IQs of any player. He’s fun to watch.”
“Brayden is a bulldog on the mound,” MRA coach Allen Pavatte said. “He commands the zone with three pitches. He has great mound presence and thrives in pressure situations.”
Rawlings-Perfect Game also named several hundred players to their honorable mention All-American list.
There were 18 Metro Jackson players on that list: in alphabetical order, MRA outfielder Stone Blanton (MSU commit), Hartfield Academy catcher Colton Bradley (MSU), Prep outfielder Thad Bridges, Madison Central left-handed pitcher Beau Bryans (Auburn), Jackson Academy right-handed pitcher Jackson Conn (MSU), Brandon shortstop Colton Hegwood, Madison Central catcher Ross Highfill, Canton Academy outfielder Dakota Jordan (MSU), Brandon catcher Jacob Keys (MSU), Prep shortstop Riley Maddox (Ole Miss), MRA shortstop Nikolas Mazza (Southern Miss), Prep right-handed pitcher Mason Nichols (Ole Miss), Prep outfielder Rives Reynolds (MSU), JA catcher Parker Ryan, Hartfield first baseman Lincoln Sheffield (MSU), Brandon first baseman Joshua Sullivan, Hartfield left-handed pitcher Brodey Walker (MSU) and Northwest Rankin right-handed pitcher T.J. Watts.
