Sumrall (Miss.) begins the 2025 season at No. 1 in the Small Town Top 25 high school baseball rankings, the same spot it ended the 2024 campaign in.
The Wildcats have been one of the top programs in Mississippi for the better part of the 21st century, winning national championships in 2009 and 2010. Last year, Sumrall rode the arms of
Leo Odom and
Drew Davis to claim the Class 4A state championship and finish just ahead of
Greene Central (Snow Hill, N.C.) at No. 1 in the final Small Town Top 25.
Odom and Davis, who combined for 17 wins last year, are both back. Odom went 9-0 and earned all-state honors while Davis went 8-3 and was the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year.
Checking in at No. 2,
Eaton (Colo.) has the nation's longest active win streak at 69 wins in a row. The Reds have a chance to break the national record of 89 straight wins by
Portsmouth (N.H.).
The Small Town Top 25 includes schools with an enrollment of under 1,000 students in towns with a population of under 10,000. Preseason rankings were based on last year's postseason finish, program history and returning starters.

Drew Davis of Sumrall was the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year last spring after going 8-3 with a 1.92 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 65.2 innings. He also batted .355 with 35 runs, 30 RBI, seven doubles, two triples and four home runs. (PHOTO: Kendall Bowlin)
Preseason Small Town Top 25
1. Sumrall (Miss.), 34-5
The Wildcats finished the 2024 season as the Class 4A state champions and were ranked No. 1 in the final MaxPreps Small Town Top 25. The top four offensive players return from last year along with 29 pitching wins. Sophomore
Drew Davis returns for his third season on the varsity.
2. Eaton (Colo.), 28-0
The Reds have won 69 straight games and four straight Class 3A state championships. Eaton had a senior-dominated roster in 2024 but return one of the top pitchers from last year in
Gunnar Garrison.
3. Wall (Texas), 29-4
The Hawks were an area finalist last year and went
undefeated in district play at 14-0. Six all-district players return,
including THSBCA Super Elite team member
Luke Kemp and THSBCA Slugger of
the Year
Gunnar Dillard.
4. Greene Central (Snow Hill, N.C.), 29-1
The Class 2A state champions lost six seniors from last year but return two of the state's top juniors in the brother combo of
Will Radford at catcher and
Riley Radford at pitcher.
5. Silo (Okla.), 25-9
Silo saw its streak of six consecutive Class 2A spring state titles come to an end in 2024 but is the favorite to get back on top in 2025 after winning the state championship in the fall.
6. Franklin (Texas), 35-5
The Class 3A state champions last year, Franklin
returns three all-district players from last year including
Noah Tart.
7. China Spring (Texas), 32-8
A regional finalist last year, the Cougars have
seven all-district players back from last season, including district
offensive MVP
Dean Hannah at first base.
8. Lanier County (Lakeland, Ga.), 33-10
Eight of the top offensive players from
last year's state championship team return, including all-state players
Ashton Cook (P),
Grant Gano (IF) and
Stone Carey (IF).
9. Eagleville (Tenn.), 35-5
The Eagles have averaged 35 wins a year for the past four seasons.
10. Gunter (Texas), 36-2
The Tigers reached the Class 3A state semifinals last
year and return three all-state players in shortstop
Brock Boddie,
pitcher
Jarrett Waggoner and pitcher
Jake Ivey.
11. Rappahannock (Warsaw, Va.), 22-3
The Class 1A state
champions return four all-state players in
Brayden Hayes (P),
Carter Sullivan (2B),
Chase Self (C ) and
Landon Schefflein (3B).
12. Purvis (Miss.), 25-9
The Tornadoes finished just behind Sumrall and Ripley in
Class 4A last year and they return two of the nation's
top players in brothers
Jacob Parker (OF) and
JoJo Parker (UT).
13. Fort Cobb-Broxton (Fort Cobb, Okla.), 23-7
The defending Class B state champion in Oklahoma, Fort Cobb-Broxton features one of the nation's top recruits in shortstop
Eli Willits, who is expected to be drafted in the first round of the MLB Draft.
14. Hawley (Texas), 24-11
Multiple starters return for the Bearcats, who were a
state finalist in Class 1A last year. They began the season ranked No. 1
by the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association.
15. Hiland (Berlin, Ohio), 27-5
The Division IV state champions return one of the state's top outfielders in all-state pick
Cole Coblentz.
16. East Union (Blue Springs, Miss.), 25-7
The
Urchins return the Class 2A state player of the year in pitcher
Landon Harmon. Runner-up in the Class 2A playoffs, East Union also returns
all-state players
Drew Hollimon and
Tristian Baldwyn.
17. Barr-Reeve (Montgomery, Ind.), 28-6
The Vikings were runners-up in 2023 and Class
1A champions in 2024. Barr-Reeve returns all 26 pitching wins
from last year, led by
Seth Wagler (8-1).
18. Ropes (Ropesville, Texas), 24-8
Texas High School Baseball ranks Ropes as the top
team in Class 1A to start the season. Seven all-district players return
including all-state picks
Bode Franklin at pitcher and
Kade Franklin at
third base.
19. Burns (Lawndale, N.C.), 31-3
Runners-up to Green Central, Burns has a pair of
returning all-state players in two-way player
Colby Putnam and first
baseman
Marshall McGowan.
20. Rock Creek (St. George, Kan.), 28-1
Winners of the Class 4A state championship in Kansas, Rock Creek returns a pair of all-state players in pitcher
Cooper Sieben and catcher
Drew Becker.
21. Oak Grove (La.), 21-10
The Division IV Non-Select state champions return a pair of all-state picks in pitcher
Seth Ray (10-2) and infielder
Jackson Bradley (.444).
22. Norway (Mich.), 28-4-1
Runner-up to Beal City last year in Division IV, Norway has a chance to return to the state final behind the play of all-state players
Col Biaj (P),
Cameron Varda (OF) and
Landon Amundson (C )
23. Tri-Valley (Hegins, Pa.), 21-5
Runner-up to Bald Eagle Area, Tri-Valley has six returning starters on defense along with ace pitcher
Braeden Doyle (7-0).
24. Wright City (Okla.), 23-5
Winners of just one spring baseball championship in
school history (2019), Wright City could add a second this spring after winning the Class A state championship in the fall.
25. Jay (Fla.), 19-10
The Class 1A state champions return six
of the top seven offensive performers from last year along with top
pitcher
Landon Golden.