The top teams and players to watch in the 11th Region high school baseball tournament

Some of Kentucky high school baseball’s best teams and players will battle it out for the 11th Region championship and a berth into next month’s state tournament.

Three top-25 teams, including No. 15 Lexington Catholic, the defending region champion, rank among the contenders. But in a single-elimination format, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will come out on top of the eight-team playoff.

“Somebody’s going to have to go win three games in three days,” said Henry Clay coach Jordan Tarrence, whose Blue Devils won a brutal 42nd District Tournament that already took down the region’s highest-ranked team, No. 10 Frederick Douglass. “I’ve seen the eight teams that are in it. There’s no bad teams in it. There’s no easy draw.”

Henry Clay will face 43rd District runner-up Tates Creek as play begins Monday at the homes of the region’s four district champions. The other games are: Franklin County at No. 20 Madison Central; Scott County at No. 23 Great Crossing; and Madison Southern at No. 15 Lexington Catholic.

Bryan Station will host Tuesday’s semifinals and Wednesday’s championship game.

Here’s a look at the tournament’s top teams and players (with college commitment if known). Teams are sorted by PrepBaseballReport.com ranking first and the KHSAA’s 11th Region RPI Standings thereafter.

No. 15 Lexington Catholic (23-11) — Owen Jenkins, Jr. 3B/C (Louisville), .469, 4 HR, 27 R, 23 RBI; Zach Grigalis, Sr. 1B (Colorado Mesa), .253, 4 HR, 20 R, 30 RBI; Jackson Wasik, Sr. 2B, .309, 29 R, 15 RBI; Brody Rogers, Sr. LHP (Transylvania), 7-0, 1.21 ERA, 48 Ks.

No. 20 Madison Central (23-11) — Keith Stewart, Sr., OF/RHP, .293 3 HR, 24 R, 28 RBI; Landen Broaddus, Jr. OF/LHP, .394, 3 HR, 26 R, 16 RBI; Parker Mullins, Sr. 1B (Roane State), .288, 2 HR, 19 R, 23 RBI; Elijah Metcalf, Sr. INF/RHP, 7-0, 0.49 ERA, 45 Ks.

No. 23 Great Crossing (21-8) — Brenton Alcorn, Jr. SS (Kentucky Wesleyan), .385, 3 HR, 30 R, 25 RBI; Nate Adkins, Sr. INF/RHP, .297, 3 HR, 28 R, 22 RBI, 6-1, 2.77 ERA, 40 Ks; Peyton Mullanix, Sr. OF (Lincoln Memorial), .338, 4 HR, 34 R, 25 RBI; Dylan Jarvis, Sr. INF/RHP, 4-3, 2.70 ERA, 50 Ks.

Henry Clay (24-13) — Isaac Rone, Sr. CF (Centre), .324, 3 HR, 25 R, 24 RBI, 3-1, 2.38 ERA; Nore Day, Sr. SS, (Rio Grande) .302, 18 R, 24 RBI; Chardy Tierney, Sr. RHP (Eastern Kentucky), 5-1, 1.49 ERA, 66 Ks; Giancarlo Gonzalez, Sr. 1B/LHP (Transylvania), .337, 23 R, 20 RBI, 5-2, 0.85 ERA, 46 Ks.

Scott County (20-16) — Shawn Rowe, Sr. OF, .381, 1 HR, 29 R, 22 RBI; Tyler Robinson, Sr. INF/RHP (Franklin College), .290, 21 R, 25 RBI, 2-3, 2.14 ERA, 31 Ks; James Wilson, Sr. C, .273, 1 HR, 17 R, 18 RBI; Jack Wilhite, Jr. LHP, 2-0, 1.45 ERA, 65 Ks.

Tates Creek (14-15) — Cooper Jackson, Jr. 2B, .340, 1 HR, 22 R, 14 RBI; Chase Moore, Sr. 3B/RHP (Prairie View A&M), .345, 14 R, 13 RBI; Jamison Craig, Sr. CF (Centre) .301, 2 HR, 23 R, 15 RBI; Carson Van Haaren, Sr. RHP (Eastern Kentucky), 5-3, 1.47 ERA, 70 Ks.

Franklin County (16-19) — Jacob Golson, Jr. 1B/LHP, .374, 5 HR, 33 R, 32 RBI, 2-1, 3.16 ERA, 34 Ks; Jeremy Walters, Jr. OF, .343, 24 R, 12 RBI; Cameron McDonald, Sr. SS/RHP (Frontier CC), .351, 1 HR, 23 R, 20 RBI, 3-3, 4.11 ERA, 46 Ks; Kaelin Farr, Sr. OF/RHP (Frontier CC), .262, 22 R, 14 RBI, 5-3, 1.68 ERA, 77 Ks.

Madison Southern (14-17) — Trey Helton, So. INF/RHP, .375, 1 HR, 13 R, 22 RBI, 4-5, 3.44 ERA, 55 Ks; Zach Hudson, Sr. SS, .300, 2 HR, 23 R, 17 RBI; Griffin Back, So. C, .290, 1 HR, 2 R, 21 RBI; Braden Hudson, Sr. 3B/RHP, .239, 30 R, 11 RBI, 3-2, 4.69 ERA, 26 Ks.

11th Region Baseball Tournament

Semifinals and finals at Bryan Station

Tickets: $8.

Monday’s first round:

6 p.m.: Franklin County (16-19) at Madison Central (23-11).

6 p.m.: Tates Creek (15-16) at Henry Clay (24-13).

7 p.m.: Scott County (20-16) at Great Crossing (21-8).

6 p.m.: Madison Southern (14-17) at Lexington Catholic (23-11).

Tuesday’s semifinals:

5:30 p.m.: Franklin County-Madison Central winner vs. Tates Creek-Henry Clay winner.

8 p.m.: Scott County-Great Crossing winner vs. Madison Southern-Lexington Catholic winner.

Wednesday’s finals:

6 p.m.: Championship.

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