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JACKSON — The 2025 Magnolia Sports Association’s Future Elit3 Junior High Baseball Showcase and Grandslam Baseball Showcase will take place this Friday afternoon at Smith-Wills Stadium in the capital city. And each game will have several players from Natchez High School and Natchez Middle School on the rosters.

Once again, Natchez High head baseball coach will serve as the MSA Baseball and Softball Director/Facilitator for the event featuring many of the state’s best sophomores and juniors playing in the Grandslam Baseball Showcase, which starts at 5 p.m. as well as seventh- and eighth-graders playing in the Future Elit3 Junior High Baseball Showcase, which gets under way at 3 p.m.

“They’ve got combine and practice (Thursday),” Dan Smith said. “I have a lady that does basically softball, coach (Hayley) Stephens, she’s the head coach at Northeast Lauderdale High School. She’s got some good coaches from around Mississippi. I try to deal with both of them. This is the first year we’re doing middle school softball. Whatever we can do to get to get them more looks.”

Natchez High will not only have four players representing its school in the Grandslam Baseball Showcase, but also both of its assistant coaches.

First baseman/left-handed pitcher Braylon McDaniel as well as centerfielder/first baseman Chris Sewell will be on Team B with one of its coaches being Charles Cothern Jr. The other coaches or Team B will be Nathan Kennedy of O’Bannon High School and Chandler Dillard of Ridgeland High School.

Catcher/third baseman Mason Bouldin and second baseman/third baseman Martavis Woods will be on Team A while Steve Collins will be on the coaches on that team. The other coaches on Team A are Tommie Brown Jr. of Meridian High School and Glenn Wilkerson of Crystal Springs High School.

“It’s a testament to their hard work. My coaching staff working with them because most of them have been there since seventh grade. Martavis and Mason, they made it last year. Chris, this was his first year because he transferred from ACCS. All their hard work paid off. I’m proud of them and their parents.”

As for having Cothern Jr. and Collins on each team’s coaching staffs, Smith said, “I got them on separate teams. I have to have one of them on each team. We have coaches from Vicksburg. We have coaches from Ridgeland. We have a coach from Meridian. We try to spread the wealth.”

He said. “I look at videos on the players that they send in on their profile. I go through their staffs. I’ve been coaching 22 years. I know most of the coaches in Mississippi.”

As for the boys’ Future Elit3 Jr. High Baseball Showcase, three players from Natchez Middle School will be on Team B — right-handed pitcher/second baseman JaCorrian Davis, centerfielder/leftfielder Charles Grant, and centerfielder/shortstop Stanley Searcy. Team A, on the other hand, has no local or area players on its roster.

“Basically from my program those three played last year on the varsity team. I was proud of them, too,” Smith said. “When they play varsity, it helps them improve even more. I was proud of them and their parents. I’m proud they represent not only the school, but the city of Natchez. It’s a test of their grades as well. When you’re in school, your grades are more important. You have to have at least a 2.50 GPA.”