King looking for next stars on the diamond

After putting together one of the strongest seasons the program has seen in recent years, Warren County baseball will hold tryouts for the 2027 season on Friday, May 22 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at Patrick Ramsey Field.

The Pioneers are coming off a 21-10 campaign that featured one of the hottest starts in school history. Warren County ripped off 12 straight wins to open the season and finished with more than 20 regular-season victories - a feat rarely seen in the last two decades. The Pioneers also went undefeated outside of District 6-4A during the regular season, showing the growth of a program that steadily improved throughout the spring.

With many starting seniors graduating, including all-district selections Sam Robinson and Kylan Jones, there will be work needed to be done to keep things rolling.

“I’m really looking forward to tryouts and seeing what this next group looks like after losing eight seniors and a manager you can’t replace,” said coach Phillip King. “What those guys did for us - it will be difficult to fill some shoes but a lot of piece remain in place. We return a lot of guys that have gotten experience - we are looking to who is going to come to help replace them while also looking at the returning rosters to see who is going to take that next step up.”

Sophomore standout Gage Walker quickly established himself as one of the top young players in the district last season, earning all-district honors while emerging as Warren County’s ace on the mound. Walker finished the year with a sparkling 1.79 ERA and 47 strikeouts while also becoming a catalyst at the top of the lineup offensively. His return would give the Pioneers a major piece to build around.

Preston McAbee also closed the season playing some of his best baseball. McAbee finished with a .356 batting average and consistently delivered in key spots during the second half of the year, becoming one of the lineup’s most reliable bats.

Ryder Gilispie enters his rising senior season as another experienced cornerstone for the Pioneers. A multi-year starter, Gilispie supplied power, speed and versatility throughout 2026 and figures to be one of the leaders of next year’s club.

Isaac Smith is another name to watch after a breakout postseason stretch. Smith hit .341 during the 2026 season and showed flashes late that suggest an even bigger leap could be coming next spring.

With a strong returning core already in place, Warren County hopes this year’s tryouts help uncover the next wave of contributors as the program looks to build off a 20-win season and stay among the Upper Cumberland’s top teams.

For more information about tryouts, contact coach Phillip King at Kingp@warrenschools.com.