By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

CHINA GROVE — Carson is an outstanding baseball school, with 16 straight winning seasons, including an appearance in the regional championship series in 2019.

In 18 seasons of baseball competition in the South Piedmont and North Piedmont conferences, the Cougars have gone to the state playoffs 16 times. In 2008, they missed the playoffs by one game. In 2020, Carson, like everyone else, was shut down by COVID. There were no state playoffs.

Legend Chris Cauble was there from the start and built a proud diamond tradition in China Grove. Kyle Bridges followed Cauble, and in his two seasons at the helm, he did nothing to tarnish it.

Now JC Alexander takes over as head coach at a point in time when the SPC is as competitive as any league in the state. South Rowan won 3A in 2022. East Rowan won 3A last season. West Rowan is always a force in baseball. Lake Norman Charter and most of the Cabarrus schools are tough opponents, and a challenging non-conference schedule provides little relief from the grind.

‘The biggest thing we’re facing right now is we graduated 12 seniors, including a guy (Daxton Savage) who was the starting catcher as well as our No. 1 arm,” Alexander said. “We’re younger than usual, with a seven-man senior class. That’s a small class for Carson.”

Looking objectively at last season’s team that went 16-12 and tied for third in the SPC, Alexander talks about “leveling out.”

“We scored runs early last season and got the lead, but then we’d stop hitting and lose games late,” he said. “So one thing we’re emphasizing is going to be continuing to add on runs to take some of the pressure off our pitchers.”

The Carson bats were quiet in the first two games of the 2025 season, 3-1 losses at Lake Norman Charter, the SPC’s runner-up team in 2024, and at North Stanly, but Alexander expects the Cougars to get enough timely hit to support a pitching staff that boasts experienced arms.

Maverick Walters, a 6-foot-3 junior lefty, and Corbin Hales, an experienced senior who will play at Methodist University just finished the basketball season on Tuesday.

Walters projects as the ace as he was the No. 2 starter as a sophomore and throws in the upper 80s.

“He’s a really good athlete,” Alexander said. “He can play an outfielder corner when he’s not pitching.”

Hales will have a role similar to the one his older brother, Cole, has for Catawba College. He’ll be a key reliever, may get spot starts, and will be the primary third baseman when he’s not pitching.

Kendal Sifford was the No. 3 starter last season and moves up to No. 2 for the Cougars.

“He’s gotten a lot stronger and is throwing harder, low to mid 80s,” Alexander said.

After those three there are a lot of possibilities, although no sure things. Carson Kirk, Jayden Goff, Dylan Alexander, Ryan Snyder and Jase Overcash also are listed on the roster as potential pitchers. Goff and Snyder are lefties.

Snyder looked like a certain future star when he arrived as a varsity freshman last year, but it’s a big jump from middle school to the SPC. He experienced his ups and downs last spring. Then he went through a serious medical ordeal in the fall. He was diagnosed with cancer, dealt with chemo treatments, made a remarkable recovery and started working his way back. He’s been medically cleared to play, and when he gets back to 100 percent he could be a difference-maker for Carson as a pitcher and outfielder.

Kirk will pitch some, but his main roles will be as a silky smooth defensive shortstop and offensive table-setter.

Second baseman Cam Williamson swung the bat well enough to make All-South Piedmont Conference last season, and he’s solid defensively, so Carson is in great shape around the keystone. Williamson had an off-season elbow issue, but he’s recovered.

Carson will be experienced at the infield corners, with Hales at third and TJ Harris at first. Harris is a Surry Community College recruit and will be counted on to drive in runs.

Hales will be on the mound often and Kirk will be there at times, so Sifford will be used in the infield frequently. Alexander, Jackson Everhart and Corbin Ballard will also have roles as utility infielders.

Bryson Shoemaker is the No. 1 catcher. Shoemaker was the backup last season, but Savage couldn’t pitch and catch at the same time, so Shoemaker was on the field at least once a week. He’s a good receiver and swings the bat well.

“He’ll be toting the catching load this year,” Alexander said. “He could be a guy who hits in the middle of the lineup for us.”

Thomas Jolly provides the catching depth.

The guy who is expected to make the most noise for the Cougars at the plate is Jayven Parks, who will be the 3-hole hitter and the center fielder. A Belmont Abbey recruit, he looks like a star is supposed to look at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds. He can go get it in the outfield and he’ll be expected to be a .350 hitter with power.

Gavin Hopkins got his first chance at regular at-bats late last season and made the most of it. He’s one of the possibilities for the outfielder corners, along with Walters, Snyder, Everhart and Overcash.

“We should be very strong up the middle with Parks in center, Shoemaker catching, and Kirk and Williamson returning in the middle infield,” Alexander said. “We all know how strong the SPC is — I don’t think there’s a tougher league in the state — but we’re excited about competing. I think we’ll be good.”

 

Carson baseball at a glance

Coach: JC Alexander (1st year)

2024 record: 16-12 overall, (10-6 SPC), tied for 3rd

Playoffs: Lost 2nd round to Central Davidson.

Conference regular-season championships (4): 2013, 2018, 2019, 2021