YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Young Harris College baseball landed five players on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-Southeast Region Preseason Team, recognizing the Mountain Lions' returning core following a championship-caliber 2025 season. The team enters the 2026 season ranked 4th in the Southeast Region and 21st nationally by NCBWA. 

Catcher Jack Enrico, second baseman Jonny Smith, third baseman Drew Bray, designated hitter Kade Smallwood, and relief pitcher Sam Neal each earned preseason recognition after standout performances a season ago, as Young Harris looks to build on its Conference Carolinas Regular Season Co-Champion campaign under head coach Stephen Waggener. 

Enrico, a redshirt junior behind the plate, appeared in 54 games and made 51 starts during the 2025 season, batting .310 with 52 hits, including 10 doubles, three triples, and nine home runs. He drove in 46 runs while posting a .565 slugging percentage and a .432 on-base percentage. Defensively, Enrico handled 292 putouts and recorded a .987 fielding percentage. 

Smith, a redshirt sophomore infielder, put together a breakout season in 2025, starting 49 of 50 games and hitting .346 with 66 hits, 11 doubles, and eight home runs. He proved to be a major offensive force for the Mountain Lions with 57 RBI while scoring 45 runs and finishing the year with a .529 slugging percentage and a .427 on-base mark. 

Bray, a senior infielder, continued his consistency at the hot corner by batting .354 over 56 games and starts. He totaled 79 hits, including 12 doubles and five triples, while scoring 71 runs and driving in 34 more. Bray also reached base at a .488 clip and slugged .480 during the 2025 campaign. 

Smallwood, a junior DH, delivered one of the top power seasons in the region, hitting .343 across 57 starts. He launched 18 home runs, drove in 65 runs, and finished with a .647 slugging percentage and a .477 on-base percentage, anchoring the middle of the Young Harris lineup. 

On the mound, Neal emerged as a key bullpen arm, making 13 relief appearances in 2025. The sophomore posted a 3.10 ERA over 29.0 innings, striking out 23 batters while limiting opponents to a .229 batting average. Neal also recorded two saves, giving the Mountain Lions a reliable late-inning option. 

With five preseason All-Region selections returning, Young Harris enters the new season with a proven core after finishing 40-17 overall and advancing to the Conference Carolinas Tournament championship game in 2025.