Vanderbilt signee Ryan Weathers headlines Mr. Baseball Awards winners

MURFREESBORO — Ryan Weathers isn't focused on individual honors this week.

The Loretto standout pitcher and Vanderbilt signee has bigger goals.

Weathers claimed his second straight Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association Mr. Baseball Award for Class A on Tuesday to kick off the week's Spring Fling festivities. Loretto also is attempting to defend its Class A state championship.

Spring Fling:Tournament schedule

"It's really good, but the ultimate goal is to win another state championship," Weathers said. "These (trophies) collect dust, and they are nice to have.

"But those memories you make with the guys that win state championships last a lifetime."

The honor comes in a year in which the lefty overcame a severe bone bruise on his throwing hand that limited his at-bats. He entered the Class A state baseball tournament 10-0 on the mound with 119 strikeouts and seven walks. He had a 0.12 ERA, allowing just one earned run.

Weathers, the son of former major-league pitcher David Weathers, hit .403 with three home runs and 18 RBIs in 62 at-bats.

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Weathers was one of two Nashville-area players to win the award. Smith County's Bryant Goolsby claimed the Class AA award after hitting .583 with 16 home runs and 64 RBIs. Goolsby led the Owls to the Class AA state tournament this week.

"This is very humbling and very honorable to be here with the other (two guys)," Goolsby said. "It's humbling to be up here with some of the best players in Tennessee."

Other winners were Farragut's Parker Noland in Class AAA, Knoxville Grace's Noah Gent in Division II-A and Briarcrest Christian's Connor Shamblin in Division II-AA.

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Noland, a junior, hit .520 with 12 home runs and 43 RBIs. He is an MTSU commitment and was given the award in front of home plate at MTSU's Reese Smith Jr. Field.

Noland said his work in the offseason paid off this year.

"I gained 15 pounds," Noland said. "That helped me a lot. It helped me with my bat."

Noland said he was saddened to hear about the decision by MTSU on Monday not to extend the contract of coach Jim McGuire.

"I'm just up in the air," said Noland, who hadn't had any communication with MTSU since the coaching announcement. "I want to see who they hire. I want to see what that coach has to say."

Reach Tom Kreager at tkreager@tennessean.com or 615-259-8089 and on Twitter @Kreager. 

Mr. Baseball Awards

CLASS A

Winner: Ryan Weathers, Loretto

Finalists: Hunter Ensley, Huntingdon; Will McCall, Columbia Academy

CLASS AA

Winner: Bryant Goolsby, Smith Co.

Finalists: Austin Baskin, Covington; C.J. Campbell, Central Magnet

CLASS AAA

Winner: Parker Noland, Farragut

Finalists: Drew Benefield, Siegel; Eli Davis, Brighton

DIVISION II-A

Winner: Noah Gent, Knoxville Grace Christian

Finalists: John Rhodes, Chattanooga Christian; Jacob Tate, Christian Academy of Knoxville

DIVISION II-AA

Winner: Connor Shamblin, Briarcrest Christian

Finalists: John Bolton, Memphis University School; Jake Rucker, Pope John Paul II