With a 10-man senior class leading the way, the Harlan Green Dragons hope to be one of the 13th Region’s most improved teams after falling to 7-17 last season.

The Dragons will feature several familiar faces this year, at least faces that are familiar in other sports. Kilian Ledford, a football and basketball standout honored statewide recently with the Wah Jones Award, hasn’t played baseball since his freshman year. Tate Bryson, a football standout, and Jared Hawkins, a starter in basketball, are playing baseball for the first time since middle school. Three-sport standout Caleb Adkins is also back in baseball after a year away.

“Having athletes out there is a key for us this year. These guys have done a phenomenal job,” said Harlan coach Cory Estep. “They can do some things we couldn’t do before, and they also give us some depth we haven’t had in the past.”

After losing in the first round of the 52nd District Tournament the last two years and nine of the last 10, the Green Dragons like their chances of.a deep postseason run this year with Middlesboro and Harlan County both rebuilding, leaving no clear-cut favorite.

“It’s baseball, and anything and everything can happen,” Estep said. “I’m hoping it will turn in our favor. We’ll compete a lot better than we have in the past. I’m just hoping the ball will go in our favor.”

Senior Will Varner is the unquestioned ace of the Harlan pitching staff. He had a breakout sophomore season but lost command at times last year and posted a 4-4 record.

“He is one of the best pitchers in the region. His velocity is still mid 80s,” Estep said. “He did struggle a little last year with his command. We worked on that, starting last year, and he’s throwing a lot more strikes. That’s good for him and for us as a team.”

Ethan Cornett, a sophomore right-hander, was off to a great start with a win over Leslie County and looked like the No. 2 in the Harlan rotation before suffering a torn labum in his second start. He will miss the remainder of the year.

“He was our No. 2 on the mound and had been throwing really, really well,” Estep said. “We’ll have to have some guys step up. He had been under two in ERA in his first two outings. He had everything working and I hate it for him.”

Without Cornett, there are several candidates to fill the second spot in the rotation, led by senior right-hander Michael Robinson and junior left-hander Will McCarthy. Freshman Evan Browning has also seen extensive action early in the season.

“Those three will have to compete to see who our No. 2 will be,” Estep said. “Getting that second guy is a key for us. If you asked me before the season, I would have said Varner and then Cornett. We do have some depth this year that we didn’t have in previous years.”

McCarthy returns as the starter at first base and will share time with Shane Lindsey.

“Shane’s offense has picked up tremendously this year, but he’s more of a defensive guy. He’s a bulldog on defense,” Estep said. “McCarthy has added a lot of pop this year, but we are working on making him more consistent. He will also play some DH and pitch.”

Estep has several options at second base, led by seniors Jared Hawkins and Tate Bryson and freshman John Mark Bryson. Hawkins has also started at third base, depending on who is pitching.

“Tate is an athlete who can pick up any sport quickly. He hasn’t played baseball in a while but has done a good job. John Mark is very hungry to improve. He has some of the best hands I’ve seen defensively,” Estep said. “Jared is one of those athletes who has surprised me. He has started every game so far. He is always working to improve and make the team better. He hasn’t played in a while, but he’s doing his job and will compete for a starting spot.”

Varner is the Dragons’ shortstop when he isn’t pitching and is the team’s top defender and top hitter.

“Will can hit anywhere in the top three. He will be a catalyst for our lineup, a catalyst defensively and a catalyst for us period,” Estep said. “He’s a veteran guy and just lives, eats and sleeps baseball.”

Ledford, a senior who didn’t play baseball the last two years, can start at third base or fill in for Varner at shortstop.

“Kilian can play wherever we need,” Estep said. “Athleticism can’t be taught. He has speed and power and is a special athlete all the way around. I wish I had him the last two years because he and Varner have provided a spark at the top of the order that we’ve not had.”

Josh Knuckles, a senior, returns at catcher. He will hit in the middle of the order and is solid defensively.

“He’s a hard worker, a blue collar guy. We’ve made a few adjustments offensively and his arm is stronger,” Estep said. “He doesn’t let many balls get past him. He’s just a workhorse back there.”

Jeremiah Mills, a sophomore, returns in center field.

“You can’t teach his speed. He can track down a lot of balls our other guys can’t. He runs like a deer,” Estep said. “He’s improved at the plate, even though his stats don’t show that so far.”

Adkins and Robinson will compete for starting jobs in the outfield, along with Lindsey.

“Michael is a three-year starter and has improved offensively. He is hitting a lot more line drives,” Estep said. “Caleb will help us once he gets back in the groove. He can run everything down and gives us some athleticism out there.”

Harlan is off to a 3-5 start and will open district play next week.

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Harlan schedule

March 18 at Leslie County

March 19 at Letcher Central

March 21 at South Laurel

March 22 Clay County

March 26 All “A” Classic

at Lynn Camp

March 30 Buckhorn

Pineville

April 1 Barbourville

April 5 at Jellico, Tenn.

April 6 Hancock County, Tenn.

April 9 at Perry Central

April 11 at Bell County

April 12 Bell County

April 15 at Clay County

April 18 at Middlesboro

April 19 Middlesboro

April 22 at Breathitt County

April 23 Perry Central

April 25 at Harlan County

April 26 Harlan County

April 29 at Letcher Central

April 30 at Williamsburg

May 2 at Whitley County

May 6 at Jenkins

May 7 Leslie County

May 9 Lynn Camp

May 11 Berea

May 11 Pineville

May 13 South Laurel

May 14 Whitley County

May 17 Williamsburg

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Harlan roster

Sr. Caleb Adkins

Sr. Garrett Begley

Sr. Tate Bryson

Sr. Kanyon Hall

Sr. Jared Hawkins

Sr. Josh Knuckles

Sr. Kilian Ledford

Sr. Michael Robinson

Sr. Andrew Simpson

Sr. Will Varner

Jr. Wil McCarthy

Jr. Jesse Whitehead

So. Ethan Cornett

So. Isaiah Hall

So. Shane Lindsey

So. Jeremiah Mills

So. David Vanwinkle

Fr. Evan Browning

Fr. John Mark Bryson

Fr. Jonathan Lewis

Fr. Andrew Roark

Fr. Anton Stewart

8th Cameron Maples

8th Donovan Montanaro

8th Tristen West

7th Will Cassim

7th Aiden Johnson