Take a look: The State’s 2026 all-area HS baseball team, players of the year
A look at The State’s Midlands all-area high school baseball teams and players of the year for the 2026 season.
All-Area Baseball Team
— The State’s Player of the Year —
Tyler Hernandez, AC Flora: Senior pitcher/infielder was 10-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 54.2 innings in helping the Falcons to Class 4A state championship. At the plate, he hit .418 with 12 doubles, 4 home runs and 34 RBIs. Hernandez was an All-State and North-South All-Star selection and signed with USC Aiken.
— Readers’ choice Player of the Year (fan vote) —
Catchers
Banks Alexander, River Bluff: Sophomore All-State selection hit .394 with 5 home runs, 25 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.
Dylan Hernandez, AC Flora: Junior hit .371 with 10 doubles, 4 home runs and 32 RBIs. Hernandez is a College of Charleston commit.
Will Spotts, Cardinal Newman: Junior hit .298 with 6 doubles, 7 home runs and 26 RBIs. Spotts was a SCISA All-State selection.
Infielders
Thomas Bishop, Camden: Senior 1B/3B hit .444 with 8 doubles, 6 triples, 3 home runs, 25 RBIs and stole 23 bases. Bishop was an All-State selection and signed with USC Sumter.
Jack Chetwood, AC Flora: Senior third baseman was All-State selection and hit .420 with 10 doubles, a home run, 20 RBIs and stole 14 bases.
Logan Crain, Lugoff-Elgin: Senior first baseman hit .392 with 7 home runs, 33 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. Crain was an All-State and North-South All-Star selection and signed with Florence-Darlington Tech.
Braydon Hallman, Batesburg-Leesville: Senior shortstop hit .320 with 3 home runs and 30 RBIs. Hallman was a North-South All-Star and signed with Virginia Commonwealth.
Landon Jeffcoat, Airport: Senior first baseman hit .389 with 9 doubles, triple, home run and 25 RBIs. Jeffcoat was a North-South All-Star selection.
Monty Lafitte, AC Flora: Senior infielder hit .389 with 13 doubles, 3 home runs and 33 RBIs.
Sergio Melendez, Blythewood: Senior infielder hit .425 with 11 doubles, 3 home runs, 27 RBIs. Melendez was Region Player of Year and an All-State selection.
Ethan Offing, Dutch Fork: Senior hit .449 with 2 triples, 8 doubles, 5 home runs and 27 RBIs. Offing was an All-State selection and signed with Clemson.
Christian Spivey, Lexington: Junior third baseman hit .397 with 5 doubles, 4 home runs, 17 RBIs and stole 11 bases. Spivey was an All-State selection and committed to play at South Carolina.
Roper Wentzky, AC Flora: Senior hit .450 with 13 doubles, a home run and 35 RBIs. Wentzky is an All-State selection and signed with College of Charleston.
Dillon Woods, White Knoll: Senior 1B/3B hit .465 with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs and 22 RBIs. Woods was an All-State and North-South All-Star selection and signed with USC Union.
Outfielders
Ty Abrams, Newberry: Sophomore All-State selection hit .500 with 4 triples, a home run and 14 RBIs.
Colt Babic, Hammond: Junior hit .533 with 13 doubles, 11 home runs, 30 RBIs and stole 16 bases. Babic was SCISA All-State selection.
Amare Counts, Blythewood: Senior hit .354 with 7 home runs and 30 RBIs. Counts was an All-State selection and signed with Florence-Darlington Tech.
Chaplin Cox, Cardinal Newman: Senior outfielder hit .427 with 8 doubles, a home run, 22 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. Cox was a SCISA All-State selection and signed with Newberry.
Ty Fajardo, Ben Lippen: Senior CF hit .514 with 24 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. Fajardo was a SCISA All-State selection and signed with Montreat College.
Felix Flecha Ruiz, Chapin: Senior hit .350 with 9 doubles, 4 triples, 4 home runs and 28 RBIs. Flecha Ruiz signed with Florence-Darlington Tech.
Charlie Scott, AC Flora: The senior outfielder hit .446 with 14 doubles, 7 home runs, 35 RBIs and stole 26 bases. Scott was Class 4A Co-Player of the Year, All-State selection and signed with The Citadel.
Charlie Todd, Chapin: Junior hit .407 with 6 doubles, a home run, 23 RBIs and stole 11 bases.
Pitchers
Mac Berry, Chapin: Junior pitcher was 7-0 with a save, 1.83 ERA and 85 strikeouts in helping the Eagles to Class 5A Division II championship. Berry was an All-State selection and committed to the Air Force.
Daniel Butts, Airport: Junior right-hander was 9-1 with a save and 2.75 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 61 innings. Butts was an All-State selection.
Tyler Kneece, Batesburg-Leesville: Senior was 8-1 with a 1.67 ERA with 48 strikeouts. Kneece was an All-State selection.
Sam McCutcheon, AC Flora: Senior and Newberry College signee went 10-0 with 2.02 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched. McCutcheon threw a complete game in the Falcons’ state-championship clinching game.
Kitt McLauchlin, GIlbert: Senior was 4-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 53 innings. McLauchlin was an All-State selection and signed with Florence-Darlington Tech.
Luke Milling, Mid-Carolina: Junior was 7-2 with a 1.56 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 40.1 innings. Milling was Region 3-2A Pitcher of Year, an All-State selection and is committed to USC Beaufort.
Grant Royer, Gilbert: Senior went 5-2 with a 1.18 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 47.1 innings pitched. Royer was Region 5-4A Pitcher of Year, and All-State selection and signed with Florence-Darlington Tech.
Brogan Sox, Gray Collegiate: Senior and USC Sumter signee was 7-1 with a save, 50 strikeouts and 2.01 ERA.
Two-way Players
Jonathan Bonds, Richard Winn: Junior 3B/P hit .462 with 28 RBIs. On the mound, the Region Player of the Year and All-State selection was 6-1 with a save and 1.68 ERA.
Rylan Bullis, Airport: Junior P/OF hit .358 with 9 doubles, 4 home runs, 29 RBIs and 9 stolen bases in helping the Eagles to Class 4A championship series appearance. On the mound, the All-State selection was 7-4 with a 2.21 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 57 innings.
Johnny Collins, Blythewood: Senior hit .352 with 5 home runs and 25 RBIs. On the mound the All-State selection and College of Charleston signee had 47 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched.
Tyler Hernandez, AC Flora: Senior pitcher/infielder was 10-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 54.2 innings in helping the Falcons to Class 4A state championship. At the plate, he hit .418 with 12 doubles, 4 home runs and 34 RBIs. Hernandez was an All-State and North-South All-Star selection and signed with USC Aiken.
Zak Perry, Gray Collegiate: Junior was 7-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 60 innings pitched. At the plate, he hit .420 with 10 doubles and a home run. Perry was Region Player of the Year and an All-State selection.
Kendall Wright, Swansea: Sophomore hit .503 with 6 doubles, 9 triples, 2 home runs, 38 RBIs and 47 stolen bases. On the mound, the All-State selection was 5-2 with a 1.29 ERA and two saves.
Second Team
Garrett Blankenship, Gray Collegiate; Reese Boehnke, Batesburg-Leesville; Luke Ferris, Lugoff-Elgin; Coleman Fryer, Dutch Fork; Walker Godwin, River Bluff; Drew Greer, Chapin; Griff Harper, Chapin; Allen Hegler, Lexington; Peyton Hewitt, River Bluff; Connor Hooks, Cardinal Newman; Chance Johnson, Blythewood; Maddux Medeiros, Brookland-Cayce; Charles Morrow, Heathwood Hall; Dominick Norton, River Bluff; Sid Shaw, Saluda; Justin Sightler, Airport; Chase Starkey, Gray Collegiate; Landon Wicker, Mid-Carolina; Jackson Williams, Spring Valley
