The 2025 season is in the rearview…and that means it’s time to recognize our local talents up for Player of the Year. Coaches were asked to submit their top player(s) (3-6) for consideration. In total, we have 44 nominees.

NEXT: We will narrow down the list to a finalist pool, with the opportunity for the public to vote on the last finalist prior to the Player of the Year final vote by our internal voting panel.

Gunnar Akins – Union County JR P #15

STATS: 1.82 ERA, 81 K, 65.1 IP, 1.194 WHIP; .360 AVG

Chase Alonso – Rabun County FR SS/P #9

STATS: .388 AVG (33 Hits), 24 RBI, 25 R, 4 2B, 3 3B, .471 OBP, .977 OPS; 2-2, 3.00 ERA, 36 K, 25.2 IP

Preston Bannister – Dawson County SR OF #5

STATS: .449 AVG (48 Hits), 35 R, .538 OBP

John Bannon – White County SR SS #4

STATS: .304 AVG (25 Hits), 13 RBI, 15 R, 4 SB, 6 BB, 8 HBP, .411 OBP, .719 OPS, .309 SLG

Bo Brown – Union County JR C #7

STATS: 1 HR, 27 RBI, .991 FLD, 9 CS

Trevor Butler – White County SR P/OF #15

STATS: .324 AVG (11 Hits), 4 RBI, 8 R, 1 3B, 3 SB, 5 BB; 4-3, 2.40 ERA, 61 K, 46.2 IP, 1.114 WHIP, .209 BAA

Caleb Campbell – White County SR 1B/DH #18

STATS: .338 AVG (27 Hits), 15 RBI, 25 R, 2 3B, 3 SB, 25 BB, 8 HBP, .554 OBP, .957 OPS, .403 SLG

Maverick Chitwood – Habersham Central JR OF/P #5

STATS: .440 AVG (55 Hits), 19 RBI, 35 R, 19 BB, .510 OBP, 5 K; 2.00 ERA, 51 K, 73.1 IP

Hunter Dailey – Commerce FR P #24

STATS: 2-3, 4.86 ERA, 23 K, 31.2 IP

Matt Earon – Jefferson SR P #11

STATS: 9-4, 2.19 ERA, 45 K, 83 IP, 16 BB, 4 CG, .265 BAA, 1.22 WHIP

Dylan Edwards – Dawson County JR OF #3

STATS: .310 AVG (34 Hits), 26 RBI, 21 R, .364 OBP

Noah English – Rabun County JR C #3

STATS: .366 AVG (37 Hits), 29 RBI, 14 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, .423 OBP, .859 OPS

Alex Freeman – White County JR 3B/C #7

STATS: .308 AVG (28 Hits), 2 HR, 22 RBI, 16 R, 7 2B, 3 3B, 3 SB, 9 BB, 5 HBP, .400 OBP, .919 OPS, .549 SLG

Cooper Garrett – White County JR CF #2

STATS: .430 AVG (34 Hits), 1 HR, 18 RBI, 40 R, 3 2B, 6 3B, 15 SB, 28 BB, 1 HBP, .566 OBP, 1.861 OPS, .620 SLG

Reid Giles – Rabun County JR CF/P #5

STATS: .461 AVG (47 Hits), 1 HR, 33 RBI, 26 R, 19 SB, 6 2B, 8 3B, .540 OBP, 1.246 OPS (8 3B 5th-most in single-season for GHSA); 5-1, 3.45 ERA, 48 K, 54.2 IP

Rett Hemphill – Jefferson SR CF #6

STATS: .356 AVG (42 Hits), 2 HR, 20 RBI, 6 2B, 38 SB (School Record), .473 OBP

Mason Hester – Lumpkin County JR P/OF #4

STATS: .417 AVG (40 Hits), 1 HR, 23 RBI, 29 R, 10 2B, 4 3B, 24 SB, .635 SLG, 1.157 OPS

Christian Hewitt – Stephens County JR SS #1

STATS: All-Region (Nominated by BLITZ due to no response from Stephens

Hayden Hughes – Union County SR SS #11

STATS: .302 AVG, 15 RBI, .741 OPS, .912 FLD

Aucy Jacobs – Banks County SR OF #1

STATS: .376 AVG (44 Hits), 31 R, 40 SB (School Record), 5 3B

Konnor Loudermilk – Stephens County SR 1B #20

STATS: All-Region (Nominated by BLITZ due to no response from Stephens

Owen Miller – Banks County JR P/SS #5

STATS: .340 AVG (32 Hits), 27 BB; 1.81 ERA, 60 K, 65.2 IP

Matthew Mitchell – Lumpkin County SR 1B #13

STATS: .421 AVG (40 Hits), 19 RBI, 27 R, 6 2B, 18 SB, 6 HBP, .975 OPS

Kamdin Mize – Commerce SO 1B #20

STATS: .337 AVG, 19 RBI, 5 2B, .420 OBP

Maddox Patton – Union County JR CF #9

STATS: .400 AVG, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 8 2B, 1.000 OPS, .979 FLD

Chase Pollock – Tallulah Falls SR P #2

STATS: 6-2, 1.77 ERA, 61 K, 55.1 IP; .321 AVG (27 Hits), 1 HR, 29 RBI, 18 R, 7 2B, 15 BB, 6 SB, .436 OBP

Eli Primm – Jefferson SO LF #2

STATS: .316 AVG (31 Hits), 4 HR, 22 RBI, 9 2B, 21 SB, .478 OBP, .551 SLG

Michael Purvis – Commerce SO P #5

STATS: 3-7, 4.12 ERA, 52 K, 51 IP

Levi Raettig – Commerce FR 3B #14

STATS: .289 AVG, .413 OBP

Jacson Rickett – Dawson County SR OF #23

STATS: .351 AVG (34 Hits), 28 RBI, 35 R, .485 OBP

Ashton Roache – Tallulah Falls JR IF #7

STATS: .423 AVG (33 Hits), 3 HR, 19 RBI, 38 R, 6 2B, 2 3B, 35 SB, 16 BB, 16 HBP, .580 OBP

Adian Rogers – Lumpkin County SR P/OF #5

STATS: .356 AVG (32 Hits), 3 HR, 23 RBI, 24 R, 11 2B, 13 SB, 6 HBP, .578 SLG, 1.060 OPS

Oliver Sarafin – Towns County SO #

STATS: TBD

Hayden Scott – Stephens County SR P #9

STATS: All-Region (Nominated by BLITZ due to no response from Stephens

Gaven Sears – Banks County JR UTIL #2

STATS: .463 AVG (44 Hits), 11 HR, 34 RBI, 7 SB, 23 HBP, 30 BB (20 IBB), 1.521 OPS

Eston Simpson – Jefferson SR P #7

STATS: 8-5, 3.79 ERA, 68 K, 61 IP, 1 CG, .262 BAA, 1.49 WHIP

Justin Smith – Tallulah Falls SR OF #9

STATS: .333 AVG (23 Hits), 2 HR, 29 RBI, 24 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 12 SB, .461 OBP

Parker Smith – Rabun County SR UTIL #16

STATS: .422 AVG (43 Hits), 18 RBI, 38 R, 13 SB, 9 2B, 2 3B, .528 OBP, 1.077 OPS

Steven Tavares – Jefferson SR 1B #13

STATS: .422 AVG (43 Hits), 7 HR, 36 RBI, 24 R, 12 2B, .504 OBP, .765 SLG

Ty Truelove – Rabun County JR 2B #2

STATS: .357 AVG (40 Hits), 15 RBI, 35 R, 9 2B, 2 3B, .438 OBP, .911 OPS

Findley Ward – Stephens County JR P #5

STATS: All-Region (Nominated by BLITZ due to no response from Stephens

Rivers West – Commerce FR SS #1

STATS: .313 AVG, .416 OBP

Mason Witt – Habersham Central SO DH/C #15

STATS: .345 AVG, 24 RBI, 14 R, .442 OBP

Tyler Zigan – Stephens County SR OF #18

STATS: All-Region (Nominated by BLITZ due to no response from Stephens