High school baseball: MaxPreps Player of the Year in every state

Selections are based on team success and individual excellence. Read on for a look at our picks from states that have completed play, teams that play in the fall as well as the announcement date for other states. Alabama
Braden Booth, Bob Jones (Madison)
Shortstop/Pitcher | Class of 2024
In leading the Patriots to the Class 7A state championship, Booth excelled at the plate and on the mound. He was among the state leaders in both home runs and pitching wins. He was second in the state, based on the MaxPreps leaderboards, with 10 home runs and his 13 wins (13-1) ranked No. 1. He batted .429 with 57 runs scored, 49 RBI and 17 doubles. He had a 1.51 ERA with three shutouts, two no-hitters and 127 strikeouts in 83.1 innings pitched.

Alaska
Jake Rafferty, Service (Anchorage)
Pitcher | Class of 2024
The ace of the staff for the Cougars, Rafferty went 6-0 on the mound with a 1.66 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched. He batted .338 with 22 runs scored, five doubles, two triples and a team-leading three home runs. He led Service to a state championship and an undefeated record of 22-0-3.

Arizona
Cam Caminiti, Saguaro (Scottsdale)
Pitcher/Outfield | Class of 2024
Reclassified to the Class of 2024, Caminiti led Saguaro to a Class 4A state championship and was the most dominant pitcher in the state. He struck out 119 batters, which ranked second in the state, and went 9-0 with a 0.93 ERA in 52.2 innings pitched. He batted .493 with 33 runs scored, 28 RBI, four doubles, five triples and three home runs.

Arkansas
Slade Caldwell, Valley View (Jonesboro)
Outfield/Pitcher | Class of 2024
The speedy outfielder led Valley View to a Class 5A state championship while batting .450 on the year. He is expected to be one of the top high school outfielders chosen in the 2024 Major League Baseball draft.



California
Seth Hernandez, Corona
Outfield/Pitcher | Class of 2025
The junior ranks No. 1 in the Class of 2025 in the state of California by Perfect Game and led Corona to a Southern Section Division 1 championship. He led the Panthers in home runs (8) and RBI (34) while batting .352. He led the pitching staff with a 9-0 record while posting a 0.62 ERA and 73 strikeouts.

Colorado
Connecticut
In leading the Hawks to the Class M state championship, Belcher had a 10-0 record, including an 8-0 shutout win over Joel Barlow in the championship game. He finished the season with 98 strikeouts and a 0.48 ERA in 58.2 innings pitched. At the plate, Belcher batted .359 with 16 runs, 19 RBI, four doubles, a triple and two home runs.

Delaware
Nathan Arterbridge, St. Georges Tech (Middletown)
Catcher | Class of 2024
Named MVP of the Blue Hen Flight A Conference after batting .439 with six home runs. He also added 17 RBI and scored 14 runs while leading the Hawks to the state tournament.

Florida
Mateo Gray, North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek)
Pitcher | Class of 2024
The senior right-hander led the Eagles to their third state title in four seasons by winning three playoff games and finishing with an 11-0 record. He had a 0.83 ERA and struck out 87. He batted .354 with 24 runs, 21 RBI, nine doubles and two home runs.

Georgia
Cade Brown, Parkview (Lilburn)
Third Baseman | Class of 2024
Brown led the nation with 14 home runs and finished his career with 30. He scored 50 runs and had 50 RBI to go along with 12 doubles and two home runs.



Hawaii
Tanner Chun, St. Louis (Honolulu)
Outfielder/Pitcher | Class of 2024
Chun led the Crusaders in multiple categories and helped them reach the Division 1 semifinals. In addition to posting a 5-2 record with a 2.78 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 30.2 innings pitched, he batted .306 with seven doubles, two home runs, 24 runs, 11 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

Idaho
Dax Whitney, Blackfoot
Pitcher | Class of 2024
The 6-foot-5 righthander led the state with 130 strikeouts while posting a 10-0 record. He also walked just 11 batters in 52.2 innings pitched with 0.27 ERA. He batted .483 with 35 runs, 43 RBI, 11 doubles and four home runs.

Illinois
The top draft prospect in the state, Sloan pitched fewer innings this year in order to prepare for the Major League Baseball draft in July. He still threw 46 innings and struck out 90 to go with a 0.30 ERA. He gave up just two earned runs and walked only five batters on the season while leading York to the Division 1 state tournament.

Indiana
Hogan Denny, Mooresville
Catcher | Class of 2024
"The greatest player to ever put on a Mooresville uniform," according to coach Eric McGaha. Denny led the state in home runs with 10 while batting .467 with 40 RBI, 13 doubles and 42 runs. He threw 127 pitches and struck out 12 in a 2-1 12-inning loss to Lake Central in the Class 4A state final. Regularly a catcher, Denny pitched 57 innings during the season and struck out 97 batters.

Kansas
Eli Lovich, Blue Valley West (Stilwell)
Outfielder/Pitcher | Class of 2024
Lovich led Blue Valley West to the Class 6A state finals, batting .414 with four home runs, 29 RBI, 36 runs and 14 stolen bases. He also had a 3-2 pitching record with a 1.22 ERA and 35 strikeouts.

Kentucky
Zak Spurrier, Central Hardin (Cecilia)
First Baseman | Class of 2024
One of the leading home run hitters in the nation, Spurrier topped the state of Kentucky with 14 dingers. He also batted .366 with 52 RBI and was third in the state in slugging percentage at .939. A first baseman, Spurrier also pitched and posted a record of 5-3 with 53 strikeouts and a 2.07 ERA.



Louisiana
William Schmidt, Catholic (Baton Rouge)
Pitcher | Class of 2024
The most valuable player of the Non-Select Division 1 state tournament, Schmidt went 9-0 on the season with a 0.44 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 63.2 innings pitched.

Maine
Caleb Vacchiano, Sacopee Valley (Cornish)
Shortstop | Class of 2024
Led Sacopee Valley to a Class C state championship by batting .454 with nine doubles, five home runs and 24 RBI. He had a huge junior season, batting .673 with 40 RBI and eight home runs. He also pitched and had 40 strikeouts.

Maryland
Jake Yeager, Archbishop Spalding (Severn)
Pitcher | Class of 2024
Expected to be the top player drafted out of Maryland in the Major League Baseball draft in July, Yeager was dominant during MIAA A Conference play, hitting double digits in strikeouts in five starts with a high of 14. He finished with a 6-3 record, a 1.25 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 56 innings pitched.

Massachusetts
D.C. Brown, Plymouth North (Plymouth)
Pitcher | Class of 2024
Led Plymouth North to the Division 2 state championship, picking up the win over Walpole in the championship game. He posted a 9-0 record on the season with a 0.67 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 62.2 innings pitched. He also batted .325 with 20 RBI. Against Plymouth South, Brown threw a seven-inning no-hitter with 15 strikeouts and also went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI.

Michigan
Dante Nori, Northville
Outfielder | Class of 2024
Nori led Northville to its first state championship in the school’s 115-year history. He batted .477 with 14 doubles, seven triples and two home runs. He also scored 52 runs with 21 RBI and 20 stolen bases. He rates as one of the top outfielders in the nation by Perfect Game.

Minnesota
Tyler Guerin, Mounds View (Arden Hills)
Pitcher | Class of 2024
The top prospect in the state according to Perfect Game, Guerin led Mounds View to the Class AAAA state championship game with a win over Wayzata in the semifinals. He posted a 5-2 record on the year with 66 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched. He also batted .384 with 25 RBI, eight doubles, two triples and a home run.



Mississippi
Konnor Griffin, Jackson Prep (Jackson)
Outfield/Pitcher | Class of 2024
Few players have ever had as good a season as Griffin compiled in 2024. In addition to leading the nation in stolen bases with 85 and runs scored with 76, Griffin also knocked in 39 runs and had 13 doubles, four triples and nine home runs. On the mound, Griffin was 10-0 with 107 strikeouts and a 0.72 ERA in 67.2 innings pitched. He led Jackson Prep to a MSAIS Class 6A championship.

Missouri
Colton Gibler and Nicholas Gibler, Blue Springs
Pitchers | Class of 2024
The twin pitchers were instrumental in lifting Blue Springs to a Class 6 state championship. Colton, a lefty, is ranked No. 2 in the state by Perfect Game and is slated to play at Arkansas next year. He had a 6-1 record with a 1.09 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 57.2 innings pitched. He also batted .361 with 23 RBI. Nicholas, a right-hander, is set to play at Central Missouri. He went 7-1 on the mound with 46 strikeouts and a 1.30 ERA in 48.1 innings pitched. He also batted .308 with 14 RBI and a home run.

Nebraska
Tyson Lewis, Millard West (Omaha)
Shortstop | Class of 2024
One year after earning state player of the year honors as a junior, Lewis had an even better year as a senior. He boosted his batting average to .496 with 53 runs scored, 41 RBI, 14 doubles, seven triples and eight home runs. He led the Wildcats to a 33-5 record and the Class A state championship.

Nevada
Drew Kaplan, Palo Verde (Las Vegas)
Third Baseman | Class of 2024
The Panthers captured the Class 5A state championship behind the play of Kaplan. In addition to boasting a .483 batting average, he led the team in runs with 43, hits with 57, RBI with 43 and home runs with seven.

New Hampshire

New Jersey
Dickerson put his name in the record book alongside New Jersey legend Mike Trout as he belted a state record and national-best 18 home runs on the season. He led Morris Knolls to a 28-5 record and the Group 3 state championship while batting .467 with 64 runs, 46 RBI, 11 doubles and 27 stolen bases.

New Mexico
Braiden Reynolds, La Cueva (Albuquerque)
Third Baseman/Pitcher | Class of 2025
The two-way player finished the season as the national leader in RBI with 69, which also set a new state record. Reynolds batted .551 (54 for 98) with 28 runs scored, 17 doubles, two triples and nine home runs. On the mound, Reynolds went 10-1 with a 61 strikeouts in 61 innings pitched.

New York
The No. 20 prospect in the nation by Perfect Game, Paino was the Section 1 Player of the Year and led Ketcham to the Class AAA state final. He batted .532 on the season with five home runs, 29 RBI and 40 runs scored.

North Carolina
Perry Hargett, Metrolina Christian Academy (Indian Trail)
Shortstop | Class of 2024
The top shortstop prospect in the state, Hargett led Metrolina to the NCISAA Class 4A state championship. He batted .479 with 42 runs, 27 RBI, 12 doubles and four home runs.

North Dakota
Parker Hann, Minot
Shortstop/Pitcher | Class of 2024
One of the top athletes in the state, Hann was outstanding at the plate for the Magicians this year as he batted .477 with 41 runs, 30 RBI, 12 doubles, a triple and four home runs. He also spent some time on the mound, posting a 4-2 record in 20 innings with 24 strikeouts. He led Minot to a Western Dakota Conference championship.



Ohio
Hanley led Mason to its first ever state crown, batting .384 with 33 runs, 32 RBI, seven doubles, four triples and five home runs. He also excelled on the mound with a 9-1 record that included a one-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts over Perrysburg in the semifinals. He finished with a 1.79 ERA, 87 strikeouts, and four shutouts in 58.2 innings pitched.

Oklahoma
Kash Mayfield, Elk City
Pitcher/Outfield | Class of 2024
Mayfield was about as automatic as it gets. He had 115 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched with only four base hits allowed, one earned run and only eight walks. He struck the only three batters he faced in an inning 24 times and had hitless inning streaks of 16 and 21.1 innings. The Oklahoma State pledge went the first 42.2 innings of the season without allowing an earned run and was one strike away from finishing with a 0.00 ERA (finished with a 0.16 ERA). At the plate, Mayfield batted .476 with 38 runs, 31 RBI, 12 doubles, 11 triples and two home runs.

Oregon
Ryan Vandenbrink, West Linn
Catcher | Class of 2024
A starter on three consecutive state championship teams at West Linn, Vandenbrink was the conference player of the year as a senior while belting eight home runs.

Pennsylvania
Tague Davis, Malvern Prep (Malvern)
Pitcher | Class of 2024
The son of former San Diego Padres No. 2 overall draft pick Ben Davis, Tague excelled on the mound and at the plate for the Inter-AC champions. He batted .347 with 37 RBI, 20 runs, seven doubles, one triple and six home runs. He went 7-1 on the mound with 62 strikeouts and a 1.40 ERA in 50 innings pitched.

Rhode Island
Crain was a force at the plate and on the mound for the Division 1 state champions. The lead-off hitter batted .431 with 30 runs, 16 RBI, seven doubles and two triples. As the ace of the Hawks' staff, he went 8-0 with a 1.12 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 50 innings pitched.

South Carolina
P.J. Morlando, Summerville
Outfield | Class of 2024
Ranked as the top prospect in the country for the Class of 2024 by Perfect Game, Morlando was named the Class 5A state player of the year by the state coaches association. He batted .404 and was walked 39 times. He also had seven doubles, two home runs and 27 runs scored.

South Dakota
Eli Kokenge, Harrisburg
Pitcher/Infielder | Class of 2025
A strikeout machine for Harrisburg, Kokenge averaged 1.84 Ks per inning with 83 in 45 frames. He had a 15-strikeout performance against O’Gorman and fanned 12 in a no-hitter against Jefferson. He also batted .372 with 25 runs, 28 RBI, eight doubles, three triples and two home runs.



Tennessee
Eli Evans, Farragut (Knoxville)
First Baseman | Class of 2024
In leading the Admirals to a Class 4A state championship, Evans was an offensive juggernaut. He batted .484 with 60 base hits and a state-best 67 RBI. He added 49 runs, 16 doubles and 13 home runs. He also drew 42 walks and had an on-base percentage of .602 and a OPS of 1.546.

Texas
The top-ranked catcher in the nation by Perfect Game, Arrambide led Tomball to its first Class 6A state championship and the school's first baseball title since winning the Class 4A crown in 2013. He batted .412 with 35 RBI, 14 doubles, five triples and 12 home runs. Expected to be among the top high school players chosen in the Major League Baseball draft in July.

Utah
Cal Miller, Viewmont (Bountiful)
Pitcher | Class of 2025
One of the top pitchers and hitters in the state, Miller led the state with 11 home runs and finished with a .543 batting average, 41 runs scored, 38 RBI, seven doubles and two triples. On the hill, Miller was 6-0 with a 1.67 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 54.1 innings pitched.

Vermont
Nick Kelly, South Burlington (South Burlington)
Pitcher | Class of 2024
Kelly opened the season with a 12-strikeout perfect game against U-32 and completed his senior year with a pair of complete-game playoff wins against Burr & Burton in the semifinals and Champlain Valley in the championship game. He went 6-1 overall and struck out 12 batters in four games, including his only loss. He finished the year with 74 strikeouts.

Virginia
Wise went 10-0 with a 0.828 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 67.2 innings pitched for the VISAA Division 1 state champions. In two seasons as a varsity starter he is 19-1 with 130 Ks and a 1.064 ERA.

Washington
Zach Swanson, Toutle Lake (Toutle)
Pitcher | Class of 2024
The highest-rated player in the state by Perfect Game, Swanson led Toutle Lake to a third-place finish in the Class 2B tournament. He averaged over two strikeouts per inning with 111 in 50.2 innings pitched. He also had a 1.66 ERA with a 6-1 record. At the plate, Swanson batted .461 with 27 RBI, 34 runs, nine doubles and two home runs.



West Virginia
Kenyon Collins, Cabell Midland (Ona)
Pitcher | Class of 2024
Collins had a strong performance in the semifinals, striking out 10 in an 8-0 win. He led Cabell Midland to the AAA championship with an 8-1 record and 74 strikeouts in 54.2 innings pitched. He also batted .348 with 12 doubles and 30 RBI.

Wisconsin
Jack Detienne, Verona
Pitcher | Class of 2024
The top prospect in Wisconsin according to Perfect Game, Detienne had a no-hitter during the season and participated in another while compiling a 4-2 record with 75 strikeouts in 45.2 innings pitched. He also batted .397 with 25 runs, 16 RBI, six doubles and two home runs.

Note: Iowa completes its season in late July. Montana and Wyoming do not sanction high school baseball.