High school baseball: Walker Martin of Eaton headlines Small Town All-America team

Walker Martin is a small town baseball player who is about to hit the big time. From the town of Eaton (Colo.), population just under 6,000 people, Martin has developed into one of the top high school shortstop prospects in the country. When the Major League Baseball Draft gets underway this weekend, Martin could find his name called in the first round.

Besides being a Major League prospect, Martin also put up some incredible numbers his senior year with the Reds. He led the nation with 20 home runs and is among the national leaders in RBI with 75. He also came up one game short of tying the national record for consecutive games with a home run, ultimately going nine straight games with a round-tripper.

Martin is also the choice as MaxPreps Small Town National Player of the Year. He edges out Texas catcher Blake Mitchell of Sinton (Texas), who is also expected to be chosen in the first round of the MLB Draft.

The MaxPreps Small Town All-America team consists of 60 players who competed at schools with less than 1,000 students from towns with a population less than 10,000 people.

Small Town National Baseball Coach of the Year honors go to Dan Oliastro of Riverside (Ellwood City, Pa.). In his 55th year as head coach at the school, Oliastro led the Panthers to a 25-0 record and the Class 3A state championship. No other WPIAL has ever finished the season undefeated with a state championship. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Oliastro is believed to be the longest-tenured coach in any sport in the WPIAL, beginning his career in 1969. Riverside finished the year ranked No. 1 in the Small Town National Baseball Rankings.
Small Town All-America Baseball Team
P — Steele Eaves, Lonoke (Ark.)
6-0 | 195 | Pitcher | Senior
The MVP of the state championship game, a 6-3 win over Ashdown that gave Lonoke its first baseball state title since 1969. Eaves gave up one hit through six inning en route to is 13th win of the season (13-0). He finished the year with 133 strikeouts in 76.2 innings. He hit .351 with six home runs and 37 RBI.

P — Gabe Gifford, Old Town (Maine)
5-8 | 160 | Pitcher | Senior

P — Alex Conover, Tuttle (Okla.)
6-2 | 190 | Catcher/Pitcher | Senior
Excelled at the plate and on the mound while leading the 37-4 Tigers to the Class 4A state championship. He batted .385 with 37 runs, 28 RBI, 10 doubles, eight home runs and two triples. On the mound, he was 11-0 with 87 strikeouts and a 0.56 ERA in 60.2 innings.

P — Dylan Loy, Pigeon Forge (Tenn.)
6-1 | 175 | Senior
Led the state in wins with 11 and a 0.10 ERA, according to Tennessee Baseball Report. He finished with 169 strikeouts and also batted .569.

P — Barrett Kent, Pottsboro (Texas)
6-4 | 200 | Senior
A member of the Class 3A Elite Team by the Texas Baseball Coaches Association, Kent was also the All-Texomaland Player of the Year.

P — Weston Rouse, Fort Gibson (Okla.)
6-7 | 235 | Senior
One of the top pitching prospects in the nation, Rouse went 9-0 on the mound with a 0.38 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 54.2 innings. He also batted .495 with 41 RBI.

P — Peyton Woods, Doyle (Livingston, La.)
6-0 | 195 | Senior
The Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 3A Player of the Year went 11-0 with 106 strikeouts in 76 innings. He also batted .480 with nine doubles, four triples, 40 RBI and four home runs.

P — Folger Boaz, East Surry (Pilot Mountain, N.C.)
6-3 | 185 | Senior
The Pitcher of the Year in Class 2A by the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association hit .527 with 10 home runs and 49 RBI. He also had 112 strikeouts in 54.2 innings and a career record of 26-1. As a quarterback, he threw for 8,594 yards and 96 touchdowns in his career.

P — Christian Lucarelli, Riverside (Ellwood City, Pa.)
6-3 | 195 | Sophomore
The top pitcher for a Panthers team that became the first WPIAL team to win a state championship with an undefeated record, he went 8-0 with a 1.15 ERA with 119 strikeouts in 60.2 innings.

P — Blake Morningstar, Wyalusing Valley (Wyalusing, Pa.)
6-5 | 210 | Senior
Named the state Player of the Year by Prep Baseball Report, Morningstar went 7-1 on the mound with a 0.48 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 43.1 innings.

C — Blake Mitchell, Sinton (Texas)
6-1 | 200 | Catcher | Senior
Ranked the No. 1 prospect in the state of Texas by Perfect Game, Mitchell is a potential first-round draft pick in the July MLB Draft. He helped the Pirates reach the Class 4A state semifinals and led them in numerous offensive categories, including runs (49), hits (42), RBI (41), doubles (15) and home runs (6).

C — Greer Manning, West Union (Myrtle, Miss.)
6-1 | 200 | Junior
A Prep Baseball Report All-State pick, Manning batted .463 with 43 runs, 61 RBI, 12 doubles, three triples and eight home runs.

C — Jace Kesel, St. Elizabeth (Mo.)
6-3 | 200 | Senior
The Class 1 state player of the year led the Hornets to a state championship. He batted .506 with 50 RBI, nine doubles, five triples and 12 home runs.

1B — Dane Harvey, Southern Fulton (Warfordsburg, Pa.)
6-5 | 260 | Senior
Led the Indians to the Class 1A semifinals and was one of the top power hitters in the state. He hit .645 with 40 runs, 47 RBI, eight doubles, three triples and 11 home runs.

1B — Reese Ashworth, DeQuincy (La.)
6-2 | 185 | Senior
The Class 2A state player of the year, Ashworth had 134 strikeouts, a 10-2 record and a 0.96 ERA in 87 innings. He also hit .435 with eight doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, 38 RBI and 39 runs.

IF — Walker Martin, Eaton (Colo.)
6-2 | 185 | Shortstop | Senior
Led the Reds to the Class 3A state championship and a 29-0 record. He led the nation in home runs with 20 and also batted .633 with 75 RBI, 64 runs and 11 doubles. He also had a string of nine straight games with a home run.

IF — JoJo Parker, Purvis (Miss.)
6-0 | 160 | Sophomore
A Prep Baseball Report All-State pick, JoJo and his brother Jacob were the catalysts for the Tornadoes' Class 4A state championship run. Jojo batted .487 with 60 runs, 44 RBI, 15 doubles and 15 home runs. He also had an 8-1 record with 85 strikeouts.

IF — Cal Fisher, Deerfield (Wis.)
5-11 | 190 | Shortstop | Senior
Fisher helped the Demons go 24-6 and led the state in home runs with nine. He also hit .479 with 18 doubles, 42 runs and 45 RBI. On the mound, Fisher was 5-1 with a 1.18 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 47.1 innings.

IF — Jaxon Willits, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Fort Cobb, Okla.)
6-1 | 185 | Senior
The Oklahoman State Player of the Year led the Mustangs to a Class B state championship. He batted .565 with 41 RBI, 16 doubles, five triples and eight home runs.

IF — Matthew Thorsen, Chatham (N.Y.)
6-3 | 190 | Senior
Led the Panthers to a Class C state championship. He batted .460 with 41 runs, 38 RBI, four doubles and 12 home runs.

IF — Bernard Moon, Redan (Stone Mountain, Ga.)
One of the leading hitters in the state with a .626 batting average. Moon had 49 runs, 49 RBI, 11 doubles, six triples and nine home runs.

OF — Jacob Parker, Purvis (Miss.)
6-3 | 195 | Sophomore
Jacob combined with his brother JoJo to lead the Tornadoes to a state championship. He hit .434 with 47 runs, 42 RBI, nine doubles and 14 home runs. He earned Prep Baseball Report All-State honors.

OF — Trey Jensen, Draughn (Valdese, N.C.)
6-1 | 180 | Senior
The Class 1A state player of the year in North Carolina, Jensen batted .500 with 35 runs, 48 RBI, 13 doubles, three triples and five home runs.

OF — Malik Ware, Washington-Wilkes (Washington, Ga.)
6-4 | 180 | Junior
Batted .441 with 47 runs and 42 RBI. He also had eight doubles, two triples and five home runs.

OF — Cameron Boyd, Beechwood (Fort Mitchell, Ky.)
6-1 | 190 | Senior
Named to the All-State team by the coaches association and the state Player of the Year by Prep Baseball Report, Boyd batted .508 with 12 home runs, 13 doubles, four triples and 50 RBI. He also scored 53 runs and was  30 of 30 in stolen base attempts.

OF — Rett Johnson, East Union (Blue Springs, Miss.)
6-0 | 170 | Senior
A Prep Baseball Report All-State pick, Johnson led the Urchins to a Class 2A state championship. He batted .570 with 59 runs, 61 hits, 44 RBI, 12 doubles, six triples and four home runs.

OF — Trevor Johnson, Bellefonte (Pa.)
6-2 | 195 | Junior
Led the Raiders to the Class 4A state championship. Hit .558 with 50 runs, 30 RBI, 10 doubles, four triples and 11 home runs.

UT — Keon Bandy, Limon (Colo.)
5-10 | 175 | Junior
The CHSAANow Class 2A Player of the Year, Bandy led the Badgers to the 2A championship game. He batted .580 with 50 runs, 49 RBI, 11 doubles and nine home runs. He also had a 13-2 pitching record with a 1.81 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 73.2 innings.

UT — Cale Haugen, Esko (Minn.)
6-0 | 190 | Senior
The Prep Baseball Report state Player of the Year, he posted an 8-0 record with 98 strikeouts and a 0.27 ERA in 51.1 innings. He also hit .548 with 10 home runs and 48 RBI.

UT — Brayden Olson, St. Croix Falls (Wis.)
6-2 | 205 | Senior
Named to the All-State team by the coaches association, Olson led the Saints to a state championship and finished with a 10-0 record and a 0.76 ERA.

Second Team

P — Kash Mayfield, Elk City (Okla.)
6-4 | 185 | Junior
One of the top pitchers in the nation in his class, he earned second team All-State honors from the Oklahoman. He was 9-1 record with a 0.75 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 46.2 innings.

P — Drew Davis, Sumrall (Miss.)
5-10 | 150 | 8th Grade
Led the Bobcats to the Class 4A state championship series against Purvis. Among the national leaders with 14 wins (14-0) while throwing one no-hitter and striking out 76 in 64.2 innings. He had a 0.97 ERA with two shutouts.

P — Ethan Kleinschmit, Kennedy (Mt. Angel, Ore.)
6-2 | 160 | Senior
The Class 2A state player of the year had a 15-0 record with a 0.61 ERA. He also had a perfect game during the playoffs.

P — Braden Burress, Greene Central (Snow Hill, N.C.)
5-9 | 150 | Junior
The coaches association 2A state Player of the Year hit .549 with 31 runs, 13 RBI, nine doubles, four triples and a home run. He also went 11-0 with a 0.56 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 75.1 innings.

P — Tucker Swails, Patrick County (Stuart, Va.)
5-11 | 170 | Junior
The Class 2 state player of the year, Swails went 10-2 and struck out 110 with 15 walks. He had a 1.55 ERA in 67.2 innings.

P — Caleb Freeman, Etowah (Attalla, Ala.)
5-10 | 175 | Senior
The Gadsden Messenger Player of the Year for the second straight year after leading the Blue Devils to a state championship. He went 10-3-1 with an ERA of 1.29 and 92 strikeouts in 75 innings. Hit .371 with 44 runs and 23 RBI.

P — Lucas Miller, Denmark (Wis.)
6-0 | 155 | Senior
Led the Vikings to a state championship and a 30-2 record. Went 11-0 on the hill with a 0.76 ERA while also batting .524.

P — Nolan Yoder, Hiland (Berlin, Ohio)
5-11 | 185 | Senior
The coaches assocation Division IV state Player of the Year went 10-0 with a 0.11 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 63 innings.

P — Luke Kalfsbeek, Colusa (Calif.)
6-3 | 185 | Junior
The Northern Section Player of the Year went 11-1 with a 1.23 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 68.1 innings.

P — Jackson Privett, Pocahontas (Ark.)
6-1 | 200 | Junior
Named to the all-state team, he struck out 101 batters and had a 0.62 ERA in 56.2 innings.

C — Charlie Beyer, Kennedy (Mt. Angel, Ore.)
5-10 | 185 | Senior
Earned all-state honors for the undefeated state champions. Batted over .400 with over 42 runs scored and over 30 RBI.

C — Luke Treece, Coalfield (Tenn.)
6-0 | 190 | Sophomore
Made the Tennessee Baseball Report All-State team after finishing with one of the top batting averages in the state at .538. He also had 64 base hits, 64 RBI and 20 doubles.

C — Luke Parise, Camp Hill (Pa.)
6-1 | 200 | Senior
The Sentinel Player of the Year led the Lions to the Class 3A state championship game. As a pitcher, he went 10-1 with a 1.17 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 71.1 innings. He also played catcher and batted .464 with six doubles, three home runs and 16 RBI.

1B — Hutson Trobaugh, Clear Spring (Clear Spring, Md.)
6-4 | 195 | Senior
One of the top hitters and pitchers in the state, he had nine home runs to lead the state. He also had a 6-0 pitching record.

1B — Jaquae Stewart, Sinton (Texas)
5-9 | 195 | Senior
An outstanding two-way player for the Pirates and was named to the Class 4A Elite All-State team by the coaches association. He batted .354 with 32 runs, 34 RBI, seven doubles and five home runs. He also went 9-2 on the mound with a 1.11 ERA and 90 strikeouts.

IF — Cade Baldridge, Roff (Okla.)
5-9 | 165 | Senior
A member of the Oklahoman All-State Team, helped the Tigers to the Class B state finals. He batted .566 on the year with 47 RBI and 12 home runs.

IF — Kyle Proctor, Silo (Okla.)
5-10 | 175 | Senior
Made the Small Town All-America Team as a junior and led the Rebels to their sixth straight Class 2A state championship. Batted .407 with 49 RBI and 12 home runs.

IF — Easton Ford, Silo (Okla.)
6-3 | 218 | Senior
A two-time all-state player for the Class 2A state champions, Ford hit .492 with eight home runs and 76 RBI. His RBI total ranks among the highest totals in the nation.

IF — Camden Bates, Washington (Okla.)
5-10 | 150 | Senior
Bates made the Oklahoman's All-State second team after leading the Warriors to a Class 3A state championship. He batted .475 with 45 RBI and 12 home runs.

IF — Connor Cuff, Carthage (Texas)
6-3 | 200 | Senior
A Small Town All-America football player, Cuff makes the baseball team as well. He was the district MVP and batted .429 with 46 RBI, 32 runs, 10 doubles and eight triples.

IF — Mason Kirk, China Spring (Texas)
5-9 | 150 | Senior
Made the Super Centex Team and also the Class 4A Elite All-State team by the coaches association after leading the Cougars to a state championship. He batted .421 with 31 RBI.

OF — Ryker Marble, Round Valley (Eagar, Ariz.)
5-11 | 165 | Senior
Earned AIA All-Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors after batting .612 with 43 runs, 36 RBI, nine doubles, 11 triples and five home runs.

OF — Parker Crow, Ash Grove (Mo.)
5-9 | 165 | Senior
The Class 2 Player of the Year by the state coaches association hit .505 with 26 RBI, 41 runs, 27 stolen bases, five doubles, three home runs and three triples. He also had a 4-0 record with 51 strikeouts.

OF — Ben Mauney, Burns (Lawndale, N.C.)
6-2 | 160 | Junior
The conference MVP and also earned all-state honors after leading the Bulldogs to a Class 2A state championship.

OF — Austin Lemons, Randleman (N.C.)
6-1 | 180 | Senior
A two-way player, Lemons earned All-State honors by the state coaches association.

OF — Austin Wiegand, Eureka (Ill.)
5-10 | 175 | Senior
Named to the Class 1A All-State team by the coaches association, Wiegand hit .526 with 42 runs, 46 RBI, 11 doubles, three triples and 11 home runs.

OF — Evan Foster, Maroa-Forsyth (Maroa, Ill.)
5-11 | 170 | Senior
A Class 1A All-State pick by the coaches association, Foster excelled on the mound and at the plate. He had an 8-2 record with 112 strikeouts and a 1.04 ERA in 60.1 innings. He also hit .447 with 11 doubles, five triples and two home runs with 26 RBI.

UT — Cale Tittle, Lynn (Ala.)
6-0 | 200 | Junior
The Class 1A state Player of the Year in Alabama the sports writers association hit .550 with 34 runs, 46 RBI, 11 doubles and seven home runs.

UT — Brayden Baker, Eagleville (Tenn.)
5-11 | 175 | Junior
A member of the Tennessee Baseball Report All-State team, Baker had 10 wins and a 0.62 ERA.

UT — Owen Lee, Peabody (Trenton, Tenn.)
6-0 | 160 | Senior
A Tennessee Baseball Report All-State nod, Lee had 62 RBI, 65 runs, five triples, 38 stolen bases, and 50 base hits.