High school baseball: Brady Cunningham, Brogan Witcher headline Underclass All-Americans

Cunningham is the National Junior of the Year after leading Brother Rice to a 28-11 record. He was named the MaxPreps Illinois Player of the Year in June after batting .554 with 17 home runs.

Witcher is the National Sophomore of the Year. Although he has reclassified to the Class of 2027, he played as a sophomore during the 2026 season. He led Liberty to a 25-8 record and a Central Section Division 1 championship in California. He batted .460 with 14 home runs.

Vrzal earns National Freshman of the Year honors after leading Sotomayor to a district championship. He belted eight home runs and was 7-1 as a pitcher.

Underclass All-Americans

Juniors

The
MaxPreps Colorado Player of the Year batted .458 with 37 runs,
30 RBI, seven home runs, six doubles and three triples. On the mound he
went 13-0 with 113 strikeouts and a 0.62 ERA in 68 innings pitched.

P — Connor Salerno, Sun Valley (Monroe, N.C.)
Went 5-1 with a 1.25 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 44.2 innings.

P — Samir Mohammed, Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
Led the Tigers to a Class 4A state championship with a 5-0 record, 0.42 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 33 innings.

P — George Ferguson, Abilene (Texas)
The Texas High School Coaches Association Class 6A Pitcher of the Year had a 0.10 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 66.2 innings.

P — Connor Wells, Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.)
Went 9-0 with a 1.26 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 60
innings.

P — Grant Sperandio, Memorial (Houston, Texas)
The All-Greater Houston Pitcher of the Year posted an 11-2 record with 94 strikeouts and a 1.64 ERA in 63.2 innings.

P — Jose Partida, Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.)
Made the All-San Diego Section team by going 9-2 on the mound with a 1.67 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 71.1 innings.

P — Tyler Scarborough, Lovejoy (Lucas, Texas)
An all-area pick by the Dallas Morning News, Scarborough had a 12-0 record with 128 strikeouts and a 0.89 ERA in 79 innings.

P — Kade Luker, Cedar Creek (Ruston, La.)
Compiled a 10-1 record record with
135 strikeouts and a 1.04 ERA in 74 innings pitched. He also batted .531
with 36 RBI, 12 doubles, seven triples and five home runs.

P — Graham Keen, Mt. Lebanon (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Keen was 7-1 with a 1.63 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 55.1 innings.

C — Blake Lundy, Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
The MaxPreps All-American batted .407 with 43 RBI, 28 runs, 43 RBI, 14 home runs and 10 doubles.

C — Tristan Stegar, St. Laurence (Burbank, Ill.)
Batted .505 with 60 runs, 60 RBI, 19 doubles, 14 home runs and two triples.

C — Quincy Pratt, Magnolia Heights (Senatobia, Miss.)
Helped
lead the Chiefs to a MAIS state championship while batting .469 with 54 RBI, 30
runs, 14 doubles, six home runs and a triple.

1B — Keegan Seipp, Triad (Troy, Ill.)
Batted .398 with 53 RBI, 42
runs, 16 home runs, 10 doubles and four triples.

1B — Derek Yormack, Kennedy (Bellmore, N.Y.)
Batted .462 with 26 RBI, 23 runs, 10 doubles, eight home runs and a triple. He also went 7-1 on the mound
with a 0.88 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 47.2 innings.

IF — Dylan Seward, Norco (Calif.)
Named
to the Southern Section All-Division 1 team, Seward batted .436
with 39 runs, 29 RBI, nine doubles, seven home runs and one triple.

IF — Chase Fuller, Lincoln (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Made
the All-Big Bend team and led Lincoln to a 5A state championship. He
batted .327 with 32 runs, 14 RBI, nine doubles, a triple and a home run.

IF — Mac Morris, Baylor
Earned all-area honors in Chattanooga after batting .359 with 41 runs, 26 RBI, 15 doubles, two triples and two home runs.

IF — Malachi Butler, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)
Batted .429 with 31 RBI, 26 stolen bases, 11 doubles, seven home runs and three triples.

IF — Graham Houston, Venice (Fla.)
Led Venice to the Class 7A final while batting .436 with 34 runs, 30 RBI, eight doubles, five triples and two home runs.

IF — Samuel Kennedy, Churchill (San Antonio)
The
News Express All-Area Player of the Year batted .505 with 31 runs, 31
RBI and six home runs. He also had a 7-1 record with a 1.68 ERA and 55
strikeouts in 58.1 innings.

OF — August Backman, Venice
Top hitter for the Indians, Backman batted .505 with 40 runs, 29 RBI and three home runs.

OF — Jacob Seamon, Metrolina Christian Academy (Indian Trail, N.C.)
Led Metrolina to the NCISAA 4A final while batting .528 with 61 runs, 50 RBI, 13 home runs, 12 doubles and five triples.

NATIONAL JUNIOR OF THE YEAR
OF — Brady Cunningham, Brother Rice (Chicago)
The MaxPreps Illinois Player of the Year batted .554 with 62 RBI, 52 runs, 17 home runs, nine doubles and five triples.

OF — Jordin Griffin, Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
Earned
all-state honors for the Buccaneers with a .485 batting average, 41
runs, 41 RBI, eight home runs, seven doubles, seven triples.

OF — Finnian O’Loughlin, Delbarton (Morristown, N.J.)
Helped the Non-Public Class A champions by batting  .484 with 47 RBI, 36 runs, seven doubles, seven triples and two home
runs.

OF — Grant Westphal, Blue Valley (Stilwell, Kan.)
Earned all-state honors for the third straight year and is rated by Perfect Game as the top junior in Kansas.

OF — Joshua Priest, Cathedral Catholic
The San Diego Section Player of the Year batted .528 with 34 runs, 29 RBI, 11 doubles, five home runs and three triples.

AA — Wyatt Plyler, Sumner (Wash.)
Went 10-0 with 100 strikeouts in 53.2 innings. Batted .383 with 28
runs, 25 RBI, eight doubles, three triples and one home run.

AA — Jace Riggan, Hewitt-Trussville (Trussville, Ala.)
Went
8-3-1 with a 1.05 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 60 innings. Batted .422 with
33 runs, 30 RBI, 11 doubles, one triple and one home run.

AA — Drew Davis, Sumrall (Miss.)
Davis
makes the Underclass All-American team for the third time after going
13-1 with a 0.86 ERA and 149 strikeouts in 81.1 innings. He also batted
.521 with 48 RBI, 47 runs, 11 home runs, 11 doubles and four triples.

Sophomores

P — Striker Pence, Santiago (Corona, Calif.)
The All-CIF selection was 6-3 with a 1.92 ERA and 60 strikeouts. Batted .414 with 28 RBI.

P — Jordan Ayala, Norco
Went 8-2 with a 0.74 ERA and 91 strikeouts while batting .390 with 26 RBI.

P — Greyson Bell, Daniel Boone (Birdsboro, Pa.)
Bell went 6-1 with a 1.01 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 41.2 innings.

P — Kohen Poplin, Venice
Had a 4-0 record with a 2.02 ERA and 30 strikeouts.

P — Hunter Elmore, American Christian Academy (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
Batted .508 with 42 RBI and 12 home runs. Also went 9-3 with 83 strikeouts and a 1.18 ERA in 82.2
innings.

P — Dawson Stokan, Panther Creek (Frisco, Texas)
Went 11-0 with 130 strikeouts, four shutouts, two no-hitters and a 0.39 ERA in 72 innings.

P — Billy Miller, Kouts (Ind.)
Led
the Mustangs to the Class 1A championship with an 8-0 record, 91
strikeouts and a 0.37 ERA in 56.2 innings. He also batted .489 with 57
runs, 39 RBI, five home runs and five doubles.

P — Brennan Botill, Corcoran (Calif.)
Went 8-2 with three no-hitters, 120 strikeouts and a 0.86 ERA in 73 innings.

P — Carlos Acuna, Birmingham (Lake Balboa, Calif.)
Led
Birmingham to a Los Angeles City Section championship with an 11-0
record, 1.19 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 88 innings pitched.

P — Justin Kirchner, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Top pitcher for the Wolverines posted a 10-0 record with a 0.46 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 61.1 innings.

C — Jonathan Marzullo, IMG Academy Silver (Bradenton, Fla.)
Top player for the IMG Academy Black team batted .483 with 27 RBI, 13 doubles, 11 runs, three home runs and one triple.

NATIONAL SOPHOMORE OF THE YEAR
C — Brogan Witcher, Liberty (Bakersfield, Calif.)
The MaxPreps All-American batted .460 with 44 runs, 41 RBI, 14 home runs and 11 doubles.

C — Hank Drew, Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.)
The region MVP batted .418 with 45 RBI, 15 doubles, four home runs and three triples.

1B — Keelan Zumwalt, Summit Christian Academy (Lee’s Summit, Mo.)
The two-time Underclass All-American was an all-state selection and batted .494 with 10 home runs.

1B — Luke Esquivel, Grapevine (Texas)
Earned All-Area honors by the Dallas Morning News for the second straight year.

IF — Cullen Scott, Melissa (Texas)
Scott batted .578 with 11 doubles, nine home runs and eight triples.

IF — Ty Brandes, Merritt Island (Fla.)
The Space Coast Player of the Year batted .444 with 44 runs, 25 RBI, six doubles, three triples and two home runs.

IF — Jesse Covington, Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.)
Batted .405 with 24 runs, 18 RBI, nine doubles and four home runs.

IF — Derek Vazquez, Charlotte Christian (N.C.)
Led
Charlotte Christian to an NCISAA state championship while batting .403
with 36 runs, 22 RBI, seven doubles and six home runs.

IF — Levi Kerr, Marvin Ridge (Waxhaw, N.C.)

IF — Jeremiah Hall, Maple Mountain (Spanish Fork, Utah)
Batted .462 with 40 runs, 32 RBI, nine doubles, eight home runs and a triple.

OF — Breck Hemphill, Harrison (Kennesaw, Ga.)
Earned all-region honors for the Hoyas.

OF — Francis Conners-Schmid, Salisbury School (Salisbury, Conn.)

OF — Ethan Stewart, D.H. Conley (Greenville, N.C.)
Earned all-state honors while batting .368 with 28 RBI, 22 runs, six home runs and five doubles.

OF — Colin Raymond, Stony Brook (N.Y.)
The Hoya right fielder batted .365 with six home runs.
 
OF — Koltyn Watters, Adams (Rochester, Mich.)
Batted .408 with 51 runs and 25 RBI.

OF — Maksim Neshov, Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
Batted .381 with 47 runs and 33 RBI.

AA — Tyler George, Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
Earned Southern Section All-Division 1 honors.

AA — Sebastian Lawrence, Glendora (Calif.)
Batted .376 with 29 RBI, 17 runs,
14 doubles and three home runs. Also had an 8-1 record with a 3.39 ERA
and 37 strikeouts in 51.2 innings.

AA — Leo Alvarado, Osceola (Kissimmee, Fla.)
Went 10-0 on the mound with a 0.80 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 61.1 innings pitched.

Freshmen

NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
P — Noah Vrzal, Sotomayor (San Antonio)
Posted
a 7-1 record with a 0.69 ERA and struck out 72 in 51 innings. Also
batted .351 with 29 RBI, 16 runs, eight home runs, five doubles and one triple.
 
P — Collier Helton, Pigeon Forge (Tenn.)
Finished the season with a 10-0 record, 85 strikeouts and a 1.67 ERA in 62.2 innings pitched.

P — Zach Partee, Agoura (Calif.)
Went 7-0 on the season with two no-hitters, 35 strikeouts and a 0.96 ERA.

P — Preston Adams, Liberty
Went unbeaten at 5-0 with 26 strikeouts and a 2.78 ERA in 32.2 innings.

P — Easton Ramsey, Knox Central (Barbourville, Ky.)
Finished with a perfect 9-0 record and had a 2.05 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 51.1 innings.

P — Carlo Taylor, Omaha South (Omaha, Neb.)
Had a 7-0 record with a 0.74 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 38 innings.

P — Jadon Hart, Brave Christian (Dublin, Calif.)
Posted
a 7-0 record with a 1.50 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 32.2 innings. Hart
also batted .645 with 43 RBI, 42 runs, eight doubles, four triples and
two home runs.

P — Sheriff Hall, Loyola (Los Angeles)
Finished the season with a 7-3 record and a 2.53 ERA 

P — Beckett Johnson, South Jones (Ellisville, Miss.)
Strong
at the plate and on the mound, Johnson was 2-0 as a pitcher and batted
.405 with 27 runs, 23 RBI, five doubles and three home runs.

P — Brayden Morrison, Lawrence County (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.)
Earned all-state honors from the Tennessee Baseball Report.

C — Terrell Hampton-Hall, De La Salle (Chicago)
Batted .474 with 45 RBI, 19 runs, 16 doubles, nine home runs and five triples.

C — Xavier Rodriguez, Archer (Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Hit for a .437 average with 26 RBI, seven doubles, four runs and two home runs.

C — Cannon Fralick, McIntosh (Peachtree City, Ga.)
Batted .465 with 15 RBI, a home run and 11 stolen bases.

1B — Brody McCorkle, Ranney (Tinton Falls, N.J.)
Batted .359 with 21 RBI, 13 runs, four home runs and three doubles.

1B — Riley Turnick, Brunswick (Ohio)
Had a slugging percentage of .827 and belted nine home runs.

IF — Louis Lappe, Harvard-Westlake
Batted .333 with 24 RBI, 14 runs, five doubles and a home run.

IF — Noah Jarolimek, Hillcrest (Simpsonville, S.C.)
Batted
.400 with 20 RBI, 15 runs, six doubles, three home runs and two triples. On the mound he was 6-2 with 57 strikeouts in 45.2 innings.
 
IF — Paris Head, Lane Tech (Chicago)
Posted a .376 batting average with 38 runs, 24 RBI, eight doubles, four triples and two home runs.

IF — Colton Windham, Granite Hills (El Cajon, Calif.)
Batted .495 with 32 RBI, 11 doubles, four home runs and one triple.

IF — Easton O’Quinn, Suwannee (Live Oak, Fla.)
Batted .333 with 21 RBI, 20 runs, eight doubles and two home runs.

IF — Asher Williams, Desert Hills (St. George, Utah)
Knocked seven home runs and batted .416 with 46 runs, 31 RBI, seven doubles and two triples.

OF — Preston Pearce, Smithson Valley (Spring Branch, Texas)
Earned All-Area honors by the San Antonio News Express.

OF — Matti DiMaggio, Dos Pueblos (Goleta, Calif.)
Posted a .500 batting average with 37 runs, 26 RBI, 11 home runs, nine doubles and one triple.

OF — Louis Prieto, Doral Academy (Doral, Fla.)
Batted .440 with 25 RBI, five doubles and four home runs.

OF — Joey Koenig, JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Batted .310 with five doubles, two home runs and eight stolen bases.

OF — Pierce Buckey, Liberty
Led all freshmen nationally with 12 home runs. Batted .309 with 40 RBI, 29 runs and 11 doubles.

OF — Andrew Brown, Gates County (Gatesville, N.C.)

AA — Devin Chavez, Estancia (N.M.)
Batted .658 with 46 RBI, 42 runs, 21 doubles and five home runs.

AA — Eli McDaniels, Mooreville (Miss.)
Had a .491 batting average with 50 RBI, 33 runs, 16 doubles, eight home runs and one triple. 

AA — Mason Havens, Rowan County (Morehead, Ky.)
Batted .436 with 55 RBI, 26 runs, 17 doubles and three home runs. He also went 5-3 with 36 strikeouts in 39 innings.