DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced its 28th District Players of the Year selections for all nine U.S. districts for the 2026 season. The 2026 standouts include.
2026 NCBWA Division I District Players of the Year
District 1 (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania)
Lorenzo Carrier, Pitt, OF, Bear, Del.
.387 BA, 57GP, 57GS, 199AB, 67R, 77H, 15 2B, 2 3B, 20 HR, 69 RBI, 57 BB, 62K, 6/6 SB/SBA, 1.318OPS, .534 OB%, .784 SLUG
Blake Primrose, Saint Joseph’s, C, Pittsburgh, Pa.
.391 BA, 54GP, 54GS, 207AB, 78R, 81H, 18 2B, 3 3B, 24 HR, 72 RBI, 48 BB, 55K, 2/2 SB/SBA,1.361OPS, .506 OB%, .855 SLUG
District 2 (Connecticut, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Washington D.C.)
Gavin Kelly, West Virginia, Jr., 2B, Pittsburgh, Pa.
.381 BA, 57GP, 57GS, 223AB, 63R, 85H, 19 2B, 3 3B, 16HR, 56RBI, 41BB, 41K, 4/11 SB/SBA,1.191OPS, .482 OB%, .709 SLUG
Maxx Yehl, West Virginia, Jr., P, Portville, N.Y.
8-2, 2.12 ERA, 16 GP, 16 GS, 1 CG, 0/2 SHO, 85.0IP, 66H, 27R, 20ER, 24BB, 101K, .218 Opp. BA, 1.06 WHIP
District 3 (Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida)
Tague Davis, Louisville, So., 1B, West Chester, Pa.
.355 BA, 57GP, 57GS, 231AB, 68R, 82H, 10 2B, 1 3B, 34HR, 98RBI, 36BB, 70K, 4/4 SB/SBA,1.291OPS, .443 OB%, .848 SLUG
District 4 (Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland)
Daniel Jackson, Georgia, Jr., C/OF, Sandy Springs, Ga.
.396 BA, 61GP, 61GS, 235AB, 82R, 93H, 13 2B, 1 3B, 29HR, 83RBI, 42BB, 54K, 25/27 SB/SBA,1.323OPS, .493 OB%, .830 SLUG
District 5 (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin)
Quinton Coats, Cincinnati, So., 1B, Olathe, Kan.
.339 BA, 60GP, 60GS, 248AB, 62R, 84H, 13 2B, 1 3B, 28HR, 79RBI, 37BB, 81K, 10/11 SB/SBA,1.167OPS,.430 OB%, .738 SLUG
District 6 (Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota)
Dee Kennedy, Kansas State, Jr., SS, Fort Worth, Texas
.357 BA, 57GP, 57GS, 221AB, 70R, 79H, 17 2B, 3 3B, 20HR, 69RBI, 38BB, 50K, 22/26 SB/SBA,1.194OPS, .461OB%, .733 SLUG
Tyson LeBlanc, Kansas, Jr., SS, Maurice, La.
.344 BA, 61GP, 61GS, 247AB, 63R, 85H, 12 2B, 3 3B, 24HR, 68RBI, 38BB, 49K, 11/12 SB/SBA,1.139OPS, .430OB%, .709 SLUG
District 7 (Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana)
Dylan Volantis, Texas, So., SP, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
9-1, 1.94 ERA, 15 GP, 14 GS, 0 CG, 0/2 SHO, 83.1IP, 55H, 19R, 18ER, 23BB, 116K, .181 Opp. BA, 0.94 WHIP
Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M, Jr., OF, Highland Village, Texas
.347 BA, 55GP, 54GS, 222AB, 67R, 77H, 20 2B, 1 3B, 23HR, 76RBI, 33BB, 60K, 11/15 SB/SBA, 1.177OPS, .434OB%, .743 SLUG
District 8 (Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Montana)
Ryan Kroepel, Utah Tech, Jr., UTIL, Poway, Calif.
.312 BA, 59GP, 59GS, 215AB, 55R, 67H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 6HR, 47RBI, 51BB, 37K, 8/10 SB/SBA, .892OPS, .469OB%, .423 SLUG
1-2, 3.82 ERA, 19GP, 0GS, 0 CG, 0/1 SHO, 35.1IP, 32H, 15R, 15ER, 11BB, 31K, .241 Opp. BA, 1.22 WHIP
District 9 (California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Arizona, Alaska)
Roch Cholowsky, UCLA, Jr., SS, Chandler, Ariz.
.320BA, 60GP, 60GS, 231AB, 73R, 74H, 10 2B, 0 3B, 21 HR, 60 RBI, 36BB, 36K, 1/1 SB/SBA, 1.088OPS, .452OB%, .636SLUG
Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara, Jr., SP, Pleasanton, Calif.
12-0, 1.06 ERA, 16GP, 16GS, 2 CG, 2/1 SHO, 102.0 IP, 55H, 14R, 12ER, 32BB, 133K, .155Opp. BA, 0.85WHIP
Landon Hairston, Arizona State, So., OF, Queen Creek, Ariz.
.400BA, 59GP, 59GS, 235AB, 82R, 94H, 20 2B, 2 3B, 28 HR, 81 RBI, 44BB, 27K, 11/15 SB/SBA, 1.368OPS, .509OB%, .860SLUG
In a case that has happened just twice in the last 29 years (no District Players of the Year were selected in 2020 due to the COVID-19 quarantines), there is a three-way tie for NCBWA District 9 Player of the Year.
Three Dick Howser Trophy presented by The Game Headwear finalists – UCLA junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky, UC Santa Barbara junior starting pitcher Jackson Flora and Arizona State sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston – each gained District 9 Player of the Year laurels in a region where massive talent abounded in ’26.
Cholowsky, a Howser Trophy finalist in 2025, paced the Bruins to the No. 1 position in national ratings for 14 consecutive weeks in NCBWA Top 25 polls and the nation's highest victory total in Division I with a 52-8 mark prior to NCAA Super Regionals. The '25 consensus All-America choice from Chandler, Arizona, had another stellar season in 2026 with 21 home runs, 60 runs-batted-in, a .636 slugging, and OPS of 1.088 for coach John Savages' Bruins. He also has belted 52 career home runs in 178 contests for two consecutive UCLA NCAA tournament entries and the '25 NCAA World Series.
The right-handed Flora from Pleasonton, California, is the national leader in pitching victories with 12 over 16 appearances and 102 Innings. He also struck out 133 hitters (third nationally) for 11.7 whiffs every nine innings and WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of .85 (also third In NCAA stats) for coach Andrew Checketts and the Gauchos. The Big West Conference Pitcher of the Year for the BWC co-champion Gauchos ended his career with a 22-5 mark after going 12-0 in ’26.
Hairston also ranks among national leaders in almost every Individual category with a .860 slugging percentage (first), 202 total bases (first), .400 batting average (13th), 28 home runs (fifth), and 81 RBI (fifth) for coach Willie Bloomquist's Big 12 Conference-contending and NCAA Lincoln Regional runnerup Sun Devils. The son of former Major League player Scott Hairston, of Central Arizona College and four generations of college and pro baseball standouts from the Hairston family, was 2026 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and starred in youth and high school baseball in his hometown of Queen Creek, Arizona.
Two other Howser Trophy finalists – Louisville first baseman Tague Davis (District 3) and Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson (District 4) – join this cavalcade of America’s top Division I stars.
Davis leads the nation in home runs with 34 in 57 contests this spring while getting a barrelful of national watch list and Atlantic Coast Conference recognitions for coach Dan McDonnell's Cardinals. The soph home run machine from West Chester, Pennsylvania, set an ACC single-season record with the 34 round-trippers has been among national leaders in several hitting categories with 98 RBI (first), 1.72 RBI per game (first), slugging percentage (third), and an OPS of 1.292 (not included In NCAA official stats but believed to be No. 1 nationally).
Jackson paced Southeastern Conference batsmen in numerous statistical categories while leading the Bulldogs to their first SEC title since 2008 and the postseason tourney crown. The Sandy Springs, Georgia, resident was SEC Player of the Year with his .860 slugging percentage (fourth nationally), 29 home runs (fourth), 93 hits (seventh), and .396 batting average (15th). The Georgian also earned NCBWA Freshman All-America laurels at Wofford in 2024 with 12 homers and 69 RBI In 56 games at Wofford before he transferred to Georgia to play for coach Wes Johnson in 2025. His defensive play and 25 stolen bases (among the best by catchers in DI) aided the Bulldogs to the NCAA Athens Regional title, a consensus No. 1 national ranking on June 1 and host's role In the Athens Super Regional against No. 7 nationally Mississippi State.
Jackson is one of just six players (and first catcher) in NCAA Division 1 history to have at least 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases in a season. He is the first SEC player to ever have a 25-25 season.
The remaining NCAA Division I District Players of the year also have distinguished themselves in pacing their squads to numerous conference titles and 2026 NCAA berths.
In District 1, Pitt slugger and co-player of the year Carrier was among the top 10 individually in almost every offensive category in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. His 20 homers and 69 RBI paced the Panthers, who were just a few wins from getting an NCAA at-large berth with a final record of 33-24, a NCAA Ratings Percentage Index of No. 40 and ACC series wins over Stanford and Louisville thanks to the bat work of the All-ACC gardener.
District 1’s outstanding catcher and co-player Primrose recorded one of the top individual campaigns in Saint Joseph’s annals with single-season school records for home runs with 24 and RBI with 72. The Buster Posey Catcher of the Year semifinalist notched All-Atlantic 10 Conference honors, was A-10 Player of the Year and earned A-10 Player of the Week laurels three different times as a sophomore.
West Virginia also produced co-District 2 Players of the Year in second baseman Gavin Kelly and pitcher Maxx Yehl.
Kelly led the Mountaineers to the Big 12 Conference runner-up spot at 21-9 behind champion and fellow NCAA Super Regional host Kansas with a 22-8 league mark and was Most Outstanding Player for the NCAA Morgantown Regional. His weekend performance included three home runs and a .400 tourney batting average of five games to back his already-heady All-Big 12 credentials.
Yehl came back from Tommy John surgery to become one of the nation’s top lefthanders. The 2026 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year struck out 102 batters in 85 innings pitched for 10.8 whiffs per game, eight pitching victories and 2.12 ERA as the Friday rotation starter. He also had two quality mound appearances in two of the Mountaineers wins in the Morgantown Regional and seeks a top effort against Cal Poly Friday in the NCAA Morgantown Super Regional.
District 5 honoree Coats is tied for fifth nationally with Hairston with 28 home runs (a school record and tied for Big 12 Conference leadership) and posted a 1.167 OPS along with 79 RBI and a .738 slugging percentage. The All-Big 12 first baseman was 10-for-11 in stolen bases in a position not known for overwhelming speed afoot and was a key cog in the Bearcats drive to a NCAA Regional appearance.
District 6 co-players from two Kansas universities were shortstops Dee Kennedy of Kansas State and Tyler LeBlanc of Kansas.
Kennedy led the Wildcats with 20 homers and 69 RBI while starting all 57 games for K-State. One of the top fielders in the fielders in the Big 12 and a threat on the basepaths with 22 stolen bases (third among Big 12 individuals) in 26 tries, he helped Kansas State gain votes in several early NCBWA Top 25 polls with clutch hitting and solid leadership.
LeBlanc has the Jayhawks in position to make their first NCAA World Series appearance since 1993 and led KU to its first regular-season conference crown since 1949 in the Big Seven Conference. The transfer from LSU Eunice’s 2024 NJCAA championship squad capped off a school-best 24 home runs in 2026 by belting three homers in three wins to help the Jayhawks sweep the NCAA Lawrence Regional and to gain the host’s role in the NCAA Lawrence Super Regional.
Two stars also shared District 7 honors as Texas pitcher Dylan Volantis and Texas A&M OF Caden Sorrell posted stellar seasons.
Volantis is back in action this weekend as the Longhorns host Oregon in the NCAA Austin Super Regional with his 9-1 pitching record and 1.94 ERA (third in the nation) and 12.5 strikeouts every nine innings. The Longhorns lefty allowed just 18 earned runs in 83-plus innings and gained Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year and All-SEC laurels. Like many others in this group, he has a great chance to nab consensus All-America honors for his ’26 performance.
Sorrell had the Aggies on the cusp of a SEC crown with consistent slugging throughout the season. He launched 23 homers with 76 RBI for team-leading statistics and had a superb 1.177 OPS to go with 20 doubles and an easy choice to earn All-SEC honors as an outfielder. He also led the last two Aggies squads to 71 victories and an 11-win improvement from 30-26 in 2025 to 41-15 in ’26 and a host’s role for the 2026 NCAA College Stational Regional.
From District 8, the versatile Kroepel batted and pitched unheralded Utah Tech to the first division of the Western Athletic Conference after transferring in from Arizona State in 2025. He was the ace of the Trailblazers’ bullpen with 10 saves while moving from third base to the mound late in games and started all 59 contests for Tech as a junior with a keen-eyed 51 walks over 59 contests.
The previous lists of NCBWA District Players of the Year since 1998 include the likes of MLB notables pitcher David Price of Vanderbilt, 1B Jac Caglianone of Florida, 3B Kris Bryant of San Diego, IF Mark Teixeira of Georgia Tech, 2B Rickie Weeks of Southern U., 3B Alex Gordon of Nebraska, and catcher Buster Posey of Florida State, among others.
NCBWA voting membership for the District Players of the Year includes writers, broadcasters and publicists. Designed to promote and publicize college baseball, it is the sport's only college media-related organization, founded in 1962.
All honorees will have a physical or long-distance connection to the presentation of the Dick Howser Trophy presented by The Game Headwear at Charles Schwab Park in Omaha, Nebraska. on Friday, June 12, at 10 a.m. (CDT) to the NCAA Division I baseball player of the year and other NCBWA national honors.