USA TODAY High School Sports Awards unveils latest Baseball Player of the Year watchlist

Play ball! The opening list of Baseball Player of the Year candidates has landed.

High school baseball has been woven into the storied fabric of America’s pastime for decades, with the stars of today creating the origin stories of collegiate and MLB dreams tomorrow. And that classic baseball storyline still holds true today, where the talent at the high school level has seemingly increased from the West to the East, the North and the South.

This spring has been no exception, with individual performances on the baseball diamond creating plenty of conversations and recognition — of which one standout player will eventually receive a grand tip of the cap on August 25, when the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards showcases top athletes from across the U.S.

The HSSA is the country’s largest high school athletic recognition program, with 20 regional programs and a national awards program that honors athletic achievement. Part of that spotlight shines on the talented high school girls lacrosse athletes, which includes this impressive group who have landed on the 2024 watchlist for the HSSA Baseball Player of the Year (so far).

Daniel Arambula — SR, 3B | Yucaipa High School | Yucaipa, California

Cade Arrambide — SR, C | Tomball High School | Tomball, Texas

Charlie Bates — SR, SS | Palo Alto High School | Palo Alto, California

Alec Blair — JR, OF | De La Salle High School | Concord, California

Caleb Bonemer — SR, SS | Okemos High School | Okemos, Michigan

Mason Brassfield — SR, LHP | Bakersfield Christian High School | Bakersfield, California

Bryden Bull — JR, OF | Las Vegas High School | Las Vegas, Nevada

Slade Caldwell — SR, OF | Valley View High School | Jonesboro, Arkansas

Cam Caminiti — SR, LHP | Saguaro High School | Scottsdale, Arizona

Levi Clark — SR, C | Walton High School | Marietta, Georgia

Bryce Clavon — SR, SS | Kell High School | Marietta, Georgia

Derek Curiel — SR, OF | Orange Lutheran High School | West Covina, California

JD Dix — SR, SS | Whitefish Bay High School | Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

Casan Evans — SR, RHP | St. Pius X High School | Houston, Texas

Theodore Gillen — SR, SS | Westlake High School | Austin, Texas

Cannon Goldin — JR, OF | Buford High School | Buford, Georgia

Trey Gregory-Alford — SR, RHP | Coronado High School | Colorado Springs, Colorado

Konnor Griffin — SR, UTL/RHP | Jackson Preparatory School | Jackson, Mississippi

Jack Haferkamp — SR, OF | Santa Fe Christian Schools | Carlsbad, California

Owen Hall — SR, RHP | Edmond North High School | Edmond, Oklahoma

Josh Hammond — JR, RHP | Westchester Country Day High School | High Point, North Carolina

Seth Hernandez — JR, RHP | Corona High School | Corona, California

Ethan Holliday — JR, SS | Stillwater High School | Stillwater, Oklahoma

Teagan Kuhns — SR, RHP | Chambersburg Area Senior High School | Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

Kaiden Lopez — SR, OF | Oviedo High School | Oviedo, Florida

Burke Mabeus — SR, C | Bishop Gorman High School | Las Vegas, Nevada

Chase Mobley — SR, RHP | Durant High School | Plant City, Florida

PJ Morlando — SR, OF/1B | Summerville High School | Summerville, South Carolina

Michael Mullinax — SR, OF | North Cobb Christian School | Kennesaw, Georgia

Xavier Neyens — JR, 3B | Mount Vernon High School | Mount Vernon, Washington

Dante Nori — SR, OF | Northville High School | Northville, Michigan

Sebastian Norman — JR, 3B | Glendale High School | Springfield, Missouri

Joey Oakie — SR, RHP | Ankeny Centennial High School | Ankeny, Iowa

Owen Paino — SR, SS | Roy C. Ketcham High School | Wappingers Falls, New York

Erik Parker — SR, SS | North Gwinnett High School | Suwanee, Georgia

Braylon Payne — SR, OF | Lawerence E. Elkins High School | Missouri City, Texas

Marcos Paz — JR, RHP | Hebron High School | Carrollton, Texas

Ty Peeples — JR, OF | Franklin County High School | Carnesville, Georgia

Fabio Peralta — SR, OF | Miami Christian School | Miami, Florida

Bryce Rainer — SR, SS | Harvard-Westlake High School | Los Angeles, California

Drew Rogers — SR, C | Hamilton High School | Chandler, Arizona

William Schmidt — SR, RHP | Catholic High School | Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Anson Seibert — SR, RHP | Blue Valley Southwest High School | Overland Park, Kansas

Trey Snyder — SR, SS | Liberty North High School | Liberty, Missouri

Levi Sterling — SR, RHP | Notre Dame High School | Sherman Oaks, California

Tate Strickland — SR, RHP | Harrison High School | Kennesaw, Georgia

Zach Swanson — SR, RHP | Toutle Lake High School | Toutle Lake, Washington

Landon Victorian — SR, RHP | Barbe High School | Lake Charles, Louisiana

Carson Wiggins — SR, RHP | Roland High School | Roland, Oklahoma

Quentin Young — JR, 3B | Oaks Christian High School | Westlake Village, California

From the HSSA

Nominees for both the regional and national programs are posted as they are selected. Regional nominees represent the best in their respective areas, while national nominees are  recognized as the top high school athletes nationwide.

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