With all of the state high school baseball championships in the books, The Arizona Republic rates the top 10 individual performers in the state title games, regardless of conference or whether their team won. You can vote in our poll for the top overall performance in our poll at the end of the list.
Top 10 state baseball championship performers
1. Cam Caminiti, Scottsdale Saguaro, LHP, Sr.
The tension couldn't have been greater for the future Major League Baseball pitcher. He was locked in from the get-go, striking out 11 and giving up only two hits in the Sabercats' 2-1 4A championship win over a good-hitting Canyon del Oro team, giving his school its first state championship in the sport since 2011.
2. Dylan Weekly, Queen Creek, RHP, Sr.
With his team in a 5-0 hole, Weekly came on in relief to pitch the final 8⅔ innings of Queen Creek's 10-inning 7-6 6A championship win over Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor. He's been a relief pitcher after transforming from a catcher and this was by far his longest outing. But he got stronger as the game wore on and had the Eagles guessing, limiting them to one run and just five hits.
3. Tait Reynolds, Queen Creek, OF, So.
Reynolds came through with the clutch walk-off hit , a single to left with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th for the Bulldogs' first state baseball title since 1989, when the school was competing at the 2A level.
4. Mason Russell, Queen Creek Casteel, LHP, Sr.
He was coach Matt Denny's ace all year and he got the ball in the end to finish a dominating 5A tournament run, keeping Peoria Sunrise Mountain's bats in check in an 8-1 title win that was the school's second championship in a row under Denny. The Arizona signee scattered seven hits, striking out five and walking one.
5. Carson Grier, Chandler Valley Christian, INF, Jr.
The only suspense in the 3A title game was how long would it go. It went only five innings, thanks to Grier's two-run double that walked off an 11-1 win over Yuma Catholic . He had extra-base hits in his final two at-bats, driving in three runs for a school more used to taking home championship basketball trophies.
6. Jose Mendez, Bisbee, RHP, Sr.
He lost his No. 1 spot in the rotation during the season but he delivered in the biggest game, pitching the Pumas to a 7-2 upset of top-seed Phoenix Christian for the 2A title . He pitched 6-1/3 innings, giving up seven hits, two runs and striking out five, walking two.
7. Kino Lorona, Hayden, INF, So.
He got Hayden started in the first inning of the 1A championship game with an inside-the-park home run in the team's 14-8 win over Lincoln Prep for the school's 11th state baseball title.
8. Sebastian Lopez, Bisbee, INF/P, Jr.
He had two hits and drove in two runs from his leadoff spot and recorded the last two outs in his team's 2A title win.
9. Brody Jacobs, Sandra Day O'Connor, RHP, Sr.
With the Eagles running out of eligible pitchers, and, after Queen Creek rallied to tie the score at 6-6 in the fourth inning, he came on in relief and pitched 4-1/3 scoreless innings, giving up four hits, walking four.
10. Connor Russell, Casteel, OF, So.
In the 8-1 win for the 5A title, he went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
(If having difficulty voting, click here ).
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Republic's Top 10 state high school baseball championship performances; vote in poll
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