Bishop O'Connell junior Walker McElwain has been voted High School On SI's Virginia Baseball Player of the Year after pulling in 41.1 percent of the fan vote.
McElwain’s junior season was loaded from start to finish. He helped lead the Knights to their first WCAC baseball championship in 25 years, and he backed it up with a school-record 45 RBIs.
At the plate, he hit .495 with three home runs, 13 doubles, two triples, and a 1.288 OPS. He finished the year as a Second-Team All-WCAC selection.
His Bishop O'Connell teammate Bryant James finished second in the voting with 28.89 percent. The senior, a Virginia commit, was named WCAC Co-Player of the Year and also made his mark in VISAA play. During the Knights’ championship run, James posted a .539/.639/.931 slash line with a 1.57 OPS, 55 hits, 31 stolen bases, 30 RBIs, 53 runs, and eight home runs.
Paul VI’s Aiden Gallagher took third with 6.12 percent of the vote, giving the WCAC three of the top three spots in the Virginia poll. Gallagher also earned WCAC Co-Player of the Year honors and was named VISAA D1 Player of the Year.
The senior and James Madison commit struck out 57 batters and walked 20 in 48 innings on the mound, including four playoff starts. As a catcher, he threw out 13 of 25 attempted base stealers and added 42 hits and 28 RBIs at the plate.
Luray’s Connor Hilliard came in fourth with 5.23 percent. The Bull Run District Player of the Year, and another James Madison commit, went 6-1 with a 0.696 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings. He also hit .557 with 41 hits, 28 RBIs, and three home runs.
Battlefield’s Teagan Leach rounded out the top five with 3.93 percent. Leach powered the Bobcats to the VHSL Class 6 state championship and was named Region 6B Player of the Year. The junior hit .544 with 31 hits, 34 RBIs, 11 home runs, 40 runs, seven doubles, and two triples.
Highland’s Jake Gunning finished sixth with 2.84 percent of votes. The VISAA DII Player of the Year for the Hawks, and a William & Mary commit, batted .402 with 37 hits, 35 RBIs, 12 home runs, 43 runs, four doubles, and two triples.
Greenbrier Christian Academy’s Cam Kaliher was seventh with 2.47 percent. The Roanoke commit turned in a strong senior season for the Gators, hitting .414 with 36 hits, 43 RBIs, 23 runs, 11 doubles, two home runs, and 13 walks.
Also receiving votes were Miller School of Albemarle’s Mandela Browman (2.45), Walsingham Academy’s Corey Overmeyer (2.03), Blacksburg’s Sam Szefc (2.02), Mills Godwin’s Jacob Babcock (1.59), and Walsingham Academy’s Matthew Swanson (1.32).
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