Florida’s 2026 high school baseball season was packed with offensive fireworks, and the state’s best hitters put up numbers that jumped off the page. From state champions to first-round MLB Draft picks, the nominees for High School On SI’s Florida Baseball Hitter of the Year delivered big-time production all spring.
The field includes a Miami star who hit .477 with four doubles, 10 home runs, 52 runs scored and 25 RBI. The Miami commit led the state in runs scored, and his season was strong enough to make him a first-round pick of the Miami Marlins in the MLB Draft.
Another first-rounder, the Auburn commit, was one of the most dangerous two-way players in the Class of 2026. He hit .460 with 16 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 30 runs scored and 34 RBI while helping the Seahawks win the Class 3A state championship. On the mound, he went 11-0 with a 0.21 ERA and 121 strikeouts before the San Diego Padres selected him in the first round of the MLB Draft.
The Gulf Coast senior also turned in a monster year at the plate, batting a state-best .672 with 12 doubles, six home runs, 30 runs scored and 33 RBI. The Florida Gulf Coast University signee added a 1.164 slugging percentage and a 0.750 on-base percentage for the Crusaders.
A powerful junior from Florida checked in with one of the loudest stat lines in the state, hitting .609 with three doubles, a state-leading 16 home runs, 49 runs scored and 49 RBI. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound Florida commit also posted a 1.406 slugging percentage and a 0.745 on-base percentage.
The Tigers had a title run powered in part by a physical two-way player who hit .426 with 11 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 20 runs scored and 36 RBI. The 6-4, 205-pound Mississippi State commit helped lead the team to the Class 4A state title and also went 11-2 with a 1.62 ERA and 111 strikeouts.
Another LSU commit made his mark by hitting .406 with five doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 46 runs scored and 33 RBI, pushing the Hornets all the way to a Class 4A state runner-up finish.
The Conquerors got a major lift from a talented LSU commit who batted .365 with five doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 33 runs scored and 43 RBI en route to the Class 2A state championship.
A senior and Florida commit helped carry the Indians to a Class 7A state runner-up finish by batting .469 with three home runs, 40 runs scored and 29 RBI.
The Raiders’ path to the Class 6A state championship was fueled by a senior and Appalachian State signee who hit .512 with nine doubles, five home runs, 43 runs scored and 26 RBI.
And in North Florida, a two-way star from the FSU pipeline did damage on both sides of the ball. He hit .400 with six doubles, seven home runs and 31 RBI to help the Spartans win the Class 1A state title. On the mound, the FSU commit struck out a state-best 165 batters, finished 12-2 and piled up more than 500 strikeouts in his career.
Voting for the award closes at 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, July 26, and the winner will be announced the following week.
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Easton Royal Just Put Florida Fans Through Familiar Recruiting Drama
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Royals post has naturally fueled speculation about whether the Gators can make a real run at a flip, even with Florida already sitting in a decent spot at wide receiver for the 2027 class. There is no resolution yet, and the next few weeks should tell more about where this is headed, but for now it is another reminder that Floridas pursuit of elite talent can still turn into familiar recruiting drama. [Read more 🡒]