All-State Baseball Honors Shine Across Shelby County
The 2026 baseball season concluded with a wave of honors for Shelby County, as eighteen players earned spots on the All-State teams across multiple classifications, while two local coaches were named Coach of the Year for their respective classes.
At Spain Park, head coach Will Smith captured the Class 6A Coach of the Year award after guiding his squad to a remarkable campaign that culminated in six of his players receiving All-State selections, including first-team infielder Connor Greb and outfielder Joe Cross.
Meanwhile, Briarwood’s Chris Heaps was honored as the Class 5A Coach of the Year, a testament to his team’s depth that produced two All-State athletes, utility player Ivan Hand and pitcher Houston Hartsfield, both of whom posted stellar statistics.
Thompson High School contributed four All-State representatives: pitcher Wyatt Williams earned first-team honors with a 7-3 record, 1.96 ERA and 95 strikeouts; pitcher Ashton Blair secured second-team accolades with an 8-2 record and 1.44 ERA; outfielder Cooper Fuller batted .378; and pitcher Austin Barnett received honorable mention after a 6-2 season and 1.39 ERA.
Oak Mountain also saw standout performances, with Charlie Williamon landing a 7A All-State second-team slot as an outfielder, while Spain Park’s Connor Greb posted a .393 average and 1.148 OPS to claim first-team infielder honors.
Additional Spain Park selections included first-team outfielder Joe Cross (.382 average, .998 OPS), designated hitter Evan Taylor (.356, .958 OPS), second-team pitcher Hudson Franks (5-1, 1.40 ERA), second-team infielder Rhys Jones (.415, 1.219 OPS), and honorable-mention pitcher Houston Holmes (8-1, 1.88 ERA).
Briarwood’s Ivan Hand was named first-team utility player with a .375 average and 1.043 OPS, while teammate Houston Hartsfield earned second-team pitcher honors with an 8-1 record and 1.81 ERA.
Shelby County’s own Cooper Pennington was recognized on the Class 5A second team at infielder, batting .395 with a 1.350 OPS, and Vincent’s Landon Archer added a Class 2A second-team utility pick after posting a 2.04 ERA and .380 average.
The broader recognition extended to Coosa Valley, where Jake McArthur earned AISA All-State first-team utility honors with a .430 average and 1.192 OPS, while Parker Dennis and Andrew Weaver received honorable mentions at designated hitter and catcher respectively, rounding out a season rich with talent across the region.