2026 All-Area Baseball Teams Honored
The State Journal-Register has unveiled its 2026 all-area baseball teams, recognizing a total of 24 standout athletes — 12 in the large-school division and 12 in the small-school division — from across the coverage region.
Leading the large-school cohort, Drew Ward of Sacred Heart-Griffin was selected as the Large School Player of the Year, celebrated for his dual-threat performance that combined a potent bat with a reliable arm on the mound.
In the small-school category, Brady Turner from Jacksonville Routt earned Player of the Year honors after guiding his squad to a fourth-place finish at the Class 1A state tournament, a run that underscored his leadership and clutch hitting.
Other large-school honorees include Carson Butler of Sacred Heart-Griffin, who contributed to a 25-win season with a .366 average and four home runs, and A.J. Charpentier of Jacksonville, who earned IHSBCA Class 3A all-state honorable mention after batting .336 with 26 RBIs.
Sam Ferris from Rochester added a .375 average with five homers and 21 RBIs, while Maxx Grieme of Taylorville posted a .517 average, seven home runs and a slugging percentage that placed him among the conference leaders.
Dylan Huff of Chatham Glenwood captained his team to a Class 3A regional title, finishing 2-2 with a 2.39 ERA, and Nolan Peters of Jacksonville led his lineup with a .427 average and 34 RBIs.
Ty Springer from Sacred Heart-Griffin combined a .436 batting average with 24 stolen bases and five home runs, and Mathew Bywater of Litchfield topped his team with a .417 average and 34 RBIs.
Additional standouts such as Nash Donnan of Petersburg PORTA, who hit .410 with four homers and 45 RBIs, and Collin Grosenheider of Williamsville, who posted the best 0.84 ERA in the Sangamo Conference, rounded out the selections.
The full roster also features Michael Lucas, Jack Rohlk, Brody Scheffler, Caden Van De Velde, Caleb Cox, Gavin Greer, Reid Hepperly, Jett Karrick, Carter Legendre, Landon Maisenbacher, Luke Martin and Luke Schuckenbrock, each of whom contributed notable performances that helped shape the season’s story.
The recognition also reflects the broader support of the Illinois High School Association and the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association, while institutions like Quincy University and Northern Illinois University continue to nurture the state’s baseball talent pipeline.