Mitch Stephens, the preps beat reporter for the Bay Area, has unveiled the 2026 All-Metro baseball players of the year, recognizing the top talent from the Peninsula, East Bay, Contra Costa/Tri-Valley and North Bay. The selections reflect a season rich with standout performances and league triumphs.
Mound Mastery and Offensive Firepower
Kyle McMillan of St. Francis anchored a Lancers squad that finished 25-5 and captured the West Catholic Athletic League championship. He went 11-0 on the mound, posted a 0.75 ERA, fanned 80 batters in 75 innings and yielded just 45 hits, underscoring his dominance on the mound.
Akanni Owodunni from Berkeley was an offensive powerhouse, blasting 10 home runs, adding eight doubles and driving in 34 runs while batting .437. His contributions earned him the West Alameda County Conference Foothill Division Player of the Year honor.
Graham Schlicht of De La Salle-Concord turned in a historic stretch, going 62 consecutive innings without allowing a run across eight games. He finished the season 8-0 with a 0.39 ERA, permitting only 26 hits in 54 innings while striking out 83 and walking 13.
Hunter Thomas of Analy-Sebastopol earned North Bay League Redwood Division Player of the Year after hitting .462, smacking a triple, eight home runs and adding 11 doubles. The Tigers finished 18-9 overall, going 12-3 in league play.
The honorees illustrate the depth of talent across the Bay Area, suggesting that these players will be followed closely as they move into college and professional prospects. Their performances also highlight the region’s strong high school baseball pipelines, which continue to feed talent into higher levels of the sport.