The Idaho Statesman is running a Baseball Player of the Week contest that will crown a standout high school athlete before noon on Wednesday, giving readers a chance to vote for the most impressive performer of the recent state tournaments.
Nominees come from area coaches or are drawn from statistics reported to the newspaper, ensuring that the list reflects the most impactful recent outings across all classifications.
Key Contenders
Among the candidates, Jack Booth of Owyhee has distinguished himself by going 4‑for‑8 with a triple and six RBIs, helping the Storm capture their fourth state championship in the past five years.
Caleb Zawadzki from Eagle contributed an 8‑for‑12 performance with a double and three RBIs, guiding the Mustangs to a second‑place finish at the 6A state tournament, while Ryan Yesford of Mountain View delivered a complete‑game victory, scattering six hits and striking out a career‑high eight batters.
DJ Brokaw of Middleton added a 3‑for‑6 effort with a double and an RBI as the Vikings placed fourth in the 6A bracket, and Tyler Russell of Skyview went 7‑for‑14 with two doubles and seven RBIs, leading the Hawks to a runner‑up showing in the 5A tournament.
Mason Taylor of Homedale threw an eight‑hit shutout with seven strikeouts in a 3‑0 win over Marsh Valley and later went 6‑for‑12 with three RBIs to steer the Trojans to a 4A state title.
Titus Vidlak from Fruitland combined a 7‑for‑14 series with a double, a triple, six RBIs and eight stolen bases to push the Grizzlies to second place in the 4A tournament, while Carson Kile of Cole Valley Christian hit a two‑run homer and also pitched seven innings without a decision, allowing just two runs.
Cooper Brooks of Melba took a hard‑luck complete‑game loss, surrendering two unearned runs on a single hit while striking out eight, and also contributed a 3‑for‑9 effort with a triple and two RBIs to help the Mustangs secure third place in the 3A bracket. Jacob Jones of North Star Charter rounded out the list with a 4‑for‑7 performance, a double and an RBI as the Huskies finished fourth in the 2A tournament.