As the Tennessee high school baseball season came to a close, The Daily Herald highlighted the Columbia area’s top players as part of our All-Area teams.
Columbia Academy’s Vanderbilt signee Gunner Skelton was named the 2026 Baseball Player of the Year, but there were a number of standout performers throughout the campaign. Now you can cast your vote for which TSSAA baseball player you believe rose above the rest in the Columbia area this past season.
Nominees are listed below, each having featured on The Daily Herald’s All-Area First Team.
Wyatt Ayers, Columbia Academy, Jr.: Ayers was a DII-A All-District 3 selection after batting .321 with 42 RBIs, nine doubles, five doubles, four home runs and 13 stolen bases. He also pitched 29 innings, going 3-0 with 34 strikeouts.
Gunner Skelton, Columbia Academy, Sr.: Skelton batted .380 with 40 RBIs, 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 27 stolen bases, earning a DII-A All-District 3 selection. On the mound he was 8-4, throwing 96 strikeouts in 66 innings with a 0.74 ERA.
Jack Beck, Columbia Central, Sr.: Beck was the District 12-4A Player of the Year after hitting .413 with 32 RBIs, 10 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs and 25 stolen bases.
Caleb Carpenter, Independence, Jr.: Carpenter earned District 12-4A Pitcher of the Year honors after racking up 64 strikeouts in 45.3 innings with a 6-3 record and 1.85 ERA.
Lucas Penland, Independence, Jr.: Penland was an All-District 12-4A First Team honoree after batting .325 with 21 RBIs, five doubles, a triple, two home runs and 22 stolen bases.
Brooks Durham, Lawrence County, Jr.: Durham was named All-District 12-3A and All-Region 6-3A after batting .350 with 31 RBIs, eight doubles, two triples and two home runs.
Jack Emerson, Lawrence County, Jr.: Emerson was the District 12-3A MVP after hitting .408 with 35 RBIs, 12 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 19 stolen bases.
Bracyn Rose, Lawrence County, So.: Rose earned All-District 12-3A and All-Region 6-3A selections after batting .371 with six doubles, two triples, five home runs and 11 stolen bases.
Mason Tidwell, Loretto, Sr.: Tidwell was the District 9-2A MVP after batting .443 with 28 RBIs, seven doubles, a triple and seven home runs. He was also 3-0 on the mound with 41 strikeouts in 24.2 innings pitched.
Casen Springer, Loretto, Sr.: Springer was the District 9-2A Pitcher of the Year after he went 6-0 on the mound with 70 strikeouts in 35.2 innings while allowing just one earned run. At the plate he hit .394 with 20 RBIs, five doubles, two triples, two home runs and 13 stolen bases.
Jameson Andrews, Richland, Sr.: Andrews batted .414 with 42 RBIs, 15 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 14 stolen bases for the 1A state champions. On the mound he had 28 strikeouts in 19 innings with a .737 ERA.
Tucker Mayo, Richland, Sr.: Mayo hit .370 with 43 RBIs, 11 doubles, three triples, two home runs and 17 stolen bases. He also pitched 26.2 innings, striking out 23 batters with a 1.575 ERA.
Be sure to cast your vote below before the poll closes at noon on Sunday.
Harrison Campbell covers high school sports and more for The Daily Herald. Email him at hcampbell@usatodayco.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @hccamp.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Columbia area’s top high school baseball player in 2026 TSSAA season
About the Author
