We’ve officially reached the high school baseball and softball playoffs in Mississippi, and while teams from across the state’s seven public-school classifications vie for a title, the top players in both sports have been formally recognized.
The Mississippi High School Activities Association and Association of Coaches announced this year’s Mr. Baseball and Miss Softball winners, highlighting the state’s top ambassadors in the sport. This year’s honors feature a four-peat winner for Miss Softball, two schools sweeping the awards, and three other schools retaining the award from last year.
Miss Softball Award Winners
- 1A — Addison Collum (West Union)
- 2A — Lucy Cochran (East Union)
- 3A — Caliann Mitchell (Kossuth)
- 4A — Layla Owens (Itawamba)
- 5A — Ella Robertson (Sumrall)
- 6A — Grady Beck Wilson (South Panola)
- 7A — Presley Merkich (Germantown)
East Union’s Lucy Cochran now owns four Miss Softball titles, winning the award each year since its 2023 inception. For South Panola, Grady Beck Wilson brings the third straight award to campus (Sadie Bright in 2024 and 2025). Itawamba’s Layla Owens also defends her 2025 crown.
Mr. Baseball Award Winners
- 1A — Jaxon Herod (West Union)
- 2A — Cade Culpepper (Clarkdale)
- 3A — Kolby Stringer (West Marion)
- 4A — Wyatt McDaniels (Mooreville)
- 5A — Drew Davis (Sumrall)
- 6A — Clay Tolbert (West Jones)
- 7A — EJ Booth (Oak Grove)
While Mr. Baseball features no repeat winners at the player level, two schools see the award return to campus from 2025. Last year, both Class 1A West Union (Jon Grey Morrisson) and then-Class 3A Mooreville (Brody Thompson) were represented in the statewide awards.
All Mr. Baseball and Miss Softball award winners will be honored during a special awards ceremony at the MHSAA Conference Center on May 6 and will be recognized during softball and baseball state championships.
