2026 All-Johnson County baseball team

Co-Most Valuable Player — Joshua’s Nate Chittum & Grandview’s Owen Moore

Among a loaded District 8-5A, the 2025 All-Johnson County Newcomer of the Year elevated his game and did anything he could to help the Joshua Owls to victory en route to a district MVP award.

Nate Chittum’s junior season included being Joshua’s top hitter in the lineup, batting .386 with a 1.004 one-base plus slugging percentage (OPS), 39 hits, five triples, two home runs, 25 RBI and 37 runs scored. Plus, Chittum led the Owls in stolen bases with 19.

Spending time at shortstop and second base, Chittum was responsible for 31 putouts on a .956 fielding percentage and executed six double plays. In a competitive district schedule, the infielder finished with an impressive .447 average.

Grandview baseball’s growth over the past two seasons under head coach Josh Harris has skyrocketed the Zebras to their first district championship in five years. Switching immediately from basketball to baseball, Owen Moore took no time to readjust and hit the ground running on the diamond.

The Zebra shortstop and pitcher, when needed, helped the program to a 3A Div. I area championship with some clutch performances at the plate and on the mound. Overall, Moore capped off his senior season with a .560 batting average, 1.448 OPS, .850 slugging percentage and 56 hits. Those included 14 doubles, six triples, helping him drive in 31 runs.

On the bump, in 19.1 innings of work, he earned a 2-0 record with 31 strikeouts and a remarkable .362 ERA.

Co-Offensive Player of the Year — Cleburne’s Beaux Douthitt & Rio Vista’s Anthony Zepeda

The OPOY duo defended the crown as the best offensive players in the county in their senior seasons. Cleburne outfielder Beaux Douthitt remained the constant of the Yellow Jacket offense and did his best work in district play, where the team racked off eight straight wins after a 1-5 start.

Douthitt’s efficiency at the plate never quivered, as Cleburne’s best hitter finished with a .525 average and .725 slugging percentage. 21 hits, 21 RBI, 19 runs and nine stolen bases in district games helped the Yellow Jackets reach the postseason once again.

Douthitt was named the district’s Offensive Player of the Year as well.

It seems like anytime Rio Vista’s Anthony Zepeda swung the bat, it was an extra-base hit. The Eagle outfielder/first baseman wreaked havoc inside the box, collecting 17 doubles, seven home runs, 40 runs scored and only struck out 12 times all season on a .479 average and 1.028 slugging percentage.

As the District 15-2A Offensive Player of the Year, Zepeda joined Douthitt in Round Rock, Texas, to represent Johnson County at Dell Diamond as members of the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association’s (THSBCA) All-Star game.

Defensive Player of the Year — Joshua’s Alek Aguirre

Alek Aguirre’s final year as an Owl was impressive enough at the plate, but his numbers at first base were just as good. Handling infield duties, Aguirre totaled 154 putouts on a .970 fielding percentage and was a part of 16 Joshua double plays. He was named a first team All-District 8-5A selection.

Co-Pitcher of the Year — Centennial’s Fischer Stalberger & Grandview’s Drew Milner

Although few seniors represented Centennial’s young starting bunch, one in particular packed a punch on the bump and was perfect in districts. Fischer Stalberger ran away with the district Pitcher of the Year award after posting a 0.00 ERA in six district starts. On top of what he did across 29 innings, Stalberger boasted a 7-1 overall record and struck out 50 as Centennial’s ace.

Stalberger signed with Southwestern Oklahoma State University late last year.

In District 18-3A, Drew Milner earned Co-Pitcher of the Year honors as the program’s primary arm throughout the season. The Zebra ace made plenty of batters walk back to their dugouts, as he collected 134 strikeouts in 67.2 innings.

With a 5-2 record, Milner had a 1.35 ERA.

Catcher of the Year — Burleson’s Xavi Medina

Returning to the superlative list after earning Johnson County Defensive Player of the Year last year, Burleson’s Xavi Medina gets the nod for the Catcher of the Year.

Behind the plate, Medina played 167 innings and allowed only two passed balls on a .995 fielding percentage. He caught runners stealing 26% of the time as well. At the plate, the senior Elk batted .403 and got on base half the time (.505 OBP), scattering 31 hits. He led the team with 13 doubles and drove in 22 runs.

Medina’s efforts earned him the District 8-5A Defensive Player of the Year award.

Co-Utility Player of the Year — Cleburne’s Zander Ballenger & Godley’s Tabor Anderson

Many within the Yellow Jacket program were surprised by the play of Zander Ballenger, not because of his prior abilities, but by the dominance he showed from the start of his senior season.

Splitting time behind home plate and on the mound, Ballenger was vital to Cleburne’s non-district success and eventual district run to clinch a playoff spot. Rapidly becoming the program’s best arm, Ballenger’s play carried into districts. In 38 innings, Ballenger went 5-1 with a 1.47 ERA, including three shutouts, only eight earned runs and 38 strikeouts.

In that same stretch of games, he earned 13 hits, 16 RBI and scored nine runs on a .351 batting average. He is set to continue his playing career at Southern Arkansas University Tech.

Godley’s Tabor Anderson is arguably the most consistent player in Johnson County and his senior season was no different. The District 12-4A MVP reached 100 career strikeouts in 2026 and assisted the Wildcats to a hard-earned postseason appearance after a crazy end to the district season.

In 54 innings, Anderson went 7-2 with a 1.81 ERA, allowing just 14 earned runs. Also playing first base, the Wildcat boasted a .990 fielding percentage on 92 putouts and only committed one error.

He had the second-highest average on the team (.442) and the highest on-base, OPS and slugging percentage by garnering 38 hits, four doubles, four triples and 32 RBIs.

Newcomer of the Year — Centennial’s Luke Blair

Within a Spartan roster filled with young starters, one stood above the rest. Sophomore infielder Luke Blair became one of the most dangerous hitters in the county after his first season on varsity, hitting .406 with 10 extra-base knocks. He brought in 15 runs and scored 20 as well.

District 8-5A recognized his play with the Newcomer of the Year award.

Coach of the Year & Team of the Year — Marcellous Biggins & the Centennial Spartans

After missing out on the postseason for a second straight year with a fifth-place finish, Marcellous Biggins entered his second season with the program with a roster heavily featuring underclassmen in a stacked district.

Joshua was the defending district champions, Burleson returned many starters and Cleburne brought back its senior core. Plus, Mansfield Timberview had kept Centennial out of the playoffs the past two years.

The Spartans responded with a non-district win over eventual repeat 5A Div. I state champion Aledo and opened district play with a series win over Cleburne. The Spartans went on to lose one game in district (Joshua) and earn the program’s first district title in three years.

Centennial fought past Arlington Heights in two low-scoring affairs and took Birdville the distance in a 3-game series.

Cleburne’s Malachi Cunningham; Alvarado’s Brady Stevens, Colton Burnett and Samuel Chapman; Grandview’s Randy Pistokache; Godley’s Gio Molina, Ryder Papasan and Braxton Spohn; Joshua’s Kallin Whisenant and Hank Berkner; Rio Vista’s Slate Campbell and Boston Baker; Burleson’s Landon Smith, Gavin Lustgarten and Joe Villavicencio; Centennial’s Patch Tuggle.

Cleburne’s Manny Aguilar; Alvarado’s Aiden Guel and Timmy Luther; Grandview’s Richard Pantoja; Godley’s Jaxon Daily; Joshua’s Rene Torres, Trevor Hernandez and Tre Everett; Keene’s Hunter Delafield; Rio Vista’s Landon Jordan; Burleson’s Ty Freeman, Dylan McMurray and Nate Green.

All-Johnson County honorable mention

Cleburne’s Ryan Finley and Carter Howe; Alvarado’s JD Franco and Caleb Koch; Grandview’s Barron Dixson and Bodie Shipman; Godley’s Grayson Crane and Lathen Hankins; Joshua’s Xavier Grijalva, Hunter Strebeck and Landon Liillagore; Rio Vista’s Tate Conley and Davis McWhorter; Burleson’s Gage Grisham, Cade McNeely, Gradyn Smith and Cash Brown; Centennial’s Parker Miller.