SBLive Arkansas all-state baseball teams: Valley View's Slade Caldwell is player of the year
By Kevin Bohannon
With the 2023 baseball season completed, SBLive Arkansas compiled three teams featuring players statewide along with a player, pitcher, coach and newcomer of the year.
Thank you to all the coaches across the state for submitting nominations. Here are some of the top performers from across every classification.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Valley View's Slade Caldwell
Slade Caldwell | Valley View | JR
54.1 IP/ 7-1/ 72 K/ 2.31 ERA/ .215 BAA
.512 BA/ .656 OBP/ 7 2B/ 7 3B/ 54 R/ 40 SB
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Little Rock Christian's Reece Tarini (Photo by Tommy Land)
Reece Tarini | LR Christian | SR
72.1 IP/ 11-0/ 111 K/ 0.67 ERA/ .160 BAA
COACH OF THE YEAR
Batesville's Tony Roepke
Tony Roepke, Batesville
5A-East runner up 10-4 record, state quarterfinalist, 21-11 overall record
UNDERCLASSMAN OF THE YEAR
Greenwood's Grant Karnes
Grant Karnes | Greenwood | SO
.386 BA/ .480 OBP/ 4 2B/ 25 R/ 9 SB
56.1 IP/ 8-1/ 74 K/ 17 BB/ 1.74 ERA
First Team
PITCHERS
Reece Tarini | LR Christian | SR
Ross Felder | Springdale Har-Ber | JR
68.2 IP/ 10-0/ 109 K/ 29 BB/ 0.56 ERA/ .120 BAA/ 6A Championship game MVP
.387 BA/ .443 OBP/ 26 RBI/ 12 2B
Steele Eaves | Lonoke | JR
76.2 IP/ 13-0/ 134 K/ 16 BB/ 0.73 ERA/ .110 BAA/ 4A Championship game MVP
Jackson Privett | Pocahontas | JR
56.2 IP/ 101 K/ 26 BB/ 25 H/ 0.62 ERA
Jake Jones | Benton | SR
55 IP/ 11-0/ 90 K/ 1.02 ERA/ 0.93 WHIP/ Two no-hitters incl. 1st round state tournament
INFIELDERS
Cade Bowman | LR Christian | JR
.490 BA/ .534 OBP/ 50 H/ 12 2B/ 43 R/ 15 SB/ 5A Championship game MVP
Gael Salinas | Rogers | SR
.429 BA/ 39 H/ 10 2B/ 2 3B/ 3 HR/ 48 RBI
Cutter Colvert | Lonoke | JR
.453 BA/ 546 OBP/ 705 SLG/ 12 2B/ 4 HR/ 34 RBI/ 38 R
Ty Waid | Arkansas High | SR
.443 BA/ .670 OBP/ 1.230 SLG/ 7 RBI/ 13 HR/ 36 RBI/ 42 BB (23 IBB)
70 IP/ 10-0/ 0.90 ERA/ 116 K/ 18 BB
Christian Carnal | Star City | JR
.564 BA/ .706 OBP/ 1.018 SLG/ 5 HR/ 39 RBI/ 34 R
OUTFIELDERS
Kade Smith | Harding Academy | SR
.494 BA/ .605 OBP/ .988 SLG/ 16 2b/ 7 HR/ 44 RBI
Slade Caldwell | Valley View | JR
Dax Webb | Brookland | JR
.481 BA/ 586 OBP/ 1.302 OPS/ 51 H/ 19 XBH/ 19 RBI/ 42 R/ 24 SB
Brooks Ward | LR Catholic | JR
.478 BA/ .852 SLG/ 1.382 OPS/ 6 HR/ 26 RBI/ 9 2B/ .974 FLD PCT
Dax Goff | Booneville | JR
.556 BA/ 9 2B/ 3 3B/ 10 HR/ 44 RBI/ 46 R/ 14 SB
CATCHERS
Charlie Carter | LR Christian | SR
.356 BA/ .479 OBP/ 1.088 OPS/ 7 2B/ 5 HR/ 35 RBI
Lawson Ward | Valley View | JR
.424 BA/ .545 OBP/ 9 2B/ 2 3B/ 38 RBI
UTILITY
Cole Spears | Lonoke | JR
.411/ .570 OBP/ .918 SLG/ 7 2B/ 10 HR/ 40 RBI/ 13 SB
22.1 IP/ 3-0/ 3 Saves/ 30 K/ 8 BB/ 1.88 ERA
Preston Smith | Taylor | SR
.493 BA/ .647 OBP/ 7 2B/ 6 HR/ 39 RBI/ 46 R/ 25 BB/ Played 6 positions during season
Second Team
PITCHERS
Eli Crecelius | Valley View | JR
61.2 IP/ 8-1/ 93 K/ 2.04 ERA/ .118 BAA
Tripp Sullivan | Lonoke | JR
32.1 IP/ 6-1/ 76 K/ 26 BB/ 1.30 ERA/ .100 BAA
Ty Anderson | Rogers | JR
52 IP/ 8-1/ 48 K/ 1.07 ERA
Weston Speir | Brookland | JR
59 IP/ 6-2/ 92 K/ 14 BB/ 1.42 ERA/ 0.88 WHIP
Tag Andrews | Maumelle | JR
53.2 IP/ 101 K/ 1.56 ERA
INFIELDERS
Levi Lang | Harding Academy | SR
.468 BA/ .551 OBP/ .851 SLG/ 14 2B/ 6 HR 46 RBI
Conner Cunningham | Batesville | JR
.449 BA/ .545 BA/ .783 SLG/ 9 2B/ 8 3B/ 3 HR/ 27 RBI/ 45 R
Caleb Johnson | Camden HG | JR
.443 BA/ .549 OBP/ 8 2B/ 5 HR/ 32 RBI/ 19 SB
Aden Velasquez | Cabot | JR
.421 BA/ 33 H/ 14 XBH/ 21 RBI
46 IP/ 64 K/ 1.17 ERA/ 0.99 WHIP/ .143 BAA
Peyton Smith | Taylor | SR
.476 BA/ .602 OBP/ 17 2B/ 5 HR/ 34 RBI/ 55 R/ 21 HBP
OUTFIELDERS
Jaxson Ingle | Lonoke | JR
.387 BA/ .528 OBP/ 6 2B/ 4 HR/ 34 RBI/ 38 R
46 IP/ 6-0/ 3 saves/ 86 K/ 14 BB/ 0.91 ERA/ .154 BAA
Jackson Kircher | LR Christian | JR
.421 BA/ .537 OBP/ 1.158 OPS/ 7 2B/ 6 3B/ 30 R/ 16 SB
Kade Gobel | Greenland | SR
.473 BA/ 2 HR/ 44 RBI/ 12 2B/ 3 3B/ 26 SB
Tripp Campbell | Arkadelphia | SR
.422 BA/ 473 OBP/ .703 SLG/ 10 2B
49.2 IP/ 5-1/ 92 K/ 1.55 ERA/ 0.95 WHIP/ .099 BAA
JT Melson | Rogers | SR
.392 BA/ .543 OBP/ 1.000 FLD PCT/ 14 SB
CATCHERS
Nolan Belcher | Walnut Ridge | JR
.489 BA/ 10 2B/ 3 3B/ 4 HR/ 41 RBI/ 36 R
Dalen Blanchard | Magnolia | SR
.417 BA/ .584 OBP/ 11 2B/ 4 HR/ 32 RBI
UTILITY
Braden Brown | Camden HG | JR
.449 BA/ .500 OBP/ 14 2B/ 29 RBI/ 12 SB
53.2 IP/ 7-2/ 59 K/ 2.35 ERA
Alex Downing | Bentonville West | JR
.383 BA/ .463 OBP/ 6A West All Conference/ Played infield and outfield for Wolverines
Landon Melnychuk | Stuttgart | SR
.439 BA/ .519 OBP/ 12 2B/ 23 RBI/ 11 SB
34.2 IP/ 40 K/ 11 BB/ 1.61 ERA
All-Underclassman Team
PITCHERS
Keaton Mathis | Valley View | FR
29 IP/ 5-1/ 1 save/ 21 K/ 5 BB/ 1.69 ERA/ .154 BAA
Cael Turner | Cabot | SO
32 IP/ 1.90 ERA/ 38 K/ Fastball up to 92 MPH
Caleb Short | Catholic | SO
60.1 IP/ 5-2/ 6 CG/ 1.16 ERA/ 61 K/ 11 BB/ 6A All-Tournament Team
Jake Taylor | Rogers | FR
51 IP/ 8-1/ 63 K/ 0.84 ERA
Grayson Wilson | CAC | SO
44 IP/ 6-0/ 50 K/ 6 BB/ 1.27 ERA/ .173 BAA
INFIELDERS
Drew Gartman | Valley View | SO
.340 BA/ 7 2B/ 3 3B/ 39 R/ 22 RBI/ 25 SB
Luke Cornelison | Springdale Har-Ber | SO
.337 BA/ .439 OBP/ 13 2B/ 4 HR/ 30 RBI/ 22 R
Landon Schaefer | Fayetteville | SO
.362 BA/ .470 OBP/ 11 2B/ 3 3B/ 3 HR/ 20 RBI
59.1 IP/ 5-3/ 76 K/ 19 BB/ 2.60 ERA/ No-hit Catholic in state tournament.
Shaun Cover | Conway | FR
.461 BA/ .539 OBP/ 14 2B/ 2 HR/ 19 RBI/ 24 R/ 11 SB
Mark Brissey | Batesville | SO
.400 BA/ .459 OBP/ .610 SLG/ 14 2B/ 2 HR/ 32 RBI
59 IP/ 6-1/ 100 K/ 1.42 ERA/ .095 BAA
OUTFIELDERS
Owen Roach | Valley View | FR
.365 BA/ 7 2B/ 21 RBI/ 19 R
Grant Karnes | Greenwood | SO
Elias Payne | Benton | SO
.304 BA/ 515 OBP/ .950 OPS/ Elite speed and top defender
Brandon Vaughn | Greenland | SO
.425 BA/ 20 RBI/ 26 BB/ 30 SB
Jaison Delamar | Fayetteville | SO
.330 BA/ 4 2B/ 3 3B/ 17 RBI/ 17 RS
40.2 IP/ 51 K/ 19 BB/ 2.93 ERA/ .203 BAA/ No-hitter against Northside
CATCHERS
Isaac Baker | Harding Academy | SO
.500 BA/ .600 OBP/ 10 2B/ 25 RBI/ 27 R/ 17 SB
Jack Stockton | Greenland | SO
.464 BA/ 11 2B/ 41 RBI/ .992 FLD PCT/ 13 CS
UTILITY
Russ Martin | Rose Bud | SO
.382 BA/ .558 OBP/ .721 SLG/ 11 2B/ 4 HR/ 23 RBI/ 39 R/ 12 SB
46 IP/ 74 K/ 21 BB/ 0.76 ERA/ .218 BAA
Rylan Jones | Jonesboro | SO
.525 BA/ .573 OBP/ 13 XBH/ Also pitched for Jonesboro/ 6A All-Tournament Team
