Ohio's top high school baseball players: Meet the state’s best first basemen

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look at some of the top baseball players in Ohio.

We'll start with the top first basemen.

There are hundreds of outstanding first basemen in Ohio, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive! Tag us on Twitter or Instagram at @SBLiveOH and let us know about other athletes worthy of fans’ attention.

Note: Many high school baseball players excel at multiple positions. Don't be alarmed to see an ace pitcher listed here as a first baseman, for example.

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Jude Armstrong, Wauseon, junior

Named second-team All-Ohio in Division II last season by hitting .435 with 18 RBIs and 26 runs scored. He was also named first-team All-Northwest Ohio Athletic League and first-team All-Northwest District as a sophomore.

Cole Cahill, Olentangy Orange, junior

The University of Toledo commit hit .398 with 26 RBIs last season and was a key contributor on the mound, where the southpaw was 7-1 with a 1.59 ERA. In 57 innings pitched, he struck out 69 hitters. He was named honorable mention All-Ohio in Division I.

Caden Crawford, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, senior

Hit .367 with eight doubles, three triples and six home runs with 33 RBIs last season. He also drew 23 walks, which helped lead to a .523 on-base percentage. The 6-foot-4 senior can also play the outfield.

Lucas Day, Troy Christian, senior

Hit .545 with eight homers and 51 RBIs last season and was given 11 intentional walks. In the field, he had a fielding percentage of .975. The 6-foot-1 Day is committed to Oakland University.

Jake Edwards, Mechanicsburg, senior

Earned accolades as first-team All-Ohio, first-team All-Ohio Heritage Conference, and first-team All-Area Miami Valley by hitting .430 with an on-base percentage of .526. He went deep once and drove in 27 runs, while scoring 34 times and stealing 13 bases. He will also take the mound for Mechanicsburg, where he was 7-1 with a 2.50 ERA last season.

Daniel Gladden, Olentangy Berlin, senior

A gap-to-gap hitter, the 6-foot-4 Gladden is the best hitter for Olentangy Berlin and hit .419 with 13 RBIs last season. On the mound, his fastball sits 83-85 and tops at 86 and he has a plus slider. In the season opener this year, he struck out 13 batters.

Jake Hanley, Mason, sophomore

As a freshman, he hit .432 with seven doubles, two homers and a triple, while driving in 20 runs. The University of Indiana commit also plays outfield and pitches for the Comets.

Keegan Holmstrom, Grove City, sophomore

A two-way player who pitches and plays first base, he earned honorable mention All-Ohio honors last season by hitting .422 with nine doubles and driving in 19 runs while also going 5-1 with a 2.05 ERA on the mound. And he did that as just a freshman.

Andrew Kirkpatrick, Chagrin Falls, senior

As a junior, he hit .381 with six doubles and 31 RBIs. The Wittenberg University commit also went 5-2 with a 1.87 ERA on the mound. He can play multiple positions, including both corner infield spots, pitcher and catcher.

Jarrod Mays, Greeneview, junior

A versatile player who can pitch, catch and play first base, Mays hit .417 with nine doubles and 22 runs batted in a season ago. A varsity player since he first stepped on the diamond as a freshman, Mays is a team captain as a junior.

Jaden Myers, Tiffin Columbian, senior

The corner infielder earned second-team All-Ohio honors last year when he hit .378 with six doubles, two triples and two homers last season while driving in 45 runs. He had a .488 on-base percentage and scored 25 runs as a junior. He is committed to Mount Union College.

Conner Peer, Dublin Scioto, junior

Was named first-team all-district and first-team all-league last year as a sophomore. He hit .482 with 12 doubles and an OPS of 1.181. He was voted as a captain by every player on the team a year ago, a role he has again has this season.

Jameson Richmond, Oak Hills, senior

He hit .342 with three doubles, three triples and two homers last season. He scored 18 runs and drove in 18. A player who can play both corner infield spots, his coach says, “Jameson Richmond is a great kid and has impressed me with his willingness to step up and lead his teammates. He not only has power, but has worked at being a good hitter and has shown great bat control.”

Mitchell Roether, Beavercreek, senior

Hit .403 with eight doubles and six homers last season. He drove in 33 runs and was named honorable mention All-Ohio in Division I. Described by his coach as a “great kid and hard worker who always brings the guys together,” he is committed to Earlham College.

Tommy Skelding, Marlington, junior

The University of Kentucky commit excels at the plate, at first base and on the mound for Marlington. He hit .439 (fifth in the county) with eight doubles, two triples, a home run, 22 RBIs and 25 runs last year and was 6-2 with a 1.64 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 47 innings. According to his coach, the “work ethic matches the God-given ability” for the 6-foot-4 Skelding.

Tyler Snyder, McNicholas, junior

A strong hitter who will put the ball in play, he had 38 hits in 85 at-bats last year. He had eight doubles, five triples and a home run. He knocked in 29 runs, while scoring 25 and stealing 15 bases. After playing the outfield, he is transitioning to first base this season and is expected to be a leader for the Rockets.

Ethan Stewart, Meigs, junior

Earned honorable mention All-Ohio honors last season in Division III. A corner infielder who also takes the mound, Stewart hit .475 with seven doubles, three triples and 24 runs batted in last season while compiling a record of 6-2 with a 0.51 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched. He is committed to Ohio University.

Brandon Swope, Rossford, junior

He hit .481 with 13 doubles and 27 RBIs while scoring 20 runs as a sophomore. His coach says Swope “has one of the best lefty swings in the region. He's a great athlete and most of all a tenacious competitor.” He can also take the hill for Rossford, where the southpaw throws his fastball between 77-80 mph. He was named honorable mention All-Ohio a season ago.

Dylan Thatcher, Madeira, senior

Hit .329 with five homers and 11 extra-base hits last year, while driving in 24 runs. He drew 13 walks, had an on-base percentage of .444 and scored 19 runs. The 6-foot Thatcher can play the outfield as well. He earned first-team All-Cincinnati Hills League honors last season.

Seth Witt, Genoa, senior

The second-team All-Ohio selection hit .461 with 12 doubles, two homers and had 22 runs batted in last year. He also drew 20 walks. The lefty will also pitch for Genoa. In his two seasons of high school baseball as a freshman and junior (sophomore season lost due to COVID), he has been named first-team All-Northern Buckeye Conference each season.