Here is the 2024 Jacksonville Daily News All-Region Baseball Team, showcasing the area’s best players at each position. The schools that make up the All-Region team are: Croatan, Dixon, East Duplin, Jacksonville, Lejeune, Northside, Richlands, Southwest, Swansboro and White Oak.
Ryan Brinkley, Swansboro: Senior pitcher Brinkley went 3-3 with a 2.69 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 41 2/3 innings to help the Pirates go to an 11-8 record and qualify for the NCHSAA 3-A playoffs. He batted .240 with eight RBI, four runs scored, four doubles and two triples. Brinkley recorded 14 strikeouts in an 11-0 win over White Oak and recorded seven or more strikeouts in three other games.
Liam McFadden, Croatan: The senior pitcher went 7-1 with a 3.63 ERA, one save, 34 2/3 innings and 64 strikeouts to help the Cougars to a 20-5 overall record, 10-0 Coastal 3A Conference record and a berth in the fourth round of the playoffs. He batted .433 with 29 RBI, 22 runs scored, 10 doubles, one triple, one home run and eight stolen bases. McFadden had two three-run hits and seven two-run hits and recorded a season-high 12 strikeouts in a 7-5 win over West Carteret.
Broderick Miller, Croatan: The senior left-handed pitcher went 10-1 with a 1.36 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings. He batted .282 with 20 RBI, 14 runs scored, five doubles, one triple and six stolen bases. He recorded at least 10 strikeouts in four games and nine in two more games.
Jonathan Pittman, Southwest: The sophomore left-handed pitcher went 4-3 with a 1.54 ERA, struck out 56 batters and walked just seven in 45 1/3 innings to help the Stallions to an 11-10 record and a berth in the Class 2A playoffs. He batted .321 with 16 RBI, 15 runs scored, five doubles and one triple. He struck out 11 batters in 4-0 and 8-0 wins over Dixon and East Duplin.
Carter Dudley, Southwest: The senior catcher batted .405 with 20 RBI, 12 runs scored, four doubles and two home runs. He was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, four RBI and three runs scored in a 10-9 loss to Fike and had two hits in five other games.
Jayden Davis, Southwest: The senior first baseman batted .447 with 17 runs scored, 13 RBI, six doubles and two home runs. He was 3-for-4 with two doubles, four RBI and a run scored in a 10-5 loss to Jacksonville and had two hits in six other games.
Tate Whitehead, Southwest: The junior second baseman batted .443 with 28 runs scored, 25 RBI, four doubles, one triple and nine stolen bases. He was 3-for-3 with one double, three runs scored and two RBI in a 20-0 win over James Kenan, while also recording three three-hit games and two two-hit games.
Dalton Shipp, Jacksonville: The senior third baseman batted .361 with five RBI, two runs scored, three doubles and one triple to help the Cardinals finish the season 6-5 after starting the season 0-10. He was 3-for-4 with one double and three RBI in a 10-5 win over Southwest and also had two hits in two other games.
Zach Brown, East Duplin: The senior shortstop batted .356 with 29 runs scored, 15 RBI, five doubles, one triple, one home run and 12 stolen bases to help the Panthers reach the Class 2A playoffs again. He was 5-for-5 with one double and three runs scored in a 15-5 win over Rosewood, while also recording three hits twice and two hits once.
Rusty Haswell, Swansboro: The senior outfielder batted .365 with 19 runs scored, 11 RBI, two doubles, two triples and 14 stolen bases. He also struck out 35 batters in 22 2/3 innings with a 4.01 ERA and a 1-2 record. Haswell went 3-for-3 with one double, one triple, four runs scored and two RBIs in a 17-0 win over White Oak.
Julian Rojas, Jacksonville: The senior outfielder batted .397 with 24 runs scored, 13 RBI, four doubles, two home runs and eight stolen bases. He went 3-for-3 with one double and three RBI in a 17-9 loss to 3A East Division champion South Central, and also had one three-hit game and five two-hit games.
Weston Thomas, Croatan: The junior outfielder batted .494 with 40 runs scored, 16 RBI, nine doubles, four triples, one home run and 25 stolen bases. In a 10-2 win over Topsail, he went four for five with one run scored, had six three-hit games and eight two-hit games.
Mason Meyer, Jacksonville: The senior utility player batted .351 with 18 runs scored, 13 RBI, six doubles and six stolen bases while going 1-5 with one save, a 4.24 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings on the mound. He had three hits in three at-bats, four runs scored and four RBI in an 18-6 win over Northside, along with one three-hit game and three two-hit games.
Baynes Rainer, East Duplin: The sophomore designated hitter batted .480 with 28 runs scored, 18 RBI, 10 doubles, one triple and 21 stolen bases. He also went 2-7 with a 3.82 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings on the mound. Rainer was 5-for-5 with one double, three runs scored and two RBI in a 15-5 win over Rosewood, and had four games with four hits, four games with three hits and four games with two hits.
Hayden Turner, Richlands: The junior designated hitter batted .475 with 26 runs scored, eight RBI, four doubles and 11 stolen bases. He was three for four with four runs scored in an 18-4 win over White Oak, and had three games with three three hits and seven games with two hits.
Patrick Holifield (Swansboro), sophomore, pitcher, 6-2, 0.58 ERA, 36.1 innings, 48 strikeouts, .250 batting average, 9 RBI, 6 runs scored, 1 second baseman.
Maguire Lewis (Jacksonville), Sophomore, Pitcher, 1-3, 5.32 ERA, 31.1 innings, 34 strikeouts, .246 batting average, 16 RBI, 8 runs, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs
Seth Vincent (Dixon), Jr., pitcher, 2-2, 1.35 ERA, 36.1 innings, 34 strikeouts, .276 batting average, 17 runs scored, 10 RBI, 1 double, 1 triple, 11 stolen bases.
Matthew Woody (Croatan), Sr., pitcher, 0-0, 0.38 ERA, 3 saves, 18.2 innings, 22 strikeouts.
Vasco Sutton (Jacksonville), sophomore, catcher, batting .344 with 13 RBI, 12 runs scored, 10 doubles and 6 stolen bases.
Brandon Watson (White Oak), sophomore, first baseman, batting .312 with 10 runs scored and 9 RBIs, 2 second base.
Josh Scott (Swansboro), Jr., second baseman, batting .345 with 14 runs scored, 10 RBI, 2 doubles and 11 stolen bases.
Jonathan Gaslander (Dixon), senior, third baseman, batting .300 with 15 RBI, 13 runs scored, four hits at second base, one at third base, 12 stolen bases.
Nathan Mihalovic (Croatia), Sr., SS, .369 batting average, 31 runs scored, 19 RBI, 5 doubles, 2 doubles, 14 stolen bases
Chase Bryan (Southwest), senior, outfielder, batting .436 with 16 runs scored, 13 RBI, two doubles, one triple and one home run.
Dominique King (Jacksonville), Sr., outfielder, batted .318 with 11 runs scored, 10 RBI, 2 doubles, 1 triple and 9 stolen bases.
Deonte Roberts (Southwest), junior, outfielder, batted .400 with 15 runs scored, six RBI, five doubles, one triple and six stolen bases.
Gavin Holmes (East Duplin), freshman, utility, batted .308 with 18 runs scored, 14 RBI, 1 double, 1 triple and 13 stolen bases.
Kendall Huffman (Southwest), Sr., Utility, 4-0, 0.49 ERA, 14 1/3 innings, 18 strikeouts, .250 batting average, 11 runs scored, 5 RBI, 2 doubles.
Bryson Ponsock (Dixon), Jr., DH, batting .350 with 23 runs scored, 13 RBI, 3 doubles and 13 stolen bases.
