2026 Diamond Prospect Media Player of the Year Award

This year we will be announcing our 5th annual Diamond Prospect Media Player of the Year Award for the 2026 high school season on Sunday, May 3rd, 2026. Past winners have included IF/RHP Joey Lawson of Bishop Verot HS in 2025, RHP Chase Mobley of Durant HS in 2024, IF Braden Holcomb of Foundation Academy in 2023, and RHP Caden McDonald of Sickles HS in 2022. This award encompasses a player who has not only had an outstanding year personally, but helped elevate their team throughout the regular season. The 12 players nominated with their stats will be listed at the bottom of this article following the Award Rules and Selection details.

Award Rules and Selection 

The Diamond Prospect Media Player of the Year award will be decided by three different aspects which will be voted on. Below are the parameters of the final decision:

-Fan Vote: On Wednesday, April 29th at 9AM our X/Twitter account (@DiamondProMedia) will have a 3 part vote (12 players total) which will go for 24 hours each. At the conclusion of each vote, we will then select the top 3 from each along with a “wild card” (whoever receives the most votes outside of the top 3) from each and put them in a Final Four Vote which will begin at 10AM on Thursday, April 30th and go for 24 hours. Whoever wins the Final Four Vote will win the Fan Vote.

X/Twitter Vote Update on 

The Final Four Fan Vote will be decided on by the following four players: 

X/Twitter Vote Update on 

Final Four Fan Vote Winner:

*In the event of a tie for the Final Four Vote (two receive the same overall percentage and are within that percentage point of each other) there will be a Vote Off between the two that will begin within an hour of the initial Final Four Vote ending. For example, if two nominees both receive 32% of the vote but one is 32.8% and one is 32.2% it will go to the Vote Off. If one is 33% and the other is 32%, the one with 33% will win.

-DPM Staff: The scouting staff of DPM (outside of the Scouting Director) will vote amongst themselves and come up with a pick from the 12 players nominated. This will be announced on Saturday, May 2nd.

DPM Staff Pick: 

-Scouting Director: Mike Maerz will turn in a pick as well from the 12 players nominated. This will be announced on Sunday, May 3rd.

Scouting Director Pick: 

*The winner will be decided by having 2 of the same picks from the 3 areas listed above. If all three are different, then the tiebreaker will be the leading vote getter of the Final Four Fan Vote to determine the award winner. 

Diamond Prospect Media Player of the Year Award Nominees:

2027 RHP/IF Samir Mohammed (Jesuit HS, FL)
LSU commit
5-0/0.43 ERA/64 Ks in 32.2 IP
.353 BA/15 RBI/2 HRs

2026 LHP/OF Carter Cox (Venice HS, FL)
FAU commit.
8-0/0.44 ERA/82 Ks in 47.2 IP
.300 BA/11 RBI/3 doubles

2026 LHP/OF Gio Rojas (Stoneman Douglas HS, FL)
Miami commit.
6-1/0.82 ERA/76 Ks in 42.2 IP
.311 BA/13 RBI/ 4 HRs

2026 RHP/IF Coleman Borthwick (South Walton HS, FL)
Auburn commit
5-0/0.00 ERA/67 Ks in 37.2 IP
.447 BA/27 RBI/10 doubles/8 HRs

2026 RHP/OF Brayden Harris (St. John’s Country Day HS, FL)
Florida State commit.
6-2/1.37 ERA/96 Ks in 51 IP
.338 BA/11 RBI

2026 RHP Ethan DeJesus (Sumner HS, FL)
FGCU commit.
7-2 /1.74 ERA/91 Ks in 48.1 IP

2026 IF Tyler Lomas (Bishop Moore Catholic, FL)
Stetson commit.
.502 BA/25 RBI/4 HRs/11 doubles/15 SBs

2026 RHP/IF Joey Lawson (Bishop Verot HS, FL)
UNC commit.
4-2/1.45 ERA/62 Ks in 37.2 IP/1 No-Hitter
.342 BA/25 RBI/4 HRs

2026 RHP Matt Altman (Gaither HS, FL)
FAMU commit.
11-0/0.23 ERA/65 Ks in 60 IP

2027 IF Tavis Honeycutt (Newberry HS, FL)
Florida commit.
.593 BA/48 RBI/16 HR/1.458 SLG/2.189 OPS

2027 LHP/1B Ryan Harless (Mosley HS, FL)
Louisville commit
8-0/0.14 ERA/99Ks in 50 IP (Most in Florida)
.373 BA/14 RBI