Black College Nines Announces Its 2026 HBCU Baseball Large School Post Season Elites and Individual Awards

POWERED BY THE NATIONAL SCOUTING BUREAU

Thirty-seven ballplayers from 11 different Historically Black College and Universities make up Black College Nines’ 2026 Large School Elites representing institutions within the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I.

Additional recognition is given to our Player, Pitcher, Freshman, Coach and SID of the Year.

Selections were made based upon statistical information and research provided by Black College Nines, analytics* provided by A. Rod White of  the National Scouting Bureau and input from coaching staffs and their sports information departments.

Among the individual honorees, Edwin Sanchez of Bethune-Cookman University, for the second consecutive year, has been named the Elites’ Pitcher of the Year while Wildcat teammate Jose Fernandez has been named Player of the Year.

Miguel Oropeza, of Alabama State University, was named a large school first-team All-Elite after being the small school Player of the Year in both 2025 and 2024 and Freshman of the Year in 2022 when he was a student-athlete at Talladega College.  First-teamer Justin Journette, the 2024 Player of the Year, made this third straight appearance as an All-Elite while 2024 Pitcher of the Year, Caleb Granger was selected as a first-team starting pitcher in 2026. Camden Matthews, a small school All-Elite in 2024 and 2025 when he starred at Miles College, made a successful transition to NCAA Division I Alabama State and earned first-team All-Elite status.

Other previous years’ All-Elites named this year include Andrey Martinez of Bethune-Cookman University, K.J. White of Southern University, Jay Campbell of Florida A&M University, Kenney Fabian of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Cameron Hill of Grambling State University and Jorhan LaBoy of Alabama State University.

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The 2026 HBCU National Baseball Player, Pitcher, Freshman, Coach and SID of the Year:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Player of the Year – Jose Fernandez (Bethune-Cookman University)

Pitcher of the Year – Edwin Sanchez (Bethune-Cookman University)

Freshman of the Year – Aaron Grant (University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff)

Co-Coach of the Year – Jonathan Hernandez (Bethune-Cookman University)

Co-Coach of the Year – José Vazquez (Alabama State University)

Sports Information Director of the Year – Travis Jarome (Jackson State University)

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Large School Division (NCAA Division I)

♦First Team♦

INF Jose Fernandez (Bethune-Cookman University)

INF KJ White Jr. (Southern University)

INF Jonathan Trejo (Texas Southern University)

INF Jay Campbell (Florida A&M University)

UTL Andrey Martinez (Bethune-Cookman University)

DH  Jackson McKenzie (Florida A&M University)

OF  Miguel Oropeza (Alabama State University)

OF  Justin Journette (Norfolk State University)

OF  Tyree Reed (Jackson State University)

 C  Jonathan Gonzalez-Perez (Univ of Maryland Eastern Shore)

SP  Edwin Sanchez (Bethune-Cookman University)

SP  Caleb Granger (Florida A&M University)

SP  Jorhan LaBoy (Alabama State University)

SP  Kenney Fabian (University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff)

SP  Justin Mayes (Texas Southern University)

RP  Camden Matthews (Alabama State University)

♦Second Team♦

INF Jaylon Lucky (Southern University)

INF Aaron Grant (University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff)

INF Erick Almonte (Bethune-Cookman University)

INF Ryland Duson (Prairie View A&M University)

INF Charles Ashe III (Grambling State University)

UTL Thomas Ealey (Norfolk State University)

UTL Pierre Cabral (Jackson State University)

DH  Byron Robinson (Texas Southern University)

OF  Michael Rodriguez (Bethune-Cookman University)

OF  Niguel Jenkins (Alabama State University)

OF  Cameron Hill (Grambling State University)

OF  Darryl Lee (Bethune-Cookman University)

OF  Jacoby Radcliffe (Southern University)

 C  Maikol Lucena (Bethune-Cookman University)

 C  Trey Callaway (Alabama State University)

SP  Ethan Blakeney (Norfolk State University)

SP  Jayden Lopez (Jackson State University)

SP  Talmadge Davis (Jackson State University)

SP  Bobby Spencer (Southern University)

RP  Cody Williams (Florida A&M University)

RP  Pablo Torres (Bethune-Cookman University)

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*Analytic methodology includes, but not limited to, a weighted ranking system with six different metrics for position players, five different metrics for starting pitchers and another set of five metrics for relief pitchers with team and conference strength multipliers when necessary.