2026 Clutch Sports Media All-Area Baseball Teams: 91 Central Illinois athletes earn honors

Dozens of high-level baseball players and plenty of dominant teams has made Central Illinois a hub of high school baseball that demands respect. 

The 2026 season in the Peoria and Bloomington/Normal area was one for the books and was led by Tremont plowing through anyone in its path and winning its first Class 1A state title in program history. East Peoria rounded up a group of star seniors and other impact role players to break a 52 year-long sectional title and state appearance drought, going on to finish third in Class 3A. 

The area was so strong that the Raiders did so without being Mid-Illini Conference champions. That honor belonged to Dunlap, who, along with Normal Community and Brimfield/Elmwood, won over 30 games and conference titles. Normal U-High also reached the Class 3A Elite Eight after a standout season under first-year head coach Charlie Shempf. 

Those teams and plenty of others have players represented on Clutch Sports Media’s 2026 Baseball All-Area Teams, which has over 90 players from the 39 schools in the CSM coverage area.  Clutch Sports Media will also have a Player of the Year and a Coach of the Year, both of which will be announced shortly. 

Players below are listed by position, then alphabetically by last name.

Clutch Sports Media All-Area First Team

Gavin Swartz, senior, Normal Community - Pitcher

Swartz parlayed an exceptional prep career into hearing his name called by the Colorado Rockies in the 11th round of the Major League Baseball Draft. The Ironmen senior faced some of the toughest teams that Normal Community played all year and went 6-2 with 58 strikeouts, 16 walks, a 2.35 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP in 38.2 innings. Swartz was named an Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 4A all-state selection while leading Normal Community to a 34-3 record, Big 12 Conference title and Class 4A regional championship. He also earned unanimous first team all-Big 12 Conference and Big 12 Pitcher of the Year honors for the second straight year.

Caleb Hornbrook, senior, Normal U-High - Catcher

Hornbrook offered top-notch hitting and defense for Normal U-High, who went 29-6 and won a Class 3A sectional title. The veteran backstop hit .510 with 52 hits — both of which set new program records — 44 RBIs, 13 doubles, two triples and six home runs and struck out just once all season. He also called pitches and managed a U-High pitching staff that had a 2.02 team ERA. Hornbrook earned IHSBCA Class 3A all-state and first team all-Central State Eight Conference awards. He will continue his career at Lake Land College.

Jackson Ahrens, senior, East Peoria - Infield

Ahrens erupted for a massive senior season that saw him flip his commitment from Kirkwood Community College to Northern Illinois after receiving the Division I offer in the middle of the season. He starred for an East Peoria squad that made its first state berth since 1974 by hitting .432 with 57 hits, 35 RBIs, 16 doubles, nine triples and 10 home runs. His standout campaign featured him hitting for the cycle in back-to-back games on March 26 and March 30. He earned IHSBCA Class 3A all-state and first team all-Mid Illini Conference honors. 

Andrew Dawson, senior, Tremont - Infield/Pitcher

Dawson was one of the top two-way players in the state and played a key role in 38-2 Tremont winning a Class 1A state title. The Valparaiso signee hit .518 with 71 hits, 51 RBIs, 14 doubles, six triples and six home runs at the plate. On the mound, he went 10-0 with a 1.88 ERA, 94 strikeouts and 29 walks in 56.1 innings. Dawson earned IHSBCA Class 1A all-state and unanimous first team all-Heart of Illinois Conference honors. 

RJ Duncheon, senior, East Peoria - Infield/Pitcher

Duncheon dominated in all facets of the game for East Peoria as the ace and top batter for a Raiders squad that finished third in Class 3A. The Illinois State signee hit .542 with 65 hits, 41 RBIs, 14 doubles, nine home runs and 32 walks. He also fashioned a 1.47 ERA to go with 149 strikeouts, 20 walks and an 11-3 record in 85.2 innings on the mound and also played catcher, throwing out four runners stealing. Duncheon earned IHSBCA Class 3A all-state and first team all-Mid Illini Conference honors. 

Griffin Meeker, senior, Tremont - Infield/Pitcher

Meeker electrified a potent Tremont squad at the top of the batting order, at shortstop and at pitcher to help the Turks win their first Class 1A state title in program history. The senior, who was also a Clutch Sports Media All-Area Honorable Mention in boys golf and basketball, hit .478 with 66 hits, 45 RBIs, 16 doubles, eight triples and five home runs. His arm provided Tremont with 41 strikeouts, nine walks, a 1.77 ERA and 3-0 record in 23.2 innings pitching. Meeker earned IHSBCA Class 1A all-state and first team all-Heart of Illinois Conference laurels and will continue his career at Heartland Community College.

Josh Papenhause, senior, Tremont - Outfield

Papenhause feasted in the heart of the order for Tremont and propelled an offense that scored nearly 10 runs per game. The senior outfielder hit .366 with 45 hits, 46 RBIs, 15 doubles, two triples and two home runs. He earned first team all-Heart of Illinois Conference honors and will play football at Monmouth College. 

Kaeden Schatsiek, senior, Brimfield/Elmwood - Outfield

Schatsiek earned a reputation as one of the most feared hitters in the state and hit 17 home runs to lead all area players and Brimfield/Elmwood, which went 32-6 and won a Class 2A sectional title. The Illinois State signee batted .486 with 51 home runs, 61 RBIs, 13 doubles, four triples and 11 stolen bases. Additionally, he pitched 48 innings with a 3.65 ERA, 4-1 record, 99 strikeouts and 36 walks. He earned IHSBCA Class 2A all-state and unanimous first team all-conference honors in the Inter-County and Prairieland conferences. 

Cole Smith, senior, Metamora - Outfield

Smith keyed Metamora to its winningest season since 2015 and became the program’s new leader in career batting average with a mark of .412. The Redbirds star senior hit .449 this past season with 48 hits, 35 RBIs, seven doubles, two triples and five home runs to go with 12 stolen bases. He earned IHSBCA Class 3A all-state honorable mention and first team all-Mid Illini Conference awards and will continue his career at Valparaiso.

Chase Rhodes, senior, Tremont - Utility 

Rhodes was a viable weapon for Class 1A state champion Tremont and led the team in ERA and strikeouts while being a strong bat. The senior carried an 0.52 ERA and 9-1 record to go with 110 strikeouts and 20 walks in 54 innings. He chipped in 42 hits, 29 RBIs, nine doubles and a .347 batting average at the plate as well. Rhodes recently committed to Kansas after previously committing to John A. Logan College. He earned IHSBCA Class 1A all-state and unanimous first team all-Heart of Illinois Conference honors.

Clutch Sports Media All-Area Second Team

Carter Lippens, junior, Dunlap - Pitcher

The Mid-Illini Pitcher of the Year was nearly impossible to beat in his junior year while lifting 30-8 Dunlap to Mid-Illini Conference and Class 3A regional titles. Lippens struck out 90 batters and walked 24 in 65 innings of work. He posted an ERA of 1.08, earned a school-record 10 wins, and batters managed to hit just .195 against him. He was an IHSBCA Class 3A all-state selection and a first team all-Mid Illini Conference honoree. 

Max Heineman, senior, Normal Community - Catcher 

Heineman put up a strong season to close out his Normal Community career before heading off to Illinois-Chicago to play in college. The Ironmen backstop hit .434 with 46 hits, 34 RBIs, 12 doubles, one triple, three home runs and added 13 stolen bases on the year. He also threw out 44 percent of runners that tried to steal against him. Heineman’s contributions earned him IHSBCA Class 4A all-state honorable mention and first team all-Big 12 Conference recognition. 

Gavin Michaels, senior, Normal Community - Infield

Michaels was a valuable asset in the infield to a dominant Normal Community squad. He hit .396 with 46 runs, 38 hits, 31 RBIs, seven doubles, four triples and three home runs while swiping 26 bases to earn Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors. He also earned IHSBCA Class 4A all-state honorable mention and first team all-Big 12 Conference honors and will continue his career in college at Cincinnati.

Eli Michanicou, junior, Dunlap - Infield/Pitcher

Michanicou was part of Dunlap’s nucleus and offered equally strong contributions on the mound and in the lineup. The junior hit .366 with 40 hits, 28 RBIs, 11 doubles, one triple, three home runs and showcased his speed with 19 stolen bases. He joined Lippens as a force in the rotation by tallying a 1.87 ERA, 7-3 record, two saves, 71 strikeouts and 12 walks in 48.2 innings. The Bradley commit was a first team all-Mid Illini Conference selection. 

Justin Muselman, senior, Tremont - Infield

Muselman delivered many big hits for Tremont during its run to the Class 1A state championship and led all area players in doubles with 18. The Turks first baseman hit .472 with 58 hits, 33 RBIs, three triples and one home run while being a reliable defensive presence. Muselman earned IHSBCA Class 1A all-state and second team all-Heart of Illinois Conference honors. 

Ryder Rennette, sophomore, Dunlap - Infield

Rennette showed why he’s one of the state’s top sophomore prospects, leading the Mid-Illini champion Eagles with a .395 batting average and 45 hits. He chipped in 23 RBIs while batting leadoff to go with five doubles, six triples and 19 stolen bases. Rennette was a first team all-Mid Illini Conference selection.

Haydon Hawksworth, senior, Washington - Outfield

Hawksworth was one of the top bats for Washington, which went 24-12 and advanced to the Class 3A regional finals. The senior outfielder hit .380 with 41 hits, 24 RBIs, eight doubles, one triple and two home runs. Hawksworth earned a spot on the Mid-Illini’s all-conference first team and will continue his career at Illinois Wesleyan.

Josh Jones, senior, Normal Community - Outfield/Pitcher

Jones fit right in with Normal Community after transferring from Normal U-High as the Indiana State commit boosted the Ironmen in multiple ways. As a pitcher, he threw 43.1 innings with a 2.42 ERA, 7-0 record, 78 strikeouts and 25 walks. Jones also hit .395 with 17 hits, 10 RBIs, three doubles, two triples and two stolen bases. He was a unanimous first team all-Big 12 Conference selection. 

Gabe Perez, senior, IVC - Outfield/Pitcher

Perez had a big hand in many of IVC’s wins as the Grey Ghost’s ace and one of the team’s top batters. The veteran outfielder hit .390 with 39 hits, 17 RBIs, 13 doubles, two triples, three home runs and five stolen bases. He also struck out 85 batters with 43 walks in 62.1 innings and put up a 2.35 ERA and 6-4 record. Perez was a unanimous first team all-Illini Prairie Conference selection and will continue his career at Heartland Community College.

Auggie Lohnes, senior, East Peoria - Utility 

Lohnes made a big impact in his return to the field after missing most of the 2025 season with a torn labrum. The senior infielder muscled 47 hits, 10 doubles, three triples and eight home runs to go with a .370 batting average and 39 RBIs. The first team all-Mid Illini Conference selection will continue his career at Illinois Central College. 

Clutch Sports Media All-Area Honorable Mention

Ty Bachman, sophomore, Normal West - Pitcher

Collin Burns, senior, Morton - Pitcher

Grayson Coughlin, senior, Tri-Valley - Pitcher

Landon Crawford, senior, Farmington - Pitcher

Sean Crowe, senior, Brimfield/Elmwood - Pitcher

Brayden Fargher, senior, Illini Bluffs - Pitcher

Layten Gerdes, senior, Fieldcrest - Pitcher

Jerry Hahn, senior, Dee-Mack - Pitcher 

Dalton Johnson, senior, Midwest Central - Pitcher 

Henry Koehler, senior, Roanoke-Benson/Lowpoint-Washburn - Pitcher

Hunter Long, junior, Limestone - Pitcher

Dalton Oakman, senior, East Peoria - Pitcher 

Evan Patterson, senior, Brimfield/Elmwood - Pitcher

Coley Palmer, junior, Princeville - Pitcher

Isaac Perez, senior, Washington - Pitcher

Jarek Quinn, senior, Richwoods - Pitcher 

Dominic Rosa, senior, Midland - Pitcher

Mason Sauder, senior, Metamora - Pitcher

Andrew Sanchez, senior, Bloomington Central Catholic - Pitcher

Isaac Schroeder, sophomore, Normal U-High - Pitcher

Camden Taylor, senior, Morton - Pitcher

Kash VanHouten, junior, Canton - Pitcher

Isaiah Alexander, senior, Tri-Valley - Catcher

Layne Johnson, senior, Brimfield/Elmwood - Catcher

Hudson Lovell, junior, Morton - Catcher

John Martin, senior, Eureka - Catcher

Sam McCully, junior, Normal West - Catcher

Stephen Petri, senior, Metamora - Catcher

Sam Schwartz, junior, Richwoods - Catcher

Corbin Soldal, junior, Delavan - Catcher

Drew Stevens, senior, Normal Community - Catcher

Bronson Atchley, senior, Farmington - Infield

Isaac Babbs, junior, Dunlap - Infield

Lucas Beaty, junior, Normal Community - Infield 

Asher Blessman, sophomore, Canton - Infield

Cam Crawford, senior, Morton - Infield

Parker Eggenberger, senior, Dee-Mack - Infield

Dane Fagerburg, senior, Brimfield/Elmwood - Infield

Sam Griggs, senior, IVC - Infield

Chase Haworth, senior, Tri-Valley - Infield

Brady Jones, sophomore, Metamora - Infield

Boston Katz, senior, Heyworth - Infield

Mason Kenny, senior, Peoria Notre Dame - Infield

Josiah Kniep, senior, Peoria Christian - Infield

Noah Malone, senior, Brimfield/Elmwood - Infield

Teagan McLaughlin, junior, Eureka - Infield

Griffin Meyer, senior, Normal U-High - Infield

Carter Peterson, junior, Princeville - Infield

Eli Roedell, senior, Washington - Infield

Parker Roop, junior, Normal U-High - Infield

Keegan Schol, junior, IVC - Infield

Hunter Smith, senior, Tremont - Infield

Brendan Wright, junior, Richwoods - Infield

Owen Adams, junior, El Paso-Gridley - Outfield

Brett Alkire, junior, Dunlap - Outfield

Mayson Aslinger, sophomore, Normal West - Outfield

TJ Beer, senior, Roanoke-Benson/Lowpoint-Washburn - Outfield

Cole Brent, senior, Normal U-High - Outfield

Cooper Clark, junior, Limestone - Outfield

Andrew Gerig, senior, Peoria Christian - Outfield

Tristan Hendy, junior, Farmington - Outfield

Braydon Laesch, junior, Heyworth - Outfield

Riley Larkin, junior, Normal West - Outfield

Sam McCall, sophomore, Richwoods - Outfield

Jack Moehle, senior, Washington - Outfield

Andrew Naour, senior, Normal Community - Outfield

Sam Peters, senior, Washington - Outfield

Gavin Slayback, sophomore, Bloomington Central Catholic - Outfield

Drew Swadinsky, senior, Dee-Mack - Outfield

Beckett Weber, senior, Normal Community - Outfield