Here are our top 10 performers from Round 1 of the 2026 Georgia high school baseball playoffs.
Harlem pitcher Brody Knight, a senior, helped the Bulldogs sweep White County in the first round of the GHSA Class 3A state playoffs with a strong performance on the mound and at the plate. Knight pitched all seven innings in Harlem’s 5-2 Game 2 win, allowing just two runs on two hits with two walks while striking out 11 batters. At the plate, Knight went 3-for-4 with a double, three walks, one RBI, and one run scored. Knight is committed to Gordon College.
Harlem senior Austin Fox pitched 4.1 innings in the Bulldogs’ 7-2 Game 1 win over White County in the Class 3A state playoffs, allowing no runs and no hits while walking one batter and striking out five. Fox went 2-for-6 over the two games with one home run, two RBIs, three walks, one stolen base, and three runs scored. Fox is committed to Piedmont College.
Houston County pitcher Ethan Kenney, a senior, led the Bears in their 5-2 Game 2 win over Lassiter in Round 1 of the 2026 GHSA Class 5A state playoffs. Kenney went 4-for-4 at the plate with a home run, a double, and three RBIs. He also pitched a complete game win, striking out 10 while allowing just two runs. Houston County will play Newnan in the second round of the playoffs.
Valdosta designated hitter Ricky Reynolds, a junior, hit a home run, drove in two runs, and drew a walk in Game 2 of the Wildcats’ best-of-three opening-round playoff series against Mill Creek.
Berrien junior Conor Nix batted .500 in the opening-round playoff series against Bremen, going 4-for-8 with three extra-base hits, including a home run, a triple, and a double, with five RBIs. Nix caught 13 innings behind the plate over the two playoff games, picked off two runners at first base, and threw out four runners attempting to steal second base.
Lowndes pitcher Brinson Rountree, a junior, closed out the Vikings’ first-round playoff series win with a complete game 67-pitch shutout, allowing just one hit to lead Lowndes to a 3-0 win over Mountain View in the GHSA Class 6A state playoffs. Lowndes will host Parkview at Noel George Field in the second round.
Buford outfielder Carson Reeves, a junior, went 5-for-5 at the plate while driving in seven runs in Buford’s 17-10 Game 2 win over Richmond Hill in the first round of the GHSA Class 6A state playoffs. Reeves also picked up the win in relief, pitching the final two innings to send Buford to the second round against Brookwood.
Houston County right-handed pitcher Tyson Ganas, a junior, pitched six innings, striking out seven batters while allowing just one run to lead the Bears to an 11-1 Game 1 win over Lassiter in the opening-round of their Class 5A series. The Bears will play Newnan in the second round in a rematch of last year’s Class 5A state championship series.
Mill Creek senior Will Myhand homered in his first two at-bats against Valdosta in Game 1 of their opening-round playoff series. He was then walked intentionally in his next seven at-bats. Myhand scored six runs in the two games to help the Hawks sweep the series.
Tiftarea Academy pitcher and first baseman Dawson Butler, a senior, batted .556 against Terrell Academy in a three-game series last week. Butler had five hits, including two home runs and eight RBIs, and scored five runs. He also pitched one scoreless inning to help the Panthers sweep the series.
