2026 ABA National Championship: A3 Academy
May 12, 2026
The Academy Baseball Association National Championship kicks off on May 12 at LakePoint Sports in Emerson, Ga. Over the next week leading up to the double-elimination tournament, we'll be publishing our team previews to highlight the event's outlook. These previews are built from the questionnaires submitted by head coaches, giving us detailed insights into their 2026 rosters.
Our 2026 ABA National Championship coverage continues today.
Academy: A3 Academy Trojans
Division: Premier
Head Coach: Shane Rowland
2026 Record: 10-9
Team Strengths: Defense, baseball IQ, and team chemistry
ROSTER PREVIEW
| NAME | CLASS | POS | COMMITMENT |
| Connor Fulmino | Senior | CF | Elon |
| Dillon Knight | Senior | RF | UCF |
| Parker Allman | Senior | LHP | George Mason |
| Jojo Deljevic | Senior | RHP | Rutgers |
| Vinny Lee | Senior | 2B | Manhattan |
| Sammy Echeverry | Junior | C | Florida Atlantic |
| Kaden Kenny | Junior | 3B/C | Florida Atlantic |
| Moises Gudino | Junior | SS | South Florida |
| Grant Timmons | Junior | RHP | Dayton |
| Nate Roldan | - | 1B | Uncommitted |
| Miguel Roa | - | - | Uncommitted |
| Trent Prevatt | - | - | Uncommitted |
| Matt Midyett | - | LF | Uncommitted |
| Ayson McIntosh | - | DH | Uncommitted |
| Hayden Sladewski | - | RHP | Uncommitted |
| Landon Serrano | - | RHP | Uncommitted |
TOP UNCOMMITTED PROSPECTS
The Trojans feature a few uncommitted names to monitor closely throughout the tournament:
- Nate Roldan
- Miguel Roa
- Trent Prevatt
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS & DATA
- The Trojans enter the ABA National Championship battle-tested, boasting a 10-9 record while navigating a highly competitive schedule in the Premier Division.
- They rely heavily on playing clean, fundamentally sound baseball, anchored by their elite defense and team chemistry.
- Despite some unfortunate injuries to key arms, the active roster remains packed with high-level Division I talent across the diamond.
X-FACTOR
Airtight defense up the middle. In tournament play, preventing free bases and taking away hits is paramount. The Trojans boast a premium defensive spine with Sammy Echeverry (Florida Atlantic) behind the plate, Moises Gudino (South Florida) and Vinny Lee (Manhattan) manning the middle infield, and Connor Fulmino (Elon) patrolling center field. This secure group allows their pitching staff to pitch to contact confidently and minimizes extra outs for the opposition.
TEAM OUTLOOK
A3 Academy comes to Emerson prepared to lean on their experience and grit. Head coach Shane Rowland notes that his squad’s identity revolves around "defense, smart baseball players, and team chemistry."
While the offense features a deep mix of upperclassmen including Dillon Knight (UCF), Kaden Kenny (Florida Atlantic), and Nate Roldan, it's the run-prevention unit that will dictate their success. The pitching staff will be fronted by starters Hayden Sladewski and Grant Timmons (Dayton), with left-hander Parker Allman (George Mason) and righty Landon Serrano providing key leverage innings out of the bullpen.
The Trojans will have their depth tested at LakePoint, as they enter the tournament without the services of Florida State commit Matt Werner (RHP) and FAMU commit Nick Brown due to injuries. But with their high baseball IQ and defensively sound approach, A3 Academy possesses the fundamentals required to grind out wins in a double-elimination format.
BOTTOM LINE
A3 Academy is built on the fundamentals: strong defense, smart baseball, and cohesive team chemistry. While they might be missing a couple of key arms due to injury, a roster loaded with collegiate talent makes them a tough, resilient out for anyone in the Premier Division bracket.