Player of the Year Watch List

We’re proud to release the North Carolina Preseason Player of the Year Watch List, featuring twenty of the state’s most impactful players heading into the 2026 season.

This group is built on true difference-makers—middle-of-the-order bats, frontline arms, and complete players who impact the game in all phases. Each serves as a cornerstone for their program, capable of shifting the identity of a team with their presence alone.

The list features a balanced mix of position players, two-way talents, and a select group of pitcher-only standouts who anchor their staffs.

While the eventual Player of the Year could emerge from this group, the race remains wide open. Our scouting staff will be active across North Carolina throughout the spring, with this watch list evolving as players continue to separate themselves.

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Player of the Year Watch List - Cameron Tarkenton (2026,RHP/INF,Cardinal Gibbons)

After putting together a dominant career at Cardinal Gibbons High School, this University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recruit has taken things to another level this season. Tarkenton is 10-0 with a 1.27 ERA across 49.2 innings, striking out 95 while issuing just four walks, with opponents hitting only .146 against him. For his career, he owns an impressive 31-5 record. Widely regarded as one of the top strike-throwers in the 2026 class, he attacks hitters with a fastball that sits in the low 90s and can reach the mid-90s at times.

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