National Player of the Week: 3/2 to 3/8

March 13, 2026
By Andy Sroka
National Managing Editor, Scouting

Today, we’re announcing our second National Player of the Week of the 2026 campaign, as the warm-weather states in the country have begun their spring seasons in earnest.

The following players were submitted by their coaches to our state directors and they went on to earn the Player or Pitcher of the Week award in those states. From there, we sifted through the country’s POTWs and selected the top performer among them, singling them out as the sole National Player of the Week. If you’re a coach interested in submitting a nomination this season but have not yet received that form so far this spring, visit our staff directory to find the contact information for the state director overseeing your state’s season coverage.

Our staff took player stat lines from the week of March 2 to 8 into account when determining these awards.

🏆 NATIONAL POTW

Dylan Stacks RHP / 3B / North Brunswick, NC / 2026

“In his second start of the season, Stacks made a loud statement, tossing a perfect game. Stacks worked seven innings, striking out 14, without allowing a baserunner. In facing the minimum, Stacks threw just 78 pitches and 57 of them were strikes. In that same game, Stacks helped his own cause going 3-for-3 with three doubles, he scored a run, and drove in an RBI of his own.”

– Brandon Hall, Mid-Atlantic Director of Scouting

(2/23/26)

STATE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

California

+ Rallin Covey, RHP (Sacred Heart Prep HS, 2026) | USC:
“The USC signee opened his senior campaign on a tear for Sacred Heart Prep. Over the first three weeks of the season, he has taken the ball for 11 innings with 21 Ks to just three walks while allowing only two earned runs. It is his Week Three start alone that earns him California's Pitcher of the Week award. Toeing the rubber for Sacred Heart Prep against Burlingame, the right-hander was dominant over six innings of work by punching out 11 hitters, walking just three, and allowing one hit on the day with one run allowed.”

+ Ezekiel Lara, OF (Mater Dei HS, 2026) | Georgia Tech:
“The Georgia Tech signee traveled to Texas with his Mater Dei team for an out-of-state tournament and brought the heat with his left-handed bat. In a dominant performance over the course of three games with two wins for the Monarchs, Lara posted an eye-popping .636 average (7-for-11). That alone would have put him in the mix for the award, but diving deeper into the numbers, Lara was not only a hit-collecting force, but also the damage he did with those seven hits. Slugging 1.364 with a 2.030 OPS for the week, the future Georgia Tech outfielder had 10 RBIs, scored two runs, tripled, and homered with two doubles in those three games. It was an electric week in the Texas heat for the two-time Prep Baseball California Future Games representative.”

– Steven Hardesty, California Associate Director

(5/23/25)

Louisiana

+ Kade Luker, LHP/OF (Cedar Creek HS, 2027) | LSU Alexandria:
“With the kind of numbers Kade Luker has been putting up this spring, it felt like only a matter of time before the former Future Gamer and LSU commit took home our Pitcher of the Week honors. Last week, Luker drew the start against a talented Loyola College Prep lineup and turned in a dominant performance. The junior southpaw tossed a complete game, allowing zero earned runs on five hits with no walks and 12 strikeouts on just 90 pitches (81% strikes).

Luker didn’t stop there. At the plate, he continued to impact the game offensively, going 4-for-8 on the week with a double, seven runs scored, and three stolen bases. As impressive as his week was, Luker’s season numbers are downright staggering. Through 23 innings, he owns a 4-0 record, allowing just 10 hits, one run, and zero earned runs, while issuing only three walks and striking out 42 hitters. And if that wasn’t enough, he’s been just as dangerous in the batter’s box. Luker is currently hitting .613 with two home runs, six doubles, eight RBIs, 19 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases. He’s also drawn 11 walks while striking out only twice all season.

Simply put, Luker has been one of the most dominant two-way performers in the state this spring.”

(2/24/26)

+ Cooper Hawkins, OF (St. Thomas More HS, 2027) | Southern Miss:
“St. Thomas More won four of their five games last week, plating 37 runs during that stretch, and junior Cooper Hawkins was right in the middle of the offensive surge. The former Future Gamer and Southern Miss commit swung a scorching bat, hitting .400 on the week with three home runs, two doubles, 10 RBIs, and four runs scored for the Cougars. Hawkins opened the week by going 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBIs in Monday’s win over New Iberia. He followed that up with the biggest swing of the week on Thursday, launching a grand slam against Sapulpa (OK) that served as the knockout blow in STM’s 10-4 victory. Hawkins then closed the week with a 2-for-4 performance against Kingwood (TX) to cap off an impressive stretch at the plate.”

– Alex Armand, Louisiana State Director

Florida

+ Bryce Conner, 1B (Melbourne HS, 2028) | Uncommitted: “Melbourne's Bryce Conner is making his presence felt in the batter's box, putting up elite numbers that earned him Florida's Hitter of the Week honors for Week Three. The sophomore first baseman was a physical force at the plate, going 5-for-11 while driving in five runs. Conner’s power was the story of the week, as three of his five hits went for extra bases, including one double and two home runs. With two runs scored and consistent production in the middle of the lineup, Conner has quickly established himself as a dangerous offensive threat for the Bulldogs.”

(2/26/26)

+ Peyton Baum, RHP (Jensen Beach HS, 2026) | St. Johns River State JC:
“Jensen Beach senior Peyton Baum delivered a dominant performance on the mound in Week Three, earning Florida's Pitcher of the Week honors. The St. Johns River commit was lights out, firing a complete-game no-hitter to lead the Falcons to victory. Baum went the distance, tossing seven shutout innings without allowing a single hit. He displayed command and efficiency, surrendering just one walk, the only blemish on an otherwise perfect line, while recording four strikeouts.”

– Rocco Iervasi, Florida Director of Operations

North Carolina

+ Brandon Bush, OF (Hoggard HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Bush has been a consistent climber since his appearance at the 2025 Prep Baseball Future Games. After posting a strong showing at the North Carolina ProCase in February, he has gotten off to a very quick start in 2026. This past week he homered in all three games, hitting .556 with seven RBIs and three runs scored as well. With his performance, Bush helped lead Hoggard to a 2-1 week facing state playoff caliber teams.”