As we look back on the 2025 summer tournament circuit here in Kansas City, we’ll be breaking down the top players by tool from each class — based on evaluations from our scouting team at Homefield and Creekside. Follow along as we take a deep dive into these players and highlight the summers they put together. Each week will feature our top five players based on each tool from the class, presented in no particular order.

Top Defenders Class of 2026

Cooper Callahan SS / 2B / Blue Springs South, MO / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 29 / POS: 7

Cooper Callahan sits atop our list of 2026 defenders and is easily one of the top three shortstops we saw all year. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound infielder is extremely skilled and instinctual, with the ability to fit at either shortstop or third base when he arrives at Southeast Missouri State. Callahan isn’t a flashy, acrobatic defender who relies purely on athleticism, fundamentally, he was the best defender we evaluated all year, and his accolades back that up.

After leading Blue Springs South to a state title, Callahan earned the ABCA/Rawlings High School Gold Glove Award, solidifying his status as one of the top defenders in the country. He carried that momentum into the summer, helping lead the US Nationals KC Scout 17U team to both the Super 18 and KCPI Championships. What truly separates Callahan is his poise and consistency making the routine plays look routine and rarely makes mistakes.

Follow along on X: @ljhatchpb and Instagram: @ljhatchprepbaseball as we continue breaking down the top tools from this past summer.