Vote for the Gastonia, Shelby high school baseball player of the year

Vote for the Gastonia, Shelby high school baseball player of the year

The high school baseball season has pivoted from the regular season and into the postseason, with teams in Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties now in the midst of their respective NCHSAA or NCISAA playoff runs.

Before the 2026 campaign wraps up and postseason awards are announced, The Gaston Gazette and Shelby Star are asking baseball fans for their opinion as to which Foothills area athlete was best this spring. Statistics are updated through the first week of state playoff action.

HIGH HOPES: NCHSAA, NCISAA playoff scores, brackets for Gastonia, Shelby baseball teams

LAST TEAMS STANDING: What looms for remaining Gastonia, Shelby baseball, softball playoff teams?

Vote for the area baseball player who is having the best season in the poll below. The poll runs until May 17 at midnight.

Canton Bare, Lincoln Charter: Hit .457 with five home runs, seven doubles, three triples and 22 RBIs, along with 32 runs scored heading into his team’s NCHSAA 4A West third-round matchup May 12.

Josh Beam, East Lincoln: Hit .378 with three doubles, a triple, 12 RBIs and 11 runs scored going into his team’s May 12 matchup in the third round of the NCHSAA 5A West playoffs. He also had a 7-0 pitching record and a 0.66 ERA, with 56 strikeouts in 42 ⅔ innings pitched.

Brock Bumgardner, Cherryville: Hit .438 with three home runs, 12 doubles and a triple, along with 44 RBIs and 22 runs scored heading into his team’s NCHSAA 2A West third-round playoff matchup on May 12. He also has a 6-3 pitching record and a 2.67 ERA, along with 64 strikeouts over 36 ⅔ innings pitched.

Elijah Cunningham, North Gaston: Batted .420 this spring with two home runs, eight doubles and a triple, along with 33 RBIs and 32 runs scored.