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Illinois Valley

Meet the 2026 All-BCR Baseball Team

Hall first baseman Braden Curran takes the pickoff throw as Princeton's Stihl Brokaw dives back in safely in Friday's game in Spring Valley. The Red Devils won 8-0.

FIRST TEAM

Maks Baker (St. Bede)

Sophomore - First Base

The sophomore first baseman won the BCR Triple Crown, leading the area with a .433 average, 45 RBIs and four home runs. He was named second-team Tri-County All-Conference.

St. Bede's Maks Baker gets a hit against Serena on Friday, April 24, 2026 at St. Bede Academy.

Luke Bryant (Hall)

Junior - Pitcher/Infield

The junior right-hander was an unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference selection, posting a 6-3 record with an 2.01 ERA and 56 strikeouts. The Red Devils’ leadoff man batted .333 with an area-best 39 runs and 13 doubles and a team-high 32 RBIs while stealing 27 bases.

Luke Bryant

Gus Burr (St. Bede)

Senior - Second Base

The senior second baseman put up solid numbers, despite being set back by a hamstring injury, batting .431 with 18 RBIs, six doubles, two homers and two triples. He earned Tri-County Conference Honorable Mention.

St. Bede's Gus Burr catches a pop fly on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at Masinelli Field in Ottawa.

Braden Curran (Hall)

Senior - Pitcher/Infield

Curran was an unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference selection at infield. He led the Red Devils with a .351 average along with 31 runs, 26 RBIs, five doubles, 21 steals and a home run. He went 5-4 on the mound with a 1.86 ERA and 52 strikeouts. He will play for Augustana College next year.

Hall's Braden Curran lets go of a throw during the Class 2A Regional semifinal game on Thursday, May 28, 2026 at Princeton High School.

Geno Dinges (St. Bede)

Junior - Pitcher/Outfield

The junior leadoff hitter batted .364 for the Bruins with 33 runs, 28 RBIs, seven doubles and five steals. He also spun a 6-1 record with a 3.20 ERA on the mound. Dinges was named first-team Tri-County All-Conference.

St. Bede's Geno Dinges makes contact with the ball against Serena on Friday, April 24, 2026 at St. Bede Academy.

Gino Ferrari (St. Bede)

Senior - Pitcher/Outfield

Ferrari was driven on the mound, posting a team-best six wins (6-4), 2.14 ERA and 59 strikeouts, and at the plate, batting .298 with 25 runs, 19 RBIs and 11 steals. He was named first-team Tri-County All-Conference.

St. Bede's Gino Ferrari makes contact with the ball against Serena on Friday, April 24, 2026 at St. Bede Academy.

Ryan Jagers (Princeton)

Senior - Pitcher/Infield

The Tigers senior ace sported a 3.48 ERA, averaging a strikeout an inning with 48 strikeouts on the mound. He was an unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference selection as a pitcher.

Ryan Jagers

Logan Philhower (Bureau Valley)

Senior - Pitcher/Third Base

The Storm ace lowered his school ERA record to 0.84 with 89 strikeouts, both area highs along with a 4-2 record. He also led the Storm at the plate with a .361 average, 33 runs, seven doubles and one homer while driving in 19. He was named first-team Lincoln Trail East All-Conference.

Bureau Valley's Logan Philhower makes contact with the ball against Newman on Monday, March 30, 2026 at Bureau Valley High School.

Jaxson Pinter (Hall)

Junior - Center Field

The junior center fielder put up solid numbers out of the No. 3 hole in the Red Devils lineup, batting .286 with 28 RBIs, 12 doubles, two triples, 10 steals and one homer. He was an unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference selection.

Hall's Jaxon Pinter smacks a hit against Ottawa on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at Ottawa High School.

Braden Shaw (Princeton)

Junior - Center Field/Pitcher

The Tigers leadoff man led PHS with a .341 average, 25 runs, 19 steals and two home runs. He went 3 for 5 in the Tigers’ regional loss to Kewanee. He was named first-team Three Rivers East All-Conference.

Princeton’s Braden Shaw drives the ball against Newman for a pair of RBIs Monday, April 6, 2026.

SECOND TEAM

Greyson Bickett (Hall)

Senior - Catcher

The Red Devils catcher was steady behind the plate, throwing out 34% of runners on steal attempts. He batted .304 and was a terror on the base paths, stealing an area-high 42 bases. Bickett also developed into Hall’s closer with three saves. He was named second-team Three Rivers East All-Conference.

Noah Plym (Hall)

Junior - Pitcher/Infield

A second-team Three Rivers East All-Conference infielder, Plym batted .294 with 24 RBIs and 23 runs. He also recorded a 5-2 record and 3.08 on the mound with 28 strikeouts.

Ranbir Saini (St. Bede)

Junior - Pitcher/Outfield

The southpaw slinger went 5-2 with a 2.92 ERA on the mound. He batted .348 with 22 RBIs, 12 doubles and 32 runs. He was named second-team Tri-County All-Conference.

Drake Taylor (Bureau Valley)

Junior - Short Stop

Led the Storm with 23 RBIs while batting .347 with 23 runs, two doubles and a triple. Taylor also contributed on the mound with 28 strikeouts. He was named first-team Lincoln Trail East All-Conference.

Blake Foster (Bureau Valley)

Junior - Short Stop/Pitcher

Foster was a two-way contributor for the Storm. At the plate, he batted .298 with 19 RBIs, 19 runs, 11 steals and two doubles. On the mound, he went 4-3 with a 3.56 ERA and 57 strikeouts.

HONORABLE MENTION

Cayden Benavidez (Princeton, sr., 1B/P)

Brady Bosi (Hall, jr., P)

Stihl Brokaw (Princeton, sr., C/IF)

Drew Carboni (St. Bede, sr., OF/DH)

Geno Ferrari (Hall, jr., IF)

Dylan Howlett (BV, jr. P)

Aiden Litherland (BV, jr, 2B)

Noah Morton (Princeton, jr., IF/P)

Carson Riva (St. Bede, sr., C)

Kevin Hieronymus

Kevin Hieronymus

Kevin has been sports editor of the BCR since 1986, covering Bureau County and IL Valley Sports. Was previously sports editor of the St. Louis Daily News and a regular contributor for the St. Louis Cardinals Magazine. He is a member of the IBCA and Illinois Valley Hall of Fames. He is one of 4 sportswriters from his tiny hometown Atlanta, IL