Making an All-MAIS team is nothing new for J.T. McDaniel. Being at the top of the list is.

McDaniel, a sophomore infielder and pitcher with Tallulah Academy, was named the MAIS Class 2A baseball Player of the Year in voting by the league’s coaches.

It’s the third time McDaniel has been on an All-MAIS team. He also earned the honor in baseball and football in 2024.

McDaniel is already in his third year as a starter and has quickly emerged as a star. After batting .408 last season, he posted a .553 average in 2025 to lead the Trojans to the Class 2A semifinals.

McDaniel hit a team-high seven home runs, along with nine doubles and seven triples. He drove in 39 runs and scored 52. Over the past two seasons he has a .540 batting average and 37 extra base hits.

He was also Tallulah Academy’s best pitcher. He finished with an 8-4 record and one save, with a 2.73 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 69 innings.

Two of McDaniel’s teammates were also recognized on the All-MAIS team. Eighth-grader Luke Moberley was selected as an infielder and junior Tripp Gayle as a catcher. Like McDaniel, Moberley earned All-MAIS honors in baseball for the second season in a row.

Moberley played a number of positions and batted .495 with nine doubles, three triples and 21 RBIs. As the Trojans’ leadoff hitter he set the table nicely by posting a .612 on-base percentage, stealing 52 bases and scoring 52 runs.

Moberley also pitched and had a 5-6 record with a 4.65 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings.

Gayle was a great run producer in the middle of the Trojans’ lineup. He batted .511, belted 14 doubles and one home run, scored 33 runs and drove in 38 more. As a pitcher he was 3-2 with 35 strikeouts in 22 innings.

Briarfield Academy had four players on the All-MAIS Class 2A team ­— pitcher Davis Holt, infielder Brock Johnson, outfielder Jackson Thornton and catcher Ryder Jones.

Holt pitched 40 innings this season and had a 2.97 ERA and 78 strikeouts. He batted .345 with 14 RBIs as well.
Jones was the Rebels’ leading hitter, with a .491 average, 20 RBIs and 29 runs scored in 23 games. Thornton was right alongside him on the stat sheet, batting .453 with 20 RBIs and 37 runs scored.

Johnson batted .360. with 15 RBIs and 20 runs scored. He also pitched a team-high 47 1/3 innings, struck out 52 batters and had a 2.66 ERA.