HiCast Sports 2019 MVP Awards Presented by Rawlings

December 11, 2019 – We began the HiCast Sports 2019 MVP Awards Presented by Rawlings with more than 2,300 eligible highlight entries from athletes across our network and on December 1, 2019 at midnight ET, the polls closed with nearly 9,000 votes cast by fans for our Top 25 Semi-Finalists determining our Top 10 Finalists in each category. Our incredible judges, Legendary Hall of Fame Shortstop Ozzie Smith and 2020 USA Olympic Softball Player Keilani Ricketts Tumanuvao selected the Top 3 Winners in each category. See the grand prize winners, their highlights, judges comments, judges’ bios and all finalists below.

Baseball MVP Winners

Winners in order of appearance and judge Ozzie Smith’s comments…

Offensive MVP: 8-yr-old Fenton Morrissey homerun. Morris County Cubs 10U at Diamond Nation shared by @CowboyFen – “Fast little guy. Gets taken out but still scores. Fun to watch this play.”

Offensive MVP: Jace Robison 2-run homerun. Utah County Steel 12U at Ballparks of America shared by @Jrob1414 – “Great hit and good sportsmanship shown here by the catcher.”

Offensive MVP: Tyler Marcus walk-off 2-run homer. Oil City Bandits at Baseball Heaven shared by @Dmarcus34 – “Walk off to win a championship, nothing better than that.”

Defensive MVP: SS Landen Derouen w/throw to Carson Massey w/stretch for the out at 1st . Traction Canes Black 10U at Traction Sportsplex shared by @deezyderouen – “Both the shortstop and 1st baseman showed athletic ability with backhanded catch by ss and great stretch by 1st . Teamwork.”

Defensive MVP: Pitcher Paul Quattropani with catch and throw to 1st for DP. Team Steel Black 15U at Baseball Heaven shared by @Krribry – “Good quickness and awareness by the pitcher”

Defensive MVP: Pitcher Richie Paltridge with 360 spin & throw to 1st for the out. Frozen Ropes 16U at Baseball Heaven shared by @Richiepltrdg – “Agility on both ends of the play.”

Softball MVP Winners

Winners in order of appearance and judge Keilani Ricketts Tumanuvao’s comments…

Softball MVP: Gabby Burroughs with a walk-off 3-run homerun for Carolina Thunder 18U to win the championship. USA Softball at Tyger River Park shared by @jburroughs153 – “With runners in scoring position it’s tough to be the one to get the clutch hit but to do it in the championship game as a walk off 3 run homer?! Doesn’t get more clutch than that.”

Softball MVP: CF Hailey Watson diving catch for Carolina Crush 16U. USA Softball at Tyger River Park shared by @Christy1981$ – “Not only was it a diving catch, but the range to get there and being a deep ball to the fence was what was so impressive. As a pitcher, I love when outfielders, the last line of defense, saves me from a huge hit to give the other team momentum!”

Softball MVP: Aaliyah Williams inside-the-park homerun for SC BadKatz 16U at Shipyard Park shared by @bluphi85 – “Reading the title I was thinking of the only inside the park homerun I can recall in high school and college being from slappers or from defenders overthrowing the ball. Neither happened from Aaliyah! It was just pure athleticism from the right side, not to mention not even needing to slide in at home plate like it was no big deal.”

Baseball Offensive & Defensive Play Judge

Legendary Hall of Fame Shortstop Ozzie Smith – Former MLB player for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals from 1978 to 1996, Ozzie set MLB records for career assists and double plays by a shortstop, as well as the National League record with 2,511 career games at the position. He won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for play at shortstop for 13 consecutive seasons (1980–92) and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2002 and to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 2014. See his infamous back flip and inspiring career highlights.

Fast Pitch Softball Play Judge

Keilani Ricketts Tumanuvao – 2020 USA Olympic Softball Team member, Pro All-Star left-handed hitting softball pitcher and former collegiate All-American. Keilani is a 2018 WBSC World Championship Gold Medalist and 2012 WBSC World Championship Silver Medalist. As a member of the United States women's national softball team she won the 2011 World Cup of Softball. Keilani plays for the USSSA Pride in National Pro Fastpitch. She was the starting pitcher and helped to lead the University of Oklahoma Sooners to the 2013 NCAA Division I national softball title.

Top 10 Finalists

Offensive Most Valuable Plays

1. Jace Robison's 2-run homerun. Utah County Steel 12U at Ballparks of America shared by @Jrob1414 – Top 3 Winner

2. Yuval Griffin's 2-run walk-off double. Delaware Diamond Kings 18U at Sports at the Beach shared by @doritrg

3. Vincent Roman's run. Team All Stars 14U at Baseball Heaven shared by @Reneroman25

4. CJ's homerun. Long Island Outlaws 11U at Baseball Heaven shared by @papa24

5. Michael Friello's grandslam. Capital Renegades at Sports at the Beach shared by @aaf324

6. Ryan Maida's walk-off homerun. Long Island Hurricanes 11U at Baseball Heaven shared by @Paulmaida1

7. 8-yr-old Fenton Morrissey's homerun. Morris County Cubs 10U at Diamond Nation shared by @CowboyFen – Top 3 Winner

8. Zachary Ray's inside-the-park homerun for Traction Canes 9U Black at Traction Sportsplex shared by @HS3

9. Gage Saresky's 3-run homerun. Nor East Clippers 12U at Baseball Heaven shared by @linabean3

10. Tyler Marcus walk-off 2-run homer. Oil City Bandits at Baseball Heaven shared by @Dmarcus34 – Top 3 Winner

Defensive Most Valuable Plays

1. Catcher Ryan Perkins' play at the plate. Delaware Wolfpack 12U at Sports at the Beach shared by @Catcher247

2. Pitcher Paul Quattropani's catch and throw to 1st for DP. Team Steel Black 15U at Baseball Heaven shared by @Krribry – Top 3 Winner

3. SS Ulisses diving catch & throw to 1st for the DP at Diamond Nation share by @Jax61904

4. CF Jackson Clampitt's throw to catcher Brayden Tidwell for play at the plate. Bagel Bombers 12U championship game at Sports at the Beach shared by @melissaclampitt

5. SS Jack Albenda snags the out & South Shore Sharks 11U win by 1 at Sports at the Beach shared by @malbenda

6. 2nd Baseman Dom Suppa's diving catch stops the runner on 3rd from scoring. Team Steel Gold 11U at Baseball Heaven shared by @ksuppa

7. RF Chandler Hicks' diving catch. Titan Sports Academy 16/17U in Perfect Game tourney at East Cobb Baseball Complex shared by @Cellhicks

8. SS Landen Derouen w/throw to Carson Massey w/stretch for the out at 1st . Traction Canes Black 10U at Traction Sportsplex shared by @deezyderouen – Top 3 Winner

9. CF Erick Diaz's diving catch at Diamond Nation shared by @Heriberto

10. Pitcher Richie Paltridge w/360 spin & throw to 1st for the out. Frozen Ropes 16U at Baseball Heaven shared by @Richiepltrdg – Top 3 Winner

Fast Pitch Softball Most Valuable Plays

1. Mia Johnson stops 2 runs at the plate and makes an aggressive attempt for 3rd out at 1st. Team SC 14U. USA Softball at Tyger River Park shared by @ronjohn6677

2. McKenzie Geddings at 2nd w/throw to Ellie Kate Woodson for the out and win. Shock 14U. USA Softball at Tyger River Park shared by @mrseuga

3. Samy Quintero with an RBI triple for Team SC 18U Miller. USA Softball at Tyger River Park shared by @danjomy

4. Gabby Burroughs with a walk-off 3-run homerun for Carolina Thunder 18U to win the championship. USA Softball at Tyger River Park shared by @jburroughs153 – Top 3 Winner

5. CF Hailey Watson's diving catch for Carolina Crush 16U. USA Softball at Tyger River Park shared by @Christy1981$ – Top 3 Winner

6. Kellie Langa's RBI triple for Rebels 08 12U at Baseball Heaven shared by @klanga

7. Victoria Atkins' diving catch at 2nd for Upward Stars 14U. USA Softball tourney at Tyger River Park shared by @tori_14

8. Aaliyah Williams's inside-the-park homerun for SC BadKatz 16U at Shipyard Park shared by @bluphi85 – Top 3 Winner

9. Audriana Bates' 3-run homerun. USA Softball Tourney at Tyger River Park shared by @AKB22

Check out the 2018 MVP Award Winners

Awesome Prizes by

Top 3 Best Defensive Play for Baseball Winners

Rawlings Custom Glove ($459.95 value) – Winners choose your leather, fit, size and pattern, and customize everything from stitching, laces, color, liner, break-in and more. Create your custom glove just like the pros!

Top 3 Best Offensive Play for Baseball Winners

Rawlings 2020 Quatro Bat ($349.95 - $449.95 value) – Winners choose your bat for baseball or softball, certification, size and drop. More pop. More distance. There are no trade-offs with the NEW Quatro Pro. Hitters can be confident at the plate with the longest barrel in our lineup, an even larger sweet spot for more pop and now, incredible balance for faster swing speeds. Add the newly redesigned, stiffer handle-collar to reduce vibration and eliminate barrel drag and you have everything you need to Light 'Em Up! Check out the details.

Top 3 Plays for Fastpitch Softball

Rawlings Quatro Bat for Fastpitch ($349.95 value) or a Rawlings Custom Glove for Softball ($459.95 value) – Winners choice! The second generation of Quatro™ Pro does not disappoint. Proven on-field at the professional and collegiate level, the combination of an outer barrel and a suspended inner barrel offers the perfect balance of pop and speed every hitter desires. See the bats.

Top 10 Finalists for Each Category

Rawlings Covert Duffle Bag ($49.99 value) – This player's duffel bag is the perfect size for carrying all of your equipment. This bag features 2 side bat sleeve compartments for quick storage and access. The durable vinyl bottom and ventilated shoe compartment allow for moisture protection. Your pick of color: black, navy, royal blue or red

Top 25 Semi-Finalists for Each Category

Rawlings $25.00 Gift Card – Choose your own prize! We’ll send a unique winner’s promo code your way after we announce the 75 Semi-Finalists (25 in each category) on November 1. You’ve got until December 31, 2019 to choose a prize valued at $25 or less or apply your $25 toward any Rawlings gear.