Meet the Ocala Star-Banner 2023 All-County Baseball Team and Player of the Year

North Marion pulled off a historic season. Their 2023 baseball state championship is not only the first on the diamond, but its first state championship in any sport. Its senior class deserves a hat tip for the way they led the team.

Among the eight upperclassmen on the roster, six of them are off to college programs in the fall. At the center of the list is Cooper Jones, the new home run king of North Marion.

“If you go back to the beginning of the season, before he got his first at bat, if someone said to myself or our hitting coach Damian Torino that Cooper Jones would hit 14 home runs this year, we’d say I wouldn’t bet money against that,” North Marion head coach Dale Hall said.

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The staff has seen him hit for the last year. All they’ve ever known was his consistent swing, but when the power kicked in during his junior season, it took each at bat to another level.

After a week of hitting six home runs in three games, he tied the school's home run record of 12. He’d have to wait another month before he slapped his 13th and 14th dingers of the season.

“Most people look at him as a hitter, and he is,” Hall said. “Mechanically, we have not said much to him over his career. He’s a natural born hitter.”

The final two record-extending bombs came in the state final four. Hitting both shots in the state semifinals made it easier for Deric Fabian to see his record upended by his old teammate. The two guys with the biggest bats in North Marion history were teammates on the Colts 2021 state runner-up team.

It’s easy to get caught up in Jones’ hitting ability. His approach at the plate is so good that one forgets to talk about his defense. It’s a part of his game that Hall makes sure to add when breaking down his star player's game. He’s an elite shortstop armed with great hands and a plus arm.

His resume is incredible, but how did he get here? What makes Cooper Jones such an intriguing player?

The easy answer is natural talent. The real answer is a little more nuanced.

We can start with his work ethic. Jones doesn’t duck a chance to sharpen his skills. Everything he did to earn a starting spot on the 2021 state runner-up team as a sophomore started behind closed doors.

“Obviously, he’s a very talented player, but what he does in the locker room and on the practice field most people don’t see except his teammates and coaches,” Hall said. “He takes every ground ball with the footwork he uses in the game. He’s a great example for our younger infielders.”

His teammates watch him give max effort every time he touches the field. It’s a contagious way to approach the game when younger players look up to you.

It even gives Jones the authority to keep guys accountable. If someone is going half speed, Jones is the first to demand more out of them.

“Cooper’s always been the same guy for us,” Hall said. “Always the same mentality and energy at practice. He’s as consistent as they come, and coaches love consistent players.”

The four-year varsity contributor is all about getting better. It’s part of the reason he decommitted from a Division 1 school to sign with The College of Central Florida.

His new home’s biggest focus is player development. He’ll go from one winning culture to another as his career continues.

Jones joins Central Florida months after the Patriots' first national championship.

“I think he’ll fit extremely well,” Hall said. “He and that coaching staff will get along.”

Ocala Star-Banner All-Area Baseball Team

1st TeamINF- Cooper Jones, North Marion, Sr.: .381 BA, 36 runs, 37 hits, 33 RBIs, 14 HRs

INF- Aaron Skinner, Belleview, Sr.: .295 BA, 18 H, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 12 runs, 4-2, 58 Ks in 49 innings, 2 ERA

INF- Ashton Fernandez, Trinity Catholic, Sr.: .362 BA, 31 runs, 25 hits, 25 RBIs, 4 HRs

INF- Adam Oxendine, Vanguard, Sr.: .384 BA, 28 hits, 11 RBIs, 28 runs, 23 stolen bases

OF - Johansel McGovern, Belleview, Sr.: .292 BA, 21 hits, 1 HR, 13 RBIs, 22 runs, 5 stolen bases

OF- Gavin Aiton, West Port, So.: .296 BA, 24 hits, 12 RBIs, 28 runs, 27 stolen bases, 1.000 fielding percentage, 0 errors

OF- Connor Tundis, Trinity Catholic, Jr.: .304 BA, 28 runs, 21 hits,7 RBIs,

C- Clayton Antonucci, Vanguard, So.: .412 BA, 28 hits, 1 HR, 20 RBIs, 31 runs, 20 stolen bases

P- Karson Lindsey, North Marion, Sr.: 90 Ks, 1.48 ERA, 10-0 record, .357 BA, 3 HRs, 35 hits

P- Hunter Jones, North Marion, Sr.: 101 Ks, 9-0 record, 1.98 ERA

P- Drew Myer, Trinity Catholic, Jr.: 7-2 record, 2.47 ERA, 50 Ks

DH- Ross Ray, North Marion, Sr.: .434 BA, 43 hit, 27 RBIs, 29 runs, 3 HRs

UTIL- Dominic Riddle, West Port, So.: .375 BA, 24 hits, 18 runs, 8 stolen bases, 6 SOs in 85 plate appearances

UTIL- Mekai Griffin, Trinity Catholic, Jr.: .292 BA, 25 runs, 22 hits, 29 RBIs, 4 HRs, 38 Ks, 3.12 ERA, 1 save

UTIL- Jake Tompkins, North Marion, Sr.: .341 BA, 30 runs, 29 hits, 19 RBIs, 4 HRs, 30 Ks, 3.27 ERA

2nd Team

INF- Trevor Murray, Forest, Sr.: .292 BA, 7 home runs, 26 runs, 19 hits, 24 RBIs, .907 fielding percentage

INF- Jordan Volker, Vanguard, Jr.: .327 BA, 17 hits, 16 RBIs, 13 runs

INF- Cade Hentz, Trinity Catholic, Sr.: .307 BA, 29 runs, 27 hits, 18 RBIs, 1 HR

INF- Michael Melluci, Forest, Jr.: .339 BA, 14 runs, 21 hits, 17 RBIs, 3 home runs

OF - Jayden Williar, Forest, Jr.: .391 BA, 16 runs, 18 hits, 5 RBIs

OF- Eric McLaughlin, Belleview, Sr.: .361 BA, 26 hits, 2 HRs, 19 RBIs, 7 stolen bases

OF- Draven White, Lake Weir, Sr.: .266 BA, 17 runs, 21 hits, 23 RBIs, 5 stolen bases

C- Robert Gottuso, North Marion, Sr.: .298 BA, 17 hits, 16 RBIs, 1 HR

P- Luke Oxendine, Vanguard, Jr.: 7-3 record, 38 hits, 2.845 ERA, .310 BA, 22 hits, 23 RBIs, 19 runs, 13 solen bases

P- Kohl Kilcrease, Forest Jr.: .222 BA, 8 runs, 16 hits, 17 RBIs, 2.27 ERA, 55 Ks

P- Mark Pastorella, Dunnellon, So.: . 1.58 ERA, 77Ks, .232 BA, 8 runs, 19 hits, 9 RBIs

DH-Mason Thompson, West Port, Jr.: .294 BA, 2 home runs, 15 RBIs, 8 stolen bases

UTIL- Kylin Carter, Vanguard, Sr.: .313 BA, 21 hits, 16 RBIs, 13 runs, 13 stolen bases

UTIL- Manuel Geisel, Lake Weir, Sr.: 3 wins, 2.4 ERA, 29 Ks, .333 BA, 25 hits, 2 HRs, 16 RBIs, 13 runs, 4 stolen bases

UTIL- Matthew Bates, West Port, Sr.: .309 BA, 21 hits, 20 RBIs, 15 runs

Honorable mention

Jackson Hise, Redeemer, Andrew Parker, Redeemer, Garrett Payne, Lake Weir, Skyler Courtney, Lake Weir, Draven White, Dunnellon, Carl Adams, Dunnellon, Cooper Wilson, Belleview, Sam Plano, Belleview, Noah Wood, Vanguard, John Dobkowski, FSBE, Anthony Vizzini, Trinity Catholic, Rowan Quartararo, North Marion,

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Meet the Ocala Star-Banner 2023 All-County Baseball Team