Midseason baseball awards: Vote for the Volusia-Flagler area's top player so far in 2024
Think of April as post-All-Star break.
Spring vacations have come and gone in Volusia and Flagler counties. Playoff races are heating up. The Five Star Conference Tournament kicks off this week, followed by the district events at the end of the month and the state playoffs in May.
So before we reach the apex of the 2024 campaign, let’s dish out some midseason recognition.
Spruce Creek holds the top record (13-4) and state ranking (42nd) among local clubs. DeLand (178) and Pine Ridge (226) also slot inside Florida’s top 250.
Note: To vote in the Midseason Player of the Year poll, visit this link.
The News-Journal hands out midseason awards for Rookie of the Year, Breakout Player, Coach of the Year and Story of the Year. The top accolade, Midseason Player of the Year, is up to voters. There are five candidates.
Obviously, with plenty of time left, these awards could very well change before the end of the season. These are simply first-half superlatives.
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Midseason Player of the Year candidates
Zane Barron, Seabreeze
After winning a district title with the Sandcrabs last year, Barron is enjoying a strong senior season. He hits .326 (15-for-46) but has been on base 50% of the time. The power numbers are there, too — three doubles, one triple, one home run and 14 runs batted in.
Barron has scored seven times and added seven steals.
Dom Bloyen, Atlantic
Bloyen has been instrumental in the Sharks' turnaround from 2-21 last season to 7-8 this year.
The senior has recorded hits in 17 of his 34 at-bats and possesses a .564 on-base percentage. Naturally, he’s scored a lot of runs (15) and knocked in 12 more. He has 14 stolen bases.
Bloyen has logged a 1.68 earned run average in 8⅓ innings while toeing the rubber.
Devon Crown, Spruce Creek
Crown continues to shine in whatever role the Hawks put him in.
The junior is 19-for-55 (.345) this season and leads the team with 18 runs. He has seven RBIs, two doubles and six steals.
In 14⅔ frames across six outings on the bump, Crown has fanned 17 batters while walking just two. His ERA: 1.43.
Garrett Grant, Spruce Creek
Grant has been a bulldog for the Hawks’ staff.
He has pitched seven innings in four of his seven appearances, finishing with less than five just once. He has not allowed more than one run in any game. Spruce Creek has won every time he’s been on the mound.
With 40 strikeouts and just seven walks in 42 innings, the junior holds a 0.50 ERA.
Luke Hoffmann, DeLand
At the plate, Hoffmann carries one of the area’s top averages (.425, 17-for-40) with seven extra-base hits (six doubles, one dinger). He has racked up 12 RBIs and eight runs scored.
But the senior has been just as valuable as a reliever. He has pitched four times, totaling 7⅔ innings. He has not given up a run while striking out 17 and walking one.
Opponents have one hit off Hoffmann — a 0.38 batting average.
Rookie of the Year: Josiah Perez, Atlantic
Another key part of Atlantic’s turnaround, Perez has introduced himself to the high school scene with a .425 batting average (17-for-40). He has driven in 12 runs, scored 11 more and stolen nine bags.
Father Lopez’s Westin Brownlee also is submitting a dandy of a first year. The freshman has a .328 average, 10 RBI and three extra-base hits.
Breakout Player: Kenny Capria, Pine Ridge
In his first year on Pine Ridge’s varsity roster, Capria has starred in the box and on the mound.
The junior is hitting .415 with two doubles, two triples and eight RBI. He has scored 12 runs and swiped seven bases. In 20⅔ innings across three appearances, Capria has pitched to a 2.37 ERA with 13 strikeouts.
Deltona’s William Martinez also fits the bill. After batting .225 as a junior, he maintains a .348 average as a senior. He already has more hits, RBI, runs and extra-base hits than in 2023.
Top Coach: Matt Cleveland, Spruce Creek
Fresh off a state semifinals appearance in 2023, Cleveland’s Hawks assembled the hottest start in the area while also pushing through the hardest schedule, according to the Florida High School Athletic Association’s strength-of-schedule rating.
They claimed their first six games of the season and now sit at 13-4. Spruce Creek is 4-1 against Volusia-Flagler opponents, with its lone loss coming against New Smyrna Beach last month.
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Story of the Year: Shane Lavin’s comeback
After establishing himself as one of the area’s premier pitchers for Spruce Creek last spring, Lavin suffered a freak injury, a spiral humerus break in his left arm, while throwing for the Orlando Scorpions in June. Doctors told him he may never pitch again.
He was back in the Hawks’ lineup at the beginning of this season, his season campaign, and has hit .333 (7-for-21) with five RBI. He also returned to the mound on March 21. Against New Smyrna Beach, he completed a one-two-three inning. The lefty made his second appearance against Viera on March 29 and collected his first strikeout.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: High school baseball: Daytona Beach area midseason awards, POY poll
