James Island's Taj Marchand Voted 2026 South Carolina High School Baseball Player of the Year

Marchand led James Island to back-to-back state championships and was just selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the MLB Draft.

James Island pitcher Taj Marchand tosses cap in the air after he ends the game with a strikeout. | Thomas Grant Jr.

James Island senior Taj Marchand has been voted High School On SI's South Carolina Baseball Player of the Year after dominating the poll with 72 percent of the fan vote.

Marchand Claims Top Honors

Marchand led the Trojans to a second consecutive Class 5 D1 state championship. Most recently, he was just selected No. 33 overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2026 MLB Draft.

The senior and Ole Miss commit batted .531 with 57 runs, 45 RBIs, 13 home runs, and 11 doubles. As a relief pitcher, Marchand struck out 32 batters in 19.2 innings and had a 0.00 ERA. These state led to him being named MaxPreps South Carolina Player of the Year and Prep Baseball South Carolina Player of the Year.

Boleman Finishes Runner-Up

Southside Christian School's Carson Boleman finished second in the poll with 12 percent of votes. Boleman was named Gatorade South Carolina Baseball Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons. He was also selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, having been taken 29th overall by the San Francisco Giants.

The senior and Wake Forest commit led the Sabres to their fifth consecutive state championship while going 7-0 with a 0.17 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 41.1 innings. He also recorded five shutouts and two no-hitters.

Jones Rounds Out Top Three

Rounding out the top three is Travelers Rest's Kaden Jones with eight percent of votes. Jones' impressive 2026 performance led ot him being named Class 4A All-State. The senior and Charleston commit batted .400 with a state-leading 14 home runs, 32 hits, 39 RBIs, and 29 runs.

Newcomb and Burd Tie for Fourth

Finally, Atlantic Collegiate Academy's Logan Newcomb and Hilton Head Christian Academy's Slaide Burd rounded out the top five and finished tied for fourth place with four percent of votes.

Newcomb was a true highlight for the Armada as he was named Class 2A All-State. The senior and Coastal Carolina commit hit .418 with 38 hits, 44 RBIs, 12 home runs, 11 doubles, and 46 runs.

Meanwhile, Burd led the Eagles to their third consecutive state title. The senior and Stetson commit batted a strong .630 with 51 hits, 37 RBIs, 10 home runs, 14 doubles, 52 runs, and 25 stolen bases.

Other nominees left without a vote include West Florence's Newt Hinson, Greensville's Richard Jacobs III, Carolina Forest's Parker Reavis, Lucy Beckham's Levi Srock, Calhoun Academy's Cullen Sightler, Cheraw's Anthony Strong, and Walhalla's Dalton Dial.