Troy University Athletics
Troy Lands Three on All-Sun Belt First Team; Janicki Named Player of the Year
5/18/2026 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
TROY, Ala. - Troy's Jimmy Janicki, Aaron Piasecki and Drew Nelson were named to the All-Sun Belt First Team, the league office announced on Monday. Additionally, Janicki was named the Sun Belt Player of the Year.
"First off, we are very proud to have three First Team All-Conference players in such an outstanding league," head coach Skylar Meade said. "Jimmy, AP and Drew have played outstandingly throughout the duration of the season, and are all rightfully honored by the Sun Belt. It's also with great pride to have another conference player of the year with Jimmy, following in the footsteps of Shane Lewis, Joey Denison, Adam Bryant, Adam Godwin, Bryan Kelly and Reggie Hightower."
Jimmy Janicki - Catcher - First Team & Player of the Year
Janicki, a sophomore from Downers Grove, Ill., finished the regular season as the Sun Belt leader in home runs (17), RBIs (70) and total bases (152) while ranking second in OPS (1.109), hits (78) and doubles (21). Janicki led the Trojans with a .352 batting average, while his 21 doubles (10th) and 70 RBIs (14th) both rank inside the top 15 nationally.
The powerful right-handed hitter currently sits among two players in the entire country - along with Arizona State's Landon Hairston - with at least 20 doubles, 15 home runs and 70 RBIs. Janicki was previously named a Semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and was named the Buster Posey National Catcher of the Week on April 21 after hitting a walkoff grand slam to beat Louisiana.
Janicki is the fourth Trojan to earn Sun Belt Player of the Year honors, joining Adam Bryant (2011), Joey Denison (2018) and Shane Lewis (2023). Since Troy joined the Sun Belt ahead of the 2006 season, its four Sun Belt Player of the Year winners are the most in the conference. Additionally, he joins Reggie Hightower (Mid-Continent - 1996), Bryan Kelly (Mid-Continent - 1997) and Adam Godwin (Atlantic Sun - 2005) as Troy's seven conference player of the year selections in the Division I era.
Aaron Piasecki - Outfielder - First Team
Piasecki hit .329 as the Trojan leadoff man while ranking seventh in the conference with a .458 on-base percentage and 13th with a .977 OPS. The senior from Muskegon, Mich., tallied 69 hits, 12 doubles, two triples and a career-best eight homers while adding 35 RBIs and eight stolen bases.
The Central Michigan transfer ranked among the Sun Belt leaders in walks (7th - 36) and hit-by-pitch (8th - 16), while his 52 combined free passes ranked third. Additionally, Piasecki struck out just 19 times in 55 games, drawing 1.89 walks per strikeout, which ranked 28th in the country.
Drew Nelson - Utility - First Team
A two-way player for the Trojans, Nelson starred both as an outfielder and pitcher this season. At the plate, the Troy native batted .318 with an .878 OPS while tallying 62 hits, 15 doubles, one triple, five home runs and 30 RBIs. On the mound, the senior carried a 3.93 ERA across 18.1 innings, striking out 23 hitters to nine walks in his eight appearances and two starts.
A semifinalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, Nelson's numbers were even better against Sun Belt competition. In league play, Nelson hit .352 with a .994 OPS, while four of his five homers came against conference opponents. Nelson's ERA sat at 2.16 in SBC play, earning all three of his wins this season against Texas State, Louisiana and App State.
2026 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Postseason Awards
Player of the Year
Jimmy Janicki, Troy
Pitcher of the Year
Grayden Harris, Southern Miss
Newcomer of the Year
Gage Peterson, App State
Freshman of the Year
Brady Christman, Georgia Southern
Tony Robichaux Leadership Award
Bryce Blevins, Marshall
Ron Maestri Coach of the Year
Christian Ostrander, Southern Miss
All-Sun Belt First-Team
P Gage Peterson, App State
P Camden Clark, Southern Miss
P Grayden Harris, Southern Miss
RP Darin Horn, Coastal Carolina
C Jimmy Janicki, Troy
1B Matthew Russo, Southern Miss
2B Kyle Morrison, Southern Miss
SS Steven Smith, App State
3B Wills Maginnis, Georgia State
OF Evan Bottone, Marshall
OF Davis Gillespie, Southern Miss
OF Aaron Piasecki, Troy
DH Brady Christman, Georgia Southern
UTL Drew Nelson, Troy
All-Sun Belt Second Team
P Cody Brasch, Louisiana
P Andrew Herrmann, Louisiana
P Bryce Blevins, Marshall
RP Colby Allen, Southern Miss
C Colt Brown, Louisiana
1B Derek Martinez, Arkansas State
2B Brennon Wright, South Alabama
SS Will Johnson, Old Dominion
3B Stewart Puckett, South Alabama
OF Charlie Evans, App State
OF Rex Watson, Coastal Carolina
OF Rashawn Galloway, Texas State
DH Manny Salas, Texas State
UTL Jaquae Stewart, Texas State
All-Sun Belt Freshman Team
Colton Denton, App State
Derek Martinez, Arkansas State
Case Bosch, Coastal Carolina
Jackson Smallets, Coastal Carolina
Brady Christman, Georgia Southern
Bennett Edwards, Georgia Southern
Colt Brown, Louisiana
Noah Lewis, Louisiana
Sawyer Pruitt, Louisiana
Blaze Rodriguez, Louisiana
Garett Wiethorn, ULM
Ben Tanton, Old Dominion
Jackson Cotton, Texas State
Clayton Namken, Texas State
"First off, we are very proud to have three First Team All-Conference players in such an outstanding league," head coach Skylar Meade said. "Jimmy, AP and Drew have played outstandingly throughout the duration of the season, and are all rightfully honored by the Sun Belt. It's also with great pride to have another conference player of the year with Jimmy, following in the footsteps of Shane Lewis, Joey Denison, Adam Bryant, Adam Godwin, Bryan Kelly and Reggie Hightower."
Jimmy Janicki - Catcher - First Team & Player of the Year
Janicki, a sophomore from Downers Grove, Ill., finished the regular season as the Sun Belt leader in home runs (17), RBIs (70) and total bases (152) while ranking second in OPS (1.109), hits (78) and doubles (21). Janicki led the Trojans with a .352 batting average, while his 21 doubles (10th) and 70 RBIs (14th) both rank inside the top 15 nationally.
The powerful right-handed hitter currently sits among two players in the entire country - along with Arizona State's Landon Hairston - with at least 20 doubles, 15 home runs and 70 RBIs. Janicki was previously named a Semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and was named the Buster Posey National Catcher of the Week on April 21 after hitting a walkoff grand slam to beat Louisiana.
Janicki is the fourth Trojan to earn Sun Belt Player of the Year honors, joining Adam Bryant (2011), Joey Denison (2018) and Shane Lewis (2023). Since Troy joined the Sun Belt ahead of the 2006 season, its four Sun Belt Player of the Year winners are the most in the conference. Additionally, he joins Reggie Hightower (Mid-Continent - 1996), Bryan Kelly (Mid-Continent - 1997) and Adam Godwin (Atlantic Sun - 2005) as Troy's seven conference player of the year selections in the Division I era.
Aaron Piasecki - Outfielder - First Team
Piasecki hit .329 as the Trojan leadoff man while ranking seventh in the conference with a .458 on-base percentage and 13th with a .977 OPS. The senior from Muskegon, Mich., tallied 69 hits, 12 doubles, two triples and a career-best eight homers while adding 35 RBIs and eight stolen bases.
The Central Michigan transfer ranked among the Sun Belt leaders in walks (7th - 36) and hit-by-pitch (8th - 16), while his 52 combined free passes ranked third. Additionally, Piasecki struck out just 19 times in 55 games, drawing 1.89 walks per strikeout, which ranked 28th in the country.
Drew Nelson - Utility - First Team
A two-way player for the Trojans, Nelson starred both as an outfielder and pitcher this season. At the plate, the Troy native batted .318 with an .878 OPS while tallying 62 hits, 15 doubles, one triple, five home runs and 30 RBIs. On the mound, the senior carried a 3.93 ERA across 18.1 innings, striking out 23 hitters to nine walks in his eight appearances and two starts.
A semifinalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, Nelson's numbers were even better against Sun Belt competition. In league play, Nelson hit .352 with a .994 OPS, while four of his five homers came against conference opponents. Nelson's ERA sat at 2.16 in SBC play, earning all three of his wins this season against Texas State, Louisiana and App State.
2026 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Postseason Awards
Player of the Year
Jimmy Janicki, Troy
Pitcher of the Year
Grayden Harris, Southern Miss
Newcomer of the Year
Gage Peterson, App State
Freshman of the Year
Brady Christman, Georgia Southern
Tony Robichaux Leadership Award
Bryce Blevins, Marshall
Ron Maestri Coach of the Year
Christian Ostrander, Southern Miss
All-Sun Belt First-Team
P Gage Peterson, App State
P Camden Clark, Southern Miss
P Grayden Harris, Southern Miss
RP Darin Horn, Coastal Carolina
C Jimmy Janicki, Troy
1B Matthew Russo, Southern Miss
2B Kyle Morrison, Southern Miss
SS Steven Smith, App State
3B Wills Maginnis, Georgia State
OF Evan Bottone, Marshall
OF Davis Gillespie, Southern Miss
OF Aaron Piasecki, Troy
DH Brady Christman, Georgia Southern
UTL Drew Nelson, Troy
All-Sun Belt Second Team
P Cody Brasch, Louisiana
P Andrew Herrmann, Louisiana
P Bryce Blevins, Marshall
RP Colby Allen, Southern Miss
C Colt Brown, Louisiana
1B Derek Martinez, Arkansas State
2B Brennon Wright, South Alabama
SS Will Johnson, Old Dominion
3B Stewart Puckett, South Alabama
OF Charlie Evans, App State
OF Rex Watson, Coastal Carolina
OF Rashawn Galloway, Texas State
DH Manny Salas, Texas State
UTL Jaquae Stewart, Texas State
All-Sun Belt Freshman Team
Colton Denton, App State
Derek Martinez, Arkansas State
Case Bosch, Coastal Carolina
Jackson Smallets, Coastal Carolina
Brady Christman, Georgia Southern
Bennett Edwards, Georgia Southern
Colt Brown, Louisiana
Noah Lewis, Louisiana
Sawyer Pruitt, Louisiana
Blaze Rodriguez, Louisiana
Garett Wiethorn, ULM
Ben Tanton, Old Dominion
Jackson Cotton, Texas State
Clayton Namken, Texas State
Players Mentioned
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