Four players from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) baseball team received postseason All-Southern Conference awards for their performances during the 2026 season, according to a May 19 announcement.
The recognition highlights the achievements of VMI athletes in both individual and team categories, reflecting their contributions throughout the season. The awards are determined by league coaches and celebrate accomplishments on the field, at bat, and on the mound.
Senior Grayson Fitzwater was named First Team All-Southern Conference for a second consecutive year and also earned a spot on the SoCon All-Defensive Team. Junior catcher Cole Raile was selected for Second Team All-SoCon, while freshman pitcher Buddy Baker made the SoCon All-Freshman Team. Senior outfielder Owen Prince joined Fitzwater on the SoCon All-Defensive Team. “We’re proud of the recognition our players received,” said VMI Head Baseball Coach Sam Roberts. “These honors are a reflection of the work and consistency our guys showed throughout the season. Our program takes a lot of pride in player development and in the way our team competes every day, and it’s great to see that recognized with these postseason awards.”
Fitzwater holds several program records including career home runs (62), total bases, RBIs (221), walks (144), as well as single-season marks for home runs (21) and walks (49). He also achieved two Southern Conference Player of the Week honors this March.
Raile finished his junior campaign with 16 home runs, 60 RBIs, a .348 batting average across all games started behind home plate this season, earning his first conference postseason award. Prince became VMI’s all-time stolen base leader with 103 steals—including 29 this year—and recorded zero errors while starting every game in center field.
Baker pitched over 36 innings as a true freshman with five wins, two saves, and an earned run average of 4.71.
The broader impact of these recognitions underlines VMI’s emphasis on player development within its baseball program. The awards serve as acknowledgment from league coaches for consistent performance across different roles within collegiate baseball.
