JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jackson Baumeister rattles off the list of names and it’s still impressive all these years later.
Barco. Ferguson. Inclan. Kirksey. Skinner. …
And now, Baumeister.
To fit in among names like that at Bolles, Baumeister had to earn it.
And he did.
The All-News4Jax baseball player of the year proved himself early, battled back from a knee injury as a junior and helped lead the Bulldogs to the Class 3A state semifinals by starring on the mound and at the plate.
Now at Florida State, Baumeister awaits another shot.
He’ll either be playing for his dream school or following the path to professional baseball. Baumeister is a projected top-four round pick by many draft projections.
It wasn’t always that way for Baumeister at Bolles. Already a known prospect before he even started ninth grade, that prestige carried little weight on a veteran Bulldogs team that had won a state title in 2017.
“They don’t care that you’re committed, and you’ve gotten all this recognition at such a young age, it’s what can you do to help the team win,” Baumeister said. “And as a freshman, I couldn’t help a whole lot, especially with the team that stacked with guys that are spread out all across the country that are [currently] playing high Division I baseball.”
Baumeister was an excellent up and coming player in his own right. He committed to Florida State before his freshman year began. But Baumeister knew his role on the team at the time. He had to earn the respect of his teammates and he chipped away at that however he could playing both catcher and pitcher.
“Of course [the older players made him earn it], but they really took me under their wing. I think they kind of realized there were a couple of us from when I was a freshman that were obviously a little ahead of the curve compared to other people our age,” Baumeister said. “And they kind of noticed that and said ‘you know, this is how we do things at Bolles.’ And this is the right way and the Bolles way and this is the way that it’s going to be done.”
Baumeister played sparingly as a freshman but developed into a very good player as a sophomore. He went 7-1 and didn’t allowed an earned run in 44 innings. His junior year was wiped out by a torn MCL and later, by the pandemic.
It was that injury that forced Baumeister to work as hard as he’s ever worked to get back in condition for his final season. Baumeister went 9-3 this year with a 0.63 ERA and 145 Ks in 77.1 IP. The Bulldogs went 25-5 and lost a 2-1 heartbreaker in the state semifinals.
“Looking back on it I wouldn’t change a single thing. Definitely I learned things about my body things about myself that I never would have experienced, given I hadn’t gotten injured,” he said.
“But leading up until my senior year, I was inconsistent my entire summer leading into my senior year, really just battling back from the injury. Just wasn’t myself. I was underweight, not in my mechanics, pitching wise. And luckily, I turned it around fall of my senior year and was able to go out my senior season and have a pretty good year.”
First team
Pos., Player, School, Class, Notable
P Jackson Baumeister, Bolles, Sr., All-News4Jax player of the year was 9-3 with 0.63 ERA, 145 Ks in 77.1 IP. Hit .318 with 11 RBI, 4 HR. Florida State signee.
P Cody Carwile, Fleming Island, Sr., Went 12-0 with 121 Ks in 73 IP, 0.77 ERA. Struck out double figures in batters in 8 of his 12 appearances. Class 6A player of the year. Georgia Tech signee.
P Colby Frieda, Creekside, Sr., Kentucky signee was Knights ace. Went 6-2 with 0.75 ERA, 86 Ks in 56 IP.
P Ashton Pocol, Bartram Trail, Jr., Biggest arm on Bears’ staff. Went 5-1 with 1.61 ERA, 51 Ks in 52.1 IP.
C Hunter Carns, First Coast, Fr., Buccaneers had a turnaround season, going 21-5 and he was a big reason why. Hit .453 with 34 hits, 16 RBI, 2 HR.
OF Jaden Flowers, Bolles, Sr., Second on team in hitting (.407) with 31 RBI, 7 2Bs, 4 HR, 33 hits and helped lead Bulldogs to Class 3A state semifinals.
OF Jordan Taylor, St. Johns Country Day, Jr., Team-leading .406 batting average with 5 HR, 21 RBI and 39 hits for the best season in Spartans history. Florida State commit.
OF Max Williams, Clay, Jr., Alabama commit hit .346 with 18 RBI, 17 runs scored, 2 HR for one of area’s best teams in the regular season.
IF Aiden Mastantuno, Fleming Island, Sr., Hit .376 with 22 RBI, 35 hits, 2 HR for Class 6A state runner-up.
IF Connor Moore, St. Johns Country Day, Sr., One of the top all-around players in the state. Hit .383 with 11 HR, 41 hits and 40 RBI. Florida State signee.
IF Justin Nadeau, Bartram Trail, Jr., Exceptional season for the Bears. Led team in average (.418), hits (33), runs scored (30), 2Bs (9), 3Bs (4), HR (3) and OBP (.520). Averaged nearly a stolen base per game (24).
IF Tanner Zellem, Bolles, Jr., Bulldogs’ top hitter (.423, 14 2Bs, 30 RBI, 33 H, 27 runs scored, 2 HR) helped power the team to the Class 4A state semifinals. Tennessee commit.
UT Dillon Haines, Episcopal, Sr., Ace on the mound (8-2, 61.2 IP, 107 Ks, 1.36 ERA) and at the plate (.391, 16 RBI, 14 runs scored) for 21-7 Eagles. Stetson signee.
UT Rich Long, Clay, Sr., Hit .347 with 13 RBI, 3 HR. On the mound, he was 6-0 with 55 Ks in 47.2 IP.
UT Chase Toonk, Nease, Sr., In a good crop of arms in St. Johns County, he was one of the best. Went 6-3 with 101 Ks in 53.1 IP, 1.31 ERA. JU signee.
Second team
Pos., Player, School, Class, Notable
P Sully Brackin, Bolles, Jr., Hit .324 with 6 HR, 11 RBI, 14 runs scored. On the mound, he was 8-0 with 1.75 ERA, 55 Ks in 48 IP.
P Garrett Corbett, Bishop Kenny, So., Went 5-4 with 1.43 ERA, 41 Ks in 49 IP for 15-win Crusaders team.
P Easton Stevens, Baker County, Jr., Went 6-5 with 97 Ks in 69.2 IP, 1.61 ERA for Wildcats.
P Cooper Whited, Sandalwood, So., Went 4-2 with a save, 0.83 ERA. Had 49 Ks in 42 IP for Saints.
C Jack Gidcumb, Fleming Island, Sr., Hit .342 with 5 2Bs, 18 RBI and drew 22 walks. Caught all but 14 innings this season and threw out 12 runners.
IF Blake Jones, Parker, Sr., Hit .379 with 25 hits, 13 RBI, 5 2Bs for 15-10 Braves.
IF Connor McGarity, Episcopal, Sr., Led Eagles at the plate (.400, 36 hits, 16 RBI).
OF Drew Homitz, Fleming Island, Sr., Led Golden Eagles at the plate (.395, 22 RBI, 15 runs scored).
OF Cason Milton, Baker County, Sr., Pitcher and outfielder for the Wildcats, he led the team in batting (.356, 21 RBI, 4 HR, 10 2Bs) and went 3-5 with a pair of saves, 48 Ks in 36.1 IP, 2.89 ERA.
OF Ethan Wilford, Trinity Christian, Jr., Led Conquerors in batting with .377 average, 10 RBI.
UT Brennan Baker, Mandarin, Sr., Had 13 stolen bases, 18 RBI and hit .257. More effective in a relief role. Had 6 saves, 1.40 ERA, 28 Ks in 20 IP for 20-8 Mustangs.
UT Tripp Davis, Union County, Sr., Went 7-2 with 2.35 ERA, 75 Ks in 53.2 IP and hit .350 with 26 RBI, 26 runs scored in 21-5 season for Tigers.
UT Brad Hodges, St. Johns CD, Jr., Went 5-4 with 1.59 ERA, save, 74 Ks in 44 IP. Hit .333 with 20 RBI, 12 runs scored and a HR. Virginia commit.
UT Finn Howell, St. Johns CD, Jr., UNF commit was 6-0 with 1.65 ERA, 58 Ks in 55 IP. Pitched a CG in Class 2A state semifinal victory.
UT Hunter Pankey, St. Joseph, Jr., Hit .341 with 4 HR, 23 RBI, 29 hits, 20 runs scored. On the mound, he went 4-3 with 2.82 ERA, 73 Ks in 49.2 IP.
Honorable mention
Pos., Player, School, Class
IF Gavin Abrams, Nease, Sr.
P/IF Logan Baxley, Middleburg, Sr.
IF Tyler Bernstein, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
P Dylan Cope, First Coast, Jr.
IF Hunter Corbin, Suwannee, Sr.
OF Josh Corby, Sandalwood, Sr.
P John Costa, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
UT Whip Davis, Union County, Sr.
OF Brody Delamalleure, Bartram Trail, So.
UT Layton DeLoach, Palatka, Sr.
P Dylan Dudones, Fleming Island, Sr.
2B Cole Durham, Stanton, So.
IF Matthew Gill, Suwannee, Jr.
UT Mason Gray, Columbia, Sr.
P Scott Griesemer, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
UT Conner Guy, Keystone Heights, Fr.
P Josh Kear, Fernandina Beach, Sr.
IF Luke Hayes, St. Augustine, Jr.
IF Thomas Hoff, Paxon, Jr.
IF Jase Knabb, Baker County, Jr.
UT Justin Lebesch, Fleming Island, Sr.
C Eli Maddox, Paxon, Jr.
UT Jordan Martin, Mandarin, Jr.
OF Trent May, University Christian, Jr.
OF Jackson Mayo, Bolles, Sr.
IF Charlie Mims, Parker, Jr.
P Gabe Moorer, Fletcher, Sr.
P Mike Moreland, Keystone Heights, Sr.
IF Coast Moyle, University Christian, Sr.
IF Marcus Murray, Fleming Island, Sr.
OF/P Andrew Myers, Yulee, Sr.
IF Carson Osteen, Keystone Heights, Sr.
IF Jake O’Steen, Union County, Jr.
IF Blake Parker, Clay, Sr.
P Layton Perry, Episcopal, Sr.
IF Jordan Rhoden, Baldwin, Jr.
IF Waz Rollings, Providence, So.
OF Jacob Rowe, Ridgeview, Jr.
UT Dannon Smith, Oakleaf, Sr.
P Dakota Stone, Atlantic Coast, Jr.
P Drew Sullivan, Trinity Christian, Sr.
P Nathan Webb, Mandarin, Jr.
IF Trent White, Middleburg, Jr.
OF Kobe Wiggins, Sandalwood, Sr.
UT Logan Wilson, Clay, Jr.
C Nick Wrubluski, Bishop Snyder, Jr.