BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its 2024 All-SWAC Baseball teams and individual award winners on Tuesday evening. The all-conference honors were voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.   
 Alabama State’s Ali LaPread was named Player of the Year while Florida A&M’s Caleb Granger was tabbed Pitcher of the Year.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Edwin DeLaCruz was tabbed Hitter of the Year, Bethune-Cookman’s Pablo Torres was tabbed Relief Pitcher of the Year and Alabama State’s Juan Cruz was named Freshman of the Year.

Bethune-Cookman’s Tanner Boccabello was named Newcomer of the Year. Florida A&M’s Jamey Shouppe and Texas Southern’s Michael Robertson were named Co-Coaches of the Year rounding out the list of individual award winners.

LaPread has started in 53 games in right field, hitting .328 with 71 runs scored (1st SWAC/15th NCAA), 13 doubles, 13 home runs (1st SWAC), and 39 RBI. He has also walked a league-leading 53 times (13th NCAA). 

Granger dominated the SWAC this season with a 7-1 conference record, a 2.72 ERA, and 51 strikeouts. For the whole season, he had a 9-2 record with the 36th best ERA in the nation (2.87). Granger also had 68 strikeouts and a .262 opponent batting average. He also led the SWAC with a 1.27 WHIP.  

For a month-span DelaCruz was recognized as the best hitter in all college baseball across the country, with an impressive batting average best of .532. During the season, he has managed to collect 62 hits, including 15 doubles, two triples, two home runs and a conference best batting average of .446. In a significant achievement, DelaCruz had a season-high of four hits and two doubles in the series win over Southern.

Boccabello was the top Friday-night arm in the SWAC, finishing the season with a 7-2 record in 13 starts. He finished the season ranked 13th in the country in ERA and tops in the SWAC at 2.79 and fifth in the country in innings pitched at 87. Boccabello allowed only 27 earned runs on the season, the best mark in the conference while also walking a SWAC-low 15 batters to 66 strikeouts, with opposing batters hitting only .286 against him. 

No SWAC reliever recorded more saves than Pablo Torres, who notched six on the year. Torres finished third in the SWAC in ERA at 3.42 in 17 appearances and 23.2 total innings pitched. Torres struck out 29 on the season with only 12 walks, with opponents hitting only .159 against him with a 1.06 WHIP. Torres did not allow a run in 12 appearances on the season, and struck out at least three four times, including a 2.2 inning, six-strikeout appearance in a win over the ACC's Miami on April 17. 

Cruz became the second Hornet in as many seasons and fourth overall to be named the SWAC's Freshman of the Year. He has played in 44 games with 37 starts, hitting .389 (2ndSWAC/33 NCAA) with 10 doubles, eight home runs, and 51 RBI (3rdSWAC). His .605 slugging percentage is seventh in the SWAC.

Coach Shouppe has led the Rattlers to a SWAC East Regular Season title as the Rattlers went 22-8 and were the only 20-win team in SWAC play. 

Coach Robertson led the Tigers to the Western Division Title with a 18-6 league mark.  The Tigers claimed the West No. 1 seed at the upcoming baseball tournament. 

The complete listing of all-conference selections and individual awards winners can be found below.
 
All-SWAC Baseball Teams and Individual Award Winners

Co-Coach of the Year
Jamey Shouppe, Florida A&M
 
Co-Coach of the Year
Michael Robertson, Texas Southern
 
Player of the Year
Ali LaPread, Alabama State
 
Hitter of the Year
Edwin DeLaCruz, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
 
Pitcher of the Year
Caleb Granger, Florida A&M
 
Relief Pitcher of the Year
Pablo Torres, Bethune-Cookman
 
Freshman of the Year
Juan Cruz, Alabama State
 
Newcomer of the Year
Tanner Boccabello, Bethune-Cookman
 
All-SWAC Baseball First Team
C – Edwin DeLaCruz, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
1B – Juan Cruz, Alabama State
2B – Randy Flores, Alabama State
3B – Cameron Bufford, Grambling State
SS – CJ Castillo, Texas Southern
DH – Jose Gonzalez, Bethune-Cookman
OF – Ali LaPread, Alabama State
OF – Tiger Borom, Grambling State
OF – Ty Jackson, Florida A&M
SP – Tanner Boccabello, Bethune-Cookman
SP – Caleb Granger, Florida A&M
RP – Pablo Torres, Bethune-Cookman

All-SWAC Baseball Second Team
C – Broedy Poppell, Florida A&M
1B – Manny Souffrain, Bethune-Cookman
2B – True Fontenot, Florida A&M
3B – Adam Haidermota, Florida A&M
SS – Kyler McIntosh, Alabama State
DH – Myles White, Jackson State
OF – Janmikell Bastardo, Florida A&M
OF – Jordan McCladdie, Jackson State
OF – Michael Burroughs, Prairie View A&M
SP – Mason Martinez, Grambling State
SP – Ranard Grace, Southern
RP – Christian Womble, Jackson State
 
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.

Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
 
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.