BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its 2026 SWAC Baseball Preseason selections on Tuesday morning. The preseason selections were voted upon by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
 
Bethune-Cookman’s Andrey Martinez was tabbed Preseason Player of the Year while his fellow teammate Edwin Sanchez was named Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

Martinez led the conference in total homeruns this past season (19) and ranked 19^th in the NCAA in that same category. He tallied 63 hits during regular season competition and compiled a .352 batting average to go along with 59 RBIs.
 
In the regular season Sanchez registered a record of 8-1 with a team-low 3.08 ERA and a team-high 105 strikeouts. Opponents hit just .254 against him and he also tallied two games with double-digit strikeouts.

The 2026 SWAC Baseball regular season is set to begin this week with league teams returning to action. The SWAC Baseball Tournament will be held May 20-24 at Rickwood Field located in Birmingham, Ala.
 
A complete listing of preseason team selections and individual awards is listed below.
 
2026 Preseason All-SWAC Baseball Team and Individual Awards
  
Preseason Player of the Year
Andrey Martinez, Bethune-Cookman
 
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Edwin Sanchez, Bethune-Cookman
 
Preseason All-SWAC Baseball First Team
C – Chris Marcellus, Grambling State
1B – Wilbert Perez, Jackson State
2B – Jesus Vanegas, Bethune-Cookman
3B – Jay Campbell, Florida A&M
SS – Jeter Polledo, Bethune-Cookman
DH – Tanner Aoki, Mississippi Valley State
OF – Andrey Martinez, Bethune-Cookman
OF – Darryl Lee, Bethune-Cookman
OF – Trey Bridges, Grambling State
SP – Kenney Fabian, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
SP – Jorhan Laboy, Alabama State
RP – Jean Carlos Zambrano, Bethune-Cookman

Preseason All-SWAC Baseball Second Team
C – Vinny Saumell, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
1B – Jaylon Lucky, Southern  
2B – Alex Espaillat, Alabama State
3B – KJ White, Southern
SS – Benny Bikar, Southern
DH – Armani Newton, Bethune-Cookman
OF – Justen Crews, Florida A&M
OF – Cameron Hill, Grambling State
OF – Sergio Rivera, Bethune-Cookman
SP- Edwin Sanchez, Bethune-Cookman
SP – Garrett Workman, Florida A&M
RP- Trey Power, Alabama 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.