The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette selected its All-NWADG baseball team. Below are the teams, player of the year, newcomer of the year, coach of the year and a gallery of the players highlighted. All content was compiled by the NWADG sports staff.
Player of the Year
Blake Adams
SCHOOL Springdale Har-Ber
CLASS Sophomore
HEIGHT 6-1
POSITION P/OF
THE SCOOP The sophomore standout hit two home runs this season and drove in 29 runs, boasting a .373 batting average. … Adams will continue to work on his power this offseason and over the course of his final two years of high school ball. … On the mound, he finished the season with an 8-3 mark and a 1.39 ERA. … Went six innings, allowing two runs – one earned – and three hits in the 7A state championship game vs. Cabot. It was his first time playing at Baum Stadium since committing to the Razorback baseball program. … He surrendered just 14 earned runs in 12 appearances this season and struck out a season-high 14 against Fayetteville on April 18.
DID YOU KNOW Adams is a 2019 Arkansas baseball commit and splits time in the summer between Team USA baseball and Arkansas Sticks Elite 17U. … Adams’ first pitch in the state championship game was clocked at 92 miles per hour. … Has gotten to know Razorbacks INF Jaxon Williams and OF Dominic Fletcher during his recruitment process.
QUOTABLE “I would say right before the state tournament, before the Van Buren series, our bats got rolling and the pitchers started throwing strikes and we were hot until the state championship,” Adams said. “There was a lot of energy and we were seeing the ball well in the state tournament. … To be honest, I think we can get back (to Baum) the next two years. We just need to find one more pitcher to help us get over the hump and get to the championship again.”
— Scottie Bordelon • @nwascottie
Newcomer of the Year
Luke McFadden
SCHOOL: Rogers High
CLASS: Senior
HEIGHT 5-9
POSITION: Second Base/Designated Hitter
THE SCOOP The senior earned all-conference honors with a team-best .381 batting average and .459 on-base percentage, hitting out of the two-hole much for the season for the Mounties, who lost in the Class 7A state tournament quarterfinals. He also scored a team-high 23 runs in his first season to get significant varsity playing time.
DID YOU KNOW McFadden has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that affects both the lungs and digestive system. He suffered his first respiratory illness before he was a year old. He decided to end his baseball career and plans on attending the University of Arkansas, likely majoring in business.
QUOTABLE “I think I just kind of stuck with the process. I didn’t really change much. I just always had the same kind of routine, tried to be the hardest worker on the field and it ended up paying off this last year,” McFadden said. “I struggled the whole year chasing curve balls in the dirt. My biggest adjustment wasn’t necessarily learning how to hit the curve ball, but it was trying to hit fastballs earlier in the count. I’ve been through things that most people won’t every go through. Honestly, I think it’s helped me more than it’s hurt me. It’s just kind of built my character. I think it helps me have better perspective like when we’re going into a big game I can think ‘Man, I’m playing baseball. There’s a lot worse things that could be going on than being nervous for a baseball game.’”
— Paul Boyd • @nwapaulb
Coach of the Year
Will McGinnis
SCHOOL Greenland
THE SCOOP In his second season as the Pirates head coach, McGinnis led the team to the Class 3A state championship game. … The Pirates won the 3A-1 West Conference tournament and 3A Region I tournament titles en route to a 27-9 season. … McGinnis has led the Pirates to back-to-back state tournament appearances. … Greenland outscored three state tournament foes 39-18 to reach the state championship for just the second time in school history. … Before losing to Harding Academy 4-0 in the state finals at Baum Stadium, the Pirates had won 11 straight games. … Greenland won two games in one day at the 3A state tournament in Harrison to advance to the state finals after heavy rains caused the tournament to be delayed several times.
DID YOU KNOW McGinnis is the son of longtime Springdale High baseball coach David McGinnis. The younger McGinnis was a young boy when his dad led the Bulldogs to the Class 4A state championship in 1998. Will McGinnis also played in the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star Game in 2006 at Baum Stadium.
QUOTABLE “I was unbelievably proud of these kids,” McGinnis said. “Anytime you can play at Baum at the end of the year, it’s something special. I’m just unbelievably proud of them and their fight and their character. I’m just proud of everything that they’ve done.”
— Chip Souza • @NWAChip
