Vote Now: Who is the South Florida baseball Player of the Week (May 15-20)?
As the prep baseball season winds down, SBLive Sports Florida looks back at the top performers in South Florida for the week of May 15-20.
Once again, South Florida has been well represented in the state championship picture, with Westminster Academy, Miami Sunset, North Broward Prep, Gulliver Prep, American Heritage Plantation, Doral Academy and Marjory Stoneman Douglas advancing either to the state semifinals or finals in Fort Myers.
SBLive Sports Florida recognizes the top performers in our Player of the Week poll.
As always, the poll is intended to be fun and raise recognition for as many players from as many schools as possible. Vote as often as you like, and vote now!
Noah Alburquerque, Archbishop McCarthy: The senior catcher hit a home run in the fifth inning of the Mavericks’ Class 5A regional loss to American Heritage. Alburquerque’s homer put the Mavericks ahead before they lost the lead in the sixth inning.
Jesus Garcia, Westminster Academy: In their Class 2A regional finals, Westminster Academy defeated defending champion, Miami Christian, 9-4. Garcia drove in four runs. Garcia added an RBI hit in a state semifinals loss to St. Johns Country Day.
Mateo Gray, North Broward Prep: In the Class 3A regional finals against Montverde Academy, Gray struck out seven and allowed one unearned run, and at the plate, he had two hits, including a double, and drove in a run. Gray added a two-run double in the state semifinals against Gulliver Prep in a comeback win. In the state championship loss to Calvary Christian Clearwater, Gray pitched 6 1/3 innings.
Johan Hidalgo, Miami Sunset: In Class 4A, Sunset beat Key West, 2-1, to capture its regional title. In that outing, Hidalgo gave up one run on four hits with eight strikeouts.
Carlos Jacome, Columbus: The Explorers were one of the best teams in South Florida, and really the entire state of Florida. They just so happened to run into a powerhouse in Stoneman Douglas in the Class 7A regional final, and they lost 10-1. Jacome, one of the better players in Miami Dade County, had two hits, including a double, and drove in a run against Douglas.
Alejandro Ludeiro, Doral Academy: The Firebirds erased a 5-0 deficit against Dwyer in their Class 6A regional finals, and won in walk-off fashion, 8-7. Ludeiro homered and drove in five runs.
Luca Mendez, Gulliver Prep: Mendez tossed six shutout innings, allowing just three hits, in the Raiders’ 2-0 win at Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale) in the Class 3A regional finals.
Mateo Serna, American Heritage Plantation: Serna, a Memphis commit, connected on a two-run homer in the sixth inning that rallied Heritage to its Class 5A regional championship over Archbishop McCarthy
Alex Rodriguez, Marjory Stoneman Douglas: The junior center fielder has been the catalyst for the Eagles all season. Committed to the University of Central Florida, Rodriguez leads off and is known for getting on base and using his speed. In the Class 7A regional final, a 10-1 win over Columbus, Rodriguez hit a home run and drove in two runs.